Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of Mycoplasma genitalium protein MG289

Mycoplasma genitalium is a human pathogen that is associated with nongonococcal urethritis in men and cervicitis in women. The cloning, expression, purification and crystallization of the protein MG289 from M. genitalium strain G37 are reported here. Crystals of MG289 diffracted X-rays to 2.8 Å resolution. The crystals belonged to the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁, with unit-cell parameters a = 49.7, b = 90.9, c = 176.1 Å. The diffraction data after processing had an overall R_merge of 8.7%. The crystal structure of Cypl, the ortholog of MG289 from M. hyorhinis, has recently been determined, providing a reasonable phasing model; molecular replacement is currently under way.