Crystallization of a chitosanase from Streptomyces N174

Chitosanases are produced by many soil fungi and bacteria to degrade chitosan present in fungal cell walls. Here, we report the crystallization of a 29,500 dalton protein with chitosan endo-hydrolase activity isolated from Streptomyces N174. The crystals were grown by vapor diffusion. They are mechanically strong and diffract to at least 1.9 Å resolution. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group P2₁ with unit cell parameters a = 56.4 Å, b = 59.6 Å, c = 86.1 Å and β = 96.6°. Cell parameters and crystal density are consistent with two chitosanase molecules per asymmetric unit.