Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of a novel cytochrome P450 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The product of the Rv2276 gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a cytochrome P450 (P450 MT2, CYP121) which has been shown to bind tightly to a range of azole-based antifungal drugs (e.g. miconazole, clotrimazole). These drugs are potent inhibitors of mycobacterial growth, suggesting that P450 MT2 (CYP121) may be a potential drug target. The enzyme has been overexpressed in Escherichia coli and crystallized by the hanging-drop method. Crystals of P450 MT2 (CYP121) belong to the hexagonal space group P6₁22 or P6₅22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 78.3, c = 265.6 Å. Native data have been collected to 1.6 Å resolution and Hg-derivative data to 2.5 Å resolution using a synchrotron-radiation source.