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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with loss-of-function mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), which regulates epithelial fluid and ion homeostasis. The CFTR cytoplasmic C-terminus interacts with a number of PDZ (PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1) proteins that modulate its intracellular trafficking and chloride-channel activity. Among these, the CFTR-associated ligand (CAL) has a negative effect on apical-membrane expression levels of the most common disease-associated mutant ΔF508-CFTR, making CAL a candidate target for the treatment of CF. A selective peptide inhibitor of the CAL PDZ domain (iCAL36) has recently been developed and shown to stabilize apical expression of ΔF508-CFTR, enhancing net chloride-channel activity, both alone and in combination with the folding corrector corr-4a. As a basis for structural studies of the CAL-iCAL36 interaction, a purification protocol has been developed that increases the oligomeric homogeneity of the protein. Here, the cocrystallization of the complex in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 35.9, b = 47.7, c = 97.3 Å, is reported. The crystals diffracted to 1.4 Å resolution. Based on the calculated Matthews coefficient (1.96 Å(3) Da(-1)), it appears that the asymmetric unit contains two complexes.

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes a protein that triggers the accelerated degradation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in airway epithelial cells. This protein, which is known as the CFTR inhibitory factor (Cif), acts as a virulence factor and may facilitate airway colonization by P. aeruginosa. Based on sequence similarity Cif appears to be an epoxide hydrolase (EH), but it lacks several of the conserved features found in the active sites of canonical members of the EH family. Here, the crystallization of purified recombinant Cif by vapor diffusion is reported. The crystals formed in space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 167.4, b = 83.6, c = 88.3 A, beta = 100.6 degrees . The crystals diffracted to 2.39 A resolution on a rotating-anode source. Based on the calculated Matthews coefficient (2.2 A(3) Da(-1)), it appears that the asymmetric unit contains four molecules.

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Among the cognate ionotropic glutamate receptors, the subfamily selective for AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid) is responsible for most fast excitatory synaptic signaling and plays key roles in synaptic plasticity. AMPA receptors (AMPA-Rs) have also been implicated in a number of neurological disorders. To investigate subunit-specific differences in the ligand binding and activation of AMPA-Rs, the GluR4 AMPA-R ligand-binding domain (LBD) was crystallized in complex with full and partial agonists. This is the first non-GluR2 AMPA-R LBD available for structural analysis. Standard cryoprotection protocols yielded high-resolution diffraction from flash-cooled crystals of the complex with the full agonist glutamate. However, for cocrystals with the partial agonist kainate, systematic screening and optimization of cryoprotection conditions yielded at best mosaic, weak diffraction at 100 K. In contrast, room-temperature data collection from capillary-mounted kainate cocrystals exhibited reproducible diffraction to better than 3 A resolution. Together, these crystals lay the foundation for a structural comparison of LBD-agonist interactions in distinct AMPA-R subunits.

An AMPA-specific ionotropic glutamate receptor binding domain was overexpressed using the baculovirus system and purified by immunoaffinity and metal-affinity chromatography. Purified protein was enzymatically deglycosylated. Both glycosylated and deglycosylated proteins crystallized under the same conditions and in the same space group (P2). In both cases, it was observed that the use of MPD as a cryoprotectant induced a significant reduction in the unit-cell volume compared with glycerol or sucrose. For crystals of deglycosylated protein, cryoprotection with MPD also yielded a dramatic improvement in resolution.