Custom VLP & Nanodisc Transmembrane Proteins Services

Explore our custom membrane protein production services

KACTUS offers innovative, custom solutions for studying membrane proteins by displaying multipass transmembrane proteins on Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) or nanodiscs, which provide a stable and physiologically-relevant environment for membrane proteins. The full-length membrane proteins are displayed in natural phospholipid bilayers with proper folding and exposed extracellular domains, enabling effective immunization and functional assays.

Service Highlights

Full-Length Proteins

Virus-like Particle or Nanodisc Display

Biotinylation & Fluorescence

Mammalian Expression

6-8 Week Production

Bioactivity Analysis

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Looking for a catalog product?

We also offer transmembrane proteins displays on VLPs and Nanodiscs in our off-the-shelf catalog. These solutions provide membrane proteins with high reproducibility and stability with short lead times.

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Areas of Expertise

We have successfully expressed a variety of full-length transmembrane proteins using our VLP & Nanodisc multi-transmembrane protein expression systems. Our expertise includes:

GPCRs

GPRC5D
GLP-1R
GIPR
CCR2b
CCR4
CCR7
CCR8
A2AR
Cannabinoid Receptor

SSTR2
CXCR4
CXCR5
CX3CR1
LGR4
LPAR1
EDNRA
GCGR
MRGPRX2

4HB/Tetraspanins

Claudin18.2
Claudin 9
Claudin 6
Claudin 4
Claudin 3
TM4SF1
TM4SF15
CD9

Solute Carriers

SLC6A17
SLC7A1
SLC7A11

Others

STEAP1
CD20/MS4A1
CD133

Don't see your protein listed? We love a challenge!

Let us know what difficult-to-express protein you're interested in and we'll let you know the feasibility.

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Product Formats

Virus-like particle (VLP):

We leveraged our well-established VLP platform to display transmembrane proteins to support your biologics research and discovery against these challenging targets. This robust membrane protein displaying format are highly recommended for animal immunization and is also compatible to bioassays, including ELISA and SPRs. Biotinylation and fluorescent labeling of VLPs are also available upon request.

Nanodisc:

Our SMA-based nanodisc system displays multi-pass transmembrane proteins in a detergent-free process, making it a versatile tool for your membrane protein research. Nanodiscs can be widely applied in antibody panning, antibody screening, PK/PD studies, and analytical assay development/testing such as ELISA, SPR, and BLI. Additionally, we can customize the nanodisc based on your needs, including biotinylation, tag selection, and fluorescent labeling.

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Case Studies

STEAP1 VLP

KACTUS has successfully developed full-length STEAP1, a challenging membrane protein target implicated in cancer progression and iron metabolism. STEAP1, a six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate, is highly expressed in various tumors and is a promising therapeutic target. We have produced functional STEAP1 protein displayed on VLPs.

Figure 1. Immobilized Human STEAP1 VLP at 5 ug/ml (100ul/well) on the plate. Dose response curve for Vandortuzumab with the EC50 of 0.21ug/ml determined by ELISA.

Figure 2. The purity of Human STEAP1 VLP is greater than 95% as determined by SEC-HPLC.

SLC13A5 Nanodisc

KACTUS has successfully developed full-length SLC13A5, a challenging drug discovery target known for its six transmembrane domains. SLC13A5, a sodium-coupled citrate transporter, plays a vital role in cellular metabolism and energy production. We have created an SLC13A5 copolymer nanodisc with detergent-free extraction.

BLI sensorgram for SLC13A4 showing binding kinetics with fitted curves and calculated kon, koff, and KD values for molecular interaction analysis.

Figure 4. Full-length SLC13A5 nanodisc was tested using BLI. The His-tagged SLC13A5 nanodisc was immobilized on an Anti-His chip, and the binding interaction was analyzed using the 11H7B8 antibody at varying concentrations: 1023.33, 511.67, 255.83, 127.92, 63.96, 31.98, and 15.99 nM. The KD value of 28.4 nM indicates a high affinity of the SLC13A5 nanodisc for the 11H7B8 antibody.

DLS analysis graph of SLC13A5 nanodisc showing particle size distribution by intensity with peak radius near 14 nm.

Figure 5. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) Analysis of Human SLC13A5 Nanodiscs. The peak is centered around a radius of 13.96 nm, with a corresponding intensity of 21.89%, suggesting that the Human SLC13A5 nanodiscs are predominantly monodisperse, with minimal aggregation.

Why Choose KACTUS for Membrane Protein Expression?

Expertise in Challenging Membrane Protein Expression

At KACTUS, we have spent years tackling complex recombinant membrane protein expression including difficult targets like Claudin 18.2 and CCR8. With deep experience in optimizing expression conditions, solubilization strategies, and proper folding, our team is knowledgeable in how to optimize expression conditions, solubilization, and bioactivity for your complex target.

Advanced Membrane Protein Display Platforms

Our mature membrane protein display formats maintain membrane protein conformation in a native-like environment. After expressing a variety of membrane proteins including GPCRs, SLC proteins, and ion channels on these platforms, we understand how to utilize them to product accurate target proteins for various applications.

Bioactivity validation and quality control

Each membrane protein we produce undergoes quality control validation to ensure structural integrity and functional activity. Our quality control processes include cell sorting, binding assays, and purity testing to give you full confidence in the product quality.

Transparent, responsive scientific support

With KACTUS, you can work with scientists who understand your challenges and care about your results. We’re committed to transparent communication, timely updates, and collaborative problem-solving—so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

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