The production, purification and crystallization of a pocilloporin pigment from a reef-forming coral

Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2003 Mar;59(Pt 3):597-9. doi: 10.1107/s0907444902023466. Epub 2003 Feb 21.

Abstract

Reef-building corals contain fluorescent pigments termed pocilloporins that function by regulating the light environment of coral and acting as a photoprotectant in excessive sunlight. These pocilloporins are related to the monomeric green fluorescent protein and the tetrameric DsRed fluorescent proteins, which have widespread use as biotechnological tools. An intensely blue-coloured pocilloporin, termed Rtms5, was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. Rtms5 was shown to be tetrameric, with deep blue crystals that diffract to 2.2 A resolution and belong to space group I4(1)22. The colour of this pocilloporin was observed to be sensitive to pH and a yellow (pH 3.5) and a red form (pH 4.5) of Rtms5 were also crystallized. These crystals belong to space group P4(2)22 and diffract to 2.4 A resolution or better.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anthozoa / chemistry*
  • Crystallization
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Complementary / biosynthesis
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Pigments, Biological / biosynthesis
  • Pigments, Biological / chemistry*
  • Pigments, Biological / isolation & purification
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Complementary
  • Pigments, Biological