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Recent progress in the rational design of metal sites within peptide model systems shows increasing control in the placement of metals within helical bundles and inclusion of sophisticated elements such as second-sphere ligand interactions. A crystallographically characterized two-metal peptide model for diiron proteins represents a major achievement in de novo design methodologies. Increasingly complex and robust models for electron transfer through and between helices, and electrode-supported electron-transfer peptides, have been constructed. Design elements for peptide-supported ferredoxins and mononuclear Fe(II) and Zn(II) sites have been refined.

The hammerhead ribozyme is a catalytic RNA that requires divalent metal cations for activity under moderate ionic strength. Two important sites that are proposed to bind metal ions in the hammerhead ribozyme are the A9/G10.1 site, located at the junction between stem II and the conserved core, and the scissile phosphate (P1.1). (31)P NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with phosphorothioate substitutions is used in this study to investigate these putative metal sites. The (31)P NMR feature of a phosphorothioate appears in a unique spectral window and can be monitored for changes upon addition of metals. Addition of 1-2 equiv of Cd(2+) to the hammerhead with an A9-S(Rp) or A9-S(S)(Rp) substitution results in a 2-3 ppm upfield shift of the (31)P NMR resonance. In contrast, the P1.1-S(Rp) and P1.1-S(Sp) (31)P NMR features shift slightly and in opposite directions, with a total change in delta of

The effects of Co(NH(3))(6)(3+) on the hammerhead ribozyme are analyzed using several techniques, including activity measurements, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies and thermal denaturation studies. Co(NH(3))(6)(3+) efficiently displaces Mn(2+) bound to the ribozyme with an apparent dissociation constant of K(d app) = 22 +/- 4.2 microM in 500 microM Mn(2+) (0.1 M NaCl). Displacement of Mn(2+) coincides with Co(NH(3))(6)(3+) inhibition of hammerhead activity in 500 microM Mn(2+), reducing the activity of the WT hammerhead by approximately 15-fold with an inhibition constant of K(i) = 30.9 +/- 2.3 microM. A residual 'slow' activity is observed in the presence of Co(NH(3))(6)(3+) and low concentrations of Mn(2+). Under these conditions, a single Mn(2+) ion remains bound and has a low-temperature EPR spectrum identical to that observed previously for the highest affinity Mn(2+) site in the hammerhead ribozyme in 1 M NaCl, tentatively attributed to the A9/G10.1 site [Morrissey, S. R. , Horton, T. E., and DeRose, V. J. (2000) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 122, 3473-3481]. Circular dichroism and thermal denaturation experiments also reveal structural effects that accompany the observed inhibition of cleavage and Mn(2+) displacement induced by addition of Co(NH(3))(6)(3+). Taken together, the data indicate that a high-affinity Co(NH(3))(6)(3+) site is responsible for significant inhibition accompanied by structural changes in the hammerhead ribozyme. In addition, the results support a model in which at least two types of metal sites, one of which requires inner-sphere coordination, support hammerhead activity.

The complex Mn2(H2O)(OAc)4(tmeda)2 (tmeda = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) is a model for the active site of hydrolase enzymes containing acetate-bridged dimanganese cores. The two high-spin Mn(II) ions are antiferromagnetically coupled, as determined by previous magnetic susceptibility studies (Yu, S.-B; Lippard, S. J.; Shweky, I; Bino, A. Inorg. Chem. 1992, 31, 3502-3504) to yield a spin "ladder" with total spin S = 0, 1, 2, ..., 5 in increasing energy. In this study, the complex was characterized by Q-band and X-band EPR spectroscopy in frozen solution. Analysis of the temperature dependence of these EPR spectra indicates that the primary spectral contribution is from the S = 2 manifold. The EPR spectra were simulated using a full spin Hamiltonian for this manifold of a coupled spin system, which provided the fit parameters J = -2.9 cm-1, g = 2.00, and D2 = -0.060 +/- 0.003 cm-1. An additional multiline EPR signal is observed which is proposed to arise from the total spin S = 5/2 ground state of a Mn(II) trimer of the type Mn3(OAc)6(tmeda)2.

A metal site in a 5'-GAAA-3' tetraloop, a stabilizing and phylogenetically conserved RNA motif, is explored using (31)P NMR spectroscopy and phosphorothioate modifications. Similar to previous reports [Legault, P., and Pardi, A. (1994) J. Magn. Reson., Ser. B 103, 82-86], the (31)P NMR spectrum of a 12-nucleotide stem-loop sequence 5'-GGCCGAAAGGCC-3' exhibits resolved features from each of the phosphodiester linkages. Titration with Mg(2+) results in distinct shifts of a subset of these (31)P features, which are assigned to phosphodiesters 5' to A6, A7, and G5. Titration with Co(NH(3))(6)(3+) causes only a slight upfield shift in the A6 feature, suggesting that changes caused by Mg(2+) are due to inner-sphere metal-phosphate coordination. R(p)-Phosphorothioate substitutions introduced enzymatically 5' to each of the three A residues of the tetraloop provide well-resolved (31)P NMR features that are observed to shift in the presence of Cd(2+) but not Mg(2+), again consistent with a metal-phosphate site. Analysis of (31)P NMR spectra using the sequence 5'-GGGCGAAAGUCC-3' with single phosphorothioate substitutions in the loop region, separated into R(p) and S(p) diastereomers, provides evidence for an inner-sphere interaction with the phosphate 5' to A7 but outer-sphere or structural effects that cause perturbations 5' to A6. Introduction of an R(p)-phosphorothioate 5' to A7 results in a distinct (31)P NMR spectrum, consistent with thermodynamic studies reported in the accompanying paper that indicate a unique structure caused by this substitution. On the basis of these results and existing structural information, a metal site in the 5'-GAAA-3' tetraloop is modeled using restrained molecular dynamics simulations.

This study analyzes the impact of phosphorothioate substitutions on the thermodynamic stability of a 12-nt RNA hairpin containing a (5')GAAA(3') tetraloop. The thermodynamic consequences of stereospecific phosphorothioate substitutions 5' to each adenosine in the loop region are measured using optical melting and calorimetry experiments. Surprisingly, a single stereospecific phosphorothioate substitution 5' to the second adenosine of the tetraloop, R(p)-A7, results in a stabilization corresponding to a Delta(DeltaG(37)(degrees)(C)) of approximately -2.9 kcal mol(-1) (0.1 M NaCl) when compared with that of an unmodified sample. Five other phosphorothioate-substituted samples did not show significant thermodynamic differences in comparison with the unsubstituted samples. Addition of Mg(2+) to all of the hairpins studied results in increased t(m's) that are fit with a general electrostatic model to a dissociation constant of K(d)(Mg(2+)) approximately 2-3 mM (0.1 M NaCl). The R(p)-A7 phosphorothioate-substituted hairpin showed an unusual decrease in t(m) and apparent increase in enthalpy of unfolding upon addition of Cd(2+). These results may impact the interpretation of interference mapping experiments that use phosphorothioate substitutions to characterize RNAs in solution.

Efficient phosphodiester bond cleavage activity by the hammerhead ribozyme requires divalent cations. Toward understanding this metal ion requirement, the Mn2+-binding properties of hammerhead model ribozymes have been investigated under dilute solution conditions, using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) to detect free Mn2+ in the presence of added ribozyme. Numbers and affinities of bound Mn2+ were obtained at pH 7.8 (5 mM triethanolamine) in the presence of 0, 0.1, and 1.0 M NaCl for an RNA-DNA model consisting of a 13-nucleotide DNA "substrate" hybridized to a 34-nucleotide RNA "enzyme" [Pley, H. W., Flaherty, K. M., and McKay, D. B. (1994) Nature 372, 68-74]. In 0.1 M NaCl, two classes of Mn2+ sites are found with n1 = 3.7 +/- 0.4, Kd(1) = 4 +/- 1 microM (type 1) and n2 = 5.2 +/- 0.4, Kd(2) = 460 +/- 130 microM (type 2). The high-affinity type 1 sites are confirmed for an active RNA-RNA hybrid (34-nucleotide RNA enzyme:13-nucleotide RNA substrate) by EPR measurements at low Mn2+ concentrations. Decreasing NaCl concentration results in an increased number of bound Mn2+ per hammerhead. By contrast, a binding titration in 1 M NaCl indicates that a single Mn2+ site with apparent Kd approximately 10 microM is populated in low concentrations of Mn2+, and apparent cooperative effects at higher Mn2+ concentrations result in population of a similar total number of Mn2+ sites (n1 = 8-10) as found in 0.1 M NaCl. Mn2+-dependent activity profiles are similar for the active RNA-RNA hybrid in 0.1 and 1 M NaCl. Correlation with binding affinities determined by EPR indicates that hammerhead activity in 0.1 M NaCl is only observed after all four of the high-affinity Mn2+ sites are occupied, rises with population of the type 2 sites, and is independent of Mn2+ concentrations corresponding to > 8-9 Mn2+ bound per hammerhead. Equivalent measurements in 1 M NaCl demonstrate a rise in activity with the cooperative transition observed in the Mn2+ binding curve. These measurements indicate that, over this NaCl concentration range, hammerhead ribozyme activity is influenced by population of a specific set of divalent cation sites.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) plays an essential role in the regulation of various neurotransmitter and xenobiotic amines. Inhibitors of MAO have been employed in the treatment of depression and as adjuncts in Parkinson's disease therapy. X-Band and Q-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopic techniques are employed to characterize a signal assigned as a stable red anionic semiquinone radical in the resting state of MAO B. It is shown that the radical signal is not affected during substrate (either benzylamine or phenylethylamine) turnover, by anaerobic incubation with substrate, or by covalent modification of the active site flavin cofactor in the catalytically active dimer. Upon denaturation, however, the semiquinone absorbances and EPR signals are lost. Photoreduction of the native enzyme in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetate generates an EPR signal that is not the same as that obtained in the resting state and shows different proton ENDOR signals. These results suggest that the two flavin prosthetic groups that exist in catalytically active monoamine oxidase B are physically distinct.

The photosynthetic oxygen-evolving complex contains a cluster of four manganese atoms and requires both Ca and Cl for activity. The question of Ca proximity to the Mn cluster has been investigated by performing Mn X-ray absorption experiments on native samples of photosystem II (PS II) and on samples depleted of Ca and reconstituted by either Ca or Sr. Analysis of X-ray K-edge spectra demonstrates no significant differences in oxidation state or symmetry between Ca- and Sr-reactivated preparations. Differences are observed in the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The amplitude of a Fourier transform peak due to scatters at distances greater than 3 A is larger for samples reactivated with strontium than for calcium-reactivated samples. Taking into account the stoichiometry of Mn and Ca atoms in PS II, and considering physically reasonable structures, curve-fitting analyses of the EXAFS data using FEFF5-calculated parameters favor a model where both manganese and calcium (or strontium) scatterers contribute to the Fourier peak at approximately 3 A. Other models for the approximately 3 A peak with multiple Mn-Mn interactions or multiple Mn-Ca(Sr) interactions can also be fit to the data, but are considered less likely. This result provides confirmation for the structural proximity of Ca to the Mn cluster suggested previously [Yachandra, V. K., et al. (1993) Science 260, 675-679]. Possible structural arrangements for a calcium-binding site are discussed.

Electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopy was used to study changes in the polypeptide environment of the FeMo-cofactor that were elicited by amino-acid substitutions within the nitrogenase MoFe protein alpha-subunit. A previous ESEEM study [Thomann et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88, 6620] detected modulation arising from nitrogen coupled to the S = 3/2 spin system of the FeMo-cofactor (Fe7S9Mo:homocitrate). Such modulation was found to be sensitive to the substitution of alpha-195His by alpha-195Asn as indicated by whole-cell ESEEM analysis of mutant strains from Azotobacter vinelandii. Subsequent structural studies revealed that the alpha-195His residue does not provide direct N-coordination to the cluster but is within hydrogen-bonding distance of one of a set of three sulfides that bridge the FeMo-cofactor subcluster fragments. In the present work, the ESEEM analysis is extended to both partially purified alpha-195Asn MoFe protein and purified MoFe protein from an additional mutant strain in which alpha-195His is replaced by alpha-195Gln. The dramatic decrease in the intensity of the ESEEM signal resulting from the alpha-195Asn substitution in whole cells was confirmed for the case of the isolated alpha-195Asn MoFe protein. In contrast, substitution of alpha-195His by alpha-195Gln caused no detectable change in the modulation. Simulations of the alpha-195His and alpha-195Gln ESEEM data give quadrupole parameters of e2qQ = 2.2 MHz and eta = 0.5.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been performed on oriented photosystem II membrane particles isolated from spinach. Structural features of the tetranuclear Mn cluster and the orientation of the cluster with respect to the lipid bilayer were determined in both the S1 and S2 states of the Kok cycle. Variation of the sample orientation with respect to the X-ray e-vector yields highly dichroic K-edge and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra (EXAFS), indicative of an asymmetric tetranuclear cluster. Mn-Mn vectors at 2.72 and 3.38 A can be resolved from these measurements using quantitative analysis. The 2.72-A vector, consisting of at least two component vectors, is oriented at an average angle of 60 degrees +/- 7 degrees to the membrane normal, with an average of 1.1 +/- 0.1 interactions per Mn atom. The 3.38-A vector, most probably an average of two vectors, makes an angle of 43 degrees +/- 10 degrees with respect to the membrane normal, with an average of 0.45 +/- 0.07 backscatterer per Mn atom. Upon advance to the S2 state, the orientation of these vectors and the average numbers of backscatterers are approximately invariant. Analysis of more subtle features of the EXAFS reveals changes accompanying this S-state advance that are consistent with the oxidation of Mn during this transition. However, the dominant structural features of the oxygen-evolving complex remain constant in the S1 and S2 states. The structure of the Mn complex and the orientation of the complex in the membrane within the context of dichroism of the X-ray absorption data are discussed.

In the photosynthetic evolution of oxygen, water oxidation occurs at a catalytic site that includes four manganese atoms together with the essential cofactors, the calcium and chlorine ions. A structural model and a determination of the manganese oxidation states based on x-ray absorption spectroscopy are presented. The salient features, in both higher plants and cyanobacteria, are a pair of di-mu-oxo bridged manganese binuclear clusters linked by a mono-mu-oxo bridge, one proximal calcium atom, and one halide. In dark-adapted samples, manganese occurs in oxidation states (III) and (IV). Data from oriented membranes display distinct dichroism, precluding highly symmetrical structures for the manganese complex.

A procedure is described for isolation of active ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (bc1 complex) from potato tuber mitochondria using dodecyl maltoside extraction and ion exchange chromatography. The same procedure works well with mitochondria from red beet and sweet potato. The potato complex has at least 10 subunits resolvable by gel electrophoresis in the presence of dodecyl sulfate. The fifth subunit carries covalently bound heme. The two largest ("core") subunits either show heterogeneity or include a third subunit. The purified complex contains about 4 mumol of cytochrome c1, 8 mumol of cytochrome b, and 20 mumol of iron/g of protein. The complex is highly delipidated, with 1-6 mol of phospholipid and about 0.2 mol of ubiquinone/mol of cytochrome c1. Nonetheless it catalyzes electron transfer from a short chain ubiquinol analog to equine cytochrome c with a turnover number of 50-170 mol of cytochrome c reduced per mol of cytochrome c1 per s, as compared with approximately 220 in whole mitochondria. The enzymatic activity is stable for weeks at 4 degrees C in phosphate buffer and for months at -20 degrees C in 50% glycerol. The activity is inhibited by antimycin, myxothiazol, and funiculosin. The complex is more resistant to funiculosin and diuron than the beef heart enzyme. The optical difference spectra of the cytochromes were resolved by analysis of full-spectrum redox titrations. The alpha-band absorption maxima are 552 nm (cytochrome c1), 560 nm (cytochrome b-560), and 557.5 + 565.5 nm (cytochrome b-566, which has a split alpha-band). Extinction coefficients appropriate for the potato cytochromes are estimated. Despite the low lipid and ubiquinone content of the purified complex, the midpoint potentials of the cytochromes (257, 51, and -77 mV for cytochromes c1, b-560, and b-566, respectively) are not very different from values reported for whole mitochondria. EPR spectroscopy shows the presence of a Rieske-type iron sulfur center, and the absence of centers associated with succinate and NADH dehydrogenases. The complex shows characteristics associated with a Q-cycle mechanism of redox-driven proton translocation, including two pathways for reduction of b cytochromes by quinols and oxidant-induced reduction of b cytochromes in the presence of antimycin.

The possibility of nitrogen ligation to the Mn in the oxygen-evolving complex from photosystem II was investigated with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopies using 14N- and 15N-labeled preparations. Oxygen-evolving preparations were isolated from a thermophilic cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp., grown on a medium containing either 14NO3- or 15NO3- as the sole source of nitrogen. the substructure on the "multiline" EPR signal, which arises from Mn in the S2 state of the enzyme, was measured with continuous-wave EPR. No changes were detected in the substructure peak positions upon substitution of 15N for 14N, indicating that this substructure is not due to superhyperfine coupling from nitrogen ligands. To detect potential nitrogen ligands with superhyperfine couplings of lesser magnitude than could be observed with conventional EPR methods, electron spin-echo envelope modulation experiments were also performed on the multiline EPR signal. The Fourier transform of the light-minus-dark time domain ESEEM data shows a peak at 4.8 MHz in 14N samples which is absent upon substitution with 15N. This gives unambiguous evidence for weak hyperfine coupling of nitrogen to the Mn of the oxygen-evolving complex. Possible origins of this nitrogen interaction are discussed.

The in vitro and in vivo effects of ceftriaxone, a newly developed cephalosporin, on phagocytes and T-cell subsets were studied. Ceftriaxone in vitro did not interfere with phagocytosis, phagocytosis-dependent metabolic activation, and microbicidal activity (against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans) of human neutrophils at doses ranging from 10 to 320 micrograms/ml. In vitro chemotaxis was markedly inhibited both in the presence of and after 30 minutes of exposure to 40 micrograms/ml of ceftriaxone. Six normal adult volunteers were given 2 g of antibiotic intravenously every 24 hours for six days. The in vivo effects of ceftriaxone on neutrophil functions and T-cell subsets were investigated before and 30 minutes after injection on the first and third days. No change in any phagocyte function (chemotaxis, phagocytosis, phagocytosis-dependent metabolic activation, and microbicidal activity) or in the distribution of T-cell subpopulations was observed.