I hope this isn't too much of a foray into philosophy and semantics,
but can't you argue that the crystals themselves are weak complexes?
And since the energies of crystal contacts are typically very weak, I
would further argue that you should be able to crystallize ANY
complex with an association constant corresponding to energies as low
as those associated with crystal contacts. Of course, it's not
guaranteed, any more than getting a crystal is guaranteed--you need
some luck.
Of course, it's Monday AM, and I haven't approached my asymptote for
caffeination. Am I talking through my hat?
Pat
On 29 Jun 2008, at 3:36 PM, Derek Logan wrote:
Hi,
Can anyone advise me what is currently the weakest protein-protein
complex yet crystallised? Google searching turned up a paper from
the Tromsø crystallography group (Helland et al. 1999, JMB 287, 923–
942) in which a complex between beta-trypsin and a P1 mutant of
BPTI with a Kd of 68 uM was described as belonging to the weakest
complexes solved to date, but this article was from 1999 and much
water has passed under the bridge since then.
Thanks
Derek
_________________________________________________________________
Derek Logan tel: +46 46 222 1443
Associate professor fax: +46 46 222 4692
Molecular Biophysics mob: +46 76 8585 707
Centre for Molecular Protein Science
Lund University, Box 124, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
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Drexel University College of Medicine
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