Protein production, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the four N-terminal immunoglobulin domains of Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule 1.

Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule 1 (Dscam1), a member of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily, plays important roles in both the nervous and the immune systems. Via alternative RNA splicing, Drosophila Dscam1 encodes a vast family of Ig-containing proteins that exhibit isoform-specific homophilic binding. Whether different Dscam1 isoforms adopt the same dimerization mode is under debate, and the detailed mechanism of Dscam1 specificity remains unclear. In this study, eight different isforms of Dscam1 Ig1-4 have been cloned, overexpressed, purified to homogeneity and crystallized. X-ray data were collected to 1.9-4.0 Å resolution. These structures will provide the opportunity to perform extensive structural comparisons of different Dscam1 isoforms and provide insight into its specificity.