Crystallization and preliminary X-ray studies of oligandrin, a sterol-carrier elicitor from Pythium oligandrum

Oligandrin is a 10 kDa acidic protein produced by the fungus micromycete Py thium oligandrum and is a member of the alpha -elicitin group, with sterol- and lipid-carrier properties. Oligandrin has been crystallized at 290 K us ing PEG 4000 as a precipitant. A cholesterol complex was obtained under the same conditions. The space group of the crystals at low temperature (100 K ) is C222, with unit-cell parameters a = 94.0, b = 171.1, c = 55.3 Angstrom . Four molecules are present in the asymmetric unit. Data from the free and cholesterol-complexed forms were recorded at synchrotron sources to resolu tions of 2.4 (uncomplexed) and 1.9 Angstrom (complexed), respectively.