CRYSTALLIZATION AND PRELIMINARY CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC DATA FOR THE AUGMENTOR OF LIVER-REGENERATION

A new cellular growth factor termed augmenter of liver regeneration (A LR) has been crystallized. ALR has been shown to have a proliferative effect on liver cells while at the same time producing an immunosuppre ssive effect on liver-resident natural killer cells and liver-resident mononuclear leukocytes. In addition, ALR appears to play an important role in the synthesis and stabilization of mitochondrial gene transcr ipts in actively regenerating cells. ALR crystals diffract to beyond 2 Angstrom resolution and belong to space group P2(1)2(1)2, with a = 12 5.1, b = 108.1 and c = 38.5 Angstrom. Based on four molecules per asym metric unit, the Matthews coefficient is calculated to be 2.16 Angstro m(3) Da(-1) which corresponds to a solvent content of 43 %.