Probing Bis-FeIVMauG: Experimental Evidence for the Long-Range Charge-Resonance Model

Capturing a bis-Fe(IV) State in Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b MbnH

The diheme bacterial cytochrome c peroxidase (bCcP)/MauG superfamily is a diverse set of enzymes that remains largely uncharacterized. One recently discovered member, MbnH, converts a tryptophan residue in its substrate protein, MbnP, to kynurenine. Here we show that upon reaction with H₂O₂, MbnH forms a bis-Fe(IV) intermediate, a state previously detected in just two other enzymes, MauG and BthA. Using absorption, Mössbauer, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies coupled with kinetic analysis, we characterized the bis-Fe(IV) state of MbnH and determined that this intermediate decays back to the diferric state in the absence of MbnP substrate. In the absence of MbnP substrate, MbnH can also detoxify H₂O₂ to prevent oxidative self damage, unlike MauG, which has long been viewed as the prototype for bis-Fe(IV) forming enzymes. MbnH performs a different reaction from MauG, while the role of BthA remains unclear. All three enzymes can form a bis-Fe(IV) intermediate but within distinct kinetic regimes. The study of MbnH significantly expands our knowledge of enzymes that form this species. Computational and structural analyses indicate that electron transfer between the two heme groups in MbnH and between MbnH and the target tryptophan in MbnP likely occurs via a hole-hopping mechanism involving intervening tryptophan residues. These findings set the stage for discovery of additional functional and mechanistic diversity within the bCcP/MauG superfamily.

Through Bridge Spin Coupling in Homo- and Heterobimetallic Porphyrin Dimers upon Stepwise Oxidations: A Spectroscopic and Theoretical Investigation

We have described copper(II)-iron(III) and copper(II)-manganese(III) heterobimetallic porphyrin dimers and compared them with the corresponding homobimetallic analogs. UV-visible spectra are very distinct in the heterometallic species while electrochemical studies demonstrate that these species, as compared to the homobimetallic analog, are much easier to oxidize. Combined Mössbauer, EPR, NMR, magnetic and UV-visible spectroscopic studies show that upon 2e-oxidation of the heterobimetallic complexes only ring-centered oxidation occurs. The energy differences between HOMO and LUMO are linearly dependent with the low-energy NIR band obtained for the 2e-oxidized complexes. Also, strong electronic communication between two porphyrin rings through the bridge facilitates coupling between various unpaired spins present while the coupling model depends on the nature of metal ions used. While unpaired spins of Fe(III) and the porphyrin π-cation radical are strongly antiferromagnetically coupled, such coupling is rather weak between Mn(III) and a porphyrin π-cation radical. Moreover, the coupling between two π-cation radicals are much stronger in the 2e-oxidized complexes of dimanganese(III) and copper(II)-manganese(III) porphyrin dimers as compared to their diiron(III) and copper(II)-iron(III) analogs. Furthermore, coupling between the unpaired spins of a π-cation radical and copper(II) is much stronger in the 2e-oxidized complex of copper(II)-iron(III) porphyrin dimer as compared to its copper(II)-manganese(III) analog. The Mulliken spin density distributions in 2e-oxidized homo- and heterobimetallic complexes show symmetric and asymmetric spread between the two macrocycles, respectively. In both the 2e-oxidized heterobimetallic complexes, the Cu(II) porphyrin center acts as a charge donor while Fe(III)/Mn(III) porphyrin center act as a charge acceptor. The experimental observations are also strongly supported by DFT calculations.

Rational Design of Dual Active Sites in a Single Protein Scaffold: A Case Study of Heme Protein in Myoglobin

Rational protein design has been proven to be a powerful tool for creating functional artificial proteins. Although many artificial metalloproteins with a single active site have been successfully created, those with dual active sites in a single protein scaffold are still relatively rare. In this study, we rationally designed dual active sites in a single heme protein scaffold, myoglobin (Mb), by retaining the native heme site and creating a copper-binding site remotely through a single mutation of Arg118 to His or Met. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies confirmed that a copper-binding site of [3-His] or [2-His-1-Met] motif was successfully created in the single mutant of R118H Mb and R118M Mb, respectively. UV/Vis kinetic spectroscopy and EPR studies further revealed that both the heme site and the designed copper site exhibited nitrite reductase activity. This study presents a new example for rational protein design with multiple active sites in a single protein scaffold, which also lays the groundwork for further investigation of the structure and function relationship of heme/non-heme proteins.