Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of MinE, the cell-division topological specificity factor from Helicobacter pylori

Abstract

Cell division in Gram-negative bacteria is driven by the formation of an FtsZ ring at the division site. MinE regulates the proper placement of the FtsZ ring at mid-cell by blocking the inhibitory action of the MinCD complex. Diffraction data were collected at 2.8 angstrom resolution from a native crystal of full-length Helicobacter pylori MinE. The crystal belonged to space group P6(4). Assuming the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit, the calculated Matthews coefficient was 2.58 angstrom(3) Da(-1), which corresponds to a solvent content of 52.3%. For MAD phasing, a four-wavelength data set was collected at 3.0 angstrom resolution.