Three-dimensional structure of the nonaheme cytochrome c from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans Essex in the Fe(III) state at 1.89 A resolution

Nature's nitrite-to-ammonia expressway, with no stop at dinitrogen

Since the characterization of cytochrome c₅₅₂ as a multiheme nitrite reductase, research on this enzyme has gained major interest. Today, it is known as pentaheme cytochrome c nitrite reductase (NrfA). Part of the NH₄⁺ produced from NO₂^- is released as NH₃ leading to nitrogen loss, similar to denitrification which generates NO, N₂O, and N₂. NH₄⁺ can also be used for assimilatory purposes, thus NrfA contributes to nitrogen retention. It catalyses the six-electron reduction of NO₂^- to NH₄⁺, hosting four His/His ligated c-type hemes for electron transfer and one structurally differentiated active site heme. Catalysis occurs at the distal side of a Fe(III) heme c proximally coordinated by lysine of a unique CXXCK motif (Sulfurospirillum deleyianum, Wolinella succinogenes) or, presumably, by the canonical histidine in Campylobacter jejeuni. Replacement of Lys by His in NrfA of W. succinogenes led to a significant loss of enzyme activity. NrfA forms homodimers as shown by high resolution X-ray crystallography, and there exist at least two distinct electron transfer systems to the enzyme. In γ-proteobacteria (Escherichia coli) NrfA is linked to the menaquinol pool in the cytoplasmic membrane through a pentaheme electron carrier (NrfB), in δ- and ε-proteobacteria (S. deleyianum, W. succinogenes), the NrfA dimer interacts with a tetraheme cytochrome c (NrfH). Both form a membrane-associated respiratory complex on the extracellular side of the cytoplasmic membrane to optimize electron transfer efficiency. This minireview traces important steps in understanding the nature of pentaheme cytochrome c nitrite reductases, and discusses their structural and functional features.

Bioinorganic insights of the PQQ-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases

Among the several alcohol dehydrogenases, PQQ-dependent enzymes are mainly found in the α, β, and γ-proteobacteria. These proteins are classified into three main groups. Type I ADHs are localized in the periplasm and contain one Ca²⁺-PQQ moiety, being the methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) the most representative. In recent years, several lanthanide-dependent MDHs have been discovered exploding the understanding of the natural role of lanthanide ions. Type II ADHs are localized in the periplasm and possess one Ca²⁺-PQQ moiety and one heme c group. Finally, type III ADHs are complexes of two or three subunits localized in the cytoplasmic membrane and possess one Ca²⁺-PQQ moiety and four heme c groups, and in one of these proteins, an additional [2Fe-2S] cluster has been discovered recently. From the bioinorganic point of view, PQQ-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases have been revived recently mainly due to the discovery of the lanthanide-dependent enzymes. Here, we review the three types of PQQ-dependent ADHs with special focus on their structural features and electron transfer processes. The PQQ-Alcohol dehydrogenases are classified into three main groups. Type I and type II ADHs are located in the periplasm, while type III ADHs are in the cytoplasmic membrane. ADH-I have a Ca-PQQ or a Ln-PQQ, ADH-II a Ca-PQQ and one heme-c and ADH-III a Ca-PQQ and four hemes-c. This review focuses on their structural features and electron transfer processes.

A brief survey of the "cytochromome"

Multihaem cytochromes c are widespread in nature where they perform numerous roles in diverse anaerobic metabolic pathways. This is achieved in two ways: multihaem cytochromes c display a remarkable diversity of ways to organize multiple hemes within the protein frame; and the hemes possess an intrinsic reactive versatility derived from diverse spin, redox and coordination states. Here we provide a brief survey of multihaem cytochromes c that have been characterized in the context of their metabolic role. The contribution of multihaem cytochromes c to dissimilatory pathways handling metallic minerals, nitrogen compounds, sulfur compounds, organic compounds and phototrophism are described. This aims to set the stage for the further exploration of the vast unknown "cytochromome" that can be anticipated from genomic databases.

Hidden relationships between metalloproteins unveiled by structural comparison of their metal sites

Metalloproteins account for a substantial fraction of all proteins. They incorporate metal atoms, which are required for their structure and/or function. Here we describe a new computational protocol to systematically compare and classify metal-binding sites on the basis of their structural similarity. These sites are extracted from the MetalPDB database of minimal functional sites (MFSs) in metal-binding biological macromolecules. Structural similarity is measured by the scoring function of the available MetalS2 program. Hierarchical clustering was used to organize MFSs into clusters, for each of which a representative MFS was identified. The comparison of all representative MFSs provided a thorough structure-based classification of the sites analyzed. As examples, the application of the proposed computational protocol to all heme-binding proteins and zinc-binding proteins of known structure highlighted the existence of structural subtypes, validated known evolutionary links and shed new light on the occurrence of similar sites in systems at different evolutionary distances. The present approach thus makes available an innovative viewpoint on metalloproteins, where the functionally crucial metal sites effectively lead the discovery of structural and functional relationships in a largely protein-independent manner.

Hemoproteins in dissimilatory sulfate- and sulfur-reducing prokaryotes

Dissimilatory sulfate and sulfur reduction evolved billions of years ago and while the bacteria and archaea that use this unique metabolism employ a variety of electron donors, H(2) is most commonly used as the energy source. These prokaryotes use multiheme c-type proteins to shuttle electrons from electron donors, and electron transport complexes presumed to contain b-type hemoproteins contribute to proton charging of the membrane. Numerous sulfate and sulfur reducers use an alternate pathway for heme synthesis and, frequently, uniquely specific axial ligands are used to secure c-type heme to the protein. This review presents some of the types and functional activities of hemoproteins involved in these two dissimilatory reduction pathways.

Characterization of the decaheme c-type cytochrome OmcA in solution and on hematite surfaces by small angle x-ray scattering and neutron reflectometry

The outer membrane protein OmcA is an 85 kDa decaheme c-type cytochrome located on the surface of the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. It is assumed to mediate shuttling of electrons to extracellular acceptors that include solid metal oxides such as hematite (alpha-Fe(2)O(3)). No information is yet available concerning OmcA structure in physiologically relevant conditions such as aqueous environments. We purified OmcA and characterized its solution structure by small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), and its interaction at the hematite-water interface by neutron reflectometry. SAXS showed that OmcA is a monomer that adopts a flat ellipsoidal shape with an overall dimension of 34 x 90 x 65 A(3). To our knowledge, we obtained the first direct evidence that OmcA undergoes a redox state-dependent conformational change in solution whereby reduction decreases the overall length of OmcA by approximately 7 A (the maximum dimension was 96 A for oxidized OmcA, and 89 A for NADH and dithionite-reduced OmcA). OmcA was also found to physically interact with electron shuttle molecules such as flavin mononucleotide, resulting in the formation of high-molecular-weight assemblies. Neutron reflectometry showed that OmcA forms a well-defined monomolecular layer on hematite surfaces, where it assumes an orientation that maximizes its contact area with the mineral surface. These novel insights into the molecular structure of OmcA in solution, and its interaction with insoluble hematite and small organic ligands, demonstrate the fundamental structural bases underlying OmcA's role in mediating redox processes.

Crystal structure of the 16 heme cytochrome from Desulfovibrio gigas: a glycosylated protein in a sulphate-reducing bacterium

Sulphate-reducing bacteria have a wide variety of periplasmic cytochromes involved in electron transfer from the periplasm to the cytoplasm. HmcA is a high molecular mass cytochrome of 550 amino acid residues that harbours 16 c-type heme groups. We report the crystal structure of HmcA isolated from the periplasm of Desulfovibrio gigas. Crystals were grown using polyethylene glycol 8K and zinc acetate, and diffracted beyond 2.1 A resolution. A multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion experiment at the iron absorption edge enabled us to obtain good-quality phases for structure solution and model building. DgHmcA has a V-shape architecture, already observed in HmcA isolated from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough. The presence of an oligosaccharide molecule covalently bound to an Asn residue was observed in the electron density maps of DgHmcA and confirmed by mass spectrometry. Three modified monosaccharides appear at the highly hydrophobic vertex, possibly acting as an anchor of the protein to the cytoplasmic membrane.

Key Bacterial Multi-Centered Metal Enzymes Involved in Nitrate and Sulfate Respiration

Many essential life processes, such as photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen fixation, depend on transition metal ions and their ability to catalyze multi-electron redox and hydrolytic transformations. Here we review some recent structural studies on three multi-site metal enzymes involved in respiratory processes which represent important branches within the global cycles of nitrogen and sulfur: (i) the multi-heme enzyme cytochrome c nitrite reductase, (ii) the FAD, FeS-enzyme adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate reductase, and (iii) the siroheme, FeS-enzyme sulfite reductase. Structural information comes from X-ray crystallography and spectroscopical techniques, in special cases catalytically competent intermediates could be trapped and characterized by X-ray crystallography.

Sulphate respiration from hydrogen in Desulfovibrio bacteria: a structural biology overview

Sulphate-reducing organisms are widespread in anaerobic enviroments, including the gastrointestinal tract of man and other animals. The study of these bacteria has attracted much attention over the years, due also to the fact that they can have important implications in industry (in biocorrosion and souring of oil and gas deposits), health (in inflamatory bowel diseases) and the environment (bioremediation). The characterization of the various components of the electron transport chain associated with the hydrogen metabolism in Desulfovibrio has generated a large and comprehensive list of studies. This review summarizes the more relevant aspects of the current information available on the structural data of various molecules associated with hydrogen metabolism, namely hydrogenases and cytochromes. The transmembrane redox complexes known to date are also described and discussed. Redox-Bohr and cooperativity effects, observed in a few cytochromes, and believed to be important for their functional role, are discussed. Kinetic studies performed with these redox proteins, showing clues to their functional inter-relationship, are also addressed. These provide the groundwork for the application of a variety of molecular modelling approaches to understanding electron transfer and protein interactions among redox partners, leading to the characterization of several transient periplasmic complexes. In contrast to the detailed understanding of the periplasmic hydrogen oxidation process, very little is known about the cytoplasmic side of the respiratory electron transfer chain, in terms of molecular components (with exception of the terminal reductases), their structure and the protein-protein interactions involved in sulphate reduction. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the sulphate respiratory chain in Desulfovibrio remains a challenging task.

The type I/type II cytochrome c3 complex: an electron transfer link in the hydrogen-sulfate reduction pathway

In Desulfovibrio metabolism, periplasmic hydrogen oxidation is coupled to cytoplasmic sulfate reduction via transmembrane electron transfer complexes. Type II tetraheme cytochrome c3 (TpII-c3), nine-heme cytochrome c (9HcA) and 16-heme cytochrome c (HmcA) are periplasmic proteins associated to these membrane-bound redox complexes and exhibit analogous physiological function. Type I tetraheme cytochrome c3 (TpI-c3) is thought to act as a mediator for electron transfer from hydrogenase to these multihemic cytochromes. In the present work we have investigated Desulfovibrio africanus (Da) and Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough (DvH) TpI-c3/TpII-c3 complexes. Comparative kinetic experiments of Da TpI-c3 and TpII-c3 using electrochemistry confirm that TpI-c3 is much more efficient than TpII-c3 as an electron acceptor from hydrogenase (second order rate constant k = 9 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1), K(m) = 0.5 microM as compared to k = 1.7 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1), K(m) = 40 microM, for TpI-c3 and TpII-c3, respectively). The Da TpI-c3/TpII-c3 complex was characterized at low ionic strength by gel filtration, analytical ultracentrifugation and cross-linking experiments. The thermodynamic parameters were determined by isothermal calorimetry titrations. The formation of the complex is mainly driven by a positive entropy change (deltaS = 137(+/-7) J mol(-1) K(-1) and deltaH = 5.1(+/-1.3) kJ mol(-1)) and the value for the association constant is found to be (2.2(+/-0.5)) x 10(6) M(-1) at pH 5.5. Our thermodynamic results reveal that the net increase in enthalpy and entropy is dominantly produced by proton release in combination with water molecule exclusion. Electrostatic forces play an important role in stabilizing the complex between the two proteins, since no complex formation is detected at high ionic strength. The crystal structure of Da TpI-c3 has been solved at 1.5 angstroms resolution and structural models of the complex have been obtained by NMR and docking experiments. Similar experiments have been carried out on the DvH TpI-c3/TpII-c3 complex. In both complexes, heme IV of TpI-c3 faces heme I of TpII-c3 involving basic residues of TpI-c3 and acidic residues of TpII-c3. A secondary interacting site has been observed in the two complexes, involving heme II of Da TpII-c3 and heme III of DvH TpI-c3 giving rise to a TpI-c3/TpII-c3 molar ratio of 2:1 and 1:2 for Da and DvH complexes, respectively. The physiological significance of these alternative sites in multiheme cytochromes c is discussed.

Interaction and electron transfer between the high molecular weight cytochrome and cytochrome c3 from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough: Kinetic, microcalorimetric, EPR and electrochemical studies

The complex formation between the tetraheme cytochrome c3 and hexadecaheme high molecular weight cytochrome c (Hmc), the structure of which has recently been resolved, has been characterized by cross-linking experiments, EPR, electrochemistry and kinetic analysis, and some key parameters of the interaction were determined. The analysis of electron transfer between [Fe] hydrogenase, cytochrome c3 and Hmc demonstrates a redox-shuttling role of cytochrome c3 in the pathway from hydrogenase to Hmc, and shows an effect of redox state on the interaction between the two cytochromes. The role of polyheme cytochromes in electron transfer from periplasmic hydrogenase to membrane redox proteins is assessed. A model with cytochrome c3 as an intermediate between hydrogenase and various polyheme cytochromes is proposed and its physiological consequences are discussed.

Redox-Bohr and other cooperativity effects in the nine-heme cytochrome C from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774: crystallographic and modeling studies

The nine-heme cytochrome c is a monomeric multiheme cytochrome found in Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774. The polypeptide chain comprises 296 residues and wraps around nine hemes of type c. It is believed to take part in the periplasmic assembly of proteins involved in the mechanism of hydrogen cycling, receiving electrons from the tetraheme cytochrome c3. With the purpose of understanding the molecular basis of electron transfer processes in this cytochrome, we have determined the crystal structures of its oxidized and reduced forms at pH 7.5 and performed theoretical calculations of the binding equilibrium of protons and electrons in these structures. This integrated study allowed us to observe that the reduction process induced relevant conformational changes in several residues, as well as protonation changes in some protonatable residues. In particular, the surroundings of hemes I and IV constitute two areas of special interest. In addition, we were able to ascertain the groups involved in the redox-Bohr effect present in this cytochrome and the conformational changes that may underlie the redox-cooperativity effects on different hemes. Furthermore, the thermodynamic simulations provide evidence that the N- and C-terminal domains function in an independent manner, with the hemes belonging to the N-terminal domain showing, in general, a lower redox potential than those found in the C-terminal domain. In this way, electrons captured by the N-terminal domain could easily flow to the C-terminal domain, allowing the former to capture more electrons. A notable exception is heme IX, which has low redox potential and could serve as the exit path for electrons toward other proteins in the electron transfer pathway.

Sulfate respiration in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough. Structure of the 16-heme cytochrome c HmcA AT 2.5-A resolution and a view of its role in transmembrane electron transfer

The crystal structure of the high molecular mass cytochrome c HmcA from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough is described. HmcA contains the unprecedented number of sixteen hemes c attached to a single polypeptide chain, is associated with a membrane-bound redox complex, and is involved in electron transfer from the periplasmic oxidation of hydrogen to the cytoplasmic reduction of sulfate. The structure of HmcA is organized into four tetraheme cytochrome c(3)-like domains, of which the first is incomplete and contains only three hemes, and the final two show great similarity to the nine-heme cytochrome c from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. An isoleucine residue fills the vacant coordination space above the iron atom in the five-coordinated high-spin Heme 15. The characteristics of each of the tetraheme domains of HmcA, as well as its surface charge distribution, indicate this cytochrome has several similarities with the nine-heme cytochrome c and the Type II cytochrome c(3) molecules, in agreement with their similar genetic organization and mode of reactivity and further support an analogous physiological function for the three cytochromes. Based on the present structure, the possible electron transfer sites between HmcA and its redox partners (namely Type I cytochrome c(3) and other proteins of the Hmc complex), as well as its physiological role, are discussed.

The crystal structure of the hexadeca-heme cytochrome Hmc and a structural model of its complex with cytochrome c(3)

Sulfate-reducing bacteria contain a variety of multi-heme c-type cytochromes. The cytochrome of highest molecular weight (Hmc) contains 16 heme groups and is part of a transmembrane complex involved in the sulfate respiration pathway. We present the 2.42 A resolution crystal structure of the Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough cytochrome Hmc and a structural model of the complex with its physiological electron transfer partner, cytochrome c(3), obtained by NMR restrained soft-docking calculations. The Hmc is composed of three domains, which exist independently in different sulfate-reducing species, namely cytochrome c(3), cytochrome c(7), and Hcc. The complex involves the last heme at the C-terminal region of the V-shaped Hmc and heme 4 of cytochrome c(3), and represents an example for specific cytochrome-cytochrome interaction.

Enzymology and bioenergetics of respiratory nitrite ammonification

Nitrite is widely used by bacteria as an electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions. In respiratory nitrite ammonification an electrochemical proton potential across the membrane is generated by electron transport from a non-fermentable substrate like formate or H(2) to nitrite. The corresponding electron transport chain minimally comprises formate dehydrogenase or hydrogenase, a respiratory quinone and cytochrome c nitrite reductase. The catalytic subunit of the latter enzyme (NrfA) catalyzes nitrite reduction to ammonia without liberating intermediate products. This review focuses on recent progress that has been made in understanding the enzymology and bioenergetics of respiratory nitrite ammonification. High-resolution structures of NrfA proteins from different bacteria have been determined, and many nrf operons sequenced, leading to the prediction of electron transfer pathways from the quinone pool to NrfA. Furthermore, the coupled electron transport chain from formate to nitrite of Wolinella succinogenes has been reconstituted by incorporating the purified enzymes into liposomes. The NrfH protein of W. succinogenes, a tetraheme c-type cytochrome of the NapC/NirT family, forms a stable complex with NrfA in the membrane and serves in passing electrons from menaquinol to NrfA. Proteins similar to NrfH are predicted by open reading frames of several bacterial nrf gene clusters. In gamma-proteobacteria, however, NrfH is thought to be replaced by the nrfBCD gene products. The active site heme c group of NrfA proteins from different bacteria is covalently bound via the cysteine residues of a unique CXXCK motif. The lysine residue of this motif serves as an axial ligand to the heme iron thus replacing the conventional histidine residue. The attachment of the lysine-ligated heme group requires specialized proteins in W. succinogenes and Escherichia coli that are encoded by accessory nrf genes. The proteins predicted by these genes are unrelated in the two bacteria but similar to proteins of the respective conventional cytochrome c biogenesis systems.

Spectroscopic investigation and determination of reactivity and structure of the tetraheme cytochromec3fromDesulfovibrio desulfuricansEssex 6

Cytochrome c3, a small (14-kDa) soluble tetraheme protein was isolated from the periplasmic fraction of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans strain Essex 6. Its major physiological function appears to be that of an electron carrier for the periplasmic hydrogenase. It has been also shown to interact with the high-molecular-mass cytochrome complex in the cytoplasmic membrane, which eventually feeds electrons into the membraneous quinone pool, as well as with the membrane-associated dissimilatory sulfite reductase. The EPR spectra show features of four different low-spin Fe(III) hemes. Orthorhombic crystals of cytochrome c3 were obtained and X-ray diffraction data were collected to below 2 A resolution. The structure was solved by molecular replacement using cytochrome c3 from D. desulfuricans ATCC 27774 as a search model.