Preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of the short form of the human TRAF4 TRAF domain

TNF (tumour necrosis factor) receptor-associated factor 4 (TRAF4) is a unique TRAF protein that participates in morphogenetic and developmental function and cell migration. TRAF-family proteins contain a TRAF domain for target interaction. In this study, the short form of the human TRAF4 TRAF domain, corresponding to amino acids 290-462, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli using engineered C-terminal His tags. The short form of the TRAF4 TRAF domain was purified to homogeneity and crystallized at 293 K. Finally, X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 4.2 Å from a crystal belonging to the hexagonal space group P3₂, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 147.17, c = 202.69 Å.