Superoxide reductase from Desulfoarculus baarsii: reaction mechanism and role of glutamate 47 and lysine 48 in catalysis.

International audienceSuperoxide reductase (SOR) is a small metalloenzyme that catalyzes reduction of O(2)(*)(-) to H(2)O(2) and thus provides an antioxidant mechanism against superoxide radicals. Its active site contains an unusual mononuclear ferrous center, which is very efficient during electron transfer to O(2)(*)(-) [Lombard, M., Fontecave, M., Touati, D., and Nivière, V. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 115-121]. The reaction of the enzyme from Desulfoarculus baarsii with superoxide was studied by pulse radiolysis methods. The first step is an extremely fast bimolecular reaction of superoxide reductase with superoxide, with a rate constant of (1.1 +/- 0.3) x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1). A first intermediate is formed which is converted to a second one at a much slower rate constant of 500 +/- 50 s(-1). Decay of the second intermediate occurs with a rate constant of 25 +/- 5 s(-1). These intermediates are suggested to be iron-superoxide and iron-peroxide species. Furthermore, the role of glutamate 47 and lysine 48, which are the closest charged residues to the vacant sixth iron coordination site, has been investigated by site-directed mutagenesis. Mutation of glutamate 47 into alanine has no effect on the rates of the reaction. On the contrary, mutation of lysine 48 into an isoleucine led to a 20-30-fold decrease of the rate constant of the bimolecular reaction, suggesting that lysine 48 plays an important role during guiding and binding of superoxide to the iron center II. In addition, we report that expression of the lysine 48 sor mutant gene hardly restored to a superoxide dismutase-deficient Escherichia coli mutant the ability to grow under aerobic conditions

Hydrogen bonding to the cysteine ligand of superoxide reductase: acid–base control of the reaction intermediates

International audienceSuperoxide reductase SOR is a non-heme iron metalloenzyme that detoxifies superoxide radical in microorganisms. Its active site consists of an unusual non-heme Fe2+ center in a [His4 Cys1] square pyramidal pentacoordination, with the axial cysteine ligand proposed to be an essential feature in catalysis. Two NH peptide groups from isoleucine 118 and histidine 119 establish H-bondings with the sulfur ligand (Desulfoarculus baarsii SOR numbering). In order to investigate the catalytic role of these H-bonds, the isoleucine 118 residue of the SOR from Desulfoarculus baarsii was mutated into alanine, aspartate or serine residues. Resonance Raman spectroscopy showed that the mutations specifically induced an increase of the strength of the Fe3+-S(Cys) and S-Cβ(Cys) bonds as well as a change in conformation of the cysteinyl side chain, which was associated with the alteration of the NH hydrogen bonding to the sulfur ligand. The effects of the isoleucine mutations on the reactivity of SOR with O2●- were investigated by pulse radiolysis. These studies showed that the mutations induced a specific increase of the pKa of the first reaction intermediate, recently proposed to be an Fe2+-O2●- species. These data were supported by DFT calculations carried out on three models of the Fe2+-O2●- intermediate, with one, two or no H-bonds on the sulfur ligand. Our results demonstrated that the hydrogen bonds between the NH (peptide) and the cysteine ligand tightly control the rate of protonation of the Fe2+-O2●- reaction intermediate to form an Fe3+-OOH species

Réactions radicalaires de la daunorubicine

La daunorubicine est un antibiotique antitumoral activé in vivo par réduction. Au cours de cette réduction, tics intermédiaires radicalaires peuvent être formés, et intervenir dans la toxicité de ce médicament. C’est pourquoi quelques réactions des formes transitoires de la daunorubicine avec des cibles d’intérêt biologique, ont été étudiées par les méthodes de la radiolyse. Leurs implications dans un milieu cellulaire est discutée

Radiolyse des protéines

Dans cet article les effets des radicaux libres de la radiolyse de l'eau sur les protéines, sont évoqués. Les modifications chimiques induites peuvent être différentes d'une protéine à l'autre, et on peut observer une certaine sélectivité. La corrélation entre l'effet chimique et, par exemple, l’inactivation enzymatique ou la protéolyse accélérée, est quelquefois difficile à établir. De ce fait, les rôles de la radiolyse des protéines en radiobiologie sont encore mal connus

Some aspects of the chemistry and biology of the superoxide radical anion

There is increasing evidence that the superoxide radical anion is produced in many biological reactions and especially in respiration. Also, there are many indications that the participation of this radical in certain biological reactions can ultimately have deleterious effects on the health and well being of certain individuals. Based on pulse radiolytic method of generating superoxide its physical and chemical properties are described. This review gives the present state of research on the formation and reactivity of the superoxide radical anion in biological systems, the physiological function of superoxide dismutase, as well as several enzymatic reactions for which the participation of the radical has not yet been conclusively established

Pulse radiolysis studies on superoxide reductase from Treponema pallidum.

International audienceSuperoxide reductases (SORs) are small metalloenzymes, which catalyze reduction of O2*- to H2O2. The reaction of the enzyme from Treponema pallidum with superoxide was studied by pulse radiolysis methods. The first step is an extremely fast bi-molecular reaction of the ferrous center with O2, with a rate constant of 6 x 10 (8) M(-1) s(-1). A first intermediate is formed which is converted to a second one with a slower rate constant of 4800 s(-1). This latter value is 10 times higher than the corresponding one previously reported in the case of SOR from Desulfoarculus baarsii. The reconstituted spectra for the two intermediates are consistent with formation of transient iron-peroxide species

A DFT study of electron or hole localization in a peptide containing asparagin

The mechanisms of protein degradation induced by ionisation are of great interest for radiobiology, improvement of mass spectroscopy and industrial processes such as radio sterilisation. Sequences containing asparagin are very sensitive especially if surrounded by glycine. Very few techniques allow a satisfying understanding of the processes induced by creation of an anionic or cationic site in a peptide. We used the methods of quantum chemistry (DFT/B3LYP with 6-31G* basis set) to characterise the geometry modifications induced in the cations or in the anions derived from peptide Gly Asn Gly. The cationic sites are localised mostly close to the first peptidic bond and induce a lengthening of the Ca–C(O) bond. Conversely the anionic sites are localised on a carbonyl function. Implications are discussed considering the radiolytic products and the proposed mechanisms

Réduction des groupes disulfure dans les peptides et protéines

Il est connu que la réduction des ponts disulfure de petites molécules ou de protéines, par les radicaux libres [math] en présence d'ions formiate, est une réaction en chaîne fortement dépendante du pH. Alors que le mécanisme de cette réduction est bien connu pour les petites molécules, de nombreux points restent obscurs en ce qui concerne les peptides ou protéines. Dans cet article, nous tentons de dégager les traits spécifiques de cette réaction caractéristique des peptides ou protéines ainsi que le rôle de la structure et de l'environnement du groupe réactif