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Heme biosynthesis and iron-sulfur cluster (ISC) biogenesis are two major mammalian metabolic pathways that require iron. It has long been known that these two pathways interconnect, but the previously described interactions do not fully explain why heme biosynthesis depends on intact ISC biogenesis. Herein we identify a previously unrecognized connection between these two pathways through our discovery that human aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), which catalyzes the second step of heme biosynthesis, is an Fe-S protein. We find that several highly conserved cysteines and an Ala306-Phe307-Arg308 motif of human ALAD are important for [Fe 4 S 4 ] cluster acquisition and coordination. The enzymatic activity of human ALAD is greatly reduced upon loss of its Fe-S cluster, which results in reduced heme biosynthesis in human cells. As ALAD provides an early Fe-S-dependent checkpoint in the heme biosynthetic pathway, our findings help explain why heme biosynthesis depends on intact ISC biogenesis.

The enzyme MiaB catalyzes the attachment of a methylthio (-SCH 3 ) group at the C2 position of N 6 -(isopentenyl)adenosine (i 6 A) in the final step of the biosynthesis of the hypermodified tRNA nucleotide 2-methythio- N 6 -(isopentenyl)adenosine (ms 2 i 6 A). MiaB belongs to the expanding subgroup of enzymes of the radical S -adenosylmethionine (SAM) superfamily that harbor one or more auxiliary [4Fe-4S] clusters in addition to the [4Fe-4S] cluster that all family members require for the reductive cleavage of SAM to afford the common 5'-deoxyadenosyl 5'-radical (5'-dA • ) intermediate. While the role of the radical SAM cluster in generating the 5'-dA • is well understood, the detailed role of the auxiliary cluster, which is essential for MiaB catalysis, remains unclear. It has been proposed that the auxiliary cluster may serve as a coordination site for exogenously derived sulfur destined for attachment to the substrate or that the cluster itself provides the sulfur atom and is sacrificed during turnover. In this work, we report spectroscopic and biochemical evidence that the auxiliary [4Fe-4S] 2+ cluster in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron ( Bt ) MiaB is converted to a [3Fe-4S] 0 -like cluster during the methylation step of catalysis. Mössbauer characterization of the MiaB [3Fe-4S] 0 -like cluster revealed unusual spectroscopic properties compared to those of other well-characterized cuboidal [3Fe-4S] 0 clusters. Specifically, the Fe sites of the mixed-valent moiety do not have identical Mössbauer parameters. Our results support a mechanism where the auxiliary [4Fe-4S] cluster is the direct sulfur source during catalysis.

Disulfide reductases reduce other proteins and are critically important for cellular redox signaling and homeostasis. Methanosarcina acetivorans is a methane-producing microbe from the domain Archaea that produces a ferredoxin:disulfide reductase (FDR) for which the crystal structure has been reported, yet its biochemical mechanism and physiological substrates are unknown. FDR and the extensively characterized plant-type ferredoxin:thioredoxin reductase (FTR) belong to a distinct class of disulfide reductases that contain a unique active-site [4Fe-4S] cluster. The results reported here support a mechanism for FDR similar to that reported for FTR with notable exceptions. Unlike FTR, FDR contains a rubredoxin [1Fe-0S] center postulated to mediate electron transfer from ferredoxin to the active-site [4Fe-4S] cluster. UV-visible, EPR, and Mössbauer spectroscopic data indicated that two-electron reduction of the active-site disulfide in FDR involves a one-electron-reduced [4Fe-4S] 1+ intermediate previously hypothesized for FTR. Our results support a role for an active-site tyrosine in FDR that occupies the equivalent position of an essential histidine in the active site of FTR. Of note, one of seven Trxs encoded in the genome (Trx5) and methanoredoxin, a glutaredoxin-like enzyme from M. acetivorans , were reduced by FDR, advancing the physiological understanding of FDR's role in the redox metabolism of methanoarchaea. Finally, bioinformatics analyses show that FDR homologs are widespread in diverse microbes from the domain Bacteria., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article., (© 2018 Prakash et al.)

During times of environmental insult, Bacillus subtilis undergoes developmental changes leading to biofilm formation, sporulation and competence. Each of these states is regulated in part by the phosphorylated form of the master response regulator Spo0A (Spo0A∼P). The phosphorylation state of Spo0A is controlled by a multi-component phosphorelay. RicA, RicF and RicT (previously YmcA, YlbF and YaaT) have been shown to be important regulatory proteins for multiple developmental fates. These proteins directly interact and form a stable complex, which has been proposed to accelerate the phosphorelay. Indeed, this complex is sufficient to stimulate the rate of phosphotransfer amongst the phosphorelay proteins in vitro. In this study, we demonstrate that two [4Fe-4S] 2+ clusters can be assembled on the complex. As with other iron-sulfur cluster-binding proteins, the complex was also found to bind FAD, hinting that these cofactors may be involved in sensing the cellular redox state. This work provides the first comprehensive characterization of an iron-sulfur protein complex that regulates Spo0A∼P levels. Phylogenetic and genetic evidence suggests that the complex plays a broader role beyond stimulation of the phosphorelay., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Pyrococcus horikoshii Dph2 (PhDph2) is an unusual radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzyme involved in the first step of diphthamide biosynthesis. It catalyzes the reaction by cleaving SAM to generate a 3-amino-3-carboxypropyl (ACP) radical. To probe the reaction mechanism, we synthesized a SAM analogue (SAMCA), in which the ACP group of SAM is replaced with a 3-carboxyallyl group. SAMCA is cleaved by PhDph2, yielding a paramagnetic (S = 1/2) species, which is assigned to a complex formed between the reaction product, α-sulfinyl-3-butenoic acid, and the [4Fe-4S] cluster. Electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) measurements with (13)C and (2)H isotopically labeled SAMCA support a π-complex between the C═C double bond of α-sulfinyl-3-butenoic acid and the unique iron of the [4Fe-4S] cluster. This is the first example of a radical SAM-related [4Fe-4S](+) cluster forming an organometallic complex with an alkene, shedding additional light on the mechanism of PhDph2 and expanding our current notions for the reactivity of [4Fe-4S] clusters in radical SAM enzymes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

TsrM, an annotated radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzyme, catalyzes the methylation of carbon 2 of the indole ring of L-tryptophan. Its reaction is the first step in the biosynthesis of the unique quinaldic acid moiety of thiostrepton A, a thiopeptide antibiotic. The appended methyl group derives from SAM; however, the enzyme also requires cobalamin and iron-sulfur cluster cofactors for turnover. In this work we report the overproduction and purification of TsrM and the characterization of its metallocofactors by UV-visible, electron paramagnetic resonance, hyperfine sublevel correlation (HYSCORE), and Mössbauer spectroscopies as well as protein-film electrochemistry (PFE). The enzyme contains 1 equiv of its cobalamin cofactor in its as-isolated state and can be reconstituted with iron and sulfide to contain one [4Fe-4S] cluster with a site-differentiated Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) pair. Our spectroscopic studies suggest that TsrM binds cobalamin in an uncharacteristic five-coordinate base-off/His-off conformation, whereby the dimethylbenzimidazole group is replaced by a non-nitrogenous ligand, which is likely a water molecule. Electrochemical analysis of the protein by PFE indicates a one-electron redox feature with a midpoint potential of -550 mV, which is assigned to a [4Fe-4S](2+)/[4Fe-4S](+) redox couple. Analysis of TsrM by Mössbauer and HYSCORE spectroscopies suggests that SAM does not bind to the unique iron site of the cluster in the same manner as in other radical SAM (RS) enzymes, yet its binding still perturbs the electronic configuration of both the Fe/S cluster and the cob(II)alamin cofactors. These biophysical studies suggest that TsrM is an atypical RS enzyme, consistent with its reported inability to catalyze formation of a 5'-deoxyadenosyl 5'-radical.

Iron-sulfur (Fe/S) clusters are structurally and functionally diverse cofactors that are found in all domains of life. (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy is a technique that provides information about the chemical nature of all chemically distinct Fe species contained in a sample, such as Fe oxidation and spin state, nuclearity of a cluster with more than one metal ion, electron spin ground state of the cluster, and delocalization properties in mixed-valent clusters. Moreover, the technique allows for quantitation of all Fe species, when it is used in conjunction with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and analytical methods. (57)Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy played a pivotal role in unraveling the electronic structures of the "well-established" [2Fe-2S](2+/+), [3Fe-4S](1+/0), and [4Fe-4S](3+/2+/1+/0) clusters and -more-recently- was used to characterize novel Fe/S clustsers, including the [4Fe-3S] cluster of the O2-tolerant hydrogenase from Aquifex aeolicus and the 3Fe-cluster intermediate observed during the reaction of lipoyl synthase, a member of the radical SAM enzyme superfamily., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lipoyl synthase (LS) catalyzes the final step in lipoyl cofactor biosynthesis: the insertion of two sulfur atoms at C6 and C8 of an (N(6)-octanoyl)-lysyl residue on a lipoyl carrier protein (LCP). LS is a member of the radical SAM superfamily, enzymes that use a [4Fe-4S] cluster to effect the reductive cleavage of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) to l-methionine and a 5'-deoxyadenosyl 5'-radical (5'-dA(•)). In the LS reaction, two equivalents of 5'-dA(•) are generated sequentially to abstract hydrogen atoms from C6 and C8 of the appended octanoyl group, initiating sulfur insertion at these positions. The second [4Fe-4S] cluster on LS, termed the auxiliary cluster, is proposed to be the source of the inserted sulfur atoms. Herein, we provide evidence for the formation of a covalent cross-link between LS and an LCP or synthetic peptide substrate in reactions in which insertion of the second sulfur atom is slowed significantly by deuterium substitution at C8 or by inclusion of limiting concentrations of SAM. The observation that the proteins elute simultaneously by anion-exchange chromatography but are separated by aerobic SDS-PAGE is consistent with their linkage through the auxiliary cluster that is sacrificed during turnover. Generation of the cross-linked species with a small, unlabeled (N(6)-octanoyl)-lysyl-containing peptide substrate allowed demonstration of both its chemical and kinetic competence, providing strong evidence that it is an intermediate in the LS reaction. Mössbauer spectroscopy of the cross-linked intermediate reveals that one of the [4Fe-4S] clusters, presumably the auxiliary cluster, is partially disassembled to a 3Fe-cluster with spectroscopic properties similar to those of reduced [3Fe-4S](0) clusters.

7-Carboxy-7-deazaguanine (CDG) synthase (QueE) catalyzes the complex heterocyclic radical-mediated conversion of 6-carboxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin (CPH(4)) to CDG in the third step of the biosynthetic pathway to all 7-deazapurines. Here we present a detailed characterization of QueE from Bacillus subtilis to delineate the mechanism of conversion of CPH(4) to CDG. QueE is a member of the radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) superfamily, all of which use a bound [4Fe-4S](+) cluster to catalyze the reductive cleavage of the SAM cofactor to generate methionine and a 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical (5'-dAdo(•)), which initiates enzymatic transformations requiring hydrogen atom abstraction. The ultraviolet-visible, electron paramagnetic resonance, and Mössbauer spectroscopic features of the homodimeric QueE point to the presence of a single [4Fe-4S] cluster per monomer. Steady-state kinetic experiments indicate a K(m) of 20 ± 7 μM for CPH(4) and a k(cat) of 5.4 ± 1.2 min(-1) for the overall transformation. The kinetically determined K(app) for SAM is 45 ± 1 μM. QueE is also magnesium-dependent and exhibits a K(app) for the divalent metal ion of 0.21 ± 0.03 mM. The SAM cofactor supports multiple turnovers, indicating that it is regenerated at the end of each catalytic cycle. The mechanism of rearrangement of QueE was probed with CPH(4) isotopologs containing deuterium at C-6 or the two prochiral positions at C-7. These studies implicate 5'-dAdo(•) as the initiator of the ring contraction reaction catalyzed by QueE by abstraction of the H atom from C-6 of CPH(4).

Assimilatory sulfate reduction supplies prototrophic organisms with reduced sulfur that is required for the biosynthesis of all sulfur-containing metabolites, including cysteine and methionine. The reduction of sulfate requires its activation via an ATP-dependent activation to form adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (APS). Depending on the species, APS can be reduced directly to sulfite by APS reductase (APR) or undergo a second phosphorylation to yield 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS), the substrate for PAPS reductase (PAPR). These essential enzymes have no human homologue, rendering them attractive targets for the development of novel antibacterial drugs. APR and PAPR share sequence and structure homology as well as a common catalytic mechanism, but the enzymes are distinguished by two features, namely, the amino acid sequence of the phosphate-binding loop (P-loop) and an iron-sulfur cofactor in APRs. On the basis of the crystal structures of APR and PAPR, two P-loop residues are proposed to determine substrate specificity; however, this hypothesis has not been tested. In contrast to this prevailing view, we report here that the P-loop motif has a modest effect on substrate discrimination. Instead, by means of metalloprotein engineering, spectroscopic, and kinetic analyses, we demonstrate that the iron-sulfur cluster cofactor enhances APS reduction by nearly 1000-fold, thereby playing a pivotal role in substrate specificity and catalysis. These findings offer new insights into the evolution of this enzyme family and extend the known functions of protein-bound iron-sulfur clusters.

An explosion of remarkable chemical transformations has been witnessed in the past decade as a result of the radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) (RS) superfamily of proteins. These proteins share the ability to cleave SAM reductively to l-methionine and a 5'-deoxyadenosyl 5'-radical (5'-dA(•)). The 5'-dA(•) initiates >40 distinct reaction types by abstracting target hydrogen atoms on small-molecule and macromolecular substrates. All RS enzymes contain a [4Fe-4S] cluster coordinated by SAM that supplies the electron for SAM cleavage. A subset of RS enzymes contains additional iron-sulfur (Fe/S) clusters that serve alternative purposes, many remaining to be defined. The oxygen lability of their [4Fe-4S] clusters causes RS enzymes to be more tedious to purify, characterize, and study. Moreover, the type(s) and stoichiometry of Fe/S clusters in RS enzymes has often been a source of debate. Herein, we use RlmN and AtsB as models to highlight methods for purifying and characterizing RS enzymes, focusing on using Mössbauer spectroscopy in concert with methods for quantifying iron and acid-labile sulfide to assign cluster content accurately., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The radical SAM (RS) proteins RlmN and Cfr catalyze methylation of carbons 2 and 8, respectively, of adenosine 2503 in 23S rRNA. Both reactions are similar in scope, entailing the synthesis of a methyl group partially derived from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) onto electrophilic sp(2)-hybridized carbon atoms via the intermediacy of a protein S-methylcysteinyl (mCys) residue. Both proteins contain five conserved Cys residues, each required for turnover. Three cysteines lie in a canonical RS CxxxCxxC motif and coordinate a [4Fe-4S]-cluster cofactor; the remaining two are at opposite ends of the polypeptide. Here we show that each protein contains only the one "radical SAM" [4Fe-4S] cluster and the two remaining conserved cysteines do not coordinate additional iron-containing species. In addition, we show that, while wild-type RlmN bears the C355 mCys residue in its as-isolated state, RlmN that is either engineered to lack the [4Fe-4S] cluster by substitution of the coordinating cysteines or isolated from Escherichia coli cultured under iron-limiting conditions does not bear a C355 mCys residue. Reconstitution of the [4Fe-4S] cluster on wild-type apo RlmN followed by addition of SAM results in rapid production of S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and the mCys residue, while treatment of apo RlmN with SAM affords no observable reaction. These results indicate that in Cfr and RlmN, SAM bound to the unique iron of the [4Fe-4S] cluster displays two reactivities. It serves to methylate C355 of RlmN (C338 of Cfr), or to generate the 5'-deoxyadenosyl 5'-radical, required for substrate-dependent methyl synthase activity., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

Mycobacterium tuberculosis adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductase (MtAPR) is an iron-sulfur protein and a validated target to develop new antitubercular agents, particularly for the treatment of latent infection. The enzyme harbors a [4Fe-4S](2+) cluster that is coordinated by four cysteinyl ligands, two of which are adjacent in the amino acid sequence. The iron-sulfur cluster is essential for catalysis; however, the precise role of the [4Fe-4S] cluster in APR remains unknown. Progress in this area has been hampered by the failure to generate a paramagnetic state of the [4Fe-4S] cluster that can be studied by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Herein, we overcome this limitation and report the EPR spectra of MtAPR in the [4Fe-4S](+) state. The EPR signal is rhombic and consists of two overlapping S = ½ species. Substrate binding to MtAPR led to a marked increase in the intensity and resolution of the EPR signal and to minor shifts in principle g values that were not observed among a panel of substrate analogs, including adenosine 5'-diphosphate. Using site-directed mutagenesis, in conjunction with kinetic and EPR studies, we have also identified an essential role for the active site residue Lys-144, whose side chain interacts with both the iron-sulfur cluster and the sulfate group of adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the role of the iron-sulfur cluster in the catalytic mechanism of APR.

Archaeal and eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2 contain a unique post-translationally modified histidine residue called diphthamide, which is the target of diphtheria toxin. The biosynthesis of diphthamide was proposed to involve three steps, with the first being the formation of a C-C bond between the histidine residue and the 3-amino-3-carboxypropyl group of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM). However, further details of the biosynthesis remain unknown. Here we present structural and biochemical evidence showing that the first step of diphthamide biosynthesis in the archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii uses a novel iron-sulphur-cluster enzyme, Dph2. Dph2 is a homodimer and each of its monomers can bind a [4Fe-4S] cluster. Biochemical data suggest that unlike the enzymes in the radical SAM superfamily, Dph2 does not form the canonical 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical. Instead, it breaks the C(gamma,Met)-S bond of SAM and generates a 3-amino-3-carboxypropyl radical. Our results suggest that P. horikoshii Dph2 represents a previously unknown, SAM-dependent, [4Fe-4S]-containing enzyme that catalyses unprecedented chemistry.

BtrN catalyzes the two-electron oxidation of the C3 secondary alcohol of 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosamine to the corresponding ketone and is a member of a subclass of radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzymes called radical SAM (RS) dehydrogenases. Like all RS enzymes, BtrN contains a [4Fe-4S] cluster that delivers an electron to SAM, inducing its cleavage to the common intermediate in RS reactions, the 5'-deoxyadenosyl 5'-radical. In this work, we show that BtrN contains an additional [4Fe-4S] cluster, thought to bind in contact with the substrate to facilitate loss of the second electron in the two-electron oxidation.

RimO, encoded by the yliG gene in Escherichia coli, has been recently identified in vivo as the enzyme responsible for the attachment of a methylthio group on the beta-carbon of Asp88 of the small ribosomal protein S12 [Anton, B. P., Saleh, L., Benner, J. S., Raleigh, E. A., Kasif, S., and Roberts, R. J. (2008) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105, 1826-1831]. To date, it is the only enzyme known to catalyze methylthiolation of a protein substrate; the four other naturally occurring methylthio modifications have been observed on tRNA. All members of the methylthiotransferase (MTTase) family, to which RimO belongs, have been shown to contain the canonical CxxxCxxC motif in their primary structures that is typical of the radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) family of proteins. MiaB, the only characterized MTTase, and the enzyme experimentally shown to be responsible for methylthiolation of N(6)-isopentenyladenosine of tRNA in E. coli and Thermotoga maritima, has been demonstrated to harbor two distinct [4Fe-4S] clusters. Herein, we report in vitro biochemical and spectroscopic characterization of RimO. We show by analytical and spectroscopic methods that RimO, overproduced in E. coli in the presence of iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis proteins from Azotobacter vinelandii, contains one [4Fe-4S](2+) cluster. Reconstitution of this form of RimO (RimO(rcn)) with (57)Fe and sodium sulfide results in a protein that contains two [4Fe-4S](2+) clusters, similar to MiaB. We also show by mass spectrometry that RimO(rcn) catalyzes the attachment of a methylthio group to a peptide substrate analogue that mimics the loop structure bearing aspartyl 88 of the S12 ribosomal protein from E. coli. Kinetic analysis of this reaction shows that the activity of RimO(rcn) in the presence of the substrate analogue does not support a complete turnover. We discuss the possible requirement for an assembled ribosome for fully active RimO in vitro. Our findings are consistent with those of other enzymes that catalyze sulfur insertion, such as biotin synthase, lipoyl synthase, and MiaB.

4-Amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpyrimidine phosphate (HMP-P) synthase catalyzes a complex rearrangement of 5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (AIR) to form HMP-P, the pyrimidine moiety of thiamine phosphate. We determined the three-dimensional structures of HMP-P synthase and its complexes with the product HMP-P and a substrate analog imidazole ribotide. The structure of HMP-P synthase reveals a homodimer in which each protomer comprises three domains: an N-terminal domain with a novel fold, a central (betaalpha)(8) barrel and a disordered C-terminal domain that contains a conserved CX(2)CX(4)C motif, which is suggestive of a [4Fe-4S] cluster. Biochemical studies have confirmed that HMP-P synthase is iron sulfur cluster-dependent, that it is a new member of the radical SAM superfamily and that HMP-P and 5'-deoxyadenosine are products of the reaction. Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopy confirm the presence of one [4Fe-4S] cluster. Structural comparisons reveal that HMP-P synthase is homologous to a group of adenosylcobalamin radical enzymes. This similarity supports an evolutionary relationship between these two superfamilies.

The NfuA protein has been postulated to act as a scaffolding protein in the biogenesis of photosystem (PS) I and other iron-sulfur (Fe/S) proteins in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. To determine the properties of NfuA, recombinant NfuA from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 was overproduced and purified. In vitro reconstituted NfuA contained oxygen- and EDTA-labile Fe/S cluster(s), which had EPR properties consistent with [4Fe-4S] clusters. After reconstitution with 57Fe2+, Mössbauer studies of NfuA showed a broad quadrupole doublet that confirmed the presence of [4Fe-4S]2+ clusters. Native gel electrophoresis under anoxic conditions and chemical cross-linking showed that holo-NfuA forms dimers and tetramers harboring Fe/S cluster(s). Combined with iron and sulfide analyses, the results indicated that one [4Fe-4S] cluster was bound per NfuA dimer. Fe/S cluster transfer from holo-NfuA to apo-PsaC of PS I was studied by reconstitution of PS I complexes using P700-F(X) core complexes, PsaD, apo-PsaC, and holo-NfuA. Electron transfer measurements by time-resolved optical spectroscopy showed that holo-NfuA rapidly and efficiently transferred [4Fe-4S] clusters to PsaC in a reaction that required contact between the two proteins. The NfuA-reconstituted PS I complexes had typical charge recombination kinetics from [F(A)/F(B)](-) to P700+ and light-induced low-temperature EPR spectra. These results establish that cyanobacterial NfuA can act as a scaffolding protein for the insertion of [4Fe-4S] clusters into PsaC of PS I in vitro.

Sulfatases catalyze the cleavage of a variety of cellular sulfate esters via a novel mechanism that requires the action of a protein-derived formylglycine cofactor. Formation of the cofactor is catalyzed by an accessory protein and involves the two-electron oxidation of a specific cysteinyl or seryl residue on the relevant sulfatase. Although some sulfatases undergo maturation via mechanisms in which oxygen serves as an electron acceptor, AtsB, the maturase from Klebsiella pneumoniae, catalyzes the oxidation of Ser72 on AtsA, its cognate sulfatase, via an oxygen-independent mechanism. Moreover, it does not make use of pyridine or flavin nucleotide cofactors as direct electron acceptors. In fact, AtsB has been shown to be a member of the radical S-adenosylmethionine superfamily of proteins, suggesting that it catalyzes this oxidation via an intermediate 5'-deoxyadenosyl 5'-radical that is generated by a reductive cleavage of S-adenosyl- l-methionine. In contrast to AtsA, very little in vitro characterization of AtsB has been conducted. Herein we show that coexpression of the K. pneumoniae atsB gene with a plasmid that encodes genes that are known to be involved in iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis yields soluble protein that can be characterized in vitro. The as-isolated protein contained 8.7 +/- 0.4 irons and 12.2 +/- 2.6 sulfides per polypeptide, which existed almost entirely in the [4Fe-4S] (2+) configuration, as determined by Mossbauer spectroscopy, suggesting that it contained at least two of these clusters per polypeptide. Reconstitution of the as-isolated protein with additional iron and sulfide indicated the presence of 12.3 +/- 0.2 irons and 9.9 +/- 0.4 sulfides per polypeptide. Subsequent characterization of the reconstituted protein by Mossbauer spectroscopy indicated the presence of only [4Fe-4S] clusters, suggesting that reconstituted AtsB contains three per polypeptide. Consistent with this stoichiometry, an as-isolated AtsB triple variant containing Cys --> Ala substitutions at each of the cysteines in its CX 3CX 2C radical SAM motif contained 7.3 +/- 0.1 irons and 7.2 +/- 0.2 sulfides per polypeptide while the reconstituted triple variant contained 7.7 +/- 0.1 irons and 8.4 +/- 0.4 sulfides per polypeptide, indicating that it was unable to incorporate an additional cluster. UV-visible and Mossbauer spectra of both samples indicated the presence of only [4Fe-4S] clusters. AtsB was capable of catalyzing multiple turnovers and exhibited a V max/[E T] of approximately 0.36 min (-1) for an 18-amino acid peptide substrate using dithionite to supply the requisite electron and a value of approximately 0.039 min (-1) for the same substrate using the physiologically relevant flavodoxin reducing system. Simultaneous quantification of formylglycine and 5'-deoxyadenosine as a function of time indicates an approximate 1:1 stoichiometry. Use of a peptide substrate in which the target serine is changed to cysteine also gives rise to turnover, supporting approximately 4-fold the activity of that observed with the natural substrate.

The sufR gene encodes a protein that functions as a transcriptional repressor of the suf regulon in cyanobacteria. It is predicted to contain an N-terminal helix loop helix DNA binding motif and a C-terminal Fe/S binding domain. Through immunoblotting assays of cell extracts, the sufR product in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was shown to have a mass of approximately 25 kDa. This indicates that the second ATG in the open reading frame is the correct start codon and that sufR encodes a protein of 216 amino acids (SufR216) rather than the originally predicted 240 amino acids. Recombinant SufR harbored [4Fe-4S]2+, 1+ clusters, which were present in a mixture of S=1/2 and 3/2 ground spin states, and the holoprotein was a homodimer, containing 3.7 of non-heme irons and 3.5 labile sulfides per monomer. Thus, two [4Fe-4S]2+, 1+ clusters are coordinated by each SufR216 homodimer. SufR216 bound to two DNA sequences in the regulatory region between the divergently transcribed sufR gene and the sufBCDS operon, and its binding affinity depended on the presence and redox state of the [4Fe-4S]2+, 1+ clusters. A high affinity binding site, which controls sufBCDS expression, and a low affinity binding site, which controls sufR expression, were identified. The SufR binding sites, which are separated by 26 base pairs, each contain a perfect inverted repeat, CAAC-N6-GTTG, and are highly conserved in cyanobacteria. The Fe/S protein SufR thus functions both as a transcriptional repressor of the sufBCDS operon and as an autoregulator of sufR.

Type I homodimeric reaction centers, particularly the class present in heliobacteria, are not well understood. Even though the primary amino acid sequence of PshA in Heliobacillus mobilis has been shown to contain an F(X) binding site, a functional Fe-S cluster has not been detected by EPR spectroscopy. Recently, we reported that PshB, which contains F(A)- and F(B)-like Fe-S clusters, could be removed from the Heliobacterium modesticaldum reaction center (HbRC), resulting in 15 ms lifetime charge recombination between P798(+) and an unidentified electron acceptor [Heinnickel, M., Shen, G., Agalarov, R., and Golbeck, J. H. (2005) Biochemistry 44, 9950-9960]. We report here that when a HbRC core is incubated with sodium dithionite in the presence of light, the 15 ms charge recombination is replaced with a kinetic transient in the sub-microsecond time domain, consistent with the reduction of this electron acceptor. Concomitantly, a broad and intense EPR signal arises around g = 5 along with a minor set of resonances around g = 2 similar to the spectrum of the [4Fe-4S](+) cluster in the Fe protein of Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenase, which exists in two conformations having S = (3)/(2) and S = (1)/(2) ground spin states. The Mössbauer spectrum in the as-isolated HbRC core shows that all of the Fe is present in the form of a [4Fe-4S](2+) cluster. After reduction with sodium dithionite in the presence of light, approximately 65% of the Fe appears in the form of a [4Fe-4S](+) cluster; the remainder is in the [4Fe-4S](2+) state. Analysis of the non-heme iron content of HbRC cores indicates an antenna size of 21.6 +/- 1.1 BChl g molecules/P798. The evidence indicates that the HbRC contains a [4Fe-4S] cluster identified as F(X) that is coordinated between the PshA homodimer; in contrast to F(X) in other type I reaction centers, this [4Fe-4S] cluster exhibits an S = (3)/(2) ground spin state.

NifU is a homodimeric modular protein comprising N- and C-terminal domains and a central domain with a redox-active [2Fe-2S](2+,+) cluster. It plays a crucial role as a scaffold protein for the assembly of the Fe-S clusters required for the maturation of nif-specific Fe-S proteins. In this work, the time course and products of in vitro NifS-mediated iron-sulfur cluster assembly on full-length NifU and truncated forms involving only the N-terminal domain or the central and C-terminal domains have been investigated using UV-vis absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopies, coupled with analytical studies. The results demonstrate sequential assembly of labile [2Fe-2S](2+) and [4Fe-4S](2+) clusters in the U-type N-terminal scaffolding domain and the assembly of [4Fe-4S](2+) clusters in the Nfu-type C-terminal scaffolding domain. Both scaffolding domains of NifU are shown to be competent for in vitro maturation of nitrogenase component proteins, as evidenced by rapid transfer of [4Fe-4S](2+) clusters preassembled on either the N- or C-terminal domains to the apo nitrogenase Fe protein. Mutagenesis studies indicate that a conserved aspartate (Asp37) plays a critical role in mediating cluster transfer. The assembly and transfer of clusters on NifU are compared with results reported for U- and Nfu-type scaffold proteins, and the need for two functional Fe-S cluster scaffolding domains on NifU is discussed.

Quinolinic acid is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of nicotinamide-containing redox cofactors. The ultimate step in the formation of quinolinic acid in prokaryotes is the condensation of iminosuccinate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate, which is catalyzed by the product of the nadA gene in Escherichia coli. A combination of UV-vis, Mössbauer, and EPR spectroscopies, along with analytical methods for the determination of iron and sulfide, demonstrates for the first time that anaerobically purified quinolinate synthetase (NadA) from E. coli contains one [4Fe-4S] cluster per polypeptide. The protein is active, catalyzing the formation of quinolinic acid with a Vmax [ET]-1 of 0.01 s-1.

L-Serine deaminases catalyze the deamination of L-serine, producing pyruvate and ammonia. Two families of these proteins have been described and are delineated by the cofactor that each employs in catalysis. These are the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent deaminases and the deaminases that are activated in vitro by iron and dithiothreitol. In contrast to the enzymes that employ pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, detailed physical and mechanistic characterization of the iron-dependent deaminases is limited, primarily because of their extreme instability. We report here the characterization of L-serine deaminase from Escherichia coli, which is the product of the sdaA gene. When purified anaerobically, the isolated protein contains 1.86 +/- 0.46 eq of iron and 0.670 +/- 0.019 eq of sulfide per polypeptide and displays a UV-visible spectrum that is consistent with a [4Fe-4S] cluster. Reconstitution of the protein with iron and sulfide generates considerably more of the cluster, and treatment of the reconstituted protein with dithionite gives rise to an axial EPR spectrum, displaying g axially = 2.03 and g radially = 1.93. Mössbauer spectra of the (57)Fe-reconstituted protein reveal that the majority of the iron is in the form of [4Fe-4S](2+) clusters, as evidenced by the typical Mössbauer parameters-isomer shift, delta = 0.47 mm/s, quadrupole splitting of Delta E(Q) = 1.14 mm/s, and a diamagnetic (S = 0) ground state. Treatment of the dithionite-reduced protein with L-serine results in a slight broadening of the feature at g = 2.03 in the EPR spectrum of the protein, and a dramatic loss in signal intensity, suggesting that the amino acid interacts directly with the cluster.

Pyruvate formate-lyase activating enzyme (PFL-AE) generates the catalytically essential glycyl radical of PFL. It is a member of the so-called "radical-SAM superfamily" of enzymes that use a [4Fe-4S] cluster and S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet or SAM) to catalyze diverse radical-mediated reactions. Evidence suggests that this class of enzymes operate by common initial steps involving the generation of an AdoMet-derived adenosyl radical intermediate, of which the mechanism remains unresolved. The three-cysteine CX3CX2C cluster-binding motif common to all members of this superfamily suggests a unique Fe site in the [4Fe-4S] cluster, which presumably interacts with AdoMet to effect the reductive cleavage and radical generation. Here we employ a dual-iron-isotope (56Fe/57Fe) approach to demonstrate the existence of a unique Fe site in the [4Fe-4S] cluster of PFL-AE by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Coordination of AdoMet to this unique Fe site was made evident by the observation of a substantial increase in the isomer shift (delta) of the Mössbauer spectrum associated with the unique Fe site: delta = 0.42 mm/s in the absence of AdoMet increases to delta = 0.72 mm/s in the presence of AdoMet. Further, the Mössbauer data show that the binding of AdoMet to the unique Fe site occurs in the [4Fe-4S]2+ state, prior to the injection of the reducing equivalent required for catalysis. This observation indicates that AdoMet coordination is a necessary prerequisite to adenosyl radical generation.

An IscA homologue within the nif regulon of Azotobacter vinelandii, designated (Nif)IscA, was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Purified (Nif)IscA was found to be a homodimer of 11-kDa subunits that contained no metal centers or other prosthetic groups in its as-isolated form. Possible roles for (Nif)IscA in Fe-S cluster biosynthesis were assessed by investigating the ability to bind iron and to assemble Fe-S clusters in a NifS-directed process, as monitored by the combination of UV-vis absorption, Mössbauer, resonance Raman, variable-temperature magnetic circular dichroism, and EPR spectroscopies. Although (Nif)IscA was found to bind ferrous ion in a tetrahedral, predominantly cysteinyl-ligated coordination environment, the low-binding affinity argues against a specific role as a metallochaperone for the delivery of ferrous ion to other Fe-S cluster assembly proteins. Rather, a role for (Nif)IscA as an alternate scaffold protein for Fe-S cluster biosynthesis is proposed, based on the NifS-directed assembly of approximately one labile [4Fe-4S](2+) cluster per (Nif)IscA homodimer, via a transient [2Fe-2S](2+) cluster intermediate. The cluster assembly process was monitored temporally using UV-vis absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopy, and the intermediate [2Fe-2S](2+)-containing species was additionally characterized by resonance Raman spectroscopy. The Mössbauer and resonance Raman properties of the [2Fe-2S](2+) center are consistent with complete cysteinyl ligation. The presence of three conserved cysteine residues in all IscA proteins and the observed cluster stoichiometry of approximately one [2Fe-2S](2+) or one [4Fe-4S](2+) per homodimer suggest that both cluster types are subunit bridging. In addition, (Nif)IscA was shown to couple delivery of iron and sulfur by using ferrous ion to reduce sulfane sulfur. The ability of Fe-S scaffold proteins to couple the delivery of these two toxic and reactive Fe-S cluster precursors is likely to be important for minimizing the cellular concentrations of free ferrous and sulfide ions. On the basis of the spectroscopic and analytical results, mechanistic schemes for NifS-directed cluster assembly on (Nif)IscA are proposed. It is proposed that the IscA family of proteins provide alternative scaffolds to the NifU and IscU proteins for mediating nif-specific and general Fe-S cluster assembly.

Iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells is known to be mediated by two highly conserved proteins, termed IscS and IscU in prokaryotes. The homodimeric IscS protein has been shown to be a cysteine desulfurase that catalyzes the reductive conversion of cysteine to alanine and sulfide. In this work, the time course of IscS-mediated Fe-S cluster assembly in IscU was monitored via anaerobic anion exchange chromatography. The nature and properties of the clusters assembled in discrete fractions were assessed via analytical studies together with absorption, resonance Raman, and Mössbauer investigations. The results show sequential cluster assembly with the initial IscU product containing one [2Fe-2S](2+) cluster per dimer converting first to a form containing two [2Fe-2S](2+) clusters per dimer and finally to a form that contains one [4Fe-4S](2+) cluster per dimer. Both the [2Fe-2S](2+) and [4Fe-4S](2+) clusters in IscU are reductively labile and are degraded within minutes upon being exposed to air. On the basis of sequence considerations and spectroscopic studies, the [2Fe-2S](2+) clusters in IscU are shown to have incomplete cysteinyl ligation. In addition, the resonance Raman spectrum of the [4Fe-4S](2+) cluster in IscU is best interpreted in terms of noncysteinyl ligation at a unique Fe site. The ability to assemble both [2Fe-2S](2+) and [4Fe-4S](2+) clusters in IscU supports the proposal that this ubiquitous protein provides a scaffold for IscS-mediated assembly of clusters that are subsequently used for maturation of apo Fe-S proteins.

Fuscoredoxin is a unique iron containing protein of yet unknown function originally discovered in the sulfate reducers of the genus Desulfovibrio. It contains two iron-sulfur clusters: a cubane [4Fe-4S] and a mixed oxo- and sulfido-bridged 4Fe cluster of unprecedented structure. The recent determination of the genomic sequence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) has revealed a homologue of fuscoredoxin in this facultative microbe. The presence of this gene in E. coli raises interesting questions regarding the function of fuscoredoxin and whether this gene represents a structural homologue of the better-characterized Desulfovibrio proteins. In order to explore the latter, an overexpression system for the E. coli fuscoredoxin gene was devised. The gene was cloned from genomic DNA by use of the polymerase chain reaction into the expression vector pT7-7 and overexpressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) cells. After two chromatographic steps a good yield of recombinant protein was obtained (approximately 4 mg of pure protein per liter of culture). The purified protein exhibits an optical spectrum characteristic of the homologue from D. desulfuricans, indicating that cofactor assembly was accomplished. Iron analysis indicated that the protein contains circa 8 iron atoms/molecule which were shown by EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopies to be present as two multinuclear clusters, albeit with slightly altered spectroscopic features. A comparison of the primary sequences of fuscoredoxins is presented and differences on cluster coordination modes are discussed on the light of the spectroscopic data., (Copyright 1999 Academic Press.)

Mossbauer and EPR spectroscopies were used to characterize the Fe clusters in an Fe-S protein isolated from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (ATCC 27774). This protein was previously thought to contain hexanuclear Fe clusters, but a recent X-ray crystallographic measurement on a similar protein isolated from Desulfovibrio vulgaris showed that the protein contains two tetranuclear clusters, a cubane-type [4Fe-4S] cluster and a mixed-ligand cluster of novel structure [Lindley et al. (1997) Abstract, Chemistry of Metals in Biological Systems, European Research Conference, Tomar, Portugal]. Three protein samples poised at different redox potentials (as-purified, 40 and 320 mV) were investigated. In all three samples, the [4Fe-4S] cluster was found to be present in the diamagnetic 2+ oxidation state and exhibited typical Mossbauer spectra. The novel-structure cluster was found to be redox active. In the 320-mV and as-purified samples, the cluster is at a redox equilibrium between its fully oxidized and one-electron reduced states. In the 40-mV sample, the cluster is in a two-electron reduced state. Distinct spectral components associated with the four Fe sites of cluster 2 in the three oxidation states were identified. The spectroscopic parameters obtained for the Fe sites reflect different ligand environments, making it possible to assign the spectral components to individual Fe sites. In the fully oxidized state, all four iron ions are high-spin ferric and antiferromagnetically coupled to form a diamagnetic S = 0 state. In the one-electron and two-electron reduced states, the reducing electrons were found to localize, consecutively, onto two Fe sites that are rich in oxygen/nitrogen ligands. Based on the X-ray structure and the Mossbauer parameters, attempts could be made to identify the reduced Fe sites. For the two-electron reduced cluster, EPR and Mossbauer data indicate that the cluster is paramagnetic with a nonzero interger spin. For the one-electron reduced cluster, the data suggest a half-integer spin of 9/2. Characteristic fine and hyperfine parameters for all four Fe sites were obtained. Structural implications and the nature of the spin-coupling interactions are discussed.