Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the DNA-binding domain of Rhodobacter capsulatus MopB.

The LysR-type regulator MopB represses transcription of several target genes (including the nitrogen-fixation gene anfA) in Rhodobacter capsulatus at high molybdenum concentrations. In this study, the isolated DNA-binding domain of MopB (MopBHTH) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Purified MopBHTH bound the anfA promoter as shown by DNA mobility-shift assays, demonstrating the function of the isolated regulator domain. MopBHTH was crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method in the presence of 0.2 M lithium sulfate, 0.1 M phosphate/citrate pH 4.2, 20%(w/v) PEG 1000 at 291 K. The crystal belonged to space group P3(1)21 or P3(2)21, with unit-cell parameters a=b=61.84, c=139.64 Å, α=β=90, γ=120°, and diffracted to 3.3 Å resolution at a synchrotron source.