NEW CRYSTAL FORMS OF THE MOTILE MAJOR SPERM PROTEIN (MSP) OF ASCARIS-SUUM

We have obtained two new crystal forms of the Ascaris major sperm prot ein (MSP) that mediates amoeboid cell motility in nematode sperm, We o btained crystals with C2 symmetry from bacterially expressed alpha-MSP with a = 216.5 Angstrom, b = 38.6 Angstrom, c = 32.5 Angstrom, gamma = 93.1 degrees and also crystals with P2(1) symmetry from native beta- MSP with a = 63.1 Angstrom, b = 91.7 Angstrom, c = 72.5 Angstrom, gamm a = 91.3 degrees. A fall native data set has been collected for each c rystal form using synchrotron radiation. Both crystal forms diffract t o 2 Angstrom and are suitable for high-resolution structural investiga tion. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.