GPCR proteomics: mass spectrometric and functional analysis of histamine H1 receptor after baculovirus-driven and in vitro cell free expression

J Proteome Res. 2008 Feb;7(2):621-9. doi: 10.1021/pr7005654.

Abstract

The human histamine H1 Receptor (hH1R) belongs to the family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), an attractive and proven class of drug targets in a wide range of therapeutic areas. However, due to the low amount of available purified protein and the hydrophobic nature of GPCRs, limited structural information is available on ligand-receptor interaction especially for the transmembrane (TM) domain regions where the majority of ligand-receptor interactions occur. During the last decades, proteomic techniques have increasingly become an important tool to reveal detailed information on the individual GPCR class, including post-translational modifications and characterizations of GPCRs binding pocket. Herein, we report the successful functional production and mass spectrometric characterization of the hH1R, after baculovirus-driven and in vitro cell-free expression. Using only MALDI-ToF, sequence coverage of more than 80%, including five hydrophobic TM domains was achieved. Moreover, we have identified an asparagine residue in the hH1R protein that is subject to N-linked glycosylation. This information would be valuable for drug discovery efforts by allowing us to further study H1R-ligand interactions using histaminergic ligands that covalently bind the hH1R, and eventually revealing binding sites of hH1R and other GPCRs.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Baculoviridae / physiology*
  • Cell-Free System
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Proteomics* / methods
  • Receptors, Histamine H1 / biosynthesis
  • Receptors, Histamine H1 / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Histamine H1 / genetics
  • Receptors, Histamine H1 / physiology*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization*
  • Spodoptera

Substances

  • Receptors, Histamine H1