Use of multiple anomalous dispersion to phase highly merohedrally twinned crystals of interleukin-1β

The crystal structure at 1.54 Angstrom resolution of a double mutant of interleukin-1beta (F42W/W120F), a cytokine secreted by macrophages, was determined by multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) using data from highly twinned selenomethionine-modified crystals. The space group is P4(3), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 53.9, c = 77.4 Angstrom. Self-rotation function analysis and various intensity statistics revealed the presence of merohedral twinning in crystals of both the native (twinning fraction alpha similar or equal to 0.35) and SeMet (alpha similar or equal to 0.40) forms. Structure determination and refinement are discussed with emphasis on the possible reasons for successful phasing using untreated twinned MAD data.