Homodimeric cross-over structure of the human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) receptor signaling complex

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

A crystal structure of the signaling complex between human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF), and a ligand binding region of GCSF receptor (GCSF-R), has been determined to 2.8 resolution. The GCSF:GCSF-R complex formed a 2:2 stoichiometry via a cross-over interaction between the Ig-like domains of GCSF-R and GCSF. The conformation of the complex is quite different to that between human GCSF and the CRH domain of mouse GCSF-R, but similar to that of the interleukin-6 (IL-6)/gp130 signaling complex. The Ig-like domain cross-over structure necessary for GCSF-R activation is consistent with previously reported thermodynamic and mutational analyses.