Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Direct Detection of the Acetate-forming Activity of the Enzyme Acetate Kinase
Published on: December 19, 2011
Crystallization of the catalytic subunit of Saccharomyces cerevisiae acetohydroxyacid synthase
S S Pang1, L W Guddat, R G Duggleby
1Centre for Protein Structure, Function and Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
Abstract:
Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS; E.C. 4.1.3.18) is the first enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of the branched-chain amino acids isoleucine, leucine and valine. It is a thiamin diphosphate-dependent enzyme which catalyses the decarboxylation of pyruvate and its condensation with either 2-ketobutyrate or a second molecule of pyruvate to give 2-aceto-2-hydroxybutyrate or 2-acetolactate, respectively. The enzyme is the target of sulfonylurea and imidazolinone herbicides, which act as potent and specific inhibitors. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the catalytic subunit of Saccharomyces cerevisiae AHAS is reported. Data to 2.7 A resolution have been collected using synchrotron radiation (Advanced Photon Source, Chicago). Crystals have unit-cell parameters a = 95.8, b = 110.0, c = 178.9 A and belong to the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1). Preliminary analysis indicates there is one dimer located in each asymmetric unit.
More Related Videos
09:15Combining X-Ray Crystallography with Small Angle X-Ray Scattering to Model Unstructured Regions of Nsa1 from S. Cerevisiae
Published on: January 10, 2018
10:45Crystallization and Structural Determination of an Enzyme:Substrate Complex by Serial Crystallography in a Versatile Microfluidic Chip
Published on: March 20, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Recrystallization: Solid–Solution Equilibria
Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization
Initiating crystallization involves manipulating the concentration of the solute and the temperature of the solution. Since crystal growth occurs when the ratio of concentration and solubility of the solute in the solvent – the...
Aldehydes and Ketones with Alcohols: Hemiacetal Formation
Acid-Catalyzed Aldol Addition Reaction
Alkylation of β-Ketoester Enolates: Acetoacetic Ester Synthesis
Production of Alcohol