Crystallization of a 2:2 complex of Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (GCSF) with the ligand-binding region of the GCSF receptor

Honjo, Eijiro; Tamada, Taro; Maeda, Yoshitake*; Koshiba, Takumi*; Matsukura, Yasuko*; Okamoto, Tomoyuki*; Ishibashi, Matsujiro*; Tokunaga, Masao*; Kuroki, Ryota

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) receptor receives signals for regulating the proliferation and differentiation of the precursor cells of granulocytes. The complex composed of two GCSFs and two GCSF receptors was crystallized. The crystal of the complex was grown in 1.0 M sodium formate and 0.1 M sodium acetate (pH4.6). It belongs to the space group 422 (or its enantiomorph 422) with unit cell dimensions of = = 110.1 , = 331.8 . However, the diffraction data from the crystal beyond 5 resolution could not be collected. Since the heterogeneity of GCSF receptor seems to interrupt growth of good quality crystals, the GCSF receptor was fractionated by achromatography. Crystals of GCSF/fractionated GCSF receptor complex were grown as a new crystal form in 0.2 M ammonium phosphate. The new crystal diffracts beyond 3.0 resolution and belongs to space group 321 (or its enantiomorph 321) with unit-cell parameters = = 134.8, = 105.7 .