Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the complex between the N-D1 domain of VCP from Homo sapiens and the N domain of OTU1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

VCP (valosin-containing protein; also known as p97) plays important roles in many biological processes including the ERAD (endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation) pathway and its function is governed by binding partners. OTU1 (ovarian tumour domain-containing protein 1) is a recently discovered deubiquitinating enzyme that interacts directly with VCP in the ERAD pathway. In order to understand the interactions between the two proteins, the N-D1 domain of VCP and the UBXL domain of OTU1 were cloned, overexpressed, purified and crystallized. The crystals of the complex diffracted to 3.25 Å resolution and belonged to space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 165.45, b = 176.73, c = 165.59 Å, β = 120.095°. There are two molecules of the complex in the asymmetric unit with a Matthews coefficient of 2.62 Å(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 53%.