Molecular size and symmetry of the bacterioferritin of Escherichia coli: X-ray crystallographic characterization of four crystal forms

Abstract X-ray crystallographic data from four crystal forms of Escherichia coli bacterioferritin show that the molecule has a diameter in the range 119 to 128 A. Molecules are composed of 24 subunits arranged in 432 symmetry. In both size and symmetry the molecule resembles ferritin from eukaryotes. The four crystal forms are monoclinic, space group P 2 1 with unit cell dimensions a=118.7 A , b = 211.6 A , c= 123.3 A and β= 119.1° ; orthorhombic, C 222 1 , a=128.7 A , b= 197.1 A , c = 202.8 A ; tetragonal, P 4 2 2 1 2, a = b = 210.6 A , c = 145.0 A and cubic, I 432, a = 146.9 A .