Magnetization curves of haemoproteins measured by low-temperature magnetic-circular-dichroism spectroscopy

Particle Swarm Fitting of Spin Hamiltonians: Magnetic Circular Dichroism of Reduced and NO-Bound Flavodiiron Protein

A particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is described for the fitting of ground-state spin Hamiltonian parameters from variable-temperature/variable-field (VTVH) magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) data. This PSO algorithm is employed to define the ground state of two catalytic intermediates from a flavodiiron protein (FDP), a class of enzymes with nitric oxide reductase activity. The bimetallic iron active site of this enzyme proceeds through a biferrous intermediate and a mixed ferrous-{FeNO}⁷ intermediate during the catalytic cycle, and the MCD spectra of these intermediates are presented and analyzed. The fits of the spin Hamiltonians are shown to provide important geometric and electronic insight into these species that is compared and contrasted with previous reports.

Elucidating second coordination sphere effects in heme proteins using low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy

This paper reviews recent findings on how the second coordination sphere of heme proteins fine-tunes the properties of the heme active site via hydrogen bonding. This insight is obtained from low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy. In the case of high-spin ferric hemes, MCD spectroscopy allows for the identification of a multitude of charge-transfer (CT) transitions. Using optically-detected magnetic saturation curves, out-of-plane polarized CT transitions between the heme and its axial ligand(s) can be identified. In the case of ferric Cytochrome P450cam, the corresponding S(σ)→Fe(III) CT transition can be used as a probe for the {Fe(III)-axial ligand} interaction, indicating that the hydrogen bonding network of the proximal Cys only plays a limited role for fine-tuning the Fe(III)-S(Cys) interaction. In the case of high-spin ferrous hemes with axial His/imidazole coordination, our MCD-spectroscopic investigations have uncovered a direct correlation between the strength of the hydrogen bond to the proximal imidazole ligand and the ground state of the complexes. With neutral imidazole coordination, the doubly occupied d-orbital of high-spin iron(II) is of d(π) character, located orthogonal to the heme plane. As the strength of the hydrogen bond increases, this orbital rotates into the heme plane, changing the ground state of the complex.

Elucidating the role of the proximal cysteine hydrogen-bonding network in ferric cytochrome P450cam and corresponding mutants using magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy

Although extensive research has been performed on various cytochrome P450s, especially Cyt P450cam, there is much to be learned about the mechanism of how its functional unit, a heme b ligated by an axial cysteine, is finely tuned for catalysis by its second coordination sphere. Here we study how the hydrogen-bonding network affects the proximal cysteine and the Fe-S(Cys) bond in ferric Cyt P450cam. This is accomplished using low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy on wild-type (wt) Cyt P450cam and on the mutants Q360P (pure ferric high-spin at low temperature) and L358P where the "Cys pocket" has been altered (by removing amino acids involved in the hydrogen-bonding network), and Y96W (pure ferric low-spin). The MCD spectrum of Q360P reveals fourteen electronic transitions between 15200 and 31050 cm(-1). Variable-temperature variable-field (VTVH) saturation curves were used to determine the polarizations of these electronic transitions with respect to in-plane (xy) and out-of-plane (z) polarization relative to the heme. The polarizations, oscillator strengths, and TD-DFT calculations were then used to assign the observed electronic transitions. In the lower energy region, prominent bands at 15909 and 16919 cm(-1) correspond to porphyrin (P) → Fe charge transfer (CT) transitions. The band at 17881 cm(-1) has distinct sulfur S(π) → Fe CT contributions. The Q band is observed as a pseudo A-term (derivative shape) at 18604 and 19539 cm(-1). In the case of the Soret band, the negative component of the expected pseudo A-term is split into two features due to mixing with another π → π* and potentially a P → Fe CT excited state. The resulting three features are observed at 23731, 24859, and 25618 cm(-1). Most importantly, the broad, prominent band at 28570 cm(-1) is assigned to the S(σ) → Fe CT transition, whose intensity is generated through a multitude of CT transitions with strong iron character. For wt, Q360P, and L358P, this band occurs at 28724, 28570, and 28620 cm(-1), respectively. The small shift of this feature upon altering the hydrogen bonds to the proximal cysteine indicates that the role of the Cys pocket is not primarily for electronic fine-tuning of the sulfur donor strength but is more for stabilizing the proximal thiolate against external reactants (NO, O(2), H(3)O(+)), and for properly positioning cysteine to coordinate to the iron center. This aspect is discussed in detail.

Nuclear receptors homo sapiens Rev-erbbeta and Drosophila melanogaster E75 are thiolate-ligated heme proteins which undergo redox-mediated ligand switching and bind CO and NO

Nuclear receptors E75, which regulates development in Drosophila melanogaster, and Rev-erbbeta, which regulates circadian rhythm in humans, bind heme within their ligand binding domains (LBD). The heme-bound ligand binding domains of E75 and Rev-erbbeta were studied using electronic absorption, MCD, resonance Raman, and EPR spectroscopies. Both proteins undergo redox-dependent ligand switching and CO- and NO-induced ligand displacement. In the Fe(III) oxidation state, the nuclear receptor hemes are low spin and 6-coordinate with cysteine(thiolate) as one of the two axial heme ligands. The sixth ligand is a neutral donor, presumably histidine. When the heme is reduced to the Fe(II) oxidation state, the cysteine(thiolate) is replaced by a different neutral donor ligand, whose identity is not known. CO binds to the Fe(II) heme in both E75(LBD) and Rev-erbbeta(LBD) opposite a sixth neutral ligand, plausibly the same histidine that served as the sixth ligand in the Fe(III) state. NO binds to the heme of both proteins; however, the NO-heme is 5-coordinate in E75 and 6-coordinate in Rev-erbbeta. These nuclear receptors exhibit coordination characteristics that are similar to other known redox and gas sensors, suggesting that E75 and Rev-erbbeta may function in heme-, redox-, or gas-regulated control of cellular function.

Multireference ab initio studies of zero-field splitting and magnetic circular dichroism spectra of tetrahedral Co(II) complexes

A newly developed multireference (MR) ab initio method for the calculation of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra was calibrated through the calculation of the ground- and excited state properties of seven high-spin (S = 3/2) Co(II) complexes. The MCD spectra were computed by the explicit treatment of spin-orbit coupled (SOC) and spin-spin coupled (SSC) N-electron states. For the complexes studied in this work, we found that the SOC is more important than the SSC for determining the ground state zero field splitting (ZFS). Our computed ZFS parameter D for the [Co(PPh(3))(2)Cl(2)] model complex is -17.6 cm(-1), which is reasonably close to the experimental value of -14.8 cm(-1). Generally, the computed absorption and MCD spectra are in fair agreement with experiment for all investigated complexes. Thus, reliable electronic structure and spectroscopic predictions for medium sized transition metal complexes are feasible on the basis of this methodology. This characterizes the presented method as a promising tool for MCD spectra interpretations of transition metal complexes in a variety of areas of chemistry and biology.

Circular dichroism and magnetic circular dichroism studies of the biferrous site of the class Ib ribonucleotide reductase from Bacillus cereus: comparison to the class Ia enzymes

The rate limiting step in DNA biosynthesis is the reduction of ribonucleotides to form the corresponding deoxyribonucleotides. This reaction is catalyzed by ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) and is an attractive target against rapidly proliferating pathogens. Class I RNRs are binuclear non-heme iron enzymes and can be further divided into subclasses. Class Ia is found in many organisms, including humans, while class Ib has only been found in bacteria, notably some pathogens. Both Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus encode class Ib RNRs with over 98% sequence identity. The geometric and electronic structure of the B. cereus diiron containing subunit (R2F) has been characterized by a combination of circular dichroism, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and variable temperature variable field MCD and is compared to class Ia RNRs. While crystallography has given several possible descriptions for the class Ib RNR biferrous site, the spectroscopically defined active site contains a 4-coordinate and a 5-coordinate Fe(II), weakly antiferromagnetically coupled via mu-1,3-carboxylate bridges. Class Ia biferrous sites are also antiferromagnetically coupled 4-coordinate and 5-coordinate Fe(II), however quantitatively differ from class Ib in bridging carboxylate conformation and tyrosine radical positioning relative to the diiron site. Additionally, the iron binding affinity in B. cereus RNR R2F is greater than class Ia RNR and provides the pathogen with a competitive advantage relative to host in physiological, iron-limited environments. These structural differences have potential for the development of selective drugs.

Detailed assignment of the magnetic circular dichroism and UV-vis spectra of five-coordinate high-spin ferric [Fe(TPP)(Cl)]

High-spin (hs) ferric heme centers occur in the catalytic or redox cycles of many metalloproteins and exhibit very complicated magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and UV-vis absorption spectra. Therefore, detailed assignments of the MCD spectra of these species are missing. In this study, the electronic spectra (MCD and UV-vis) of the five-coordinate hs ferric model complex [Fe(TPP)(Cl)] are analyzed and assigned for the first time. A correlated fit of the absorption and low-temperature MCD spectra of [Fe(TPP)(Cl)] lead to the identification of at least 20 different electronic transitions. The assignments of these spectra are based on the following: (a) variable temperature and variable field saturation data, (b) time-dependent density functional theory calculations, (c) MCD pseudo A-terms, and (d) correlation to resonance Raman (rRaman) data to validate the assignments. From these results, a number of puzzling questions about the electronic spectra of [Fe(TPP)(Cl)] are answered. The Soret band in [Fe(TPP)(Cl)] is split into three components because one of its components is mixed with the porphyrin A2u72-->Eg82/83 (pi-->pi*) transition. The broad, intense absorption feature at higher energy from the Soret band is due to one of the Soret components and a mixed sigma and pi chloro to iron CT transition. The high-temperature MCD data allow for the identification of the Q v band at 20 202 cm(-1), which corresponds to the C-term feature at 20 150 cm(-1). Q is not observed but can be localized by correlation to rRaman data published before. Finally, the low energy absorption band around 650 nm is assigned to two P-->Fe charge transfer transitions, one being the long sought after A1u(HOMO)-->d pi transition.

The heme of cystathionine beta-synthase likely undergoes a thermally induced redox-mediated ligand switch

Cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) is a pyridoxal-5'-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the condensation of homocysteine and serine to form cystathionine. Human CBS is unique in that heme is also required for maximal activity, although the function of heme in this enzyme is presently unclear. The study presented herein reveals that the heme of human CBS undergoes a coordination change upon reduction at elevated temperatures. We have termed this new species "CBS424" and demonstrate that its formation is likely irreversible when pH 9 Fe(III) CBS is reduced at moderately elevated temperatures (approximately 40 degrees C and higher) or when pH 9 Fe(II) CBS is heated to similar temperatures. Spectroscopic techniques, including resonance Raman, electronic absorption, and variable temperature/variable field magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy, provide strong evidence that CBS424 is coordinated by two neutral donor ligands. It appears likely that the native cysteine(thiolate) heme ligand is displaced by an endogenous neutral donor upon conversion to CBS424. This behavior is consistent with other six-coordinate, cysteine(thiolate)-ligated heme centers, which seek to avoid this coordination structure in the Fe(II) state. Functional assays show that CBS424 is inactive and suggest that the ligand switch is responsible for eliminating enzyme activity. When this investigation is taken together with other functional studies of CBS, it provides strong evidence that coordination of Cys52 to the heme iron is crucial for full activity in this enzyme. We hypothesize that cysteine displacement may serve as a mechanism for CBS inactivation and that second-sphere interactions of the Cys52 thiolate with surrounding residues are responsible for communicating the heme ligand displacement to the CBS active site.

The nature of the exchange coupling between high-spin Fe(III) heme o3 and CuBII in Escherichia coli quinol oxidase, cytochrome bo3: MCD and EPR studies

Fully oxidized cytochrome bo3 from Escherichia coli has been studied in its oxidized and several ligand-bound forms using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopies. In each form, the spin-coupled high-spin Fe(III) heme o3 and CuB(II) ion at the active site give rise to similar fast-relaxing broad features in the dual-mode X-band EPR spectra. Simulations of dual-mode spectra are presented which show that this EPR can arise only from a dinuclear site in which the metal ions are weakly coupled by an anisotropic exchange interaction of J 1 cm-1. A variable-temperature and magnetic field (VTVF) MCD study is also presented for the cytochrome bo3 fluoride and azide derivatives. New methods are used to extract the contribution to the MCD of the spin-coupled active site in the presence of strong transitions from low-spin Fe(III) heme b. Analysis of the MCD data, independent of the EPR study, also shows that the spin-coupling within the active site is weak with J approximately 1 cm-1. These conclusions overturn a long-held view that such EPR signals in bovine cytochrome c oxidase arise from an S' = 2 ground state resulting from strong exchange coupling (J > 10(2) cm-1) within the active site.

Circular dichroism and magnetic circular dichroism studies of the biferrous form of the R2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase from mouse: comparison to the R2 from Escherichia coli and other binuclear ferrous enzymes

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) catalyzes the synthesis of the four deoxyribonucleotides needed for DNA synthesis and repair in living organisms. The reduced [Fe(II)Fe(II)] form of the model mammalian enzyme, mouse RNR R2, has been studied using a combination of circular dichroism (CD), magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and variable-temperature variable-field (VTVH) MCD spectroscopies. Titrations of ferrous ion to the apo-enzyme have been performed and analyzed to investigate the metal binding affinity of the metal-binding site. Spectral features of individual iron sites have been analyzed to obtain detailed geometric and electronic structural information. VTVH MCD data have been collected and analyzed using two complementary models to obtain detailed ground state information including the zero-field splitting (ZFS) of both ferrous centers and the exchange coupling (J) between the two sites. These ground and excited state results provide a complete description of the biferrous site of mouse R2. The biferrous site consists of one 4- and one 5-coordinate iron, with positive and negative ZFS values, respectively. Weak exchange coupling between the two ferrous centers is present, consistent with having carboxylate bridges. The two sites have highly cooperative and weak metal binding affinities. This may be a novel regulatory mechanism for RNR. These results are compared with those from reduced Escherichia coli R2 and reduced acyl-carrier protein Delta(9) desaturase to correlate to similarities and differences in their dioxygen reactivity.

Outer sphere mutagenesis of Lactobacillus plantarum manganese catalase disrupts the cluster core. Mechanistic implications

X-ray crystallography of the nonheme manganese catalase from Lactobacillus plantarum (LPC) [Barynin, V.V., Whittaker, M.M., Antonyuk, S.V., Lamzin, V.S., Harrison, P.M., Artymiuk, P.J. & Whittaker, J.W. (2001) Structure9, 725-738] has revealed the structure of the dimanganese redox cluster together with its protein environment. The oxidized [Mn(III)Mn(III)] cluster is bridged by two solvent molecules (oxo and hydroxo, respectively) together with a micro 1,3 bridging glutamate carboxylate and is embedded in a web of hydrogen bonds involving an outer sphere tyrosine residue (Tyr42). A novel homologous expression system has been developed for production of active recombinant LPC and Tyr42 has been replaced by phenylalanine using site-directed mutagenesis. Spectroscopic and structural studies indicate that disruption of the hydrogen-bonded web significantly perturbs the active site in Y42F LPC, breaking one of the solvent bridges and generating an 'open' form of the dimanganese cluster. Two of the metal ligands adopt alternate conformations in the crystal structure, both conformers having a broken solvent bridge in the dimanganese core. The oxidized Y42F LPC exhibits strong optical absorption characteristic of high spin Mn(III) in low symmetry and lower coordination number. MCD and EPR measurements provide complementary information defining a ferromagnetically coupled electronic ground state for a cluster containing a single solvent bridge, in contrast to the diamagnetic ground state found for the native cluster containing a pair of solvent bridges. Y42F LPC has less than 5% of the catalase activity and much higher Km for H2O2 ( approximately 1.4 m) at neutral pH than WT LPC, although the activity is slightly restored at high pH where the cluster is converted to a diamagnetic form. These studies provide new insight into the contribution of the outer sphere tyrosine to the stability of the dimanganese cluster and the role of the solvent bridges in catalysis by dimanganese catalases.

Expression, purification and characterisation of a Bacillus subtilis ferredoxin: a potential electron transfer donor to cytochrome P450 BioI

The fer gene from Bacillus subtilis has been subcloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the protein (Fer) purified to homogeneity. N-Terminal sequencing and mass spectrometry indicate that the initiator methionine is removed from the protein and that the molecular mass is 8732 Da consistent with that deduced from the gene sequence. Amino-acid sequence comparisons indicate that Fer is a ferredoxin containing a 4Fe-4S cluster. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of the reduced form of Fer is typical for a [4Fe-4S](+) cluster showing rhombic signals with g values of 2.07, 1.93 and 1.88. Reduced Fer also gives rise to a magnetic circular dichroism spectrum typical of a [4Fe-4S](+) cluster. Potentiometric titrations indicate that Fer has a reduction potential of -385+/-10 mV for the [4Fe-4S](+)-[4Fe-4S](2+) redox couple, well within the normal range expected for such a ferredoxin. A proposed physiological role for Fer is as an electron donor to cytochrome P450 BioI. Studies on Fer binding to P450 BioI give rise to a K(d) value of 0.87+/-0.10 microM. Anaerobic experiments using CO-saturated buffer indicate that Fer is indeed capable of transferring electrons to this cytochrome P450 albeit at a fairly low rate.

Visible region MCD and MLD spectra of nitrosylferrohemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin

Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and magnetic linear dichroism (MLD) spectroscopies at various applied magnetic fields (0-6T) and temperatures (2.0-31K) have been used to investigate the electronic properties of the visible (Q(0-0), or alpha band) region of oxy- and nitrosylferrohemoglobin (HbNO). OxyHb, a d(6) (S=0) diamagnet, exhibits the expected pseudo-first derivative MCD and pseudo-second derivative MLD temperature-independent features centered at 574nm. HbNO, a d(7) (S=1/2) paramagnet, also exhibits a temperature-independent pseudo-first derivative MCD spectrum, but centered at 571nm. So far as we are aware, this behavior is unprecedented in the MCD spectra of paramagetic iron-porphyrins, which are expected to be dominated by temperature-dependent C(0) terms. The HbNO MCD spectrum does, however, demonstrate limited field-dependent saturation magnetization behavior and the MLD spectrum is currently below the detection limit. In addition, an MCD signal from reoxygenated venous blood is reported and compared with MCD signals from oxy- and HbNO derivatives. Finally, a combination of MCD and MLD spectroscopies has been used to estimate the orbital angular momentum (M(L)) value of the alpha band excited state of oxyHb as 4.2 (+/-0.7).

Heterodisulfide reductase from Methanothermobacter marburgensis contains an active-site [4Fe-4S] cluster that is directly involved in mediating heterodisulfide reduction

Heterodisulfide reductases (HDRs) from methanogenic archaea are iron-sulfur flavoproteins or hemoproteins that catalyze the reversible reduction of the heterodisulfide (CoM-S-S-CoB) of the methanogenic thiol coenzymes, coenzyme M (CoM-SH) and coenzyme B (CoB-SH). In this work, the ground- and excited-state electronic properties of the paramagnetic Fe-S clusters in Methanothermobacter marburgensis HDR have been characterized using the combination of electron paramagnetic resonance and variable-temperature magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopies. The results confirm multiple S=1/2 [4Fe-4S](+) clusters in dithionite-reduced HDR and reveal spectroscopically distinct S=1/2 [4Fe-4S](3+) clusters in oxidized HDR samples treated separately with the CoM-SH and CoB-SH cosubstrates. The active site of HDR is therefore shown to contain a [4Fe-4S] cluster that is directly involved in mediating heterodisulfide reduction. The catalytic mechanism of HDR is discussed in light of the crystallographic and spectroscopic studies of the related chloroplast ferredoxin:thioredoxin reductase class of disulfide reductases.

Spectroscopic studies of nickel-deficient carbon monoxide dehydrogenase from Rhodospirillum rubrum: nature of the iron-sulfur clusters

Carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH) from Rhodospirillum rubrum utilizes three types of Fe-S clusters to catalyze the reversible oxidation of CO to CO(2): a novel [Ni4Fe5S] active site (C cluster) and two distinct [4Fe4S] electron-transfer sites (B and D clusters). While recent X-ray data show the geometric arrangement of the five metal centers at the C cluster, electronic structures of the various [Ni4Fe5S] oxidation states remain ambiguous. These studies report magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), variable temperature, variable field MCD (VTVH MCD), and resonance Raman (rR) spectroscopic properties of the Fe-S clusters contained in Ni-deficient CODH. Essentially homogeneous sample preparations aided in the resolution of the reduced [4Fe4S](1+) (S = (1)/(2)) B cluster and the reduced Ni-deficient C cluster (denoted C, S > (1)/(2)) by MCD. The three Fe atoms derived from the [Ni3Fe4S] cubane component appear to dominate the reduced C cluster MCD spectrum, while the presence of a fourth Fe center can be inferred from the ground state spin. The same underlying MCD features present in Ni-deficient CODH spectra are also observed for Ni-containing CODH, suggesting that both proteins contain the same C cluster Fe-S component. Overlooked in all spectroscopic studies to date, the D cluster was confirmed by rR to be a typical [4Fe4S] site with cysteinyl coordination. Together, MCD and rR data show that the D cluster remains in the oxidized [4Fe4S](2+) (S = 0) state at potentials > or = -530 mV (versus SHE), thus exhibiting an unusually low redox potential for a standard [4Fe4S](2+/1+) electron-transfer site.

Invited award contribution for ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry. Geometric and electronic structure contributions to function in bioinorganic chemistry: active sites in non-heme iron enzymes

Spectroscopy has played a major role in the definition of structure/function correlations in bioinorganic chemistry. The importance of spectroscopy combined with electronic structure calculations is clearly demonstrated by the non-heme iron enzymes. Many members of this large class of enzymes activate dioxygen using a ferrous active site that has generally been difficult to study with most spectroscopic methods. A new spectroscopic methodology has been developed utilizing variable temperature, variable field magnetic circular dichroism, which enables one to obtain detailed insight into the geometric and electronic structure of the non-heme ferrous active site and probe its reaction mechanism on a molecular level. This spectroscopic methodology is presented and applied to a number of key mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes leading to a general mechanistic strategy for O2 activation. These studies are then extended to consider the new features present in the binuclear non-heme iron enzymes and applied to understand (1) the mechanism of the two electron/coupled proton transfer to dioxygen binding to a single iron center in hemerythrin and (2) structure/function correlations over the oxygen-activating enzymes stearoyl-ACP Delta9-desaturase, ribonucleotide reductase, and methane monooxygenase. Electronic structure/reactivity correlations for O2 activation by non-heme relative to heme iron enzymes will also be developed.

The energy level scheme for the ferryl heme in compound II of the peroxidase-catalase family as determined from analysis of low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism

The expressions for temperature-dependent magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) of the ferryl heme (Fe(4+)Por, S=1), which is a model of an intermediate product of the catalytic cycle of heme enzymes (compound II), have been derived in the framework of a two-term model. Theoretical predictions for the temperature and magnetic field dependence of MCD intensity of the ferryl heme are compared with those of the high-spin and low-spin ferric heme. Analysis of reported MCD spectra of myoglobin peroxide [Foot et al., Biochem. J. 2651 (1989) 515-522] and compound II of horseradish peroxidase [Browett et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 110 (1987) 3633-3640] has shown the presence in the samples of approximately 1% of a low-spin ferric component, which, however, should be taken into account in simulating observed temperature dependences of MCD intensity. The values of two adjustable parameters are estimated from the fit of the observed and simulated plots of MCD intensity against the reciprocal of the absolute temperature. One of them, the energy gap between the ground and excited terms, predetermines the axial zero-field splitting. The other parameter is correlated with the energy of splitting of excited quartets arising from either the porphyrin pi-->pi* transition or the spin-allowed charge-transfer transition.

Probing the heme axial ligation in the CO-sensing CooA protein with magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy

The combination of UV/visible/near-IR variable-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (VTMCD) and EPR spectroscopies has been used to investigate the spin states and axial ligation of the heme group in oxidized, reduced, and CO-bound reduced forms of the Rhodospirillum rubrum CO oxidation transcriptional activator protein (CooA) and its H77Y and C75S variants. The energy of the porphyrin(pi)-to-Fe(III) charge-transfer band (8930 cm(-)(1)) and the presence of cysteinate S-to-Fe(III) charge-transfer bands between 600 and 700 nm confirm cysteinate axial ligation to the low-spin Fe(III) hemes in oxidized wild-type and H77Y CooA. In contrast, the major component in the oxidized C75S variant is shown to be a low-spin Fe(III) heme with bis-histidine or histidine/amine axial ligation on the basis of the energy of the porphyrin(pi)-to-Fe(III) charge-transfer band (6240 cm(-)(1)) and the anisotropy of the EPR signal, g = 3.23, approximately 2.06, approximately 1.14. These results confirm Cys75 as the cysteinyl axial ligand in oxidized CooA, indicate that it is replaced as an axial ligand by a histidine in the C75S variant, and reveal the presence of a hitherto unidentified histidine or neutral nitrogen ligand trans to Cys75 in wild-type CooA. Evidence for a Cys75-to-His77 axial ligand switch on reduction of CooA comes from VTMCD studies of the reduced proteins. The VTMCD spectra of reduced wild-type and C75S CooA are dominated by bands characteristic of bis-histidine low-spin Fe(II) hemes, whereas the reduced H77Y variant is predominantly high-spin with MCD characteristics typical of a five-coordinate, histidine-ligated ferrous heme. VTMCD studies show that the CO-bound reduced forms of wild-type, H77Y, and C75S contain low-spin Fe(II) hemes and that the Fe-CO bonds can be photolytically cleaved at temperatures <50 K. Strong evidence that CO binding to the heme group in reduced CooA occurs with displacement of His77 comes from the VTMCD spectra of the low-temperature photoproducts of CO-bound reduced forms of wild-type, H77Y, and C75S CooA. The spectra are almost identical to each other and closely correspond to those of the low-temperature photoproducts of well characterized CO-bound ferrous hemes with His/CO axial ligation.

The oxidized (3,3) state of manganese catalase. Comparison of enzymes from Thermus thermophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum

Manganese catalases contain a binuclear manganese cluster that catalyzes the redox dismutation of hydrogen peroxide, interconverting between dimanganese(II) [(2,2)] and dimanganese(III) [(3,3)] oxidation states during turnover. We have investigated the oxidized (3,3) states of the homologous enzymes from Thermus thermophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum using a combination of optical absorption, CD, MCD, and EPR spectroscopies as sensitive probes of the electronic structure and protein environment for the active site metal clusters. Comparison of results for these two enzymes allows the essential features of the active sites to be recognized and the differences identified. For both enzymes, preparations having the highest catalytic activity have diamagnetic ground states, consistent with the bis-mu-bridging dimanganese core structure that has been defined crystallographically. Oxidative damage and exogenous ligand binding perturb the core structure of LPC, converting the enzyme to a distinct form in which the cluster becomes paramagnetic as a result of altered exchange coupling mediated by the bridging ligands. The TTC cluster does not exhibit this sensitivity to ligand binding, implying a different reactivity for the bridges in that enzyme. A mechanism is proposed involving distinct coordination modes for peroxide substrate in each of the two half-reactions for enzyme turnover.

MCD C-Term Signs, Saturation Behavior, and Determination of Band Polarizations in Randomly Oriented Systems with Spin S >/= (1)/(2). Applications to S = (1)/(2) and S = (5)/(2)

The magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) properties of a spin-allowed transition from an orbitally nondegenerate ground state manifold A to an orbitally nondegenerate excited state manifold J in the presence of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) are derived for any S >/= (1)/(2). Three physically distinct mechanisms are identified that lead to MCD intensity and depend on SOC between excited states which leads to a sum rule and SOC between the ground state and other excited states that leads to deviations from the sum rule. The model is valid for any symmetry of the magnetic coupling tensors and arbitrary transition polarizations. The S = (1)/(2) case is analytically solved, and the determination of linear polarizations from MCD saturation magnetization data is discussed. For all mechanisms the MCD intensity is proportional to the spin-expectation values of the ground state sublevels which are conveniently generated from a spin-Hamiltonian (SH). For Kramers systems with large zero-field splittings (ZFSs) this allows the contribution from each Kramers doublet to the total MCD intensity to be related through their effective g-values, therefore significantly reducing the number of parameters required to analyze experimental data. The behavior of high-spin systems is discussed in the limits of weak, intermediate, and strong ZFS relative to the Zeeman energy. The model remains valid in the important case of intermediate ZFS where the ground state sublevels may cross as a function of applied magnetic field and there are significant off-axis contributions to the MCD intensity due to a change of the electron spin quantization axis. The model permits calculation of MCD C-term signs from molecular wave functions, and explicit expressions are derived in terms of MOs for S = (1)/(2) and S = (5)/(2). Two examples from the literature are analyzed to demonstrate how the C-term signs can be evaluated by a graphical method that gives insight into their physical origin.

Determination of zero-field splitting and evidence for the presence of charge-transfer transitions in the Soret region of high-spin ferric hemoproteins obtained from an analysis of low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism

Theoretical expressions for magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) of the porphyrin pi-->pi*, spin-allowed charge transfer (CT) and spin-forbidden d-d or CT transitions in high-spin ferric heme are derived. The transitions can be discriminated by their MCD to absorption ratio and/or temperature dependence of MCD intensity. An analysis of the Soret MCD of fluoride complexes of myoglobin (Mb), hemoglobin (Hb) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), recorded at temperatures from 290 down to 2 K, is given. It is shown that the Soret MCD of HRPF can be well described by overlapping of the pi-->pi* transition with one spin-forbidden CT transition of an 6A1-->4E type. In the case of MbF and HbF it is necessary to assume the presence in the Soret region of the second spin-forbidden CT transition, most probably of an 6A1-->4A1 type. The parameters of transitions have been extracted from a non-linear least-squares fitting procedure. The best fit values of parameter D of the zero-field splitting of the ground manifold for HbF (6.1 cm(-1)) and MbF (6.4 cm(-1)) agree well with those obtained by other methods. The D value for HRPF (8.3 cm(-1)) is obtained for the first time.

[2Fe-2S] to [4Fe-4S] cluster conversion in Escherichia coli biotin synthase

The type and properties of the Fe-S cluster in recombinant Escherichia coli biotin synthase have been investigated in as-prepared and dithionite-reduced samples using the combination of UV-visible absorption and variable-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (VTMCD), EPR, and resonance Raman spectroscopies. The results confirm the presence of one S = 0 [2Fe-2S]2+ cluster in each subunit of the homodimer in aerobically purified samples, and the Fe-S stretching frequencies suggest incomplete cysteinyl-S coordination. However, absorption and resonance Raman studies show that anaerobic reduction with dithionite in the presence of 60% (v/v) ethylene glycol or glycerol results in near-stoichiometric conversion of two [2Fe-2S]2+ clusters to form one S = 0 [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster with complete cysteinyl-S coordination. The stoichiometry and ability to effect reductive cluster conversion without the addition of iron or sulfide suggest that the [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster is formed at the subunit interface via reductive dimerization of [2Fe-2S]2+ clusters. EPR and VTMCD studies indicate that more than 50% of the Fe is present as [4Fe-4S]+ clusters in samples treated with 60% (v/v) glycerol after prolonged dithionite reduction. The [4Fe-4S]+ cluster exists as a mixed spin system with S = 1/2 (g = 2. 044, 1.944, 1.914) and S = 3/2 (g = 5.6 resonance) ground states. Subunit-bridging [4Fe-4S]2+,+ clusters, that can undergo oxidative degradation to [2Fe-2S]2+ clusters during purification, are proposed to be a common feature of Fe-S enzymes that require S-adenosylmethionine and function by radical mechanisms involving the homolytic cleavage of C-H or C-C bonds, i.e., biotin synthase, anaerobic ribonucleotide reductase, pyruvate formate lyase, lysine 2, 3-aminomutase, and lipoic acid synthase. The most likely role for the [4Fe-4S]2+,+ cluster lies in initiating the radical mechanism by directly or indirectly facilitating reductive one-electron cleavage of S-adenosylmethionine to form methionine and the 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical. It is further suggested that oxidative cluster conversion to [2Fe-2S]2+ clusters may play a physiological role in these radical enzymes, by providing a method of regulating enzyme activity in response to oxidative stress, without irreversible cluster degradation.

A 4-term energy level scheme for the high-spin ferrous hemoproteins: evidence for the 5E eta, and 5B2 terms as the ground multiplets in hemoproteins with a histidine and a cysteine protein-derived heme ligand, respectively

We have carried out analysis of the electronic level scheme of the high-spin ferrous hemoproteins by simultaneous fit of the adjustable parameters of a 4-term theoretical model to low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), room temperature absorption spectra and available magnetic susceptibility and or Mössbauer data of myoglobin, horseradish peroxidase and cytochrome P450. The high reliability of the ligand field parameter values obtained for deoxymyoglobin is confirmed by good agreement between the predicted and observed magnetic field dependences of MCD and magnetization not used in the fit procedure. In addition, an energy gap between the ground and first excited singlets, estimated to be 4.2 cm-1, agrees well with the value of approximately 4 cm-1 derived from the far-infrared magnetic resonance. Our computer and explicit theoretical analyses give strong evidence that large distinctions in the shape, intensity and temperature behaviour of the MCD of Mb and HRP from those of cytochrome P450 can be described only if the ground manifold in these proteins is 5E eta and 5B2, respectively. The changes in relative energies of the one-electron 3d-orbitals on substitution of an imidazole of histidine for a sulphur anion of cysteine as a protein-derived heme iron ligand are rationalized by the lower ionization potential of the negatively charged sulphur ligand and the higher pi-orbital overlap of its lone pair orbitals with the iron d pi-orbitals compared to the imidazole ligand.

The function and properties of the iron-sulfur center in spinach ferredoxin: thioredoxin reductase: a new biological role for iron-sulfur clusters

Thioredoxin reduction in chloroplasts is catalyzed by a unique class of disulfide reductases which use a [2Fe-2S]2+/+ ferredoxin as the electron donor and contain an Fe-S cluster as the sole prosthetic group in addition to the active-site disulfide. The nature, properties, and function of the Fe-S cluster in spinach ferredoxin:thioredoxin reductase (FTR) have been investigated by the combination of UV/visible absorption, variable-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), EPR, and resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopies. The results indicate the presence of an S = 0 [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster with complete cysteinyl-S coordination that cannot be reduced at potentials down to -650 mV, but can be oxidized by ferricyanide to an S = 1/2 [4Fe-4S]3+ state (g = 2.09, 2.04, 2.02). The midpoint potential for the [4Fe-4S]3+/2+ couple is estimated to be +420 mV (versus NHE). These results argue against a role for the cluster in mediating electron transport from ferredoxin (Em = -420 mV) to the active-site disulfide (Em = -230 mV, n = 2). An alternative role for the cluster in stabilizing the one-electron-reduced intermediate is suggested by parallel spectroscopic studies of a modified form of the enzyme in which one of the cysteines of the active-site dithiol has been alkylated with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). NEM-modified FTR is paramagnetic as prepared and exhibits a slow relaxing, S = 1/2 EPR signal, g = 2.11, 2.00, 1.98, that is observable without significant broadening up to 150 K. While the relaxation properties are characteristic of a radical species, MCD, RR, and absorption studies indicate at least partial cluster oxidation to the [4Fe-4S]3+ state. Dye-mediated EPR redox titrations indicate a midpoint potential of -210 mV for the one-electron reduction to a diamagnetic state. By analogy with the properties of the ferricyanide-oxidized [4Fe-4S] cluster in Azotobacter vinelandii 7Fe ferredoxin [Hu, Z., Jollie, D., Burgess, B. K., Stephens, P. J., & Münck, E. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 14475-14485], the spectroscopic and redox properties of NEM-modified FTR are interpreted in terms of a [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster covalently attached through a cluster sulfide to a cysteine-based thiyl radical formed on one of the active-site thiols. A mechanistic scheme for FTR is proposed with similarities to that established for the well-characterized NAD(P)H-dependent flavin-containing disulfide oxidoreductases, but involving sequential one-electron redox processes with the role of the [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster being to stabilize the thiyl radical formed by the initial one-electron reduction of the active-site disulfide. The results indicate a new biological role for Fe-S clusters involving both the stabilization of a thiyl radical intermediate and cluster site-specific chemistry involving a bridging sulfide.

Magnetic and optical properties of copper-substituted alcohol dehydrogenase: a bisthiolate copper (II) complex

Replacement of the catalytic Zn(II) in horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH) with copper produces a mononuclear Cu(II) chromophore with a ligand set consisting of two cysteine sulphurs, one histidine nitrogen plus one further atom. The fourth ligand to the metal ion and the conformation of the protein may be altered by addition of exogenous ligands and/or the cofactor NADH. Absorbance, CD, low-temperature magnetic CD (MCD) and EPR spectra are presented of copper-substituted HLADH samples in both 'open' and 'closed' conformations and in the presence and absence of the exogenous ligands pyrazole and DMSO. The EPR spectra indicate a strong, predominantly axial field about the copper(II) ion with high copper-thiol (cysteine) covalence. The optical and MCD spectra are interpreted in terms of four d-d transitions to low energy, also reflecting the axial ligand field, and four charge-transfer transitions to copper(II) between 30000 and 16000 cm-1 arising from the two cysteine sulphur atoms which give two pairs of oppositely signed MCD C-terms. These transitions are polarized mainly in the axial plane defined by Cys-46, Cys-174 and His-67. The binary complex formed with pyrazole displays quite different EPR and optical spectra which can be understood in terms of a rotation of the copper hole-orbital away from the axial plane thus decreasing sharply the copper-thiol covalence. The magneto-optical spectra in the presence and absence of DMSO are indistinguishable.

Expression in Escherichia coli and characterization of a reconstituted recombinant 7Fe ferredoxin from Desulfovibrio africanus

Desulfovibrio africanus ferredoxin III is a monomeric protein (molecular mass of 6585 Da) that contains one [3Fe-4S]1+/0 and one [4Fe-4S]2+/1+ cluster when isolated aerobically. The amino acid sequence consists of 61 amino acids, including seven cysteine residues that are all involved in co-ordination to the clusters. In order to isolate larger quantities of D. africanus ferredoxin III, we have overexpressed it in Escherichia coli by constructing a synthetic gene based on the amino acid sequence of the native protein. The recombinant ferredoxin was expressed in E. coli as an apoprotein. We have reconstituted the holoprotein by incubating the apoprotein with excess iron and sulphide in the presence of a reducing agent. The reconstituted recombinant ferredoxin appeared to have a lower stability than that of wild-type D. africanus ferredoxin III. We have shown by low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism and EPR spectroscopy that the recombinant ferredoxin contains a [3Fe-4S]1+/0 and a [4Fe-4S]2+/1+ cluster similar to those found in native D. africanus ferredoxin III. These results indicate that the two clusters have been correctly inserted into the recombinant ferredoxin.

Identification of the iron-sulfur clusters in a ferredoxin from the archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Evidence for a reduced [3Fe-4S] cluster with pH-dependent electronic properties

A ferredoxin isolated from the archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius strain DSM 639 has been shown to contain one [3Fe-4S]1 + 10 cluster with a reduction potential of -275 mV and one [4Fe-4S]2+/1+ cluster with a reduction potential of -529 mV at pH 6.4, in the temperature range 0-50 degrees C. The monomer molecular mass was confirmed to be 10907.5 +/- 1.0 Da by electrospray mass spectrometry, as calculated from the published amino acid sequence [Minami, Y. Wakabayashi. S., Wada, K., Matsubara, H., Kerscher, L. & Oesterhelt, D. (1985) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 97, 745-751], while the holoprotein molecular mass was found to be 11,550 +/- 1.0 Da. The reduced [3Fe-4S]0 cluster was also shown by direct electrochemistry and magnetic circular dichroic spectroscopy to undergo a one-proton uptake reaction as first observed for Azotobacter chroococcum ferredoxin I [George, S. J., Richards, A. J. M., Thomson, A. J. & Yates, M. G. (1984) Biochem. J. 224, 247-251]. The pKa of the protonation step has been determined by a novel thin film electrochemical method to be 5.8. This is significantly different from the pKa of 7.7 determined for A. vinelandii ferredoxin I [Shen, B., Martin, L. L., Butt, J. N., Armstrong, F. A., Stout, C. D., Jensen, J. M., Stephens, P. J., LaMar, G. N., Gorst, C. M. & Burgess, B. K. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 25928-25939] and indicates that the polypeptide chain around the [3Fe-4S] cluster controls this reaction. Although this appears to be only the second reported case of protonation at or near the reduced [3Fe-4S]0 cluster, its observation in S. acidocaldarius ferredoxin raises the question of the generality of this chemistry for 3Fe clusters. The similarity of the pKa to the estimated intracellular pH of S. acidocaldarius strongly suggests a physiological role for this process.

Magnetic circular dichroism study of the selenium-substituted form (Fe3Se4) of bovine heart aconitase

The selenium-substituted inactive form of mitochondrial aconitase contains one [3Fe-4Se]1+/0 cluster [Surerus, Kennedy, Beinert and Münck (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 9846-9850]. This cluster was studied in both oxidized and reduced states by magnetic CD (MCD) and EPR spectroscopy. In the MCD spectra, intensity and transition wavelength shifts are observed when compared with the spectra of the native [3Fe-4S]1+/0 cluster. These changes are used to differentiate between the charge-transfer transitions originating from inorganic and cysteinyl sulphur. Using also the data from the EPR spectra, the spin ground state is assigned as S = 1/2 for the oxidized [3Fe-4Se]1+ cluster and S = 2 for the reduced [3Fe-4Se]0 cluster.

A ligand field model for MCD spectra of biological cupric complexes

A ligand field calculation of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra is described that provides new insights into the information contained in electronic spectra of copper sites in metalloenzymes and synthetic analogs. The ligand field model uses metal-centered p- and f-orbitals to model sigma, pi LMCT mixing mechanism for intensity, allowing the basic features of optical absorption, MCD, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra to be simultaneously computed from a single set of parameters and the crystallographically determined ligand coordinates. We have used the model to predict changes in spectra resulting from the transformation of electronic wavefunctions under systematic variation in geometry in pentacoordinate ML5 complexes. The effectiveness of the calculation is demonstrated for two synthetic copper model compounds and a galactose oxidase enzyme complex representing limiting coordination geometries. This analysis permits immediate recognition of characteristic patterns of MCD intensity and correlation with geometry. A complementarity principle between MCD and CD spectra of transition metal complexes is discussed.