Preliminary crystallographic study of macromomycin: The apoprotein of the antitumor antibiotic auromomycin

Macromomycin (M_r 12,000) is the apoprotein of the antitumor drug auromomycin, which inhibits DNA synthesis by causing single-strand breaks in DNA. Two orthorhombic crystal forms of macromomycin have been observed. The platelike crystals of one form belong to space group P2₁2₁2₁, with cell dimensions $\text{a = 48·92}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 54·71}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 103·31}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, Z = 8}$. The crystals of the second form are needle-shaped, and belong to space group P2₁2₁2, with cell dimensions $\text{a = 46·1}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 54·4}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 41·2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, Z = 4}$. At this point in time, the platelike crystals appear the most suitable for continued crystallographic studies.     

Letter: Crystallographic study of an esteroproteolytic enzyme

The esteroproteolytic enzyme, a serine protease from porcine pancreas, has been crystallized and characterized by X-ray diffraction. Two closely related crystal forms were observed. The unit cell dimensions of the first form are $\text{a = 59.2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 96.4}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 47.4}\text{A}\text{?}$, space group P2₁2₁2 with one molecule (mol. wt 30,000) per asymmetric unit. The unit cell dimensions of the second form are $\text{a = 59.2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 96.4}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 94.8}\text{A}\text{?}$, space group P2₁2₁2₁. Mercury derivatives of enzyme inhibitors were used to obtain multiple isomorphous heavy-atom substituents suitable for phase determination.     

Preliminary X-ray study of crystals of human transferrin

Large crystals of human transferrin have been grown from polyethylene glycol solutions. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group P2₁2₁2₁, with $\text{a = 78}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 94}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 112}\text{A}\text{?}$. Density measurements indicate that there are four transferrin molecules in the unit cell.     

Crystallographic study of beef liver catalase

An orthorhombic form of beef liver catalase crystals has been examined by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The space group is P2₁2₁2₁ with $\text{a = 89}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 140}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, and}\text{c = 231}\text{A}\text{?}$. Electron micrographs show the presence of broad channels arrayed in a hexagonal manner. The solvent content of these orthorhombic crystals is considerably less than that for previously reported trigonal crystals of beef liver catalase although the packing arrangement appears to be virtually the same, suggesting a possible symmetry transition upon dehydration.     

Crystallographic study of the large tryptic fragments of elongation factor G from Escherichia coli

Crystals of N- and C-terminal fragments of elongation factor G (EF-G) from Escherichia coli have been grown from the preparations obtained by limited tryptic hydrolysis. Molecular masses of these fragments are equal to about 49,000 and 25,000, respectively. In the form of an additive complex they appear to be a major part of the native spatial structure of EF-G (Alakhov et al., 1979). Crystals of N-terminal fragment belong to space group P4₁2₁2 or P4₃2₁2 with unit cell dimensions $\text{a = b = 76.6}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 191.6}\text{A}\text{?}$. Crystals of C-terminal fragment belong to space group P4₁22 or P4₃22 with unit cell dimensions $\text{a = b = 77.1}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 75.0}\text{A}\text{?}$. In both cases the assumed number of protein molecules per asymmetric part of the unit cell is one.     

Preliminary crystallographic study of omega-amino acid: pyruvate aminotransferase from Pseudomonas sp. F-126.

Large single crystals of ω-amino acid: pyruvate aminotransferase, were prepared by dialysis of the enzyme solution against 2.2 m-ammonium sulphate solution at pH 7.8. X-ray diffraction patterns show that the crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group I222 or I2₁2₁2₁ with unit cell dimensions $\text{a = 124.1}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 137.9}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, and}\text{c = 61.2}\text{A}\text{?}$. The asymmetric unit consists of one monomer of molecular weight 43,000.     

Letter: Crystallographic data of an L-arabinose-binding protein from Escherichia coli

Single crystals of an l-arabinose-binding protein from Escherichia coli B/r suitable for a high-resolution structural analysis have been obtained. An X-ray examination of the orthorhombic crystals shows the space group is P2₁2₁2₁, with unit cell dimensions: $\text{a = 55.3}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 71.4}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 77.5}\text{A}\text{?}$. The asymmetric unit contains one protein molecule with a molecular weight of 38,000.     

Crystallographic study of plastocyanins

Crystals of plastocyanins from pea and corn leaves have been obtained. Both are suitable for X-ray structure analysis with a resolution up to 1.8 Å. The crystal form of plastocyanin from pea leaves belongs to the space group P2₁2₁2₁ with unit cell dimensions: $\text{a = 49.0}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 53.3}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 82.6}\text{A}\text{?}$. The assumed number of protein molecules per asymmetric unit of the unit cell is two. Crystals of the oxidized (Cu²⁺) and reduced (Cu⁺) forms are isomorphic. No essential differences in spot intensities for the main zone with a resolution of 3 Å were revealed. The crystal form of plastocyanin from corn leaves belongs to the space group P1 with unit cell parameters: $\text{a = 24.8}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 30.0}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 58.5}\text{A}\text{?}$ and α = 96° 10′, β = 87°08′, γ = 78°40′. The assumed number of protein molecules per asymmetric unit is two.     

Crystallization of the Arc repressor

Arc, a represser from Salmonella phage P22 has been crystallized from ammonium phosphate at pH 8.0. The crystals form in space group P2₁2₁2₁ with $\text{a = 90.26}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 52.88}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 47.58}\text{A}\text{?}$. The crystals diffract to 2.2 Å resolution.     

Crystals of myohemerythrin

Crystals have been grown of metazide myohemerythrin from the sipunculid Dendrostomum pyroides. The crystals are in space group P2₁2₁2₁ and have unit cell dimensions of $\text{a = 41.6}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 80.0}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 37.8}\text{A}\text{?}$. An asymmetric unit contains a single myohemerythrin molecule.     

A preliminary crystallographic study of wheat germ agglutinin

Wheat germ agglutinin crystallizes in two monoclinic space groups, P2₁ and C2, under identical crystallization conditions. Unit cell dimensions are $\text{a = 73.8}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 51.2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 90.8}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, γ = 90 °}$ for $\text{P2}{}_1\text{; a = 51.31}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 73.35}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 91.45}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, β = 97.75 °}$ for C2, both with eight subunit molecules in the unit cell. The C2 crystals were chosen as suitable for investigating the three-dimensional structure to high resolution, because of their smaller asymmetric unit (containing the dimer), and also because they display better diffraction patterns.     

Manganese superoxide dismutases from Escherichia coli and from yeast mitochondria: Preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies

The Mn superoxide dismutase from Escherichia coli has been obtained in three crystal forms: (I) from 68% saturated (NH₄)₂SO₄, space group P222 or P222₁, $\text{a = 47}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 103}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 47.5}\text{A}\text{?}$, with one subunit per asymmetric unit; (II) from 50% polyethylene glycol 6000, space group C222₁ (with approx. P4₁2₁2 symmetry), $\text{a = 101}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 108}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 180}\text{A}\text{?}$, with four subunits (2 molecules) per asymmetric unit; (III) from 52% polyethylene glycol with a different method of preparing the enzyme solution, space group P2₁2₁2, $\text{a = 47}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 51}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 188}\text{A}\text{?}$, with two subunits per asymmetric unit.The yeast mitochondrial Mn superoxide dismutase has yielded the same crystal form both from 30% 2-methyl-2,4-pentane diol and from 23% polyethylene glycol 6000: space group P2₁2₁2₁, $\text{a = 63}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 115}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 125}\text{A}\text{?}$, with four subunits (one molecule) per asymmetric unit.A full X-ray crystallographic study of at least one of these enzymes is planned.     

Crystallization and preliminary x-ray investigation of ubiquitin, a non-histone chromosomal protein.

Large crystals of bovine thymus ubiquitin, a non-histone chromosomal protein, were grown from polyethylene glycol solutions. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group P2₁2₁2₁, with $\text{a = 50·9}\text{a}\text{?}\text{, b = 42·9}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 29·0}\text{A}\text{?}$. The asymmetric unit contains one ubiquitin molecule.     

Heterogeneity of spacer lengths in circles of amplified ribosomal DNA of two insect species, Dytiscus marginalis and Acheta domesticus.

Crystals of subtilopeptidase A have been studied by means of X-ray diffraction. They are orthorhombic, space group P2₁2₁2₁ with $\text{a = 76 73}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 55.35}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 53.00}\text{A}\text{?}$. There is one molecule per asymmetric unit and the solvent content is 42%. The crystals diffract very well and appear suitable for detailed study of the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme.     

Crystallographic study on the orthorhombic crystal of l-asparaginase from Escherichia coli HAP

The orthorhombic crystals of l-asparaginase from Escherichia coli A-1-3 KY3598 were characterized by the X-ray diffraction method as belonging to the space group P2₁22₁ with unit cell dimensions $\text{a = 116.7}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 62.9}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 86.6}\text{A}\text{?}$. The crystals contain one half of the tetrameric enzyme molecule per asymmetric unit, the smallest so far reported for this enzyme. Preliminary analysis of the Patterson map indicated that the molecule had at least pseudo 222 symmetry and established the position of the centers of the molecules in the unit cell.     

Preliminary x-ray study of crystals of mitogenic lectin from pea seeds.

Crystals of mitogenic lectin from pea seeds (Pisum sativum) have been grown. The crystals are in space group P2₁2₁2₁ with unit cell dimensions: $\text{a = 51.0 ± 0.2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 617 ± 0.2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 137.6 ± 0.5}\text{A}\text{?}$. The asymmetric unit has one protein molecule.     

Preliminary crystallographic data for exfoliative toxin B from Staphylococcus aureus

The serotype B of exfoliative toxin, isolated from Staphylococcus aureus, strain TC 142, has been crystallized. The monoclinic crystals belong to space group P2₁, with $\text{a = 55.9}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 107.9}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 42.8}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, and}\text{β = 90.9 °}$. The asymmetric unit contains two molecules of molecular weight 30,000.     

Crystals of a toxic protein from the venom of the scorpion Centruroides sculpturatus Ewing: preparation and preliminary x-ray investigation

A toxic protein from the venom of the scorpion Centruroides sculpturatus has been crystallized. The crystals are orthorhombic, with unit cell dimensions $\text{a = 52.2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 42.0}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 28.5}\text{A}\text{?}$, space group P2₁2₁2₁. Density measurements indicate that there are four molecules of toxin in the unit cell.     

Preliminary crystaliographic data for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from the thermophile Bacillus coagulons

Crystals of thermolabile glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Bacillus coagulans suitable for high resolution X-ray crystallographic analysis have been grown from sodium citrate solutions by equilibrium dialysis. The space group is C222₁, with cell dimensions $\text{a = 95·6 (2)}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 137·2 (3)}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 131·9 (4)}\text{A}\text{?}$. The molecules have one crystallographically exact 2-fold rotation axis of symmetry.     

DNA-cleaving potentials of macromomycin and auromomycin: a comparative study.

The DNA-cutting activities of macromomycin and auromomycin were compared, with isolated SV40 and PM2 DNAs, by analysis with alkaline sucrose density gradient centrifugation and agarose gel electrophoresis. DNA cleavage was induced by auromomycin without any supplement, but not significantly by macromomycin without reducing agents. Among the agents tested, dithiothreitol and NaBH₄ were effective, but 2-mercaptoethanol, NADPH, cytochrome C and ascorbic acid were not so effective for macromomycin to cause DNA strand scission. The results showed that macromomycin may be transformed to an active form in tumor cells to cleave DNA strand, while auromomycin may attack DNA without modification in the cells.