Membrane Protein Screening

Membrane proteins are pivotal regulators of cellular communication, signaling, and transport, representing key targets for drug discovery and therapeutic development. Creative BioMart offers a comprehensive Membrane Protein Screening service to identify, characterize, and prioritize membrane proteins for functional studies, antibody development, or drug targeting. Leveraging cutting-edge screening platforms, high-throughput analysis, and advanced bioinformatics, we deliver accurate, reproducible, and detailed insights into membrane protein function and interactions. Our service supports diverse sample types, including mammalian cells, tissue preparations, and model organism systems, providing researchers with actionable data to accelerate discovery and optimize therapeutic strategies.

Background: Challenges and Solutions in Membrane Protein Screening

Membrane proteins play essential roles in regulating signal transduction, ion transport, and cellular homeostasis. They constitute approximately 30% of all human proteins and are the target of over 50% of current drugs. However, their structural complexity, hydrophobicity, and low natural abundance make them challenging to study using conventional techniques. Reliable identification and characterization of membrane proteins require specialized high-throughput screening methods, advanced computational analysis, and functional assays. Creative BioMart addresses these challenges with integrated platforms that combine experimental screening, bioinformatics, and structural prediction, allowing accurate mapping of membrane proteins and their interactions across multiple biological contexts.

Our Membrane Protein Screening Services

Service Workflow

Our Capabilities

Creative BioMart provides a full-spectrum membrane protein screening service designed for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic research applications. Our capabilities include:

• Identification of membrane proteins across different cell types and tissue samples.
• Functional characterization through ligand binding, signaling assays, and stability profiling.
• Topology and structural prediction to support experimental design and interpretation.
• Screening for potential therapeutic targets, including GPCRs, ion channels, and transporters.
• Integration with computational modeling and bioinformatics pipelines for network and pathway analysis.

Service Details

Features	Details
Supported Protein Classes	GPCRs, ion channels, transporters, receptors, other membrane-bound proteins
Sample Types	Mammalian cells, tissue lysates, primary cultures, model organisms
Screening Methods	High-throughput expression analysis, functional assays, ligand binding studies, stability testing
Bioinformatics Support	Topology prediction, network analysis, integration with structural and pathway databases
Applications	Drug discovery, target validation, biomarker identification, functional characterization
Deliverables	Detailed screening reports, protein interaction maps, functional annotation, recommended experimental strategies

Why Choose Creative BioMart for Membrane Protein Screening

Proven Expertise: Extensive experience in membrane protein research and high-throughput screening.

Comprehensive Solutions: From identification and characterization to bioinformatics analysis and functional validation.

High-Throughput Capability: Efficient screening of large protein libraries and multiple samples.

Diverse Sample Support: Compatible with cell cultures, tissue samples, and key model organisms.

Reliable Data: Standardized protocols and rigorous quality control ensure reproducibility and accuracy.

Customized Service: Tailored screening strategies to meet project-specific research objectives and therapeutic goals.

Case Studies in Membrane Protein Screening and Expression

Case 1: Fluorescence-detection size-exclusion chromatography for pre-crystallization screening of integral membrane proteins

Kawate and Gouaux, 2006. doi:10.1016/j.str.2006.01.013

Obtaining well-ordered crystals of membrane proteins remains a major challenge for X-ray crystallography, often limited by the need for large amounts of purified protein. This study presents a rapid pre-crystallization screening method that overcomes these limitations by fusing target proteins to green fluorescent protein (GFP) and analyzing unpurified samples with fluorescence-detection size-exclusion chromatography (FSEC). Requiring only nanogram quantities, the approach enables assessment of protein localization, expression level, monodispersity, and approximate molecular mass without extensive purification. Demonstrated with four membrane proteins from prokaryotic and eukaryotic sources, this strategy offers a fast, resource-efficient way to evaluate crystallization potential prior to large-scale efforts.

Figure 1. Pre-crystallization Screening of P2X Receptors by Epifluorescence and FSEC. (A) Fluorescence microscopic images of HEK293 cells expressing P2X-GFP fusion proteins. (B) FSEC traces from P2X-GFP fusion proteins. The top panel shows the FSEC profiles of C-terminally tagged P2X1–5, 7 (C-P2X1–5, 7), and the bottom panel shows those of N-terminally tagged P2X3–5 (N-P2X3–5), including C-P2X3 and C-P2X5. The arrows indicate the estimated elution position of the void volume, a P2X oligomer (ca. trimer to hexamer), a monomeric P2X subunit, and free GFP, respectively. (Kawate and Gouaux, 2006)

Case 2: Accelerating membrane protein screening with pEG BacMam

Goehring et al., 2014. doi:10.1038/nprot.2014.173

Membrane protein research is often limited by challenges in overexpression, particularly for eukaryotic proteins. To address this, researchers developed the plasmid Eric Gouaux (pEG) BacMam vector, optimized for both rapid screening and high-yield expression. The workflow begins with small-scale transient transfection and fluorescence-detection size-exclusion chromatography (FSEC) of GFP-His8–tagged candidates to assess expression and monodispersity. Promising constructs are then scaled up through baculovirus generation and HEK293S GnTI−cell transduction for robust protein production. Using this strategy, pure samples of cASIC1 and GluCl were prepared for X-ray crystallography, enabling efficient screening of hundreds of constructs and large-scale expression within just 4–6 weeks.

Figure 2. Screening constructs by small-scale transient transfection in HEK293S GnTI−cells and FSEC; 1 μg of N-terminal EGFP-tagged full-length cASIC1 or cASIC1 ∆463 (cASIC1, truncated 64 residues from the carboxy termini) subcloned into pEG BacMam was transfected separately into HEK293S GnTI−cells. (Kaipa et al., 2023)

Membrane Protein Screening Service Testimonials

"Our team collaborated with Creative BioMart to identify novel GPCR targets in human cardiac tissue. Their high-throughput membrane protein screening platform provided accurate functional data, helping us prioritize several lead candidates for downstream drug development. The combination of experimental rigor and bioinformatics analysis greatly accelerated our project timeline."

— Director of Pharmacology | Mid-Sized Pharmaceutical Company

"We needed detailed profiling of ion channels in neuronal models for a neurodegenerative disease program. Creative BioMart delivered precise functional characterization and topological mapping, enabling us to understand channel activity under different conditions. Their insights informed the design of targeted modulators, saving months of trial-and-error experiments."

— Principal Investigator | Academic Neuroscience Lab

"In our metabolic disease project, we required rapid screening of membrane transporters in primary hepatocytes. Creative BioMart’s service provided reproducible results and a comprehensive report on transporter expression and functional activity. Their expertise helped our team select the most promising targets for further drug discovery studies."

— Senior Scientist | Biotechnology Company

"We partnered with Creative BioMart to evaluate receptor-ligand interactions in rare immune cell populations. Their team designed customized assays, ensured high-quality screening, and provided actionable analysis. The results not only met our research goals but also supported regulatory documentation for preclinical studies."

— Head of R&D | Global Biopharmaceutical Company

FAQs About Membrane Protein Screening

• Q: What types of membrane proteins can you screen?

  A: We screen a broad range of membrane proteins, including GPCRs, ion channels, transporters, and receptors, supporting drug discovery, biomarker identification, and functional studies.

• Q: What sample types are compatible with your screening?

  A: Our platform works with mammalian cell cultures, tissue lysates, primary cells, and key model organisms, ensuring flexibility for diverse research needs.

• Q: How do you ensure accurate and reliable results?

  A: We combine high-throughput experimental screening with rigorous bioinformatics and structural analysis. Standardized protocols and quality control measures guarantee reproducibility and biological relevance.

• Q: Can you provide functional characterization, or only protein identification?

  A: We provide both identification and functional analysis, including ligand binding, signaling assays, and topology mapping, giving actionable insights for downstream research.

• Q: Is your service suitable for high-throughput projects?

  A: Yes. The platform is optimized for high-throughput screening, allowing simultaneous analysis of multiple proteins, samples, or experimental conditions efficiently.

• Q: Can the screening be customized for specific project goals?

  A: Absolutely. We offer tailored screening strategies, including selection of target protein classes, functional assays, and model systems to match your research objectives.

• Q: How quickly can I expect results?

  A: Turnaround time depends on project scope, but our streamlined workflow and high-throughput capability ensure fast, reliable delivery of actionable data.

• Q: How do you support downstream analysis?

  A: Our service includes comprehensive data interpretation, including network analysis, functional annotation, and bioinformatics consultation to guide next steps in research or drug development.

References:

1. Goehring A, Lee CH, Wang KH, et al. Screening and large-scale expression of membrane proteins in mammalian cells for structural studies. Nat Protoc. 2014;9(11):2574-2585. doi:10.1038/nprot.2014.173
2. Kawate T, Gouaux E. Fluorescence-detection size-exclusion chromatography for precrystallization screening of integral membrane proteins. Structure. 2006;14(4):673-681. doi:10.1016/j.str.2006.01.013