Patent ID: 8637639

Claim:
A method comprising: (a) combining a fusion protein with lipid, wherein the fusion protein comprises, from N-terminus to C-terminus: (i) a first portion of a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), wherein said first portion comprises TM1, TM2, TM3, TM4 and TM5 regions of said GPCR; (ii) a domain comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence of a soluble, autonomously folding, wild-type protein; and (iii) a second portion of said GPCR, wherein said second portion comprises TM6 and TM7 regions of said GPCR; (b) subjecting the product of (a) to lipidic phase crystallization conditions; and (c) determining whether crystals comprising said fusion protein are produced.