Tyrosine-Coordinated P-Cluster in G. diazotrophicus Nitrogenase: Evidence for the Importance of O-Based Ligands in Conformationally Gated Electron Transfer

J Am Chem Soc. 2016 Aug 17;138(32):10124-7. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b06783. Epub 2016 Aug 8.

Abstract

The P-cluster is a unique iron-sulfur center that likely functions as a dynamic electron (e(-)) relay site between the Fe-protein and the catalytic FeMo-cofactor in nitrogenase. The P-cluster has been shown to undergo large conformational changes upon 2-e(-) oxidation which entail the coordination of two of the Fe centers to a Ser side chain and a backbone amide N, respectively. Yet, how and if this 2-e(-) oxidized state (P(OX)) is involved in catalysis by nitrogenase is not well established. Here, we present the crystal structures of reduced and oxidized MoFe-protein (MoFeP) from Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Gd), which natively possesses an Ala residue in the position of the Ser ligand to the P-cluster. While reduced Gd-MoFeP is structurally identical to previously characterized counterparts around the FeMo-cofactor, oxidized Gd-MoFeP features an unusual Tyr coordination to its P-cluster along with ligation by a backbone amide nitrogen. EPR analysis of the oxidized Gd-MoFeP P-cluster confirmed that it is a 2-e(-) oxidized, integer-spin species. Importantly, we have found that the sequence positions corresponding to the Ser and Tyr ligands are almost completely covariant among Group I nitrogenases. These findings strongly support the possibility that the P(OX) state is functionally relevant in nitrogenase catalysis and that a hard, O-based anionic ligand serves to stabilize this state in a switchable fashion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alanine / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Binding Sites
  • Catalysis
  • Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Electron Transport
  • Electrons*
  • Gluconacetobacter / enzymology*
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins / chemistry
  • Ligands
  • Molybdoferredoxin / metabolism
  • Nitrogenase / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxygen / chemistry
  • Protein Conformation
  • Tyrosine / chemistry*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Molybdoferredoxin
  • Tyrosine
  • Nitrogenase
  • Alanine
  • Oxygen