Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the haem-binding protein HemS from Yersinia enterocolitica

Abstract

Bacteria have evolved strategies to acquire iron from their environment. Pathogenic microbes rely on specialized proteins to 'steal' haem from their host and use it as an iron source. HemS is the ultimate recipient of a molecular-relay system for haem uptake in Gram-negative species, functioning as the cytosolic carrier of haem. Soluble expression and high-quality diffraction crystals were obtained for HemS from Yersinia enterocolitica. Crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group I222, with unit-cell parameters a = 74.86, b = 77.45, c = 114.09 Å, and diffract X-rays to 2.6 Å spacing in-house. Determination of the structure of the haem-HemS complex will reveal the molecular basis of haem binding. © 2005 International Union of Crystallography All rights reserved.