Human dystrophin tandem calponin homology actin-binding domain crystallized in a closed-state conformation

The structure of the N-terminal actin-binding domain of human dystrophin was determined at 1.94 angstrom resolution. Each chain in the asymmetric unit exists in a 'closed' conformation, with the first and second calponin homology (CH) domains directly interacting via a 2500.6 angstrom(2) interface. The positioning of the individual CH domains is comparable to the domain-swapped dimer seen in previous human dystrophin and utrophin actin-binding domain 1 structures. The CH1 domain is highly similar to the actin-bound utrophin structure and structural homology suggests that the 'closed' single-chain conformation opens during actin binding to mitigate steric clashes between CH2 and actin.