Synthetic model membranes are powerful tools in the investigation of the fundamental properties and functions of biomembranes. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are one of the most prominent platforms to study a variety of plasma membrane properties and can be engineered to mimic different physiological conditions1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. It is well established that the plasma membrane and its organization play a key role in a multitude of cellular processes, such as signal transduction, adhesion, endocytosis, and transport9,10,11,12,13,14,15.
GUVs have been fabricated using various methods, including gentle hydration16, hydrogel swelling17, electroformation18, microfluidic techniques19,20,21,22, jetting23, and solvent exchange24,25,26. Due to challenges in handling integral membrane proteins (IMPs), in vitro platforms to study them have been limited. GUVs present a simplified platform for studying IMPs in an environment that mimics their native environment. Although there have been several approaches for protein reconstitution in GUVs, challenges arise from incorporating proteins with the correct orientation and maintaining protein functionality27.
Most successful protein-reconstitution in GUVs requires the detergent exchange method; which involves solubilizing the proteins from their native environment by detergents, followed by protein purification, and then replacing the detergent molecules with lipids through various methods28. While detergents serve to stabilize the tertiary structure of IMPs during purification, detergent micelles are a relatively unnatural environment for these proteins, which are better stabilized, particularly for functional studies, in lipid bilayers28,29,30. Moreover, incorporating functional transmembrane proteins into the lipid bilayer using traditional GUV fabrication techniques has been difficult due to the size, the delicacy of these proteins, and the additional detergent exchange steps that would be needed27,31,32,33. The use of organic solvent to remove detergents causes protein aggregation and denaturing34. An improved detergent-mediated method has been promising, however, caution is needed for the detergent removal step and optimization might be needed for specific proteins31,35. Additionally, methods that utilize electroformation could restrict the choice of protein and may not be suitable for all lipid compositions especially charged lipids31,36,37. Another technique that has been used is peptide-induced fusion of large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) containing the desired protein with GUVs, though it was found to be laborious and can lead to the insertion of foreign molecules-the fusogenic peptides33,38,39. Giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs), which are derived from living cells, can be used to overcome some of these issues, however they allow minimal control of the resultant lipid and protein composition14,40,41. Therefore, the integration of IMPs in the bilipid layer of GUVs using our modified agarose swelling method presents a reliable method to further examine these proteins in the membrane environment42,43,44,45.
Cellular signaling and communication involves a family of proteins known as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs); GPCRs are among the largest family of proteins and are associated with modulating mood, appetite, blood pressure, cardiovascular function, respiration, and sleep among many other physiological functions46. In this study, we used human serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1AR) which is a prototypical member of the GPCR family. 5-HT1AR can be found in the central nervous system (CNS) and blood vessels; it influences numerous functions such as cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine functions, as well as participating in the regulation of mood47. A large barrier to GPCR research arises from their complex amphiphilic structure, and GUVs present a promising platform for the investigation of various properties of interest, ranging from protein functionality, lipid-protein interactions, and protein-protein interactions. Various approaches have been utilized to study lipid-protein interactions such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR)48,49, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR)50,51, protein lipid overlay (PLO) assay51,52,53,54, native mass spectrometry55, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC)56,57, and liposome sedimentation assay58,59. Our lab has used the simplified GUV approach to investigate the effect of lipid-protein interactions on protein functionality by incapsulating BODIPY-GTPγS, which binds with the Giα subunit in the active state of the receptor. Their binding unquenches the fluorophore producing a fluorescence signal that could be detected over time45. Moreover, various studies investigated Lipid-protein interactions and the role of proteins in sensing or stabilizing membrane curvature60,61, and utilizing a feasible GUV approach could be a key advantage.
This protocol demonstrates a straightforward method to incorporate GPCRs into the membrane of GUVs using a modified agarose hydrogel system17,42. Furthermore, based on our previous work, our method could be suitable for IMPs that can bear short-term exposure to 30-40 °C. Briefly, we spread a thin film of agarose combined with membrane fragments containing the GPCR of interest. Following gelation of this layer, we deposit a lipid solution atop the agarose and allow the solvent to evaporate. Rehydration of the system was then performed with an aqueous buffer, resulting in the formation of GUVs with protein incorporated in the lipid bilayer.