Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of a new L-asparaginase encoded by the Escherichia coli genome.

The article presents information on the crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of a new L-asparaginase encoded by the Escherichia coli genome. l-Asparaginases (E.C. 3.5.1.1) are hydrolases which catalyze the breakdown of l-asparagine to l-aspartate. In the crystallization experiments it was found that addition of magnesium chloride was necessary for the formation of larger diffraction-quality crystals. Typical single crystals of EcAIII grown in the conditions described above have a prismatic habit but are nearly always malformed, i.e. they have voids or holes at one end of the prism.