Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of Drep-3, a DFF-related protein from Drosophila melanogaster

Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 2006 Jun 1;62(Pt 6):597-9. doi: 10.1107/S1744309106018422. Epub 2006 May 31.

Abstract

During apoptosis, DNA fragmentation is mainly mediated by the caspase-activated DFF40 nuclease. DFF40 exists as a heterodimeric complex with its inhibitor DFF45. Upon apoptosis induction, DFF45 is cleaved by caspases to allow DFF40 activation. Drep-3 is a recently identified regulator of the DFF40 system in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, Drep-3 was expressed with a C-terminal His tag in Escherichia coli and the protein was purified to homogeneity. Multi-angle light-scattering analysis showed that Drep-3 is a homotetramer in solution. Native and selenomethionine-substituted Drep-3 proteins were crystallized at 293 K and X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.8 and 3.0 A resolution, respectively. The crystals belong to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 56.9, b = 125.4, c = 168.7 A. The asymmetric unit is estimated to contain one homotetramer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Crystallization / methods
  • Deoxyribonucleases / chemistry
  • Drosophila Proteins / chemistry*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Histidine
  • Light
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Solvents
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Drep3 protein, Drosophila
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Solvents
  • Histidine
  • Deoxyribonucleases