Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the human kindlin-2 PH domain

Kindlins contribute to the correct assembly of integrin-containing focal adhesion sites through their direct interaction with the cytoplasmic tail of β-­integrin. The FERM domain of kindlins has a unique subdomain organization: the F2 subdomain harbours a centrally located pleckstrin homology (PH) domain that is thought to be involved in the membrane targeting of kindlins. FERM domains are found in a number of cytoskeletal proteins that mediate the interaction between integrins and cytosolic proteins. In the present study, the PH domain of human kindlin-2 was subcloned, solubly expressed in Escherichia coli and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. A diffraction data set was collected at 2.8 A resolution using synchrotron radiation on BL-4A at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (Pohang, Republic of Korea).