TssA from Aeromonas hydrophila: Expression, purification and crystallographic studies

TssA is a core subunit of the type VI secretion system, which is a major player in interspecies competition in Gram-negative bacteria. Previous studies on enteroaggregative Escherichia coli TssA suggested that it is comprised of three putative domains: a conserved N-terminal domain, a middle domain and a ringforming C-terminal domain. X-ray studies of the latter two domains have identified their respective structures. Here, the results of the expression and purification of full-length and domain constructs of TssA from Aeromonas hydrophila are reported, resulting in diffraction-quality crystals for the middle domain (Nt2) and a construct including the middle and C-terminal domains (Nt2-CTD).