Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of human platelet profilin complexed with an oligo proline peptide

Profilin is an actin-monomer binding protein that regulates the distribution and dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton. Profilin binds poly-L-proline and proline-rich peptides in vitro and co-localizes with proline-rich proteins in focal adhesions and at the site of actin tail assembly on the surface of intracellular parasites such as Listeria monocytogenes. The crystallization of the complex between human platelet profilin (HPP) and an L-proline decamer [(Pro)10] is reported here. Diffraction from these crystals is consistent with the space group P21212 with unit-cell constants a = 68.25, b = 97.64, c = 39.10 A. The crystals contain two HPP molecules per asymmetric unit and diffract to 2.2 A.