Crystallization and preliminary structural characterization of the two actin-depolymerization factors of the malaria parasite

The malaria parasite Plasmodium depends on its actin‐based motor system for motility and host‐cell invasion. Actin‐depolymerization factors are important regulatory proteins that affect the rate of actin turnover. Plasmodium has two actin‐depolymerization factors which seem to have different functions and display low sequence homology to the higher eukaryotic family members. Plasmodium actin‐depolymerization factors 1 and 2 have been crystallized. The crystals diffracted X‐rays to maximum resolutions of 2.0 and 2.1 Å and belonged to space groups P3121 or P3221, with unit‐cell parameters a = b = 68.8, c = 76.0 Å, and P21212, with unit‐cell parameters a = 111.6, b = 57.9, c = 40.5 Å, respectively, indicating the presence of one or two molecules per asymmetric unit in both cases.