Preliminary X-ray diffraction study of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from Rhodospirillum rubrum

Crystals from the dimeric enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum have been obtained from the gene product expressed in Escherichia coli. The crystals are of the quarternary complex comprising enzyme: activator CO2 (as a carbamate): Mg2+: 2- carboxyarabinitol -1,5-bisphosphate (as a transition state analog). X-ray diffraction photographs show symmetry consistent with space group P4(1)2(1)2 or the corresponding enantiomorphic space group. Cell parameters are a = b = 82 A, c = 324 A with two subunits per asymmetric unit. The crystals diffract to at least 3 A resolution.