The Crystal Structure of Human Placenta Growth Factor-1 (PlGF-1), an Angiogenic Protein, at 2.0 Å Resolution

Shalini Iyer, Demetres D. Leonidas, G. Jawahar Swaminathan, Domenico Maglione, Mauro Battisti, Marina Tucci, M. Graziella Persico, K. Ravi Acharya
2000 Journal of Biological Chemistry  
The angiogenic molecule placenta growth factor (PlGF) is a member of the cysteine-knot family of growth factors. In this study, a mature isoform of the human PlGF protein, PlGF-1, was crystallized as a homodimer in the crystallographic asymmetric unit, and its crystal structure was elucidated at 2.0 Å resolution. The overall structure of PlGF-1 is similar to that of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with which it shares 42% amino acid sequence identity. Based on structural and
more » ... l data, we have mapped several important residues on the PlGF-1 molecule that are involved in recognition of the fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor (Flt-1, also known as VEGFR-1). We propose a model for the association of PlGF-1 and Flt-1 domain 2 with precise shape complementarity, consider the relevance of this assembly for PlGF-1 signal transduction, and provide a structural basis for altered specificity of this molecule.
doi:10.1074/jbc.m008055200 pmid:11069911 fatcat:desqdkshojd33omdtrbu5ccuam