Crystallization, dehydration and preliminary X-ray analysis of excisionase (Xis) proteins cooperatively bound to DNA.

Abstract

This paper describes the crystallization, dehydration and preliminary X-ray data analysis of a complex containing several bacteriophage lambda excisionase (Xis) [Bushman et al. (1984). Cell, 39, 699-706] proteins cooperatively bound to a 33-mer DNA duplex (Xis-DNA(X1-X2)). Xis is expected to recognize this regulatory element in a novel manner by cooperatively binding and distorting multiple head-to-tail orientated DNA-binding sites. Crystals of this complex belonged to space group P3(1)21 or P3(2)21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 107.7, c = 73.5 angstroms, alpha = beta = 90, gamma = 120 degrees. Based on the unit-cell parameters for the asymmetric unit, V(M) is 3.0 A(3) Da(-1), which corresponds to a solvent content of approximately 59%. The approaches used to crystallize the unusually long DNA fragment in the complex and the dehydration technique applied that dramatically improved the diffraction of the crystals from 10 to 2.6 angstroms are discussed.

• Authors: My D Sam, Mohamad A Abbani, Duilio Cascio, Reid C Johnson, Robert T Clubb
• Journal: Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology and crystallization communications (Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun) Vol. 62 Issue Pt 8 Pg. 825-8 (Aug 01 2006) ISSN: 1744-3091 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 16880568 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• DNA, Viral
• Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
• Viral Proteins
• DNA Nucleotidyltransferases
• excisionase

Topics

• Bacteriophage lambda (enzymology)
• Base Sequence
• Binding Sites
• Crystallization
• DNA Nucleotidyltransferases (chemistry, metabolism)
• DNA, Viral (chemistry)
• Oligodeoxyribonucleotides (chemistry)
• Protein Binding
• Viral Proteins (chemistry, metabolism)
• X-Ray Diffraction