Reconstitution of the Bacterial Glutamate Receptor Channel by Encapsulation of a Cell-Free Expression System

Summary

This protocol describes the inverted emulsion method used to encapsulate a cell-free expression (CFE) system within a giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV) for the investigation of the synthesis and incorporation of a model membrane protein into the lipid bilayer.

Abstract

Cell-free expression (CFE) systems are powerful tools in synthetic biology that allow biomimicry of cellular functions like biosensing and energy regeneration in synthetic cells. Reconstruction of a wide range of cellular processes, however, requires successful reconstitution of membrane proteins into the membrane of synthetic cells. While the expression of soluble proteins is usually successful in common CFE systems, the reconstitution of membrane proteins in lipid bilayers of synthetic cells has proven to be challenging. Here, a method for reconstitution of a model membrane protein, bacterial glutamate receptor (GluR0), in giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) as model synthetic cells based on encapsulation and incubation of the CFE reaction inside synthetic cells is demonstrated. Utilizing this platform, the effect of substituting the N-terminal signal peptide of GluR0 with proteorhodopsin signal peptide on successful cotranslational translocation of GluR0 into membranes of hybrid GUVs is demonstrated. This method provides a robust procedure that will allow cell-free reconstitution of various membrane proteins in synthetic cells.

Introduction

Bottom-up synthetic biology has gained increasing interest over the past decade as an emerging field with numerous potential applications in bioengineering, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine^1,2. The development of synthetic cells as a cornerstone of bottom-up synthetic biology, in particular, has attracted a wide range of scientific communities due to the promising applications of synthetic cells as well as their cell-like physical and biochemical properties that facilitate in vitro biophysical studies^3,4,5<....

Protocol

The reagents and equipment utilized for this study are provided in the Table of Materials.

1. Bulk CFE reactions in the presence of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs)

1. SUV preparation
   NOTE: This step needs to be performed in a fume hood following the safety instructions for working with chloroform.
   1. Prepare 5 mM 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) SUVs in a glass vial by transferring 76 µL of 25 mg/mL POPC stoc.......

Discussion

Virtually any cellular process that depends on the transfer of molecules or information across the cell membrane, like cell signaling or cell excitation, requires membrane proteins. Thus, the reconstitution of membrane proteins has become the main bottleneck in realizing various synthetic cell designs for different applications. Traditional detergent-mediated reconstitution of membrane proteins in biological membranes requires GUV generation methods such as gentle swelling or electroformation. Swelling approaches usually.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
100 nm polycarbonate filter	STERLITECH	1270193
96 Well Clear Bottom Plate	ThermoFisher Scientific	165305
BioTek Synergy H1M Hybrid Multi-Mode Reader	Agilent	11-120-533
Creatine phosphate	Millipore Sigma	10621714001
CSU-X1 Confocal Scanner Unit	Yokogawa	CSU-X1
Density gradient medium (Optiprep)	Millipore Sigma	D1556	Optional to switch with sucrose in inner solution
Filter supports	Avanti	610014
Fisherbrand microtubes (1.5 mL)	Fisher Scientific	05-408-129
Folinic acid calcium salt hydrate	Millipore Sigma	F7878
Glucose	Millipore Sigma	158968
HEPES	Millipore Sigma	H3375
iXon X3 camera	Andor	DU-897E-CS0
L-Glutamic acid potassium salt monohydrate	Millipore Sigma	G1501
Light mineral oil	Millipore Sigma	M5904
Magnesium acetate tetrahydrate	Millipore Sigma	M5661
Mini-extruder kit (including syringe holder and extruder stand)	Avanti	610020
Olympus IX81 Inverted Microscope	Olympus	IX21
Olympus PlanApo N 60x Oil Microscope Objective	Olympus	1-U2B933
PEO-b-PBD	Polymer Source	P41745-BdEO
pET28b-PRSP-GluR0-sfGFP plasmid DNA	Homemade	N/A
pET28b-sfGFP-sfCherry(1-10) plasmid DNA	Homemade	N/A
pET28b-WT-GluR0-sfGFP plasmid DNA	Homemade	N/A
POPC lipid in chloroform	Avanti	850457C
Potassium chloride	Millipore Sigma	P9541
PUREfrex 2.0	Cosmo Bio USA	GFK-PF201
Ribonucleotide Solution Set	New England BioLabs	N0450
RNase Inhibitor, Murine	New England BioLabs	M0314S
RTS Amino Acid Sampler	Biotechrabbit	BR1401801
Sodium chloride	Millipore Sigma	S9888
Spermidine	Millipore Sigma	S2626
Sucrose	Millipore Sigma	S0389
VAPRO Vapor Pressure Osmometer Model 5600	ELITechGroup	VAPRO 5600