LB Crystallization and Preliminary X-ray Diffraction Analysis of L-Asparaginase from Rhodospirillum rubrum

Protein X-ray crystallography will remain the most powerful method to obtain the protein 3D atomic structures in foreseeable future. However, the production of the protein crystal as well as it quality (order, intensity of diffraction, radiation stability) remains the major problem. Many important proteins including those of life science interest and pharmaceutical industry impact are difficult to crystallize. The second major problem in protein crystallography is radiation damage of obtaining crystals which can only be partially overcome by existing methods. In the present work we use the protein LB nanotemplate crystallization method - generalized procedure for triggering of crystallization of any given protein, which allows to obtain radiation stable and high quality diffracting crystals for further X-ray analysis by synchrotron radiation. We apply LB nanotemplate method to crystallization of L-asparaginase from Rhodospirillum rubrum. This protein has potential application for combined chemical and enzymatic therapy of malignant blood disorders and therefore for new anticancer drug development. We also compare the diffraction quality of asparagines crystal obtained by classical method and LB nanotemplate and report preliminary X-ray diffraction characterization by synchrotron radiation.