Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of human recombinant cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase

As an enzyme of the thymidylate synthase cycle, serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) has a key role in nucleotide biosynthesis. Elevated activities of SHMT have been correlated with the increased demand for nucleotide biosynthesis in tumors of human and rodent origin, making this enzyme a novel target for cancer chemotherapy. Here the purification and crystallization of recombinant human cytosolic SHMT are reported. Crystals belong to space group P6₂22 or P6422 with cell parameters a = b = 155.0, c = 235.5 Å and diffract to at least 3.0 Å resolution.