GROWTH AND ANALYSIS OF CRYSTAL FORMS OF TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME TOXIN-1

Native toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) purified from Staphylococcus aureus has been crystallized in four different forms. The highest resolution data (2.05 angstrom) was collected from orthorhombic crystals belonging to the space group C222(1). The unit cell dimensions are a = 108.7 angstrom, b = 177.5 angstrom, c = 97.6 angstrom. Rotation function analysis of this form indicates that there is trimer of toxin molecules in the asymmetric unit with a local 3-fold axis parallel to the crystallographic c axis. Crystals of a double mutant of TSST-1 have beeen grown which has a single molecule in the asymmetric unit and diffract to 1.9 angstrom. The space group is P2(1) with unit cell parameters of a = 44.4 angstrom, b = 34.0 angstrom, c = 55.2 angstrom, beta = 93.0-degrees. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.