抄録
Two galectins isolated from the skin mucus of conger eel (Conger myriaster) , congerin I and II, are animal β-galactoside-binding lectins. Congerin I and II are homodimers of 15 kDa subunits composed of 135 and 136 amino acid residues, respectively. Congerins are seemed to participate in the self-defense system including innate immunity on the intra- and extra-body surface of conger eel. Crystals of each congerin grew to the suitable sizes for X-ray diffraction study after one month later. The crystal structures of congerin I, congerin I-lactose complex and congerin II-lactose complex have already been determined at 1. 5 Å resolution level. Refinement of the crystallization conditions to obtain congerin crystals surely within 2 weeks was attempted using a special crystallization apparatus for the STS-107 mission. The solubility, crystal growth rate and diagram of crystallization kinetics were determined for congerin I and II, respectively. Crystals with high quality grow resultingly in 2 weeks by the preliminary trials on earth. Crystals of congerin II diffract X-rays up to 1 Å resolution and are isomorphous to previous ones.
