Abstract:

In order to meet the requirement for crystalline growth of O2-susceptible proteins in space, crystallization conditions on the earth was optimized for the proteins using a simple and suitable device for anaerobic addition of the protein samples. Nitrogenase is susceptible to O2. ΔnifZ MoFe protein from a nifZ deleted strain and MnFe protein from mutant strain UW3 grown on a medium containing Mn were crystallized at the first time in the world using an anaerobic device equipped with plastic bags or using a small simplified box, as a replacement for the cumbersome dry box. And the proteins could be also crystallized far from laboratory by sitting-drop method using a much lighter device. It was equipped with a smaller plastic food bag and a first-aid bag filled with Ar, as a substitute for the cumbersome dry box and the Ar cylinder, respectively. The results showed that the device could meet the requirement for studies on crystal growth of the above anaerobic proteins in space.

氧敏感蛋白空间晶体生长的研究
董志刚¹ 王耀萍²  韩毅² 龚海韵²  汪道涌¹ 陆建华¹ 黄巨富^1*

（1.  中国科学院植物研究所，北京100093；2. 中国科学院生物物理研究所，北京100101）

摘要： 为适应固氮酶蛋白等厌氧蛋白质空间晶体生长的要求 ,应在地面用简易而适用的厌氧加样装置以优化这类蛋白的结晶条件。用塑料袋或简易箱代替固氮酶实验室常用的笨重厌氧箱 ,获得了缺失nifZ固氮菌 (Azotobactervinelandii Lipmann)突变种的MoFe蛋白和含锰固氮培养基中生长的UW₃ 的MnFe蛋白晶体。并在远离固氮酶实验室的地方 ,使用由小食品塑料袋和急救用的氩气袋组成的更轻便的厌氧装置 ,用坐滴法也能使这两种蛋白结晶出来。结果表明 ,利用上述简易厌氧装置有望达到以上 2种厌氧蛋白空间晶体生长的要求。

关键词： 氧敏感蛋白；空间晶体生长

Key words: O2-susceptible proteins, crystalline growth in space