Crystals on the cover 2013

Editorial.

Exploring the cross-reactivity of S25-2: complex with a 5,6-de­hydro-Kdo disaccharide

The structure of the near germline antibody S25-2 in complex with an unnatural Kdo disaccharide highlights the remarkable plasticity in antigen recognition of germline antibodies.

Structure determination of LpxD from the lipopolysaccharide-synthesis pathway of Acinetobacter baumannii

Crystal structures of the protein LpxD from A. baumannii were solved in apo forms that are suitable for structure-based antibacterial drug discovery.

Structure of Pisum sativum Rubisco with bound ribulose 1,5-bis­phosphate

The crystallization and structure determination to 2.2 Å resolution is reported for a ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate-bound non-activated form of garden pea ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase.

Structure of alanine racemase from Oenococcus oeni with bound pyridoxal 5′-phosphate

Alanine racemase from O. oeni exists as a dimer in the crystal structure. Both monomers contribute to the two active sites present, one for each monomer.

Use of europium ions for SAD phasing of lysozyme at the Cu Kα wavelength

Europium(III) ions bound to the surface of hen egg-white lysozyme were found to exhibit good anomalous signal facilitating SAD phasing using laboratory-source data and automated model building. The europium ion-binding sites were observed up to the 15σ level.

The AEROPATH project targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa: crystallographic studies for assessment of potential targets in early-stage drug discovery

A focused strategy has been directed towards the structural characterization of selected proteins from the bacterial pathogen P. aeruginosa. The objective is to exploit the resulting structural data, in combination with ligand-binding studies, and to assess the potential of these proteins for early-stage antimicrobial drug discovery.

Expression, purification and crystallization of the ectodomain of the envelope glycoprotein E2 from Bovine viral diarrhoea virus

The cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the ectodomain of BVDV E2 are described.

Overexpression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the variable lymphocyte receptor 2913 ectodomain fused with internalin B

The VLR2913 ectodomain fused with internalin B was crystallized and diffraction data were collected to a maximum resolution of 2.04 Å.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of di­aminopimelate epimerase from Acinetobacter baumannii

The crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of diaminopimelate epimerase from A. baumannii are reported.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of human MTH1 with a homogeneous N-terminus

A mutant human MTH1 protein [hMTH1(G2K)] with a homogeneous N-terminus produced high-quality crystals which diffracted to near 1.1 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the Staphylococcus epidermidis extracellular serine protease Esp

The expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic characterization of the extracellular serine protease Esp from S. epidermidis are reported.

Preliminary crystallographic analysis of a polyadenylate synthase from Megavirus

The preliminary crystallographic analysis of Megavirus chilensis Mg561, which has a predicted polyadenylate synthase function, is reported. The crystals belonged to space group P2₁2₁2₁, with two monomers per asymmetric unit.

Overexpression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the phosphotriesterase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Crystals of the phosphotriesterase from M. tuberculosis were obtained and diffraction data were collected and processed to 2.27 Å resolution. An analytical ultracentrifugation experiment suggested that mPHP exists as dimers in solution.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of Drosophila melanogaster Gαo-subunit of heterotrimeric G protein in complex with the RGS domain of CG5036

D. melanogaster Gαo-subunit and the RGS domain of its interacting partner CG5036 have been overproduced and purified; the crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the complex of the two proteins are reported.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of UDP-glucuronic acid:flavonol-3-O-glucuronosyltransferase (VvGT5) from the grapevine Vitis vinifera

The UDP-glucuronic acid:flavonol-3-O-glucuronosyltransferase (VvGT5) from the grapevine V. vinifera was purified and crystallized. The best crystal diffracted X-rays to 2.2 Å resolution and belonged to space group P6₁22.

Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana Deg8

Crystals of Deg8, an ATP-independent serine endopeptidase from A. thaliana, were monoclinic, belonging to space group C2 with unit-cell parameters a = 129.5, b = 124.2, c = 93.3 Å, β = 132.4°, and diffracted to 2.0 Å resolution.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the organo­phosphorus hydrolase OPHC2 from Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes

An organophosphorus hydrolase from P. pseudoalcaligenes named OPHC2 has been crystallized. Combined with biochemical characterization, it is expected that the structure of this protein will provide insight into the catalytic mechanism of organophosphorus hydrolysis and will highlight the role of key residues involved in substrate specificity.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of YisP protein from Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis strain 168

A bacteria biofilm formation involved enzyme, BsYisP, from Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis strain 168, was crystallized and diffracted to 1.92 Å.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the Nif3-family protein MJ0927 from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii

The hypothetical protein MJ0927 of the Nif3 family has been crystallized and X-ray diffraction data have been collected to a resolution of 2.47 Å.