BioDesign 2024; 12(1): 8-12
Published online March 30, 2024
https://doi.org/10.34184/kssb.2024.12.1.8
© Korean Society for Structural Biology
Dahwan Lim1, So Hyeon Park2, Ho-Chul Shin1, Seung Jun Kim1,* and Bonsu Ku2,*
1Critical Diseases Diagnostics Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
2Disease Target Structure Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
Correspondence to: *ksj@kribb.re.kr, bku@kribb.re.kr
Bak is the proapoptotic Bcl-2 protein family member, forming an oligomerized pore at the mitochondrial outer membrane for the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol. Due to its apoptosis-triggering role, Bak is considered a potential therapeutic drug target. Notably, eltrombopag, an FDA-approved thrombopoietin receptor agonist, was identified as a novel Bak-binding proapoptotic molecule. In this study, the recombinant Bak protein produced in Escherichia coli was purified and then mixed with eltrombopag at a 1:1.2 molar ratio. Crystals were obtained using the sample, and utilized to collect X-ray diffraction data with a maximum resolution of 1.40 Å. Preliminary diffraction analysis indicated that our crystals belonged to the P63 space group with unit cell parameters a = b = 73.5 Å and c = 44.6 Å. In a single asymmetric unit, one protein molecule is present, with a 36.5% solvent content and a 1.94 Å3/Da Matthews coefficient.