Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of glutamate racemase from Aquifex pyrophilus, a hyperthermophilic bacterium

Glutamate racemase catalyzes the reversible reaction of L-glutamate to D-glutamate, an essential component of the bacterial cell wall. Glutamate racemase from Aquifex pyrophilus has been crystallized by the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method using polyethylene glycol 6000 as a precipitant. The crystals belong to space group P6₁22 or P6₅22 with unit-cell parameters a = b = 72.1, c = 185.02 Å. The asymmetric unit contains one molecule, corresponding to a V_m value of 2.35 Å³ Da^-1. Complete data sets from a native and a mercury-derivative crystal have been collected at 2.0 and 2.3 Å resolution, respectively, using a synchrotron-radiation source.