%0 Journal Article
%T N-Terminal T4 Lysozyme Fusion Facilitates Crystallization of a G Protein Coupled Receptor
%A Yaozhong Zou
%A William I. Weis
%A Brian K. Kobilka
%J PLOS ONE
%D 2012
%I Public Library of Science (PLoS)
%R 10.1371/journal.pone.0046039
%X A highly crystallizable T4 lysozyme (T4L) was fused to the N-terminus of the ¦Â2 adrenergic receptor (¦Â2AR), a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) for catecholamines. We demonstrate that the N-terminal fused T4L is sufficiently rigid relative to the receptor to facilitate crystallogenesis without thermostabilizing mutations or the use of a stabilizing antibody, G protein, or protein fused to the 3rd intracellular loop. This approach adds to the protein engineering strategies that enable crystallographic studies of GPCRs alone or in complex with a signaling partner.
%U http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0046039