Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the complex of the first von Willebrand type C domain bound to bone morphogenetic protein 2

Crystals of the complex of the first von Willebrand type C domain (VWC1) of crossveinless 2 (CV2) bound to bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) exist in two tetragonal crystal forms belonging to either space group P4₁2₁2 or I4₁, with one complete BMP2 dimer and two CV2 VWC1 domains per asymmetric unit, and diffract to 2.6 Å resolution. Crossveinless 2 (CV2) is a member of the chordin family, a protein superfamily that modulates the activity of bone morphogenetic proteins such as BMP2. The BMPs represent a large group of secreted proteins that control many steps during embryonal development and in tissue and organ homeostasis in the adult organism. The gene encoding the first von Willebrand type C domain (VWC1) of CV2 was cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. The binary complex of CV2 VWC1 and BMP2 was purified and subjected to crystallization. Crystals of SeMet-labelled proteins were obtained in two different forms belonging to the tetragonal space groups P4₁2₁2 and I4₁, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 86.7, c = 139.2 Å and a = b = 83.7, c = 139.6 Å, respectively. Initial analysis suggests that a complete binary complex consisting of one BMP2 dimer bound to two CV2 VWC1 domains is present in the asymmetric unit