Crystalline semisynthetic ribonuclease-S'.

Crystals of solid phase-derived semisynthetic ribonuclease-S' were prepared and compared with those for native ribonuclease-S' and -S. The semisynthetic species used was the noncovalent complex of synthetic fragment-(1-20), corresponding to residues 1 through 20 of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease-A (ribonucleate 3'-pyrimidino-oligonucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.22), and native ribonuclease-S-(21-124); the fragment containing residues 21 through 124 of ribonuclease-A. This semisynthetic complex was completely active enzymatically, was homogeneous as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and had no greater than trace amounts of excess ribonuclease-s(21-124) as judged by affinity chromatography. Crystallization of both semisynthetic and native ribonuclease-s' at pH 5.3 resulted in well-formed crystallseater than trace amounts of excess ribonuclease-S-T21-124) as judged by affinity chromatography. Crystallization of both semisynthetic and native ribonuclease-S' at pH 5.3 resulted in well-formed crystals with the symmetry of space group P3121 and unit cell dimensions a=b=44.82, c=97.3 A. This crystal form corresponds to the Y form of native ribonuclease-S previously reported [Wyckoff et al. (1967) J. Biol. Chem. 242, 3749-3753]. X-ray diffraction patterns of the crystals were indistinguishable, indicative of the structural identity of semisynthetic and native ribonuclease-S'.