The preparation and crystallization of Fab fragments of a family of mouse esterolytic catalytic antibodies and their complexes with a transition-state analogue

The Fab fragments of a family of mouse esterolytic monoclonal antibodies MS6-12, MS6-126 and MS6-164 have been obtained by digestion of whole antibodies with papain, purified and crystallized in a range of different forms either alone or in complex with a transition-state analogue. The crystals diffract X-rays to resolutions between 2.1 and 1.2 Å and are suitable for structural studies. The determination of these structures could be important in understanding the different catalytic power of each of these related catalytic antibodies.