Astaxanthin

Purification, crystallization and initial X-ray analysis of the C1 subunit of the astaxanthin protein, V600, of the chondrophore Velella velella.

Chayen NE, Boggon TJ, Raftery J, Helliwell JR, Zagalsky PF.

Biophysics Section, The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London SW7 2BZ, England.

The subunit C1 of the carotenoid-binding protein, V600, of the chondrophore Velella velella has been purified and crystallized. The crystals, which were grown by the vapour-diffusion method from ammonium sulfate as the major precipitant, diffract beyond 3 A and show little radiation damage over long periods (greater than 100 h) on a Cu Kalpha rotating-anode X-ray source. The space group of the crystals is P212121 with cell dimensions a = 42.0, b = 80.9, c = 110. 6 A.

PMID: 10089420 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]