Crystallization and preliminary X-ray study of two crystal forms of Klebsiella oxytoca diol dehydratase–cyanocobalamin complex

Two crystal forms of Klebsiella oxytoca diol dehydratase complexed with cyanocobalamin have been obtained and preliminary crystallographic experiments have been performed. The crystals belong to two different space groups, depending on the crystallization conditions. One crystal (form I) belongs to space group P2₁2₁2₁ with unit-cell parameters a = 76.2, b = 122.3, c = 209.6 Å, and diffracts to 2.2 Å resolution using an X-ray beam from a synchrotron radiation source. The other crystal (form II) belongs to space group P2₁ with unit-cell parameters a = 75.4, b = 132.7, c = 298.8 Å, β = 91.9°, and diffracts to 3.0 Å resolution. For the purpose of structure determination, a heavy-atom derivative search was carried out and some mercuric derivatives were found to be promising. Structure analysis by the multiple isomorphous replacement method is now under way.