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Melčák M, Šebesta F, Heyda J, Gray HB, Záliš S, Vlček A. Tryptophan to Tryptophan Hole Hopping in an Azurin Construct. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:96-108. [PMID: 38145895 PMCID: PMC10788906 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c06568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Electron transfer (ET) between neutral and cationic tryptophan residues in the azurin construct [ReI(H126)(CO)3(dmp)](W124)(W122)CuI (dmp = 4,7-Me2-1,10-phenanthroline) was investigated by Born-Oppenheimer quantum-mechanics/molecular mechanics/molecular dynamics (QM/MM/MD) simulations. We focused on W124•+ ← W122 ET, which is the middle step of the photochemical hole-hopping process *ReII(CO)3(dmp•-) ← W124 ← W122 ← CuI, where sequential hopping amounts to nearly 10,000-fold acceleration over single-step tunneling (ACS Cent. Sci. 2019, 5, 192-200). In accordance with experiments, UKS-DFT QM/MM/MD simulations identified forward and reverse steps of W124•+ ↔ W122 ET equilibrium, as well as back ET ReI(CO)3(dmp•-) → W124•+ that restores *ReII(CO)3(dmp•-). Strong electronic coupling between the two indoles (≥40 meV in the crossing region) makes the productive W124•+ ← W122 ET adiabatic. Energies of the two redox states are driven to degeneracy by fluctuations of the electrostatic potential at the two indoles, mainly caused by water solvation, with contributions from the protein dynamics in the W122 vicinity. ET probability depends on the orientation of Re(CO)3(dmp) relative to W124 and its rotation diminishes the hopping yield. Comparison with hole hopping in natural systems reveals structural and dynamics factors that are important for designing efficient hole-hopping processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Melčák
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, University of Chemistry
and Technology Prague, Technická 5, CZ-166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Šebesta
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
- Department
of Chemical Physics and Optics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, CZ-121 16 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Heyda
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, University of Chemistry
and Technology Prague, Technická 5, CZ-166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Harry B. Gray
- Beckman
Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Stanislav Záliš
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Antonín Vlček
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
- Department
of Chemistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, U.K.
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2
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Cui C, Song DY, Drennan CL, Stubbe J, Nocera DG. Radical Transport Facilitated by a Proton Transfer Network at the Subunit Interface of Ribonucleotide Reductase. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:5145-5154. [PMID: 36812162 PMCID: PMC10561588 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) play an essential role in the conversion of nucleotides to deoxynucleotides in all organisms. The Escherichia coli class Ia RNR requires two homodimeric subunits, α and β. The active form is an asymmetric αα'ββ' complex. The α subunit houses the site for nucleotide reduction initiated by a thiyl radical (C439•), and the β subunit houses the diferric-tyrosyl radical (Y122•) that is essential for C439• formation. The reactions require a highly regulated and reversible long-range proton-coupled electron transfer pathway involving Y122•[β] ↔ W48?[β] ↔ Y356[β] ↔ Y731[α] ↔ Y730[α] ↔ C439[α]. In a recent cryo-EM structure, Y356[β] was revealed for the first time and it, along with Y731[α], spans the asymmetric α/β interface. An E52[β] residue, which is essential for Y356 oxidation, allows access to the interface and resides at the head of a polar region comprising R331[α], E326[α], and E326[α'] residues. Mutagenesis studies with canonical and unnatural amino acid substitutions now suggest that these ionizable residues are important in enzyme activity. To gain further insights into the roles of these residues, Y356• was photochemically generated using a photosensitizer covalently attached adjacent to Y356[β]. Mutagenesis studies, transient absorption spectroscopy, and photochemical assays monitoring deoxynucleotide formation collectively indicate that the E52[β], R331[α], E326[α], and E326[α'] network plays the essential role of shuttling protons associated with Y356 oxidation from the interface to bulk solvent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Cui
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - David Y. Song
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Catherine L. Drennan
- Department of Chemistr, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - JoAnne Stubbe
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Department of Chemistr, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Daniel G. Nocera
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
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3
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L. Greene
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
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4
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Bin Mohd Yusof MS, Debnath T, Loh ZH. Observation of intra- and intermolecular vibrational coherences of the aqueous tryptophan radical induced by photodetachment. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:134306. [PMID: 34624987 DOI: 10.1063/5.0067335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of the photodetachment of amino acids in aqueous solution is pertinent to the understanding of elementary processes that follow the interaction of ionizing radiation with biological matter. In the case of tryptophan, the tryptophan radical that is produced by electron ejection also plays an important role in numerous redox reactions in biology, although studies of its ultrafast molecular dynamics are limited. Here, we employ femtosecond optical pump-probe spectroscopy to elucidate the ultrafast structural rearrangement dynamics that accompany the photodetachment of the aqueous tryptophan anion by intense, ∼5-fs laser pulses. The observed vibrational wave packet dynamics, in conjunction with density functional theory calculations, identify the vibrational modes of the tryptophan radical, which participate in structural rearrangement upon photodetachment. Aside from intramolecular vibrational modes, our results also point to the involvement of intermolecular modes that drive solvent reorganization about the N-H moiety of the indole sidechain. Our study offers new insight into the ultrafast molecular dynamics of ionized biomolecules and suggests that the present experimental approach can be extended to investigate the photoionization- or photodetachment-induced structural dynamics of larger biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Shafiq Bin Mohd Yusof
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Tushar Debnath
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Zhi-Heng Loh
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
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5
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Abstract
Hole hopping through tryptophan/tyrosine chains enables rapid unidirectional charge transport over long distances. We have elucidated structural and dynamical factors controlling hopping speed and efficiency in two modified azurin constructs that include a rhenium(I) sensitizer, Re(His)(CO)3(dmp)+, and one or two tryptophans (W1, W2). Experimental kinetics investigations showed that the two closely spaced (3 to 4 Å) intervening tryptophans dramatically accelerated long-range electron transfer (ET) from CuI to the photoexcited sensitizer. In our theoretical work, we found that time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics/molecular dynamics (QM/MM/MD) trajectories of low-lying triplet excited states of ReI(His)(CO)3(dmp)+-W1(-W2) exhibited crossings between sensitizer-localized (*Re) and charge-separated [ReI(His)(CO)3(dmp•-)/(W1 •+ or W2 •+)] (CS1 or CS2) states. Our analysis revealed that the distances, angles, and mutual orientations of ET-active cofactors fluctuate in a relatively narrow range in which the cofactors are strongly coupled, enabling adiabatic ET. Water-dominated electrostatic field fluctuations bring *Re and CS1 states to a crossing where *Re(CO)3(dmp)+←W1 ET occurs, and CS1 becomes the lowest triplet state. ET is promoted by solvation dynamics around *Re(CO)3(dmp)+(W1); and CS1 is stabilized by Re(dmp•-)/W1 •+ electron/hole interaction and enhanced W1 •+ solvation. The second hop, W1 •+←W2, is facilitated by water fluctuations near the W1/W2 unit, taking place when the electrostatic potential at W2 drops well below that at W1 •+ Insufficient solvation and reorganization around W2 make W1 •+←W2 ET endergonic, shifting the equilibrium toward W1 •+ and decreasing the charge-separation yield. We suggest that multiscale TDDFT/MM/MD is a suitable technique to model the simultaneous evolution of photogenerated excited-state manifolds.
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6
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Cui C, Greene BL, Kang G, Drennan CL, Stubbe J, Nocera DG. Gated Proton Release during Radical Transfer at the Subunit Interface of Ribonucleotide Reductase. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 143:176-183. [PMID: 33353307 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c07879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The class Ia ribonucleotide reductase of Escherichia coli requires strict regulation of long-range radical transfer between two subunits, α and β, through a series of redox-active amino acids (Y122•[β] ↔ W48?[β] ↔ Y356[β] ↔ Y731[α] ↔ Y730[α] ↔ C439[α]). Nowhere is this more precarious than at the subunit interface. Here, we show that the oxidation of Y356 is regulated by proton release involving a specific residue, E52[β], which is part of a water channel at the subunit interface for rapid proton transfer to the bulk solvent. An E52Q variant is incapable of Y356 oxidation via the native radical transfer pathway or non-native photochemical oxidation, following photosensitization by covalent attachment of a photo-oxidant at position 355[β]. Substitution of Y356 for various FnY analogues in an E52Q-photoβ2, where the side chain remains deprotonated, recovered photochemical enzymatic turnover. Transient absorption and emission data support the conclusion that Y356 oxidation requires E52 for proton management, suggesting its essential role in gating radical transport across the protein-protein interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Cui
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Brandon L Greene
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Gyunghoon Kang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 20139, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 20139, United States
| | - Catherine L Drennan
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 20139, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 20139, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 20139, United States.,Fellow, Bio-inspired Solar Energy Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - JoAnne Stubbe
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 20139, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 20139, United States
| | - Daniel G Nocera
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
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7
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Pospíšil P, Sýkora J, Takematsu K, Hof M, Gray HB, Vlček A. Light-Induced Nanosecond Relaxation Dynamics of Rhenium-Labeled Pseudomonas aeruginosa Azurins. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:788-797. [PMID: 31935093 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b10802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Time-resolved phosphorescence spectra of Re(CO)3(dmp)+ and Re(CO)3(phen)+ chromophores (dmp = 4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) bound to surface histidines (H83, H124, and H126) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin mutants exhibit dynamic band maxima shifts to lower wavenumbers following 3-exponential kinetics with 1-5 and 20-100 ns major phases and a 1.1-2.5 μs minor (5-16%) phase. Observation of slow relaxation components was made possible by using an organometallic Re chromophore as a probe whose long phosphorescence lifetime extends the observation window up to ∼3 μs. Integrated emission-band areas also decay with 2- or 3-exponential kinetics; the faster decay phase(s) is relaxation-related, whereas the slowest one [360-680 ns (dmp); 90-140 ns (phen)] arises mainly from population decay. As a result of shifting bands, the emission intensity decay kinetics depend on the detection wavelength. Detailed kinetics analyses and comparisons with band-shift dynamics are needed to disentangle relaxation and population decay kinetics if they occur on comparable timescales. The dynamic phosphorescence Stokes shift in Re-azurins is caused by relaxation motions of the solvent, the protein, and solvated amino acid side chains at the Re binding site in response to chromophore electronic excitation. Comparing relaxation and decay kinetics of Re(dmp)124K122CuII and Re(dmp)124W122CuII suggests that electron transfer (ET) and relaxation motions in the W122 mutant are coupled. It follows that nanosecond and faster photo-induced ET steps in azurins (and likely other redox proteins) occur from unrelaxed systems; importantly, these reactions can be driven (or hindered) by structural and solvational dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Pospíšil
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry , Czech Academy of Sciences , Dolejškova 3 , CZ-182 23 Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Jan Sýkora
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry , Czech Academy of Sciences , Dolejškova 3 , CZ-182 23 Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Kana Takematsu
- Department of Chemistry , Bowdoin College , Brunswick , Maine 04011 , United States
| | - Martin Hof
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry , Czech Academy of Sciences , Dolejškova 3 , CZ-182 23 Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Harry B Gray
- Beckman Institute , California Institute of Technology , Pasadena , California 91125 , United States
| | - Antonín Vlček
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry , Czech Academy of Sciences , Dolejškova 3 , CZ-182 23 Prague , Czech Republic.,School of Biological and Chemical Sciences , Queen Mary University of London , Mile End Road , E1 4NS London , U.K
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8
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Takematsu K, Pospíšil P, Pižl M, Towrie M, Heyda J, Záliš S, Kaiser JT, Winkler JR, Gray HB, Vlček A. Hole Hopping Across a Protein-Protein Interface. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:1578-1591. [PMID: 30673250 PMCID: PMC6384139 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b11982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We have investigated photoinduced hole hopping in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin mutant Re126WWCuI, where two adjacent tryptophan residues (W124 and W122) are inserted between the CuI center and a Re photosensitizer coordinated to a H126 imidazole (Re = ReI(H126)(CO)3(dmp)+, dmp = 4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline). Optical excitation of this mutant in aqueous media (≤40 μM) triggers 70 ns electron transport over 23 Å, yielding a long-lived (120 μs) ReI(H126)(CO)3(dmp•-)WWCuII product. The Re126FWCuI mutant (F124, W122) is not redox-active under these conditions. Upon increasing the concentration to 0.2-2 mM, {Re126WWCuI}2 and {Re126FWCuI}2 are formed with the dmp ligand of the Re photooxidant of one molecule in close contact (3.8 Å) with the W122' indole on the neighboring chain. In addition, {Re126WWCuI}2 contains an interfacial tryptophan quadruplex of four indoles (3.3-3.7 Å apart). In both mutants, dimerization opens an intermolecular W122' → //*Re ET channel (// denotes the protein interface, *Re is the optically excited sensitizer). Excited-state relaxation and ET occur together in two steps (time constants of ∼600 ps and ∼8 ns) that lead to a charge-separated state containing a Re(H126)(CO)3(dmp•-)//(W122•+)' unit; then (CuI)' is oxidized intramolecularly (60-90 ns) by (W122•+)', forming ReI(H126)(CO)3(dmp•-)WWCuI//(CuII)'. The photocycle is closed by ∼1.6 μs ReI(H126)(CO)3(dmp•-) → //(CuII)' back ET that occurs over 12 Å, in contrast to the 23 Å, 120 μs step in Re126WWCuI. Importantly, dimerization makes Re126FWCuI photoreactive and, as in the case of {Re126WWCuI}2, channels the photoproduced "hole" to the molecule that was not initially photoexcited, thereby shortening the lifetime of ReI(H126)(CO)3(dmp•-)//CuII. Although two adjacent W124 and W122 indoles dramatically enhance CuI → *Re intramolecular multistep ET, the tryptophan quadruplex in {Re126WWCuI}2 does not accelerate intermolecular electron transport; instead, it acts as a hole storage and crossover unit between inter- and intramolecular ET pathways. Irradiation of {Re126WWCuII}2 or {Re126FWCuII}2 also triggers intermolecular W122' → //*Re ET, and the Re(H126)(CO)3(dmp•-)//(W122•+)' charge-separated state decays to the ground state by ∼50 ns ReI(H126)(CO)3(dmp•-)+ → //(W122•+)' intermolecular charge recombination. Our findings shed light on the factors that control interfacial hole/electron hopping in protein complexes and on the role of aromatic amino acids in accelerating long-range electron transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kana Takematsu
- Department of Chemistry, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
| | - Petr Pospíšil
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Pižl
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, CZ-166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Towrie
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Jan Heyda
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, CZ-166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Stanislav Záliš
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jens T. Kaiser
- Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Jay R. Winkler
- Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Harry B. Gray
- Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Antonín Vlček
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
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Takematsu K, Williamson HR, Nikolovski P, Kaiser JT, Sheng Y, Pospíšil P, Towrie M, Heyda J, Hollas D, Záliš S, Gray HB, Vlček A, Winkler JR. Two Tryptophans Are Better Than One in Accelerating Electron Flow through a Protein. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2019; 5:192-200. [PMID: 30693338 PMCID: PMC6346393 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.8b00882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We have constructed and structurally characterized a Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin mutant Re126WWCuI , where two adjacent tryptophan residues (W124 and W122, indole separation 3.6-4.1 Å) are inserted between the CuI center and a Re photosensitizer coordinated to the imidazole of H126 (ReI(H126)(CO)3(4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)+). CuI oxidation by the photoexcited Re label (*Re) 22.9 Å away proceeds with a ∼70 ns time constant, similar to that of a single-tryptophan mutant (∼40 ns) with a 19.4 Å Re-Cu distance. Time-resolved spectroscopy (luminescence, visible and IR absorption) revealed two rapid reversible electron transfer steps, W124 → *Re (400-475 ps, K 1 ≅ 3.5-4) and W122 → W124•+ (7-9 ns, K 2 ≅ 0.55-0.75), followed by a rate-determining (70-90 ns) CuI oxidation by W122•+ ca. 11 Å away. The photocycle is completed by 120 μs recombination. No photochemical CuI oxidation was observed in Re126FWCuI , whereas in Re126WFCuI , the photocycle is restricted to the ReH126W124 unit and CuI remains isolated. QM/MM/MD simulations of Re126WWCuI indicate that indole solvation changes through the hopping process and W124 → *Re electron transfer is accompanied by water fluctuations that tighten W124 solvation. Our finding that multistep tunneling (hopping) confers a ∼9000-fold advantage over single-step tunneling in the double-tryptophan protein supports the proposal that hole-hopping through tryptophan/tyrosine chains protects enzymes from oxidative damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kana Takematsu
- Department
of Chemistry, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine 04011, United States
| | - Heather R Williamson
- Department
of Chemistry, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana 70125, United States
| | - Pavle Nikolovski
- Beckman
Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Jens T. Kaiser
- Beckman
Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Yuling Sheng
- Beckman
Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Petr Pospíšil
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Towrie
- Central
Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, Science and Technology
Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot,
Oxfordshire, OX11 0FA, U.K.
| | - Jan Heyda
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, University of Chemistry
and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, CZ-166
28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Hollas
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, University of Chemistry
and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, CZ-166
28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Stanislav Záliš
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Harry B. Gray
- Beckman
Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Antonín Vlček
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague, Czech Republic
- School
of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen
Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Jay R. Winkler
- Beckman
Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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10
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Greene BL, Stubbe J, Nocera DG. Photochemical Rescue of a Conformationally Inactivated Ribonucleotide Reductase. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:15744-15752. [PMID: 30347141 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b07902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Class Ia ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) of Escherichia coli contains an unusually stable tyrosyl radical cofactor in the β2 subunit (Y122•) necessary for nucleotide reductase activity. Upon binding the cognate α2 subunit, loaded with nucleoside diphosphate substrate and an allosteric/activity effector, a rate determining conformational change(s) enables rapid radical transfer (RT) within the active α2β2 complex from the Y122• site in β2 to the substrate activating cysteine residue (C439) in α2 via a pathway of redox active amino acids (Y122[β] ↔ W48[β]? ↔ Y356[β] ↔ Y731[α] ↔ Y730[α] ↔ C439[α]) spanning >35 Å. Ionizable residues at the α2β2 interface are essential in mediating RT, and therefore control activity. One of these mutations, E350X (where X = A, D, Q) in β2, obviates all RT, though the mechanism of control by which E350 mediates RT remains unclear. Herein, we utilize an E350Q-photoβ2 construct to photochemically rescue RNR activity from an otherwise inactive construct, wherein the initial RT event (Y122• → Y356) is replaced by direct photochemical radical generation of Y356•. These data present compelling evidence that E350 conveys allosteric information between the α2 and β2 subunits facilitating conformational gating of RT that specifically targets Y122• reduction, while the fidelity of the remainder of the RT pathway is retained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L Greene
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology , Harvard University , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02138 , United States
| | | | - Daniel G Nocera
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology , Harvard University , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02138 , United States
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11
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Davis I, Koto T, Terrell JR, Kozhanov A, Krzystek J, Liu A. High-Frequency/High-Field Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Theoretical Studies of Tryptophan-Based Radicals. J Phys Chem A 2018; 122:3170-3176. [PMID: 29488750 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.7b12434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Tryptophan-based free radicals have been implicated in a myriad of catalytic and electron transfer reactions in biology. However, very few of them have been trapped so that biophysical characterizations can be performed in a high-precision context. In this work, tryptophan derivative-based radicals were studied by high-frequency/high-field electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR) and quantum chemical calculations. Radicals were generated at liquid nitrogen temperature with a photocatalyst, sacrificial oxidant, and violet laser. The precise g-anisotropies of l- and d-tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, 5-methoxytryptophan, 5-fluorotryptophan, and 7-hydroxytryptophan were measured directly by HFEPR. Quantum chemical calculations were conducted to predict both neutral and cationic radical spectra for comparison with the experimental data. The results indicate that under the experimental conditions, all radicals formed were cationic. Spin densities of the radicals were also calculated. The various line patterns and g-anisotropies observed by HFEPR can be understood in terms of spin-density populations and the positioning of oxygen atom substitution on the tryptophan ring. The results are considered in the light of the tryptophan and 7-hydroxytryptophan diradical found in the biosynthesis of the tryptophan tryptophylquinone cofactor of methylamine dehydrogenase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Davis
- Department of Chemistry , University of Texas , San Antonio , Texas 78249 , United States.,Department of Chemistry , Georgia State University , Atlanta , Georgia 30303 , United States
| | - Teruaki Koto
- Department of Chemistry , University of Texas , San Antonio , Texas 78249 , United States
| | - James R Terrell
- Department of Chemistry , Georgia State University , Atlanta , Georgia 30303 , United States
| | - Alexander Kozhanov
- Department of Physics and Astronomy , Georgia State University , Atlanta , Georgia 30303 , United States
| | - J Krzystek
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory , Florida State University , Tallahassee , Florida 32310 , United States
| | - Aimin Liu
- Department of Chemistry , University of Texas , San Antonio , Texas 78249 , United States
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12
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Li J, Banerjee A, Preston DR, Shay BJ, Adhikary A, Sevilla MD, Loloee R, Staples RJ, Chavez FA. Thermally Induced Oxidation of [Fe II(tacn) 2](OTf) 2 (tacn = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane). Eur J Inorg Chem 2017; 2017:5529-5535. [PMID: 30416372 PMCID: PMC6221196 DOI: 10.1002/ejic.201701190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We previously reported the spin-crossover (SC) properties of [FeII(tacn)2](OTf)2 (1) (tacn = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane) [Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2013, 2115]. Upon heating under dynamic vacuum, 1 undergoes oxidation to generate a low spin iron(III) complex. The oxidation of the iron center was found to be facilitated by initial oxidation of the ligand via loss of an H atom. The resulting complex was hypothesized to have the formulation [FeIII(tacn)(tacn-H)](OTf)2 (2) where tacn-H is N-deprotonated tacn. The formulation was confirmed by ESI-MS. The powder EPR spectrum of the oxidized product at 77 K reveals the formation of a low-spin iron(III) species with rhombic spectrum (g = 1.98, 2.10, 2.19). We have indirectly detected H2 formation during the heating of 1 by reacting the headspace with HgO. Formation of water (1HNMR in anhydrous d6-DMSO) and elemental mercury were observed. To further support this claim, we independently synthesized [FeIII(tacn)2](OTf)3 (3) and treated it with one equiv base yielding 2. The structures of 3 was characterized by X-ray crystallography. Compound 2 also exhibits a low spin iron(III) rhombic signal (g = 1.97, 2.11, 2.23) in DMF at 77 K. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that 3 undergoes gradual spin increase from 2 to 400 K. DFT studies indicate that the deprotonated nitrogen in 2 forms a bond to iron(III) exhibiting double bond character (Fe-N, 1.807 Å).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Li
- Department of Chemistry, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4477, USA
| | - Atanu Banerjee
- Department of Chemistry, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4477, USA
| | - Debra R Preston
- Department of Chemistry, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4477, USA
| | - Brian J Shay
- Biomedical Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0632, USA
| | - Amitiva Adhikary
- Department of Chemistry, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4477, USA
| | - Michael D Sevilla
- Department of Chemistry, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4477, USA
| | - Reza Loloee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1322, USA
| | - Richard J Staples
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1044, USA
| | - Ferman A Chavez
- Department of Chemistry, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4477, USA
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13
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Greene BL, Taguchi AT, Stubbe J, Nocera DG. Conformationally Dynamic Radical Transfer within Ribonucleotide Reductase. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:16657-16665. [PMID: 29037038 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b08192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ribonucleotide reductases (RNR) catalyze the reduction of nucleotides to deoxynucleotides through a mechanism involving an essential cysteine based thiyl radical. In the E. coli class 1a RNR the thiyl radical (C439•) is a transient species generated by radical transfer (RT) from a stable diferric-tyrosyl radical cofactor located >35 Å away across the α2:β2 subunit interface. RT is facilitated by sequential proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) steps along a pathway of redox active amino acids (Y122β ↔ [W48β?] ↔ Y356β ↔ Y731α ↔ Y730α ↔ C439α). The mutant R411A(α) disrupts the H-bonding environment and conformation of Y731, ostensibly breaking the RT pathway in α2. However, the R411A protein retains significant enzymatic activity, suggesting Y731 is conformationally dynamic on the time scale of turnover. Installation of the radical trap 3-amino tyrosine (NH2Y) by amber codon suppression at positions Y731 or Y730 and investigation of the NH2Y• trapped state in the active α2:β2 complex by HYSCORE spectroscopy validate that the perturbed conformation of Y731 in R411A-α2 is dynamic, reforming the H-bond between Y731 and Y730 to allow RT to propagate to Y730. Kinetic studies facilitated by photochemical radical generation reveal that Y731 changes conformation on the ns-μs time scale, significantly faster than the enzymatic kcat. Furthermore, the kinetics of RT across the subunit interface were directly assessed for the first time, demonstrating conformationally dependent RT rates that increase from 0.6 to 1.6 × 104 s-1 when comparing wild type to R411A-α2, respectively. These results illustrate the role of conformational flexibility in modulating RT kinetics by targeting the PCET pathway of radical transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L Greene
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Alexander T Taguchi
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - JoAnne Stubbe
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Daniel G Nocera
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
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14
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Ravichandran KR, Taguchi AT, Wei Y, Tommos C, Nocera DG, Stubbe J. A >200 meV Uphill Thermodynamic Landscape for Radical Transport in Escherichia coli Ribonucleotide Reductase Determined Using Fluorotyrosine-Substituted Enzymes. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:13706-13716. [PMID: 28068088 PMCID: PMC5224885 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b08200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
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Escherichia coli class Ia ribonucleotide reductase
(RNR) converts ribonucleotides to deoxynucleotides. A diferric-tyrosyl
radical (Y122•) in one subunit (β2) generates
a transient thiyl radical in another subunit (α2) via long-range
radical transport (RT) through aromatic amino acid residues (Y122 ⇆ [W48] ⇆ Y356 in β2
to Y731 ⇆ Y730 ⇆ C439 in α2). Equilibration of Y356•, Y731•, and Y730• was recently observed using
site specifically incorporated unnatural tyrosine analogs; however,
equilibration between Y122• and Y356•
has not been detected. Our recent report of Y356•
formation in a kinetically and chemically competent fashion in the
reaction of β2 containing 2,3,5-trifluorotyrosine at Y122 (F3Y122•-β2) with α2, CDP
(substrate), and ATP (effector) has now afforded the opportunity to
investigate equilibration of F3Y122•
and Y356•. Incubation of F3Y122•-β2, Y731F-α2 (or Y730F-α2),
CDP, and ATP at different temperatures (2–37 °C) provides
ΔE°′(F3Y122•–Y356•) of 20 ± 10 mV at 25
°C. The pH dependence of the F3Y122•
⇆ Y356• interconversion (pH 6.8–8.0)
reveals that the proton from Y356 is in rapid exchange
with solvent, in contrast to the proton from Y122. Insertion
of 3,5-difluorotyrosine (F2Y) at Y356 and rapid
freeze-quench EPR analysis of its reaction with Y731F-α2,
CDP, and ATP at pH 8.2 and 25 °C shows F2Y356• generation by the native Y122•. FnY-RNRs (n = 2 and 3) together
provide a model for the thermodynamic landscape of the RT pathway
in which the reaction between Y122 and C439 is
∼200 meV uphill.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Cecilia Tommos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Daniel G Nocera
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
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