The stress protein Escherichia coli YciE was overexpressed and purified in three chromatographic steps. Crystals were obtained using PEG 4000 as a precipitant. The YciE protein crystals diffracted to 3.0 A resolution using a rotating-anode X-ray source. The lattice type is rhombohedral, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 64.2, c = 167.9 A, alpha = beta = 90, gamma = 120 degrees. The crystal belongs to space group R32.