title: Crystallization of the factor H-binding protein, FhbB, from the periopathogen Treponema denticola.
abstract: Treponema denticola is a primary etiological agent of periodontal disease. T. denticola evades complement-mediated killing by binding to the host's factor H (FH), a negative regulator of the alternative complement pathway. The T. denticola FH-binding protein has been identified and designated as factor H-binding protein B (FhbB). Crystals of recombinant FhbB were obtained by the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method using sodium citrate and 0.2 M sodium thiocyanate. FhbB crystals diffracted to 1.8 Å resolution and belonged to space group P4(3)2(1)2 or P4(1)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 46.76, c = 167.68 Å. Two FhbB molecules per asymmetric unit gave a Matthews coefficient of 2.2 Å(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 44%. FhbB is the smallest bacterially produced FH-binding protein identified to date. Determination of its structure will provide unique insight into the minimal structural determinants required for FH binding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: John V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.forename: Jessica K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Richard T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Marconi
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D017242:Complement Factor H / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D048373:Treponema denticola / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017242:Complement Factor H