Unraveling the Valence State and Reactivity of Copper Centers in Membrane-Bound Particulate Methane Monooxygenase

Modelling on a Biomimetic [Cu-O-Cu]2+-mediated Methane-to-Methanol Conversion Unveils the Site for Methane Activation

The Cu-O-Cu core exhibits methane-to-methanol conversion, mirroring the reactivity of the copper-containing enzyme pMMO. Herein, we computationally examined the reactivity of a biomimetic Cu-O-Cu core towards methane-to-methanol conversion. The oxygen atom of the Cu-O-Cu core abstracts hydrogen present in the C-H bond of methane. The spin density at the bridging oxygen helps to abstract hydrogen from the C-H bond. We modulated the spin density of the bridging oxygen by substituting only a single copper atom of the Cu-O-Cu core by metals (M) such as Fe, Co, and Ag. These substitutions result in bimetallic [Cu-O-M]2+ models. We observed that the energy barriers for the C-H activation step and the subsequent rebound step vary with the metal M. [Cu-O-Ag]2+ exhibits the highest reactivity for M2M conversion, while [Cu-O-Fe]2+ displays the lowest reactivity. To understand the different reactivity of these models towards M2M conversion, we employed distortion-interaction analysis, orbital analysis, spin density analysis, and quantum theory of atoms in molecules analysis. Orbital analysis reveals that all four adducts follow a hydrogen atom transfer mechanism for C-H activation. Further, spin density analysis reveals that a higher spin density on the bridging oxygen leads to a lower C-H activation barrier.

Copper-oxygen adducts: new trends in characterization and properties towards C-H activation

This review summarizes the latest discoveries in the field of C-H activation by copper monoxygenases and more particularly by their bioinspired systems. This work first describes the recent background on copper-containing enzymes along with additional interpretations about the nature of the active copper-oxygen intermediates. It then focuses on relevant examples of bioinorganic synthetic copper-oxygen intermediates according to their nuclearity (mono to polynuclear). This includes a detailed description of the spectroscopic features of these adducts as well as their reactivity towards the oxidation of recalcitrant Csp3 -H bonds. The last part is devoted to the significant expansion of heterogeneous catalytic systems based on copper-oxygen cores (i.e. within zeolite frameworks).

Enzyme-induced reactive oxygen species trigger oxidative degradation of sulfamethoxazole within a methanotrophic biofilm

Although microorganisms carrying copper-containing membrane-bound monooxygenase (CuMMOs), such as particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) and ammonia monooxygenase (AMO), have been extensively documented for their capability to degrade organic micropollutants (OMPs), the underlying reactive mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we for the first time demonstrate biogenic reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important roles in the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), a representative OMP, within a methane-fed biofilm. Highly-efficient and consistent SMX biodegradation was achieved in a CH4-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), manifesting a remarkable SMX removal rate of 1210.6 ± 39.0 μg·L-1·d-1. Enzyme inhibition and ROS clearance experiments confirmed the significant contribution of ROS, which were generated through the catalytic reaction of pMMO and AMO enzymes, in facilitating SMX degradation. Through a combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis, and transformation product detection, we elucidated that the ROS primarily targeted the aniline group in the SMX molecule, inducing the formation of aromatic radicals and its progressive mineralization. In contrast, the isoxazole-ring was not susceptible to electrophilic ROS attacks, leading to accumulation of 3-amino-5-methylisoxazole (3A5MI). Furthermore, microbiological analysis suggested Methylosarcina (a methanotroph) and Candidatus Nitrosotenuis (an ammonia-oxidizing archaea) collaborated as the SMX degraders, who carried highly conserved and expressed CuMMOs (pMMO and AMO) for ROS generation, thereby triggering the oxidative degradation of SMX. This study deciphers SMX biodegradation through a fresh perspective of free radical chemistry, and concurrently providing a theoretical framework for the advancement of environmental biotechnologies aimed at OMP removal.

Orbital Analysis Captures the Existence of a Mixed-Valent CuIII -O-CuII Active-Site and its Role in Water-Assisted Aliphatic Hydroxylation

The Cu-O-Cu core has been proposed as a potential site for methane oxidation in particulate methane monooxygenase. In this work, we used density functional theory (DFT) to design a mixed-valent CuIII -O-CuII species from an experimentally known peroxo-dicopper complex supported by N-donor ligands containing phenolic groups. We found that the transfer of two-protons and two-electrons from phenolic groups to peroxo-dicopper core takes place, which results to the formation of a bis-μ-hydroxo-dicopper core. The bis-μ-hydroxo-dicopper core converts to a mixed-valent CuIII -O-CuII core with the removal of a water molecule. The orbital and spin density analyses unravel the mixed-valent nature of CuIII -O-CuII . We further investigated the reactivity of this mixed-valent core for aliphatic C-H hydroxylation. Our study unveiled that mixed-valent CuIII -O-CuII core follows a hydrogen atom transfer mechanism for C-H activation. An in-situ generated water molecule plays an important role in C-H hydroxylation by acting as a proton transfer bridge between carbon and oxygen. Furthermore, to assess the relevance of a mixed-valent CuIII -O-CuII core, we investigated aliphatic C-H activation by a symmetrical CuII -O-CuII core. DFT results show that the mixed-valent CuIII -O-CuII core is more reactive toward the C-H bond than the symmetrical CuII -O-CuII core.

Direct Methane Oxidation by Copper- and Iron-Dependent Methane Monooxygenases

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to climate change and is primarily regulated in Nature by methanotrophic bacteria, which consume methane gas as their source of energy and carbon, first by oxidizing it to methanol. The direct oxidation of methane to methanol is a chemically difficult transformation, accomplished in methanotrophs by complex methane monooxygenase (MMO) enzyme systems. These enzymes use iron or copper metallocofactors and have been the subject of detailed investigation. While the structure, function, and active site architecture of the copper-dependent particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) have been investigated extensively, its putative quaternary interactions, regulation, requisite cofactors, and mechanism remain enigmatic. The iron-dependent soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) has been characterized biochemically, structurally, spectroscopically, and, for the most part, mechanistically. Here, we review the history of MMO research, focusing on recent developments and providing an outlook for future directions of the field. Engineered biological catalysis systems and bioinspired synthetic catalysts may continue to emerge along with a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of biological methane oxidation. Harnessing the power of these enzymes will necessitate combined efforts in biochemistry, structural biology, inorganic chemistry, microbiology, computational biology, and engineering.