Alginate lyase depolymerizes alginate, a heteropolysaccharide consisting of alpha-L-guluronate and beta-D-mannuronate, through a beta-elimination reaction. A protein PA1167 with a molecular mass of 25 kDa produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an alginate lyase classified into polysaccharide lyase family PL-7. The enzyme was crystallized at 293 K in a drop solution comprising 1.4 M sodium chloride, 0.1 M potassium sodium phosphate and 0.1 M 2-morpholinoethanesulfonate-sodium hydroxide pH 6.5 by means of the vapor-diffusion method. The crystals were monoclinic and belonged to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 43.4, b = 70.3, c = 67.4 A, beta = 94.5 degrees. Diffraction data were collected to 2.0 A from a single crystal.