Crystals on the cover 2012

Editorial.

Structural insights into RipC, a putative citrate lyase β subunit from a Yersinia pestis virulence operon

Comparison of the 2.45 Å resolution crystal structure of homotrimeric RipC, a putative citrate lyase β subunit from Y. pestis, with structural homologs reveals conserved RipC residues that are implicated in CoA binding.

Structure of CBM3b of the major cellulosomal scaffoldin subunit ScaA from Acetivibrio cellulolyticus

The crystal structure at 1.0 Å resolution of the cellulose-binding CBM3b from the major scaffoldin subunit ScaA of A. cellulolyticus is described.

Structure of N-formylglycinamide ribonucleotide amidotransferase II (PurL) from Thermus thermophilus HB8

The structure of PurL from T. thermophilus HB8 in complex with an adenine nucleotide is reported at 2.35 Å resolution.

Expression, refolding and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of equine MHC class I molecule complexed with an EIAV-Env CTL epitope

The equine MHC class I molecule was crystallized in complex with β₂-microglobulin and a CTL epitope and X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.3 Å resolution.

Activation of legumain involves proteolytic and conformational events, resulting in a context- and substrate-dependent activity profile

The enzymatic activation of human legumain requires both proteolytic cleavage and conformational reordering and is modulated by its substrate as well as cofactors. These biochemical findings are aided by the crystallization and initial crystallographic analysis of legumain.

Molecular cloning, overexpression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of histidinol phosphate aminotransferase (HisC2) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

HisC2 from M. tuberculosis was cloned, overexpressed, purified and crystallized and the crystals were characterized.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the membrane-binding haemprotein nitrophorin 7 from Rhodnius prolixus

The crystallization of recombinant nitrophorin 7 originating from the bloodsucking insect R. prolixus is described. The crystals diffracted to 1.8 Å resolution.

Protein expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of chicken interferon-γ receptor α chain

Chicken interferon-γ receptor α chain was crystallized and diffraction data were collected to 2.0 Å resolution.

Overproduction, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of Cockayne syndrome protein A in complex with DNA damage-binding protein 1

Human Cockayne syndrome protein A has been cocrystallized with human DNA damage-binding protein 1 and data have been collected to 2.9 Å resolution.

Crystallization and preliminary neutron diffraction studies of ADP-ribose pyrophosphatase-I from Thermus thermophilus HB8

ADP-ribose pyrophosphatase-I, a Nudix enzyme, from T. thermophilus was crystallized for neutron diffraction. Neutron and X-ray diffraction data sets were collected to 2.1 and 1.5 Å resolution, respectively.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of the outer membrane cytochrome OmcA from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

The purification and crystallization of the outer membrane decaheme c-type cytochrome OmcA from S. oneidensis MR-1 are reported. The plate-like crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group P2₁ and diffracted to 3.25 Å resolution.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the β-N-acetylglucosaminidase CbsA from Thermotoga neapolitana

CbsA from T. neapolitana has been crystallized. Native data were collected to 2.0 Å resolution.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of human di­hydrodipicolinate synthase-like protein (DHDPSL)

A human enzyme, DHDPSL, which is homologous to bacterial pyruvate-dependent aldolases but of unknown function, has been expressed, purified and crystallized with the use of in situ proteolysis. The crystals diffracted to 2.0 Å resolution and were suitable for structure determination.

Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of L-lactate de­hydrogenase and its H171C mutant from Bacillus subtilis

Recombinant wild-type L-lactate dehydrogenase from B. subtilis (BsLDH) was cocrystallized with fructose 1,6-bisphosphate and NAD⁺ and the crystal diffracted to 2.38 Å resolution. The H171C mutant of BsLDH was also crystallized as the apoenzyme and in complex with NAD⁺ and the crystals diffracted to 2.20 and 2.49 Å, respectively. All crystals belonged to space group P3.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of pyridoxine 4-oxidase, the first enzyme in pyridoxine degradation pathway I

Recombinant pyridoxine 4-oxidase from M. loti MAFF303099 was crystallized and diffraction data were collected to 2.2 Å resolution.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana dynamin-related protein 1A GTPase-GED fusion protein

A. thaliana dynamin-related protein 1A GTPase domain fused with its GTPase effector domain was overexpressed, purified and crystallized in a hexagonal crystal form that diffracted to 3.6 Å resolution.

Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of human β-galactosidase

This study reports the expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of human lysosomal β-D-galactosidase.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of a new class of enoyl-(acyl-carrier protein) reductase, FabV, from Vibrio fischeri

An orthorhombic crystal of an enoyl-(acyl-carrier protein) reductase from V. fischeri was obtained and diffraction data were collected to 2.7 Å resolution.

Expression, purification and preliminary structural analysis of the head domain of Deinococcus radiodurans RecN

The head domain of the DNA-repair protein RecN from D. radiodurans, composed of the amino- and carboxy-terminal domains, was crystallized. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 3.0 Å resolution and the crystals belonged to space group P2₁.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the plant defensin NaD1

NaD1 is a potent antifungal plant defensin. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of NaD1 are reported in order to obtain insight into the structural basis of its antifungal activity.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the IL-20–IL-20R1–IL-20R2 complex

The purification and crystallization of the IL-20–IL-20R1–IL-20R2 ternary complex is described. A low-temperature SAD data set was collected using synchrotron radiation, which showed that the crystals belonged to space group P4₁2₁2 or its enantiomorph P4₃2₁2 and contained one ternary complex in the asymmetric unit.

Expression, purification and preliminary crystallographic studies of NahF, a salicylaldehyde de­hydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida G7 involved in naphthalene degradation

NahF is a salicylaldehyde dehydrogenase that is involved in the naphthalene-degradation pathway, converting salicylaldehyde into salicylate. The subcloning, expression, purification and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies at 2.42 Å resolution of P. putida G7 NahF are reported.

Overexpression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the RNA polymerase domain of primase from Streptococcus mutans strain UA159

The RNA polymerase domain of primase from S. mutans strain UA159 was cloned, overexpressed, purified and crystallized. X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 1.60 Å.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray data analysis of a DJ-1 homologue from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtDJ-1D)

A DJ-1 homologue protein from A. thaliana (AtDJ-1D) has been crystallized. Diffraction data were collected to 2.05 Å resolution for structure determination by the multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) method.

Improving the diffraction of apoA-IV crystals through extreme dehydration

Apolipoprotein A-IV crystals consisted of a long unit-cell edge (540 Å) with a high mosaic spread, making them intractable for X-ray diffraction analysis. Extreme dehydration in 60% PEG 3350 was utilized as a post-crystallization treatment as well a screening method to significantly sharpen the mosaic spread and increase the overall resolution of diffraction.

Measurement of the equilibrium relative humidity for common precipitant concentrations: facilitating controlled dehydration experiments

The equilibrium relative humidity values for a number of the most commonly used precipitants in macromolecular crystallization have been measured using a humidity-control device and compared with independent values where available. The results will simplify experiments using the device.