Magic™ Custom Transporter Preparation Service

Creative Biolabs now provides integral service packages of membrane transporter protein preparation for our worldwide customers. Equipped with a state-of-the-art Magic™ membrane protein platform, our scientists have successfully synthesized, purified, and reconstituted a broad range of membrane protein targets, including GPCRs, ion channels, transporters as well as viral coat proteins.

Overview of Transporters

In a broad sense, transporter proteins represent a large membrane protein family involved in the movement of ions, small molecules, and macromolecules across the plasma membrane. As is known, the biological phospholipid bilayer is impermeable to many substances, especially many drug reagents, transporters thus plays critical roles in cell survival, functioning, pharmacodynamics/pharmacokinetics, and many other aspects. They are mostly integral membrane proteins multi-spanning the membrane across which the transporter target molecules. The mechanisms of transportation include active transport (against a concentration gradient using energy input, such as glucose and amino acids) and facilitated diffusion (or passive transport, down the concentration gradient, no energy required).

Transporter dysfunction is closely correlated with many inherited or acquired diseases, e.g. cystinuria. Besides, drug efflux pumps can also lead to severe drug resistance in cancer cells, which is of increasing concern in oncology treatment. However, the extremely diverse family members, complicated structure, and relatively low expression levels greatly impede the progress of membrane transporter studies. After years of commitment in this field, Creative Biolabs has established a robust, reliable, and cost-competitive transporter preparation platform. We offer a broad range of options from which you can always find the best match for your project.

Transporters represent a large membrane protein family. (Almasi, Shekoufeh, and Yassine, 2020) Fig.1 Different types of transporters.¹

Strategies for Transporter Production

Cell-based full-length transporter expression

Creative Biolabs can generate the target transporter using many conventional cell-based systems. Protein products can be subsequently purified and incorporated into various forms, like detergent micelles, liposomes, nanodisc, and polymers for further validation. Native membrane proteins also can be directly captured using spontaneously assembled viral core proteins, forming high-density membrane protein-displaying VLPs. No need for risky detergent use or labor-intensive purification processes. Our cell-based systems include:

Membrane Protein Expression in E. coli
Membrane Protein Expression in Yeast Cells
Membrane Protein Expression in Baculovirus-Insect Cells
Membrane Protein Expression in Mammalian Cells

Creative Biolabs has rich experience in establishing membrane protein overexpressing stable cell lines, including special cell lines for function investigation use. Currently, we have a wide range of ready-to-use stable cell lines with high expression levels.

Cell-free full-length transporter expression

Sometimes cell-free machinery is more efficient than cell-based formats, especially for complex targets like transporters. Problematic issues like misfolding, detergent impair and inclusion bodies will be less of a concern in cell-free systems. In particular, we recommend our featured wheat germ system, which has proved good utility in expressing many ion channels and transporters.

Cell-free Protein Expression in E. coli Lysate
Cell-free Protein Expression in Wheat Germ
Cell-free Protein Expression in Mammalian Cell Lysate
Cell-free Protein Expression in Rabbit Reticulocyte Lysate
Cell-free Protein Expression in Insect Cell Lysate
Cell-free Protein Expression in Hela Cell Lysate

Peptides derived from extracellular and intracellular domains

If structural information is accessible for the target transporter protein, we can design and express the extracellular or intracellular domain directly. In contrary to full-length multipass, it will be much easier and less risky to get peptide loops of interest. We have raised many anti-membrane protein antibodies with high specificity and affinity using this strategy.

Creative Biolabs is always ready to leverage our expertise and dedication to help facilitate our customers' research programs. Our tailored service has earned us a broad reputation for the successful accomplishment of many challenging transporter protein projects. Of note, strict QC/functionality validations can also be conducted. We also provide anti-transporter antibody development/antibody functional assay service. Please contact us for more information.

Reference

Almasi, Shekoufeh, and Yassine El Hiani. "Exploring the therapeutic potential of membrane transport proteins: Focus on cancer and chemoresistance." Cancers 12.6 (2020): 1624. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.

All listed services and products are For Research Use Only. Do Not use in any diagnostic or therapeutic applications.

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