Open AccessCrystallization and preliminary X‐ray studies of a galactose‐specific lectin from the seeds of bitter gourd ( Momordica charantia )
Author(s) -
Chandran Thyageshwar,
Sharma Alok,
Vijayan M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section f
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1744-3091
DOI - 10.1107/s174430911002659x
Subject(s) - momordica , bitter gourd , ribosome inactivating protein , lectin , orthorhombic crystal system , crystallization , chemistry , biochemistry , biology , crystallography , crystal structure , ribosome , organic chemistry , rna , traditional medicine , medicine , gene
A galactose‐specific lectin from the seeds of bitter gourd ( Momordica charantia ) is a four‐chain type II ribosome‐inactivating protein (RIP) resulting from covalent association through a disulfide bridge between two identical copies of a two‐chain unit. The available structural information on such four‐chain RIPs is meagre. The bitter gourd lectin was therefore crystallized for structural investigation and the crystals have been characterized. It is anticipated that the structure of the orthorhombic crystals will be analysed using molecular replacement by taking advantage of its sequence, and presumably structural, homology to normal two‐chain type II RIPs.