4b4e

Publication Abstract from PubMed

Chiral control of crystallization has ample precedent in the small-molecule world, but relatively little is known about the role of chirality in protein crystallization. In this study, lysozyme was crystallized in the presence of the chiral additive 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol (MPD) separately using the R and S enantiomers as well as with a racemic RS mixture. Crystals grown with (R)-MPD had the most order and produced the highest resolution protein structures. This result is consistent with the observation that in the crystals grown with (R)-MPD and (RS)-MPD the crystal contacts are made by (R)-MPD, demonstrating that there is preferential interaction between lysozyme and this enantiomer. These findings suggest that chiral interactions are important in protein crystallization.

Crystallization of lysozyme with (R)-, (S)- and (RS)-2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol.,Stauber M, Jakoncic J, Berger J, Karp JM, Axelbaum A, Sastow D, Buldyrev SV, Hrnjez BJ, Asherie N Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2015 Mar 1;71(Pt 3):427-41. doi:, 10.1107/S1399004714025061. Epub 2015 Feb 26. PMID:25760593^[2]

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