Experiments in membrane protein crystallization

Abstract

Experiments have been carried out aimed at obtaining crystals of three integral membrane proteins: phospholipase A, cytochrome-c reductase and cytochrome-c oxidase. Crystals, in the form of platelets and bipyramids, as well as several micro-crystal forms have been obtained of phospholipase A from the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. The best crystals obtained so far were thin plates having spacegroup C2221 with a = 72.0 Å, b = 107 Å, c = 75.8 Å and one molecule per asymmetric unit. Reflections were observed out to 2.7 Å resolution. Long red needles have been obtained of the respiratory chain complex-III, or cytochrome-c reductase, from beefheart. © 1988.