Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the snake muscle fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase

The snake muscle fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase, a typical allosteric enzyme w hich plays important roles in gluconeogenesis, was crystallized in the pres ence of polyethylene glycol 3350 and magnesium chloride at pH 8.5. The crys tals diffract to 2.3 Angstrom on a rotating-anode X-ray source. The space g roup was determined to be either P3(1)21 or its enantiomorph P3(2)21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 83.7, c = 202.41 Angstrom, alpha = beta = 90 a nd gamma = 120 degrees. There are two subunits in the asymmetric unit. Prel iminary molecular-replacement studies indicate that the first enantiomorph is the correct one.