The xenograft antigen in complex with GS-1-B-4 lectin: crystallization andpreliminary X-ray analysis

The implantation of animal organs is one approach to overcoming the shortag e of human donor organs for medical transplantation. Although readily avail able, non-primate tissues are subject to hyperacute rejection wherein human anti-Gal alpha (1-3)Gal antibodies react with haptens present on the trans planted cells' surfaces. The understanding of this interaction on a molecul ar level will further the development of a strategy for the prevention of h yperacute rejection in xenotransplantation. The Gal alpha (1-3)Gal hapten ( 'xenograft antigen') has been cocrystallized with the Gal-specific B-4 isol ectin of Griffonia simplicifolia lectin-1. Crystals were analyzed by cryocr ystallography and were found to diffract to moderately high resolution on a rotating-anode X-ray source. They belong to the P2(1)2(1)2 space group, wi th unit-cell parameters a = 111.0, b = 51.3, c = 76.9 Angstrom, and contain two molecules per asymmetric unit.