Large scale expression and purification of the mouse 5-HT3 receptor

• Stable, inducible, cell lines expressed high levels of the 5-HT3 receptor.
• Expression was efficiently scaled-up using roller bottles or suspension cultures.
• Streptactin affinity purification yielded pure and active 5-HT3 receptor.
• Tag removal, deglycosylation, and gel filtration yielded pentameric receptor.
• 5-HT3 receptor crystals were obtained.

Receptors of the Cys-loop family are central to neurotransmission and primary therapeutic targets. In order to decipher their gating and modulation mechanisms, structural data is essential. However, structural studies require large amounts of pure, functional receptors. Here, we present the expression and purification of the mouse serotonin 5-HT3 receptor to high purity and homogeneity levels. Inducible expression in human embryonic kidney 293 cells in suspension cultures with orbital shaking resulted in yields of 6–8 mg receptor per liter of culture. Affinity purification using a strep tag provided pure protein in active form. Further deglycosylation and removal of the purification tag led to a pentameric receptor after size-exclusion chromatography, at the milligram scale. This material is suitable for crystallography, as demonstrated by X-ray diffraction of receptor crystals at low resolution.

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