Preliminary X-ray analysis of twinned crystals of sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase from Halorhodospira halochoris

Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 2009 Aug 1;65(Pt 8):805-8. doi: 10.1107/S1744309109026232. Epub 2009 Jul 30.

Abstract

Sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.157) is an enzyme from the extremely halophilic anaerobic bacterium Halorhodospira halochoris. This enzyme catalyzes the twofold methylation of sarcosine to betaine, with S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) as the methyl-group donor. This study presents the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of recombinant sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase produced in Escherichia coli. Mass spectroscopy was used to determine the purity and homogeneity of the enzyme material. Two different crystal forms, which initially appeared to be hexagonal and tetragonal, were obtained. However, on analyzing the diffraction data it was discovered that both crystal forms were pseudo-merohedrally twinned. The true crystal systems were monoclinic and orthorhombic. The monoclinic crystal diffracted to a maximum of 2.15 A resolution and the orthorhombic crystal diffracted to 1.8 A resolution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Ectothiorhodospiraceae / enzymology*
  • Fourier Analysis
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Methyltransferases / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Methyltransferases
  • sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase, Halorhodospira halochloris