Native toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) purified from Staphylococ
cus aureus has been crystallized in four different forms. The highest
resolution data (2.05 angstrom) was collected from orthorhombic crysta
ls belonging to the space group C222(1). The unit cell dimensions are
a = 108.7 angstrom, b = 177.5 angstrom, c = 97.6 angstrom. Rotation fu
nction analysis of this form indicates that there is trimer of toxin m
olecules in the asymmetric unit with a local 3-fold axis parallel to t
he crystallographic c axis. Crystals of a double mutant of TSST-1 have
beeen grown which has a single molecule in the asymmetric unit and di
ffract to 1.9 angstrom. The space group is P2(1) with unit cell parame
ters of a = 44.4 angstrom, b = 34.0 angstrom, c = 55.2 angstrom, beta
= 93.0-degrees. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.