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Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) catalyzes the phosphorolysis of the N-ribosidic bonds of purine nucleosides and deoxynucleosides. PNP is a target for inhibitor development aiming at T-cell immune response modulation and has been submitted to extensive structure-based drug design. More recently, the 3-D structure of human PNP has been refined to 2.3A resolution, which allowed a redefinition of the residues involved in the substrate-binding sites and provided a more reliable model for structure-based design of inhibitors. This work reports crystallographic study of the complex of Human PNP:guanine (HsPNP:Gua) solved at 2.7A resolution using synchrotron radiation. Analysis of the structural differences among the HsPNP:Gua complex, PNP apoenzyme, and HsPNP:immucillin-H provides explanation for inhibitor binding, refines the purine-binding site, and can be used for future inhibitor design.

Studying the interactions between lectins and sugars is important in order to explain the differences observed in the biological activities presented by the highly similar proteins of the Diocleinae subtribe. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-­ray data of Canavalia gladiata lectin (CGL) and C. maritima lectin (CML) complexed with Man(α1-2)Man(α1)OMe, Man(α1-3)Man(α1)OMe and Man(α1-4)Man(α1)OMe in two crystal forms [the complexes with Man(α1-3)Man(α1)OMe and Man(α1-4)Man(α1)OMe crystallized in space group P32 and those with Man(α1-2)Man(α1)OMe crystallized in space group I222], which differed from those of the native proteins ( P21212 for CML and C222 for CGL), are reported. The crystal complexes of ConA-like lectins with Man(α1-4)Man(α1)OMe are reported here for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seed lectin from Lotus tetragonolobus (LTA) has been crystallized. The best crystals grew over several days and were obtained using the vapour-diffusion method at a constant temperature of 293 K. A complete structural data set was collected at 2.00 Å resolution using a synchrotron-radiation source. LTA crystals were found to be monoclinic, belonging to space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 68.89, b = 65.83, c = 102.53 Å, α = γ = 90, β = 92°. Molecular replacement yielded a solution with a correlation coefficient and R factor of 34.4 and 51.6%, respectively. Preliminary analysis of the molecular-replacement solution indicates a new quaternary association in the LTA structure. Crystallographic refinement is under way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chitin-binding protein named PPL-2 was purified from Parkia platycephala seeds and crystallized. Crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 55.19, b = 59.95, c = 76.60 A, and grew over several days at 293 K using the hanging-drop method. Using synchrotron radiation, a complete structural data set was collected to 1.73 Å resolution. The preliminary crystal structure of PPL-2, determined by molecular replacement, presents a correlation coefficient of 0.558 and an R factor of 0.439. Crystallographic refinement is in progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lectin from Canavalia maritima seeds (ConM) was purified and submitted to crystallization experiments. The best crystals were obtained using the vapour- diffusion method at a constant temperature of 293 K and grew in 7 d. A complete structural data set was collected to 2.1 Å resolution using a synchrotron-radiation source. The ConM crystal belongs to the orthorhombic space group P21212, with unit-cell parameters a = 67.15, b = 70.90, c = 97.37 Å. A molecular-replacement search found a solution with a correlation coefficient of 69.2% and an R factor of 42.5%. Crystallographic refinement is under way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enzymes of the shikimate pathway are potential targets for the development of new therapies because they are essential for bacteria but absent from mammals. The last step in this pathway is performed by chorismate synthase (CS), which catalyzes the conversion of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate to chorismate. Optimization of crystallization trials allowed the crystallization of homogeneous recombinant CS from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtCS). The crystals of MtCS belong to space group P6422 (or P6222) and diffract to 2.8 Å resolution, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 129.7, c = 156.8 Å. There are two molecules in the asymmetric unit. Molecular-replacement trials were not successful. Heavy-atom derivative screening is in progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haemoglobin, the `honorary enzyme' [Brunori (1999), Trends Biochem. Sci. 24, 158-161], constitutes a prime prototype for allosteric models. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of haemoglo bin I from the South American fish Brycon cephalus are reported. X-ray diffraction data have been collected to 2.5 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation (LNLS). Crystals were determined to belong to the space group P6122 and preliminary structural analysis revealed the presence of one dimer (αβ) in the asymmetric unit. The structure was determined using standard molecular-replacement techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a eumenine mastoparan toxin; a new class of mast-cell degranulating peptide in the wasp venom. Autoindexing procedures combined with analysis of the X-ray diffraction pattern and averaging of equivalent intensities were used in the characterization of the Laue symmetry.