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The clostridial collagenases G and H are multidomain proteins. For collagen digestion, the domain arrangement is likely to play an important role in collagen binding and hydrolysis. In this study, the full-length collagenase H protein from Clostridium histolyticum was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The N-terminal amino acid of the purified protein was Ala31. The expressed protein showed enzymatic activity against azocoll as a substrate. To investigate the role of Ca2+ in providing structural stability to the full-length collagenase H, biophysical measurements were conducted using the recombinant protein. Size exclusion chromatography revealed that the Ca2+ chelation by EGTA induced interdomain conformational changes. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed an increase in the percent polydispersity as the Ca2+ was chelated, suggesting an increase in protein flexibility. In addition to these conformational changes, differential scanning fluorimetry measurements revealed that the thermostability was decreased by Ca2+ chelation, in comparison with the thermal melting point (Tm). The melting point changed from 54 to 49°C by the Ca2+ chelation, and it was restored to 54°C by the addition of excess Ca2+. These results indicated that the interdomain flexibility and the domain arrangement of full-length collagenase H are reversibly regulated by Ca2+.

The expression, purification and crystallization of methionyl-tRNA synthetase from Mycobacterium smegmatis. The crystals diffracted to 2.1 Å.

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) from Mycobacterium smegmatis was recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni2+-affinity and size-exclusion chromatography. Crystals formed readily in the presence of the ligands methionine and adenosine. These two ligands are components of an intermediate in the two-step catalytic mechanism of MetRS. The crystals were produced using the vapour-diffusion method and a full data set to 2.1 Å resolution was collected from a single crystal. The crystal belonged to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 155.9, b = 138.9, c = 123.3 Å, β = 124.8°. The presence of three molecules in the asymmetric unit corresponded to a solvent content of 60% and a Matthews coefficient of 3.1 Å3 Da−1. Structure determination is in progress.

M. tuberculosis hypothetical protein Rv2827c was cloned, expressed, purified and crystallized. Preliminary X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 1.93 Å.

The hypothetical protein Rv2827c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. It was purified using affinity and size-exclusion chromatographic techniques and then crystallized. Preliminary X-ray diffraction data analysis suggests the presence of two translationally related molecules in the asymmetric unit of the orthorhombic crystals.

The SH3 domain of human AHI1 has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The protein was purified by affinity and size-exclusion chromatography and was crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K.

The SH3 domain of human AHI1 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The protein was purified by affinity and size-exclusion chromatography and was crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K. A complete data set was collected to 2.5 Å resolution at 110 K. The crystal belonged to space group P41212, with unit-cell parameters a = 67.377, b = 67.377, c = 98.549 Å.

The M. tuberculosis protein Rv0765c was cloned, expressed, purified and crystallized. In an attempt to improve the quality of the crystals of Rv0765c, the protein was modified by reductive methylation. The methylated protein crystallized in a new crystal form with profoundly improved diffraction properties.

Rv0765c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. It was purified using affinity and size-exclusion chromatographic techniques and crystallized. The native protein crystallized in a hexagonal crystal form which diffracted to 7 Å resolution. In an attempt to improve the quality of the Rv0765c crystals, the protein was modified by reductive methylation using dimethylaminoborane and formaldehyde. The modified protein crystallized under different conditions in a tetragonal crystal form, from which diffraction data could be collected to a resolution of 3.2 Å. In both crystal forms of Rv0765c, the asymmetric unit contained two copies of the protein molecule.

The KaiC-like protein PH0187 from the hyperthermophilic archaeon P. horikoshii OT3 was expressed, purified and crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystal of PH0187 diffracted X-rays to 2.75 Å resolution.

KaiC is the central protein in the circadian rhythm in cyanobacteria. The 28 kDa KaiC-like protein PH0187 from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K. Crystals of PH0187 were obtained using a reservoir solution consisting of 1.0 M ammonium phosphate monobasic and 0.1 M sodium citrate tribasic pH 5.3 (the final pH value of the reservoir solution was 4.8) and diffracted X-rays to 2.75 Å resolution. The crystal of PH0187 belonged to space group P6322, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 239.1, c = 106.5 Å. The crystal contained four PH0187 molecules in the asymmetric unit.

Ethanolamine ammonia-lyase from E. coli has been overexpressed, purified and crystallized. The crystals diffracted to 2.2 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation.

Ethanolamine ammonia-lyase (EAL) catalyzes the adenosylcobalamin-dependent conversion of ethanolamine to acetaldehyde and ammonia. The wild-type enzyme shows a very low solubility. N-terminal truncation of the Escherichia coli EAL β-subunit dramatically increases the solubility of the enzyme without altering its catalytic properties. Two deletion mutants of the enzyme [EAL(βΔ4–30) and EAL(βΔ4–43)] have been overexpressed, purified and crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. Crystals of EAL(βΔ4–30) and EAL(βΔ4–43) diffracted to approximately 8.0 and 2.1 Å resolution, respectively.

The catalytic domain of an alkaline mannanase from the alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5 was expressed in E. coli and purified. Crystallization and preliminarily X-ray crystallographic analysis were performed for the recombinant enzyme.

The catalytic domain of an alkaline β-mannanase from the alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5 has been expressed and purified. The recombinant enzyme was crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 298 K. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 1.6 Å resolution. The crystal belonged to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 59.03, b = 63.31, c = 83.34 Å. Initial phasing was carried out by molecular replacement using the three-dimensional structure of a mannanase from the alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. JAMB602 as a search model.

The Trypanosoma cruzi dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, a key enzyme in pyrimidine de novo biosynthesis and redox homeostasis, was crystallized in complex with its first reaction product, orotate.

Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHOD) catalyzes the oxidation of dihydroorotate to orotate, the fourth step and the only redox reaction in the de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine. DHOD from Trypanosoma cruzi (TcDHOD) has been expressed as a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Crystals of the TcDHOD–orotate complex were grown at 277 K by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion technique using polyethylene glycol 3350 as a precipitant. The crystals diffract to better than 1.8 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation (λ = 0.900 Å). X-ray diffraction data were collected at 100 K and processed to 1.9 Å resolution with 98.2% completeness and an overall R merge of 7.8%. The TcDHOD crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 67.87, b = 71.89, c = 123.27 Å. The presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit (2 × 34 kDa) gives a crystal volume per protein weight (V M) of 2.2 Å3 Da−1 and a solvent content of 44%.

A truncated variant of human ribosomal protien L10 was prepared and crystallized. Diffraction data were collected to 2.5 Å resolution.

Eukaryotic ribosomal protein L10 is an essential component of the large ribosomal subunit, which organizes the architecture of the aminoacyl-tRNA binding site. The human L10 protein is also called the QM protein and consists of 214 amino-acid residues. For crystallization, the L10 core domain (L10CD, Phe34–Glu182) was recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. A hexagonal crystal of L10CD was obtained by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The L10CD crystal diffracted to 2.5 Å resolution and belongs to space group P3121 or P3221.

PH1010, a DUF54-family protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon P. horikoshii OT3, was crystallized and X-ray diffraction data were collected to 1.90 Å resolution.

PH1010 from Pyrococcus horikoshii OT3, a member of the archaeal DUF54 family of proteins, was expressed, purified and crystallized. Crystallization was performed by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 3350 as the precipitant. The crystal diffracted X-rays to 1.90 Å resolution using a synchrotron-radiation source. The space group of the crystal was determined to be P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 46.9, b = 49.5, c = 132.7 Å. The crystal contained two PH1010 molecules in the asymmetric unit (V M = 2.4 Å3 Da−1) and had a solvent content of 48%.

UlaG, the putative l-ascorbate-6-phosphate lactonase encoded by the ulaG gene from the utilization of l-ascorbate regulon in E. coli, has been cloned, overexpressed, purified using standard chromatographic techniques and crystallized in a monoclinic space group. Crystals were obtained by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K. A data set diffracting to 3 Å resolution was collected from a single crystal at 100 K.

UlaG, the putative l-ascorbate-6-phosphate lactonase encoded by the ulaG gene from the utilization of l-ascorbate regulon in Escherichia coli, has been cloned, overexpressed, purified using standard chromatographic techniques and crystallized. Crystals were obtained by sitting-drop vapour diffusion at 293 K. Preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the UlaG crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 104.52, b = 180.69, c = 112.88 Å, β = 103.26°. The asymmetric unit is expected to contain six copies of UlaG, with a corresponding volume per protein weight of 2.16 Å3 Da−1 and a solvent content of 43%.

Limited proteolysis of a monomeric fraction of Tellina virus 1 VP4 protease leads to crystals that diffract to beyond 2.1 Å resolution.

Tellina virus 1 is an aquabirnavirus that was isolated from the sand-dwelling marine bivalve mollusc Tellina tenuis. The self-encoded protease viral protein 4 (VP4) processes its own polyprotein to yield the individual proteins VP2 and VP3 that are required for viral assembly. VP4 protease utilizes a serine–lysine catalytic dyad in its mechanism. A full-length VP4 construct was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity using nickel-affinity chromatography. Ion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatographic steps were utilized to isolate a monomeric fraction of the protein. The purified monomeric VP4 was subjected to limited proteolysis to yield crystallizable protein. Crystal growth was performed using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method and was carried out at room temperature (∼296 K). Hexagonal crystals grew in the presence of PEG 8000, ammonium sulfate and urea. These crystals diffracted to beyond 2.1 Å resolution and belonged to space group P6422, with unit-cell parameters a = 59.1, b = 59.1, c = 208.1 Å, one molecule in the asymmetric unit and a solvent content of 42%.

The catalytic module of endolysin from the phage Cp-7 was crystallized using the vapour-diffusion method. Native data were collected to 2.4 Å resolution.

As part of the life cycle of the pneumococcal phage Cp-7, the endolysin Cpl-­7 cleaves the glycosidic β1,4 bonds between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-­acetylglucosamine in the pneumococcal cell wall, resulting in bacterial lysis. Recombinant Cpl-7 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized using the vapour-diffusion method at 291 K. Diffraction-quality tetragonal crystals of the catalytic module of Cpl-7 were obtained from a mixture of PEG 3350 and sodium formate. The crystals belonged to space group I422, with unit-cell parameters a = 127.93, b = 127.93, c = 82.07 Å. Diffraction data sets were collected to 2.4 Å resolution using a rotating-anode generator.

The C-terminal catalytic domain of P. multocida toxin, which is the virulence factor of the organism in P. multocida, has been expressed, purified and subsequently crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion technique.

The C-terminal catalytic domain of Pasteurella multocida toxin, which is the virulence factor of the organism in P. multocida, has been expressed, purified and subsequently crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion technique. Native diffraction data to 1.9 Å resolution were obtained at the BL44XU beamline of SPring-8 from a flash-frozen crystal at 100 K. The crystals belong to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 111.0, b = 150.4, c = 77.1 Å, β = 105.5°, and are likely to contain one C-PMT (726 residues) per asymmetric unit.

A putative ribosomal RNA-processing factor consisting of two KH domains from Pyrococcus horikoshii OT3 (PH1566; 25 kDa) was crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 3000 as the precipitant. The space group of the crystals was determined as primitive orthorhombic P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 45.9, b = 47.4, c = 95.7 Å.

A putative ribosomal RNA-processing factor consisting of two KH domains from Pyrococcus horikoshii OT3 (PH1566; 25 kDa) was crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 3000 as the precipitant. The crystals diffracted X-rays to beyond 2.0 Å resolution using a synchrotron-radiation source. The space group of the crystals was determined as primitive orthorhombic P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 45.9, b = 47.4, c = 95.7 Å. The crystals contain one molecule in the asymmetric unit (V M = 2.5 Å3 Da−1) and have a solvent content of 50%.

Dissimilatory sulfite reductase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F was purified and crystallized. The crystals belonged to the space group P41212 and diffracted to 3.7 Å resolution.

Dissimilatory sulfite reductase (Dsr) plays an important role in sulfate respiration in many sulfate-reducing bacteria. Dsr from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F has been purified and crystallized at 277 K using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method with PEG 3350 and potassium thiocyanate as precipitants. A data set was collected to 3.7 Å resolution from a single crystal at 100 K using synchrotron radiation. The Dsr crystal belonged to space group P41212, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 163.26, c = 435.32 Å. The crystal structure of Dsr was determined by the molecular-replacement method based on the three-dimensional structure of Dsr from D. vulgaris Hildenborough. The crystal contained three α2β2γ2 units per asymmetric unit, with a Matthews coefficient (V M) of 2.35 Å3 Da−1; the solvent content was estimated to be 47.7%.

Crystals of a complex formed between the 59 kDa N-terminal fragment of the E. coli DNA gyrase A subunit and the antibiotic simocyclinone D8 were obtained and X-ray data were recorded to a resolution of 2.75 Å.

Crystals of a complex formed between the 59 kDa N-terminal fragment of the Escherichia coli DNA gyrase A subunit (also known as the breakage–reunion domain) and the antibiotic simocyclinone D8 were grown by vapour diffusion. The complex crystallized with I-centred orthorhombic symmetry and X-ray data were recorded to a resolution of 2.75 Å from a single crystal at the synchrotron. DNA gyrase is an essential bacterial enzyme and thus represents an attractive target for drug development.

Human S100A13 protein was cloned, expressed, purified and crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals obtained belonged to space group P212121 and diffracted to a resolution of 1.8 Å.

S100A13 is a member of the S100 family of EF-hand-containing calcium-binding proteins and plays an important role in the secretion of fibroblast growth factor-1 and interleukin 1α, two pro-angiogenic factors released by the endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi-independent non-classical secretory pathway. Human S100A13 was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 3350 as the precipitant. The crystals diffracted X-rays from a synchrotron-radiation source to 1.8 Å resolution and the space group was assigned as primitive orthorhombic P212121.

Collagen constitutes one third of the body protein in humans, reflecting its extraordinary role in health and disease. Of similar importance, therefore, are the idiosyncratic proteases that nature evolved for collagen remodeling. Intriguingly, the most efficient collagenases are those that enable clostridial bacteria to colonize their host tissues, but despite intense studies, the structural and mechanistic basis of these enzymes has remained elusive. Here we present the crystal structure of collagenase G from Clostridium histolyticum at 2.55 Å resolution. By combining the structural data with enzymatic and mutagenesis studies, we derive a conformational two-state model of bacterial collagenolysis, in which the recognition and unraveling of collagen microfibrils into triple helices as well as the unwinding of the latter go hand in hand with collagenase opening and closing.

Good-quality crystals of selenomethionine-substituted Msmeg_3380 were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique and diffracted to 1.2 Å using synchrotron radiation.

Pyridoxine 5′-phosphate oxidases (PNPOxs) are known to catalyse the terminal step in pyridoxal 5′-phosphate biosynthesis in a flavin mononucleotide-dependent manner in humans and Escherichia coli. Recent reports of a putative PNPOx from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Rv1155, suggest that the cofactor or catalytic mechanism may differ in Mycobacterium species. To investigate this, a putative PNPOx from M. smegmatis, Msmeg_3380, has been cloned. This enzyme has been recombinantly expressed in E. coli and purified to homo­geneity. Good-quality crystals of selenomethionine-substituted Msmeg_3380 were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique and diffracted to 1.2 Å using synchrotron radiation.

The adhesive domain of SdrE from Staphylococcus aureus was recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli and crystallized. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 1.8 Å resolution.

The adhesive domain of SdrE from Staphylococcus aureus was recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified protein was identified by SDS–PAGE and MALDI–TOF MS. The protein was crystallized using the vapour-diffusion method in hanging-drop mode with PEG 8000 as the primary precipitating agent. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 1.8 Å resolution from a single crystal of the protein. Preliminary X-ray analysis indicated that the crystal belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 40.714, b = 66.355, c = 80.827 Å, α = 111.19, β = 93.99, γ = 104.39°.

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase was purified and crystallized and X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.3 Å resolution.

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase (UAP) is an essential enzyme in the synthesis of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. UAP from Candida albicans was purified and crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals of the substrate and product complexes both diffract X-rays to beyond 2.3 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation. The crystals of the substrate complex belong to the triclinic space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 47.77, b = 62.89, c = 90.60 Å, α = 90.01, β = 97.72, γ = 92.88°, whereas those of the product complex belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 61.95, b = 90.87, c = 94.88 Å.

The expression, purification and crystallization of the collagen-binding region of the E. rhusiopathiae surface protein RspB is described. The crystals diffracted to 2.2 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation.

RspB is a surface adhesin of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. A recombinant form of the collagen-binding region of this protein, RspB(31–348), has been overexpressed in Escherichia coli in native and selenomethionine-derivative forms and purified using affinity and gel-permeation chromatography. Thin plate-like crystals were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using the same condition for both forms. The native crystals diffracted to a resolution of 2.5 Å using an in-house X-ray source, while the selenomethionine-derivative crystals diffracted to a resolution of 2.2 Å using synchrotron radiation. The crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 46.19, b = 66.65, c = 101.72 Å, β = 94.11°.

Recombinant human CLEC5A was crystallized in the trigonal space group P31 and X-ray diffraction data were collected to 1.56 Å resolution.

The human C-type lectin-like protein CLEC5A (also known as MDL-1) is expressed on the surface of myeloid cells and plays a critical role in dengue-virus-induced disease by signalling through the transmembrane adaptor protein DAP12. The C-type lectin-like domain of CLEC5A was expressed in Escherichia coli, refolded and purified. Recombinant CLEC5A crystals were grown by sitting-drop vapour diffusion using polyethylene glycol 6000 as a precipitant. After optimization, crystals were grown which diffracted to 1.56 Å using synchrotron radiation. The results presented in this paper suggest that crystals producing diffraction of this quality will be suitable for structural determination of human CLEC5A.