Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of a plant type III polyketide synthase that produces benzalacetone.

Benzalacetone synthase (BAS) from Rheum palmatum is a plant-specific type III polyketide synthase that catalyzes the one-step decarboxylative condensation of 4-coumaroyl-CoA with malonyl-CoA to produce the diketide 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-but-3-en-2-one. Recombinant BAS expressed in Escherichia coli was crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belong to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 54.6, b = 89.6, c = 81.1 A, alpha = gamma = 90.0, beta = 100.5 degrees . Diffraction data were collected to 1.8 A resolution using synchrotron radiation at BL24XU of SPring-8.