Cell-free electrophysiology of human VDACs incorporated into nanodiscs: An improved method

Autor: Stefano Conti Nibali, Maria Carmela Di Rosa, Oliver Rauh, Gerhard Thiel, Simona Reina, Vito De Pinto
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Biophysical Reports, Vol 1, Iss 1, Pp 100002- (2021)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2667-0747
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpr.2021.100002
Popis: Voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) is one of the main proteins of the outer mitochondrial membrane of all eukaryotes, where it forms aqueous, voltage-sensitive, and ion-selective channels. Its electrophysiological properties have been thoroughly analyzed with the planar lipid bilayer technique. To date, however, available results are based on isolations of VDACs from tissue or from recombinant VDACs produced in bacterial systems. It is well known that the cytosolic overexpression of highly hydrophobic membrane proteins often results in the formation of inclusion bodies containing insoluble aggregates. Purification of properly folded proteins and restoration of their full biological activity requires several procedures that considerably lengthen experimental times. To overcome these restraints, we propose a one-step reaction that combines in vitro cell-free protein expression with nanodisc technology to obtain human VDAC isoforms directly integrated in a native-like lipid bilayer. Reconstitution assays into artificial membranes confirm the reliability of this new methodological approach and provide results comparable to those of VDACs prepared with traditional protein isolation and reconstitution protocols. The use of membrane-mimicking nanodisc systems represents a breakthrough in VDAC electrophysiology and may be adopted to further structural studies.
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