Cryo-EM analysis of a membrane protein embedded in the liposome. Author Xia Yao, Xiao Fan, Nieng Yan Publication Year 2020 Type Journal Article Abstract Membrane proteins (MPs) used to be the most difficult targets for structural biology when X-ray crystallography was the mainstream approach. With the resolution revolution of single-particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM), rapid progress has been made for structural elucidation of isolated MPs. The next challenge is to preserve the electrochemical gradients and membrane curvature for a comprehensive structural elucidation of MPs that rely on these chemical and physical properties for their biological functions. Toward this goal, here we present a convenient workflow for cryo-EM structural analysis of MPs embedded in liposomes, using the well-characterized AcrB as a prototype. Combining optimized proteoliposome isolation, cryo-sample preparation on graphene grids, and an efficient particle selection strategy, the three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of AcrB embedded in liposomes was obtained at 3.9 Å resolution. The conformation of the homotrimeric AcrB remains the same when the surrounding membranes display different curvatures. Our approach, which can be widely applied to cryo-EM analysis of MPs with distinctive soluble domains, lays out the foundation for cryo-EM analysis of integral or peripheral MPs whose functions are affected by transmembrane electrochemical gradients or/and membrane curvatures. Keywords Escherichia coli, Membrane Proteins, Models, Molecular, Protein Conformation, Escherichia coli Proteins, Cell Membrane, Cryoelectron Microscopy, Liposomes, Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Volume 117 Issue 31 Pages 18497-18503 Date Published 2020 Aug 04 ISSN Number 1091-6490 DOI 10.1073/pnas.2009385117 Alternate Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A PMCID PMC7414195 PMID 32680969 PubMedPubMed CentralGoogle ScholarBibTeXEndNote X3 XML