Crystallization of the C-terminal domain of the fibre protein from snake adenovirus 1, an atadenovirus

Adenovirus fibre proteins play an important role in determining viral tropism. The C-terminal domain of the fibre protein from snake adenovirus type 1, a member of the Atadenovirus genus, has been expressed, purified and crystallized. Crystals were obtained belonging to space groups P2₁2₁2₁ (two different forms), I2₁3 and F23. The best of these diffracted synchrotron radiation to a resolution of 1.4 Å. As the protein lacks methionines or cysteines, site-directed mutagenesis was performed to change two leucine residues to methionines. Crystals of selenomethionine-derivatized crystals of the I2₁3 form were also obtained and a multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion data set was collected.