Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic characterization of three peptidic inhibitors in complex with α-thrombin

The serine protease thrombin plays a major role in thrombosis and haemostasis. This has driven interest in thrombin inhibitors as potential antithrombotic drugs. Here, the crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of human α-­thrombin in complex with three noncovalent peptide inhibitors of the general sequence D-Phe-Pro-D-Arg-P1′-CONH₂ are reported. The crystals belonged to the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁ and diffracted to beyond 1.3 Å resolution.