Expression, purification and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the chicken MHC class I molecule YF1*7.1

YF1*7.1 is an allele of a polymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-like locus within the chicken Y gene complex. With the aim of understanding the possible role of the YF1*7.1 molecule in antigen presentation, the complex of YF1*7.1 heavy chain and beta(2)-microglobulin was reconstituted and purified without a peptide. Crystals diffracted synchrotron radiation to 1.32 A resolution and belonged to the monoclinic space group P2(1). The phase problem was solved by molecular replacement. A detailed examination of the structure may provide insight into the type of ligand that could be bound by the YF1*7.1 molecule.