Crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis of an L-arabinonate dehydratase from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii and a D-xylonate dehydratase from Caulobacter crescentus.

L-Arabinonate dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.25) and D-xylonate dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.82) are two enzymes that are involved in a nonphosphorylative oxidation pathway of pentose sugars. L-Arabinonate dehydratase converts L-arabinonate into 2-dehydro-3-deoxy-L-arabinonate, and D-xylonate dehydratase catalyzes the dehydration of D-xylonate to 2-dehydro-3-deoxy-D-xylonate. L-Arabinonate and D-xylonate dehydratases belong to the IlvD/EDD family, together with 6-phosphogluconate dehydratases and dihydroxyacid dehydratases. No crystal structure of any L-arabinonate or D-xylonate dehydratase is available in the PDB. In this study, recombinant L-arabinonate dehydratase from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii (RlArDHT) and D-xylonate dehydratase from Caulobacter crescentus (CcXyDHT) were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by the use of affinity chromatography followed by gel-filtration chromatography. The purified proteins were crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K. Crystals of RlArDHT that diffracted to 2.40 Å resolution were obtained using sodium formate as a precipitating agent. They belonged to space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 106.07, b = 208.61, c = 147.09 Å, β = 90.43°. Eight RlArDHT molecules (two tetramers) in the asymmetric unit give a VM value of 3.2 Å(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 62%. Crystals of CcXyDHT that diffracted to 2.66 Å resolution were obtained using sodium formate and polyethylene glycol 3350. They belonged to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 270.42, b = 236.13, c = 65.17 Å, β = 97.38°. Four CcXyDHT molecules (a tetramer) in the asymmetric unit give a VM value of 4.0 Å(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 69%.