Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the Rho-binding domain of bovine Rho-kinase

Rho-kinase binds to a small GTPase Rho in a GTP-dependent manner and regulates many cytoskeletal events in the cell. The minimum region of bovine Rho-kinase sufficient for Rho-binding was expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase. After removal of the glutathione S-transferase, thin plate crystals were obtained. The selenomethionine-substituted protein was introduced and crystallized, as was the native protein. The crystals of the Rho-binding domain of Rho-kinase belong to the space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 148.0 (2), b = 26.1 (1), c = 39.6 (1) Å, β = 90.3 (1)°. The crystals diffract to a resolution beyond 1.5 Å.