High throughput mutagenesis for identification of residues regulating human prostacyclin (hIP) receptor expression and function

PLoS One. 2014 Jun 2;9(6):e97973. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097973. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The human prostacyclin receptor (hIP receptor) is a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that plays a critical role in vascular smooth muscle relaxation and platelet aggregation. hIP receptor dysfunction has been implicated in numerous cardiovascular abnormalities, including myocardial infarction, hypertension, thrombosis and atherosclerosis. Genomic sequencing has discovered several genetic variations in the PTGIR gene coding for hIP receptor, however, its structure-function relationship has not been sufficiently explored. Here we set out to investigate the applicability of high throughput random mutagenesis to study the structure-function relationship of hIP receptor. While chemical mutagenesis was not suitable to generate a mutagenesis library with sufficient coverage, our data demonstrate error-prone PCR (epPCR) mediated mutagenesis as a valuable method for the unbiased screening of residues regulating hIP receptor function and expression. Here we describe the generation and functional characterization of an epPCR derived mutagenesis library compromising >4000 mutants of the hIP receptor. We introduce next generation sequencing as a useful tool to validate the quality of mutagenesis libraries by providing information about the coverage, mutation rate and mutational bias. We identified 18 mutants of the hIP receptor that were expressed at the cell surface, but demonstrated impaired receptor function. A total of 38 non-synonymous mutations were identified within the coding region of the hIP receptor, mapping to 36 distinct residues, including several mutations previously reported to affect the signaling of the hIP receptor. Thus, our data demonstrates epPCR mediated random mutagenesis as a valuable and practical method to study the structure-function relationship of GPCRs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / genetics*
  • Computer Simulation
  • HEK293 Cells
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing*
  • Humans
  • Hydroxylamine
  • Mutagenesis / genetics*
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Mutation Rate
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptors, Epoprostenol
  • Receptors, Prostaglandin / genetics*

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • PTGIR protein, human
  • Receptors, Epoprostenol
  • Receptors, Prostaglandin
  • Hydroxylamine

Grants and funding

The work was funded by Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. The authors contributed to the manuscript as follows: PJGK, AM, APO, and LM designed and made the IPR mutant library as well as contributed to the overall design and conclusions of the study and the writing of the paper. AB, TCK, ER, LF, LB, and MTvD designed the functional screen, screened the IPR mutant library and followed up on the resulting mutants as well as contributed to the overall design and conclusions of the study and the writing of the paper. AB and NAR designed and executed the NGS dataset and analyzed the NGS results. PJGK and SB created the mutation rate program. PJGK, AB, TCK, ER, APO, SJC, MG and LAG all had considerable input in the design of the study, the conclusions made from the study and the writing of the paper. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.