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Zuccarello L, Berthomieu C, Boussac A, Brubach JB, Díaz-Moreno I, Díaz Quintana AJ, Hienerwadel R. Protonation of the Cysteine Axial Ligand Investigated in His/Cys c-Type Cytochrome by UV-Vis and Mid- and Far-IR Spectroscopy. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:4198-4205. [PMID: 32364390 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
His/Cys coordination was recently found in several c-type cytochromes, which could act as sensors, in electron transport or in regulation. Toward a better understanding of Cys function and reactivity in these cytochromes, we compare cytochrome c6 (c6wt) from the cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7120 with its Met58Cys mutant. We probe the axial ligands and heme properties by combining visible and mid- to far-FTIR difference spectroscopies. Cys58 determines the strong negative redox potential and pH dependence of M58C (EmM58C = -375 mV, versus Emc6wt = +339 mV). Mid-IR (notably Cys ν(SH), His ν(C5N1), heme δ(CmH)) and far-IR (ν(Fe(II)-His), ν(His-Fe(III)-Cys)) markers of the heme and ligands show that Cys58 remains a strong thiolate ligand of reduced Met58Cys at alkaline pH, while it is protonated at pH 7.5, is stabilized by a strong hydrogen bonding interaction, and weakly interacts with Fe(II). These data provide a benchmark for further analysis of c-type cytochromes with natural His/Cys coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Zuccarello
- CEA, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ., BIAM, Interactions Protéine Métal UMR 7265, 13108 Saint Paul-Lez-Durance, France
- Aix Marseille Univ., CEA, CNRS, BIAM, Luminy Genetics and Biophysic of Plants, UMR 7265, 13288 Marseille Cedex, France
| | - Catherine Berthomieu
- CEA, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ., BIAM, Interactions Protéine Métal UMR 7265, 13108 Saint Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Alain Boussac
- I2BC, UMR CNRS 9198, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jean-Blaise Brubach
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, AILES Beamline, L'Orme des Merisier, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Irene Díaz-Moreno
- Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas (IIQ), Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de la Cartuja (cicCartuja), Universidad de Sevilla - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, Sevilla 41092, Spain
| | - Antonio J Díaz Quintana
- Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas (IIQ), Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de la Cartuja (cicCartuja), Universidad de Sevilla - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, Sevilla 41092, Spain
| | - Rainer Hienerwadel
- Aix Marseille Univ., CEA, CNRS, BIAM, Luminy Genetics and Biophysic of Plants, UMR 7265, 13288 Marseille Cedex, France
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2
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An alternative plant-like cyanobacterial ferredoxin with unprecedented structural and functional properties. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2019; 1860:148084. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2019.148084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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3
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Chen JH, Yu LJ, Boussac A, Wang-Otomo ZY, Kuang T, Shen JR. Properties and structure of a low-potential, penta-heme cytochrome c 552 from a thermophilic purple sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2019; 139:281-293. [PMID: 29691716 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-018-0507-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum possesses four main water-soluble redox proteins involved in the electron transfer behavior. Crystal structures have been reported for three of them: a high potential iron-sulfur protein, cytochrome c', and one of two low-potential cytochrome c552 (which is a flavocytochrome c) have been determined. In this study, we purified another low-potential cytochrome c552 (LPC), determined its N-terminal amino acid sequence and the whole gene sequence, characterized it with absorption and electron paramagnetic spectroscopy, and solved its high-resolution crystal structure. This novel cytochrome was found to contain five c-type hemes. The overall fold of LPC consists of two distinct domains, one is the five heme-containing domain and the other one is an Ig-like domain. This provides a representative example for the structures of multiheme cytochromes containing an odd number of hemes, although the structures of multiheme cytochromes with an even number of hemes are frequently seen in the PDB database. Comparison of the sequence and structure of LPC with other proteins in the databases revealed several characteristic features which may be important for its functioning. Based on the results obtained, we discuss the possible intracellular function of this LPC in Tch. tepidum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Hua Chen
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 20, Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Rd, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Long-Jiang Yu
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Alain Boussac
- I2BC, SB2SM, CNRS UMR 9198, CEA Saclay, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | | | - Tingyun Kuang
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 20, Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Jian-Ren Shen
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 20, Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China.
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
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Hira D, Kitamura R, Nakamura T, Yamagata Y, Furukawa K, Fujii T. Anammox Organism KSU-1 Expresses a Novel His/DOPA Ligated Cytochrome c. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:1189-1200. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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5
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Bernal-Bayard P, Puerto-Galán L, Yruela I, García-Rubio I, Castell C, Ortega JM, Alonso PJ, Roncel M, Martínez JI, Hervás M, Navarro JA. The photosynthetic cytochrome c 550 from the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2017; 133:273-287. [PMID: 28032235 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-016-0327-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The photosynthetic cytochrome c 550 from the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum has been purified and characterized. Cytochrome c 550 is mostly obtained from the soluble cell extract in relatively large amounts. In addition, the protein appeared to be truncated in the last hydrophobic residues of the C-terminus, both in the soluble cytochrome c 550 and in the protein extracted from the membrane fraction, as deduced by mass spectrometry analysis and the comparison with the gene sequence. Interestingly, it has been described that the C-terminus of cytochrome c 550 forms a hydrophobic finger involved in the interaction with photosystem II in cyanobacteria. Cytochrome c 550 was almost absent in solubilized photosystem II complex samples, in contrast with the PsbO and Psb31 extrinsic subunits, thus suggesting a lower affinity of cytochrome c 550 for the photosystem II complex. Under iron-limiting conditions the amount of cytochrome c 550 decreases up to about 45% as compared to iron-replete cells, pointing to an iron-regulated synthesis. Oxidized cytochrome c 550 has been characterized using continuous wave EPR and pulse techniques, including HYSCORE, and the obtained results have been interpreted in terms of the electrostatic charge distribution in the surroundings of the heme centre.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Bernal-Bayard
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de la Cartuja, Universidad de Sevilla & CSIC, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Leonor Puerto-Galán
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de la Cartuja, Universidad de Sevilla & CSIC, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Inés García-Rubio
- Centro Universitario de la Defensa, Zaragoza, Spain
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carmen Castell
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de la Cartuja, Universidad de Sevilla & CSIC, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - José M Ortega
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de la Cartuja, Universidad de Sevilla & CSIC, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Pablo J Alonso
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza & CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Mercedes Roncel
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de la Cartuja, Universidad de Sevilla & CSIC, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jesús I Martínez
- Centro Universitario de la Defensa, Zaragoza, Spain
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza & CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Manuel Hervás
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de la Cartuja, Universidad de Sevilla & CSIC, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - José A Navarro
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de la Cartuja, Universidad de Sevilla & CSIC, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.
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6
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Motomura T, Suga M, Hienerwadel R, Nakagawa A, Lai TL, Nitschke W, Kuma T, Sugiura M, Boussac A, Shen JR. Crystal structure and redox properties of a novel cyanobacterial heme protein with a His/Cys heme axial ligation and a Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS)-like domain. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:9599-9612. [PMID: 28428249 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.746263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Photosystem II catalyzes light-induced water oxidation leading to the generation of dioxygen indispensable for sustaining aerobic life on Earth. The Photosystem II reaction center is composed of D1 and D2 proteins encoded by psbA and psbD genes, respectively. In cyanobacteria, different psbA genes are present in the genome. The thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus contains three psbA genes: psbA1, psbA2, and psbA3, and a new c-type heme protein, Tll0287, was found to be expressed in a strain expressing the psbA2 gene only, but the structure and function of Tll0287 are unknown. Here we solved the crystal structure of Tll0287 at a 2.0 Å resolution. The overall structure of Tll0287 was found to be similar to some kinases and sensor proteins with a Per-Arnt-Sim-like domain rather than to other c-type cytochromes. The fifth and sixth axial ligands for the heme were Cys and His, instead of the His/Met or His/His ligand pairs observed for most of the c-type hemes. The redox potential, E½, of Tll0287 was -255 ± 20 mV versus normal hydrogen electrode at pH values above 7.5. Below this pH value, the E½ increased by ≈57 mV/pH unit at 15 °C, suggesting the involvement of a protonatable group with a pKred = 7.2 ± 0.3. Possible functions of Tll0287 as a redox sensor under microaerobic conditions or a cytochrome subunit of an H2S-oxidizing system are discussed in view of the environmental conditions in which psbA2 is expressed, as well as phylogenetic analysis, structural, and sequence homologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiki Motomura
- From the Department of Picobiology, Graduate School of Life Science, University of Hyogo, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan.,the Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Michihiro Suga
- the Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Rainer Hienerwadel
- the Laboratoire de Génétique et Biophysique des Plantes, UMR 7265, CNRS-CEA-Aix-Marseille Université, Faculté des Sciences de Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Akiko Nakagawa
- the Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan.,the Proteo-Science Research Center, Ehime University, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Thanh-Lan Lai
- iBiTec-S, SB2SM, CNRS UMR 9198, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France, and
| | - Wolfgang Nitschke
- the Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, CNRS UMR 7281, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France
| | - Takahiro Kuma
- the Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Miwa Sugiura
- the Proteo-Science Research Center, Ehime University, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Alain Boussac
- iBiTec-S, SB2SM, CNRS UMR 9198, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France, and
| | - Jian-Ren Shen
- From the Department of Picobiology, Graduate School of Life Science, University of Hyogo, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan, .,the Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
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7
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Pintscher S, Kuleta P, Cieluch E, Borek A, Sarewicz M, Osyczka A. Tuning of Hemes b Equilibrium Redox Potential Is Not Required for Cross-Membrane Electron Transfer. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:6872-81. [PMID: 26858251 PMCID: PMC4807273 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.712307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In biological energy conversion, cross-membrane electron transfer often involves an assembly of two hemes b. The hemes display a large difference in redox midpoint potentials (ΔEm_b), which in several proteins is assumed to facilitate cross-membrane electron transfer and overcome a barrier of membrane potential. Here we challenge this assumption reporting on heme b ligand mutants of cytochrome bc1 in which, for the first time in transmembrane cytochrome, one natural histidine has been replaced by lysine without loss of the native low spin type of heme iron. With these mutants we show that ΔEm_b can be markedly increased, and the redox potential of one of the hemes can stay above the level of quinone pool, or ΔEm_b can be markedly decreased to the point that two hemes are almost isopotential, yet the enzyme retains catalytically competent electron transfer between quinone binding sites and remains functional in vivo. This reveals that cytochrome bc1 can accommodate large changes in ΔEm_b without hampering catalysis, as long as these changes do not impose overly endergonic steps on downhill electron transfer from substrate to product. We propose that hemes b in this cytochrome and in other membranous cytochromes b act as electronic connectors for the catalytic sites with no fine tuning in ΔEm_b required for efficient cross-membrane electron transfer. We link this concept with a natural flexibility in occurrence of several thermodynamic configurations of the direction of electron flow and the direction of the gradient of potential in relation to the vector of the electric membrane potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Pintscher
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Patryk Kuleta
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewelina Cieluch
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Arkadiusz Borek
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Marcin Sarewicz
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Artur Osyczka
- From the Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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Puxty RJ, Millard AD, Evans DJ, Scanlan DJ. Shedding new light on viral photosynthesis. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2015; 126:71-97. [PMID: 25381655 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-014-0057-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Viruses infecting the environmentally important marine cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus encode 'auxiliary metabolic genes' (AMGs) involved in the light and dark reactions of photosynthesis. Here, we discuss progress on the inventory of such AMGs in the ever-increasing number of viral genome sequences as well as in metagenomic datasets. We contextualise these gene acquisitions with reference to a hypothesised fitness gain to the phage. We also report new evidence with regard to the sequence and predicted structural properties of viral petE genes encoding the soluble electron carrier plastocyanin. Viral copies of PetE exhibit extensive modifications to the N-terminal signal peptide and possess several novel residues in a region responsible for interaction with redox partners. We also highlight potential knowledge gaps in this field and discuss future opportunities to discover novel phage-host interactions involved in the photosynthetic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Puxty
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Andrew D Millard
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - David J Evans
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - David J Scanlan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
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Grabarczyk DB, Chappell PE, Eisel B, Johnson S, Lea SM, Berks BC. Mechanism of thiosulfate oxidation in the SoxA family of cysteine-ligated cytochromes. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:9209-21. [PMID: 25673696 PMCID: PMC4423706 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.618025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Thiosulfate dehydrogenase (TsdA) catalyzes the oxidation of two thiosulfate molecules to form tetrathionate and is predicted to use an unusual cysteine-ligated heme as the catalytic cofactor. We have determined the structure of Allochromatium vinosum TsdA to a resolution of 1.3 Å. This structure confirms the active site heme ligation, identifies a thiosulfate binding site within the active site cavity, and reveals an electron transfer route from the catalytic heme, through a second heme group to the external electron acceptor. We provide multiple lines of evidence that the catalytic reaction proceeds through the intermediate formation of a S-thiosulfonate derivative of the heme cysteine ligand: the cysteine is reactive and is accessible to electrophilic attack; cysteine S-thiosulfonate is formed by the addition of thiosulfate or following the reverse reaction with tetrathionate; the S-thiosulfonate modification is removed through catalysis; and alkylating the cysteine blocks activity. Active site amino acid residues required for catalysis were identified by mutagenesis and are inferred to also play a role in stabilizing the S-thiosulfonate intermediate. The enzyme SoxAX, which catalyzes the first step in the bacterial Sox thiosulfate oxidation pathway, is homologous to TsdA and can be inferred to use a related catalytic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Grabarczyk
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom and
| | - Paul E Chappell
- the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, United Kingdom
| | - Bianca Eisel
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom and
| | - Steven Johnson
- the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, United Kingdom
| | - Susan M Lea
- the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, United Kingdom
| | - Ben C Berks
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom and
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Brito JA, Denkmann K, Pereira IAC, Archer M, Dahl C. Thiosulfate dehydrogenase (TsdA) from Allochromatium vinosum: structural and functional insights into thiosulfate oxidation. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:9222-38. [PMID: 25673691 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.623397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the oxidative condensation of two thiosulfate anions to tetrathionate constitutes a well documented and significant part of the natural sulfur cycle, little is known about the enzymes catalyzing this reaction. In the purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum, the reaction is catalyzed by the periplasmic diheme c-type cytochrome thiosulfate dehydrogenase (TsdA). Here, we report the crystal structure of the "as isolated" form of A. vinosum TsdA to 1.98 Å resolution and those of several redox states of the enzyme to different resolutions. The protein contains two typical class I c-type cytochrome domains wrapped around two hemes axially coordinated by His(53)/Cys(96) and His(164)/Lys(208). These domains are very similar, suggesting a gene duplication event during evolution. A ligand switch from Lys(208) to Met(209) is observed upon reduction of the enzyme. Cys(96) is an essential residue for catalysis, with the specific activity of the enzyme being completely abolished in several TsdA-Cys(96) variants. TsdA-K208N, K208G, and M209G variants were catalytically active in thiosulfate oxidation as well as in tetrathionate reduction, pointing to heme 2 as the electron exit point. In this study, we provide spectroscopic and structural evidence that the TsdA reaction cycle involves the transient presence of heme 1 in the high-spin state caused by movement of the Sγ atom of Cys(96) out of the iron coordination sphere. Based on the presented data, we draw important conclusions about the enzyme and propose a possible reaction mechanism for TsdA.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Brito
- From the Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal and
| | - Kevin Denkmann
- the Institut für Mikrobiologie & Biotechnologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Inês A C Pereira
- From the Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal and
| | - Margarida Archer
- From the Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal and
| | - Christiane Dahl
- the Institut für Mikrobiologie & Biotechnologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
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