Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the Escherichia coli water channel AqpZ

Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2004 Mar;60(Pt 3):561-3. doi: 10.1107/S090744490302972X. Epub 2004 Feb 25.

Abstract

AqpZ is a 24 kDa integral membrane protein that facilitates water movement across the plasma membrane of Escherichia coli. In this study, the first crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of AqpZ are described. AqpZ was overexpressed and purified with a yield of 13 mg of purified AqpZ per litre of cell culture. The purified AqpZ was shown to be a monodisperse species consisting of tetrameric protein-detergent complexes. A crystallization condition for producing diffraction-quality crystals was identified. Initial X-ray analysis indicated that the diffraction limit of AqpZ extended to 3.6 A. Crystals were found to belong to space groups P4(1)22 or P4(3)22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 119.04, c = 380.23 A.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aquaporins / chemistry*
  • Aquaporins / genetics
  • Aquaporins / metabolism
  • Crystallization
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Detergents / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / chemistry*
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Water / metabolism

Substances

  • Aquaporins
  • Detergents
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • aqpZ protein, E coli
  • Water