Overexpression and functional characterization of the extracellular domain of the human alpha1 glycine receptor

Overexpression, purification and functional characterization of the human [alpha]1 glycine receptor (GlyR) extracellular domain (ECD) (GlyBP), a chimeric protein containing the truncated ECD of [alpha]1 GlyR with two substituted hydrophilic loops from acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP), are presented. GlyBP is isolated as a soluble or membrane-associated assembly that has served as a structural and functional homologue of the ECD of GlyR.