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Publication Abstract from PubMed

With the recent developments in the field of free-electron-laser-based serial femtosecond crystallography, the necessity to obtain a large number of high-quality crystals has emerged. In this work crystallization techniques were selected, tested and optimized for the lipid mesophase crystallization of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides membrane pigment-protein complex, known as the photosynthetic reaction center (RC). Novel approaches for lipid sponge phase crystallization in comparatively large volumes using Hamilton gas-tight glass syringes and plastic pipetting tips are described. An analysis of RC crystal structures obtained by lipid mesophase crystallization revealed non-native ligands that displaced the native electron-transfer cofactors (carotenoid sphero-idene and a ubi-quinone molecule) from their binding pockets. These ligands were identified and were found to be lipids that are major mesophase components. The selection of distinct co-crystallization conditions with the missing cofactors facilitated the restoration of sphero-idene in its binding site.

Novel approaches for the lipid sponge phase crystallization of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides photosynthetic reaction center.,Selikhanov G, Fufina T, Vasilieva L, Betzel C, Gabdulkhakov A IUCrJ. 2020 Oct 3;7(Pt 6):1084-1091. doi: 10.1107/S2052252520012142. eCollection , 2020 Nov 1. PMID:33209319^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.