Abstract
Particular Bacillus subtilis strains produce a capsular polypeptide poly-gamma-glutamate (gamma-PGA) that functions as a physical barrier against bacteriophage infection. Bacteriophage PhiNIT1 can infect B. subtilis and produces a novel gamma-PGA hydrolase PghP. PghP was overexpressed, purified and crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals diffracted to a resolution of 2.4 A using a synchrotron X-ray source and were found to belong to space group P3(1)21 or P3(2)21.