Acta Crystallographica Section F

Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications

Volume 63, Part 1 (January 2007)

crystallization communications

Acta Cryst. (2007). F63, 52-55 [ doi:10.1107/S1744309106054522 ]

Exploration of triple-helical fragments: crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction of d(TGGCCTTAAGG)

K. Van Hecke, K. Uytterhoeven and L. Van Meervelt

Abstract: The nonamer d(GCGAATTCG) and decamer d(GGCCAATTGG), containing one and two overhanging guanines, respectively, form G·GC triplets in their crystal packing. In order to introduce a third subsequent T·AT triplet, the decamer was further extended by one overhanging thymine residue. Two different crystal morphologies of the sequence d(TGGCCTTAAGG) were obtained by hanging-drop vapour diffusion and diffracted to 2.5 and 2.3 Å resolution, respectively. However, both crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁, with similar unit-cell parameters. Therefore, the two data sets could be merged to a resolution of 2.4 Å with unit-cell parameters a = 26.97, b = 41.12, c = 52.72 Å.

Keywords: triple helix; triplet; Hoogsteen; reverse Hoogsteen.