Publications [#113129] of Harold P. Erickson

Papers Published

1. DJ Leahy, HP Erickson, I Aukhil, P Joshi, WA Hendrickson, Crystallization of a fragment of human fibronectin: introduction of methionine by site-directed mutagenesis to allow phasing via selenomethionine., Proteins, UNITED STATES, vol. 19 no. 1 (May, 1994), pp. 48-54, ISSN 0887-3585
   (last updated on 2009/02/12)

   Abstract:
   Crystals of a fragment of human fibronectin encompassing the 7th through the RGD-containing 10th type III repeats (FN7-10) have been produced with protein expressed in E. coli. The crystals are monoclinic with one molecule in the asymmetric unit and diffract to beyond 2.0 A Bragg spacings. A mutant FN7-10 was produced in which three methionines, in addition to the single native methionine already present, have been introduced by site-directed mutagenesis. Diffraction-quality crystals of this mutant protein have been grown in which methionine was replaced with selenomethionine. The introduction of methionine by site-directed mutagenesis to allow phasing from selenomethionyl-substituted crystals is shown to be feasible by this example and is proposed as a general approach to solving the crystallographic phase problem. Strategies for selecting propitious sites for methionine mutations are discussed.

   Keywords:
   Amino Acid Sequence • Crystallization • Crystallography, X-Ray • Fibronectins • Humans • Methionine* • Molecular Sequence Data • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed • Peptide Fragments • Protein Structure, Tertiary • Selenomethionine* • chemistry • chemistry*