J. Fethiere et al., Crystallization of an AMPA receptor binding domain without agonist: importance of carbohydrate content and flash-cooling conditions, ACT CRYST D, 56, 2000, pp. 1625-1629
An AMPA-specific ionotropic glutamate receptor binding domain was overexpre
ssed using the baculovirus system and purified by immunoaffinity and metal-
affinity chromatography. Purified protein was enzymatically deglycosylated.
Both glycosylated and deglycosylated proteins crystallized under the same
conditions and in the same space group (P2). In both cases, it was observed
that the use of MPD as a cryoprotectant induced a significant reduction in
the unit-cell volume compared with glycerol or sucrose. For crystals of de
glycosylated protein, cryoprotection with MPD also yielded a dramatic impro
vement in resolution.