Preliminary X‐ray crystallographic analysis of a nitric oxide‐inducible lactate dehydrogenase from Staphylococcus aureus

Recent studies have indicated that Staphylococcus aureus can survive the nitrosative stress (caused by the radical nitric oxide; NO·) mounted by the immune system of the infected host. It does this by expressing a nitric oxide‐inducible l ‐lactate dehydrogenase (Sa‐LDH‐1). Therefore, if efficient inhibitors of Sa‐LDH‐1 can be designed then Sa‐LDH‐1 could be a potential drug target against the pathogen S. aureus . For this purpose, the nitric acid‐inducible LDH‐1 from S. aureus COL strain has been cloned into the expression vector pET‐28a(+) and the protein has been expressed, purified and crystallized. The Sa‐LDH‐1 crystal diffracted to 2.4 Å resolution at a home X‐ray source and belonged to space group C 2, with unit‐cell parameters a = 131.4, b = 74.4, c  = 103.2 Å, β = 133.4°.