scholarly journals Evidence for a dynamic role for homocitrate during nitrogen fixation: the effect of substitution at the α-Lys426 position in MoFe-protein of Azotobacter vinelandii

2006 ◽  
Vol 397 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus C. Durrant ◽  
Amanda Francis ◽  
David J. Lowe ◽  
William E. Newton ◽  
Karl Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Active Site ◽  
Ring Opening ◽  
Azotobacter Vinelandii ◽  
Chelate Ring ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Key Players ◽  
Femo Cofactor ◽  
The Subject

Although it is generally accepted that the active site of nitrogenase is located on the FeMo-cofactor, the exact site(s) of N2 binding and reduction remain the subject of continuing debate, with both molybdenum and iron atoms being suggested as key players. The current consensus favours binding of acetylene and some other non-biologically relevant substrates to the central iron atoms of the FeMo-cofactor [Dos Santos, Igarashi, Lee, Hoffman, Seefeldt and Dean (2005) Acc. Chem. Res. 38, 208–214]. The reduction of N2 is, however, a more demanding process than reduction of these alternative substrates because it has a much higher activation energy and does not bind until three electrons have been accumulated on the enzyme. The possible conversion of bidentate into monodentate homocitrate on this three electron-reduced species has been proposed to free up a binding site for N2 on the molybdenum atom. One of the features of this hypothesis is that α-Lys426 facilitates chelate ring opening and subsequent orientation of the monodentate homocitrate by forming a specific hydrogen bond to the homocitrate -CH2CH2CO2− carboxylate group. In support of this concept, we show that mutation of α-Lys426 can selectively perturb N2 reduction without affecting acetylene reduction. We interpret our experimental observations in the light of a detailed molecular mechanics modelling study of the wild-type and altered MoFe-nitrogenases.

scholarly journals Comment on “Structural evidence for a dynamic metallocofactor during N2 reduction by Mo-nitrogenase”

Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 371 (6530) ◽  
pp. eabe5481 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Peters ◽  
Oliver Einsle ◽  
Dennis R. Dean ◽  
Serena DeBeer ◽  
Brian M. Hoffman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Active Site ◽  
Biochemical Evidence ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Femo Cofactor

Kang et al. (Reports, 19 June 2020, p. 1381) report a structure of the nitrogenase MoFe protein that is interpreted to indicate binding of N2 or an N2-derived species to the active-site FeMo cofactor. Independent refinement of the structure and consideration of biochemical evidence do not support this claim.

scholarly journals Nitrogenase from nifV mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae contains an altered form of the iron-molybdenum cofactor

1984 ◽  
Vol 217 (1) ◽  
pp. 317-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
T R Hawkes ◽  
P A McLean ◽  
B E Smith
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Molybdenum Cofactor ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
H2 Evolution ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Fe Protein ◽  
Metal Contents ◽  
Altered Form ◽  
Iron Molybdenum Cofactor

When the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) was extracted from the MoFe protein of nitrogenase from a nifV mutant of Klebsiella pneumoniae and combined with the FeMoco-deficient MoFe protein from a nifB mutant, the resultant MoFe protein exhibited the NifV phenotype, i.e. in combination with wild-type Fe protein it exhibited poor N2-fixation activity and its H2-evolution activity was inhibited by CO. These data provide strong evidence that FeMoco contains the active site of nitrogenase. The metal contents and e.p.r. properties of FeMoco from wild-type and nifV mutants of K. pneumoniae are very similar.

scholarly journals The inactive MoFe protein (NifB−Kp1) of the nitrogenase from nif B mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Its interaction with FeMo-cofactor and the properties of the active MoFe protein formed

1984 ◽  
Vol 223 (3) ◽  
pp. 783-792 ◽  
Author(s):  
T R Hawkes ◽  
B E Smith
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Signal Intensity ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Maximum Activity ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Activation Reaction ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Femo Cofactor ◽  
Iron Molybdenum Cofactor

The inactive MoFe protein (NifB-Kp1) of nitrogenase from nifB mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae may be activated by addition of the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) extracted from active MoFe protein (Kp1). However, when apparently saturated with FeMoco, our preparations of NifB-Kp1 yielded activated protein, Kp1-asm, with a specific activity that was at best only 40% of that expected. This was not due to degradation of Kp1-asm, NifB-Kp1 or FeMoco during the activation reaction. Nor could activation be enhanced by addition of other nif-gene products or other proteins. Whereas fully active Kp1 contains 2 FeMoco/molecule, apparent saturation of our NifB-Kp1 preparations required the binding of only 0.4-0.65 FeMoco/molecule. By using chromatography Kp1-asm could be largely resolved from NifB-Kp1 that had not been activated. However, we were unable to isolate fully active MoFe protein (i.e. Kp1-asm containing 2 FeMoco/molecule) from solutions of NifB-Kp1 activated with FeMoco. The maximum activity/ng-atom of total Mo obtained for our purified Kp1-asm was approximately half the maximum activity for FeMoco. Since all NifB-Kp1 preparations contained some Mo, we suggest that FeMoco activated only those NifB-Kp1 molecules already containing one atom of (non-FeMoco) Mo, thus forming Kp1-asm with 2 Mo but only 1 FeMoco/molecule. Kp1-asm was identical with normal Kp1 in terms of its Mr, stability, e.p.r. signals, pattern of substrate reductions, CO inhibition and ATP/2e ratio. In addition, for preparations of differing specific activity, there was a constant and identical relationship between the e.p.r. signal intensity (from FeMoco) and the activity of both Kp1 and Kp1-asm. Assuming the above hypothesis on the structure of Kp1-asm, these data demonstrate that the two FeMoco sites in wild-type Kp1 operate independently.

scholarly journals Molybdenum Nitrogenase Catalyzes the Reduction and Coupling of CO to Form Hydrocarbons

2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (22) ◽  
pp. 19417-19421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-Yong Yang ◽  
Dennis R. Dean ◽  
Lance C. Seefeldt
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Partial Pressure ◽  
Small Molecules ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Fischer Tropsch ◽  
Hydrocarbon Production ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Femo Cofactor ◽  
Electron Reduction ◽  
The Relationship

The molybdenum-dependent nitrogenase catalyzes the multi-electron reduction of protons and N2 to yield H2 and 2NH3. It also catalyzes the reduction of a number of non-physiological doubly and triply bonded small molecules (e.g. C2H2, N2O). Carbon monoxide (CO) is not reduced by the wild-type molybdenum nitrogenase but instead inhibits the reduction of all substrates catalyzed by nitrogenase except protons. Here, we report that when the nitrogenase MoFe protein α-Val70 residue is substituted by alanine or glycine, the resulting variant proteins will catalyze the reduction and coupling of CO to form methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), ethylene (C2H4), propene (C3H6), and propane (C3H8). The rates and ratios of hydrocarbon production from CO can be adjusted by changing the flux of electrons through nitrogenase, by substitution of other amino acids located near the FeMo-cofactor, or by changing the partial pressure of CO. Increasing the partial pressure of CO shifted the product ratio in favor of the longer chain alkanes and alkenes. The implications of these findings in understanding the nitrogenase mechanism and the relationship to Fischer-Tropsch production of hydrocarbons from CO are discussed.

scholarly journals Catalysis-dependent selenium incorporation and migration in the nitrogenase active site iron-molybdenum cofactor

eLife ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Spatzal ◽  
Kathryn A Perez ◽  
James B Howard ◽  
Douglas C Rees
Keyword(s):  
Active Site ◽  
Azotobacter Vinelandii ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Reduction Activity ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Activated State ◽  
Selective Incorporation ◽  
Femo Cofactor ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Biological Nitrogen

Dinitrogen reduction in the biological nitrogen cycle is catalyzed by nitrogenase, a two-component metalloenzyme. Understanding of the transformation of the inert resting state of the active site FeMo-cofactor into an activated state capable of reducing dinitrogen remains elusive. Here we report the catalysis dependent, site-selective incorporation of selenium into the FeMo-cofactor from selenocyanate as a newly identified substrate and inhibitor. The 1.60 Å resolution structure reveals selenium occupying the S2B site of FeMo-cofactor in the Azotobacter vinelandii MoFe-protein, a position that was recently identified as the CO-binding site. The Se2B-labeled enzyme retains substrate reduction activity and marks the starting point for a crystallographic pulse-chase experiment of the active site during turnover. Through a series of crystal structures obtained at resolutions of 1.32–1.66 Å, including the CO-inhibited form of Av1-Se2B, the exchangeability of all three belt-sulfur sites is demonstrated, providing direct insights into unforeseen rearrangements of the metal center during catalysis.

scholarly journals Nitrogenase MoFe protein fromClostridium pasteurianumat 1.08 Å resolution: comparison with theAzotobacter vinelandiiMoFe protein

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 274-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Mei Zhang ◽  
Christine N. Morrison ◽  
Jens T. Kaiser ◽  
Douglas C. Rees
Keyword(s):  
Active Sites ◽  
Azotobacter Vinelandii ◽  
Protein Structures ◽  
Protein Docking ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Mofe Protein ◽  
Fe Protein ◽  
Surrounding Environment ◽  
Solvent Environment ◽  
Femo Cofactor

The X-ray crystal structure of the nitrogenase MoFe protein fromClostridium pasteurianum(Cp1) has been determined at 1.08 Å resolution by multiwavelength anomalous diffraction phasing. Cp1 and the ortholog fromAzotobacter vinelandii(Av1) represent two distinct families of nitrogenases, differing primarily by a long insertion in the α-subunit and a deletion in the β-subunit of Cp1 relative to Av1. Comparison of these two MoFe protein structures at atomic resolution reveals conserved structural arrangements that are significant to the function of nitrogenase. The FeMo cofactors defining the active sites of the MoFe protein are essentially identical between the two proteins. The surrounding environment is also highly conserved, suggesting that this structural arrangement is crucial for nitrogen reduction. The P clusters are likewise similar, although the surrounding protein and solvent environment is less conserved relative to that of the FeMo cofactor. The P cluster and FeMo cofactor in Av1 and Cp1 are connected through a conserved water tunnel surrounded by similar secondary-structure elements. The long α-subunit insertion loop occludes the presumed Fe protein docking surface on Cp1 with few contacts to the remainder of the protein. This makes it plausible that this loop is repositioned to open up the Fe protein docking surface for complex formation.

Effect of Fibrin-Like Stimulators on the Activation of Plasminogen by Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator (t-PA) - Studies with Active Site Mutagenized Plasminogen and Plasmin Resistant t-PA

1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (01) ◽  
pp. 061-068 ◽  
Author(s):  
H R Lijnen ◽  
B Van Hoet ◽  
F De Cock ◽  
D Collen
Keyword(s):  
Active Site ◽  
Peptide Bond ◽  
Tissue Type ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Plasmin Activity ◽  
Soluble Fibrin ◽  
Type Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Presence And Absence ◽  
Chain Form

SummaryThe activation of plasminogen by t-PA was measured in the presence and absence of fibrin stimulation, using natural human plasminogen (nPlg) and rPlg-Ala740, a recombinant plasminogen with the active site Ser740 mutagenaed to Ala. Recombinant wild type t-PA (rt-PA) was used as well as rt-PA -Glul275, a recombinant single chain t-PA in which the Arg of the plasmin sensitiv e Arg275- Ile276 peptide bond was substituted with Glu. Conversion of 125I-labeled single chain plasminogen to two-chain plasmin by wild-type or mutant t-PA, was quantitated by SDS gel electrophoresis and radioisotope counting of gel slices, and expressed as initial activation rates (v0 in pM s−1) per 1 μM enzyme. In the absence of fibrin stimulation, the vs for the activation of nPlg and rPlg-Ala740 with the single chain forms of both t-PAs were comparable (0.6 to 2.7 pM s−1) but were lower than with the corresponding two-chain forms (5.3 to 23 pM s−1). In the presence of 1 μM soluble fibrin monomer (desAAfibrin), the v0 for nPlg and rPlg-Ala740 by single chain rt-PA was also comparable (24 and, 33 pM s-1 respectively), whereas with 1 pM CNBr-digested fibrinogen, the vs for nPlg with single chain rt-PA was about 20-fold higher than that of rPlg-Ala740 (135 and 7.5 pM s−1 respectively). In contrast, the vs for nPlg and rPlg-Ala740 by single chain rt-PA- G1u275, two-chain rt-PA-G1u275 or two-chain rt-PA were comparable in the presence of either desAAfibrin or CNBr-digested fibrinogen.These findings confirm and establish: 1) that single chain t-PA is an active enzyme both in the presence and absence of fibrin stimulator; 2) that, in a system devoid of plasmin activity (rPlg- Ala740), the two-chain form of t-PA is about L5 times more active than the single chain form in the absence of fibrin but equipotent in the presence of desAAfibrin; and 3) that the mechanism of stimulation of plasminogen activation with single chain t-PA by CNBr-digested fibrinogen is different from that by soluble fibrin.

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