Characterization, crystallization and preliminary x-ray investigation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

Recombinant Sulfolobus solfataricus glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase has been purified and found to be a tetramer of 148 kDa. The enzyme shows dual cofactor specificity and uses NADP(+) in preference to NAD(+). The sequence has been compared with other GAPDH proteins including those from other archaeal sources. The purified protein has been crystallized from ammonium sulfate to produce crystals that diffract to 2.4 Angstrom with a space group of P4(3)2(1)2 or P4(1)2(1)2. A native data set has been collected to 2.4 Angstrom using synchrotron radiation and cryocooling.