Delta T 14/Delta D 15 Azotobacter vinelandii ferredoxin I: creation of a new CysXXCysXXCys motif that ligates a [4Fe-4S] cluster

Rapid and Sensitive Amino-Acid Sequencing of Cloning Thermus thermophilus HB8 Ferredoxin by Proteomics

Recombinant holo Thermus thermophilus [7Fe-8S] ferredoxin was synthesized by cloning from Thermus thermophilus HB8 gene. A specific sequence (Pro-His-Val-Ile) at the N-terminus of the recombinant ferredoxin was determined by a rapid and highly sensitive mass spectral method using a novel Ru(II) Edman reagent, [(tpy)Ru(tpy-C6H4-NCS)](PF6)2 (tpy=terpyridine). The formation of the recombinant holoTtFd was established by the characteristic absorptions and CD extrema as [7Fe-8S] ferredoxin. The catalytic electron-transfer reactivity of the [7Fe-8S] ferredoxin between ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase and cytochrome c was recognized.

Influence of electrochemical properties in determining the sensitivity of [4Fe-4S] clusters in proteins to oxidative damage

Interconversion between [4Fe-4S] cubane and [3Fe-4S] cuboidal states represents one of the simplest structural changes an iron-sulphur cluster can undertake. This reaction is implicated in oxidative damage and in modulation of the activity and regulation of certain enzymes, and it is therefore important to understand the factors governing cluster stability and the processes that activate cluster conversion. In the present study, protein film voltammetry has been used to induce and monitor the oxidative conversion of [4Fe-4S] into [3Fe-4S] clusters in different variants of Azotobacter vinelandii ferredoxin I (AvFdI; the 8Fe form of the native protein), and DeltaThr(14)/DeltaAsp(15), Thr(14)-->Cys (T14C) and C42D mutants. The electrochemical results have been correlated with the differing oxygen sensitivities of [4Fe-4S] clusters, and comparisons have been drawn with other ferredoxins (Desulfovibrio africanus FdIII, Clostridium pasteurianum Fd, Thauera aromatica Fd and Pyrococcus furiosus Fd). In contrast with high-potential iron-sulphur proteins (HiPIPs) for which the oxidized species [4Fe-4S](3+) is inert to degradation and can be isolated, the hypervalent state in these ferredoxins (most obviously the 3+ level) is very labile, and the reduction potential at which this is formed is a key factor in determining the cluster's resistance to oxidative damage.

Purification and biophysical characterization of a new [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin from Azotobacter vinelandii, a putative [Fe-S] cluster assembly/repair protein

During the purification of site-directed mutant variants of Azotobacter vinelandii ferredoxin I (FdI), a pink protein, which was not observed in native FdI preparations, appeared to associate specifically with variants that had mutations in ligands to FdI [Fe-S] clusters. That protein, which we designate FdIV, has now been purified. NH(2)-terminal sequence analysis revealed that the protein is the product of a previously described gene, herein designated fdxD, that is in the A. vinelandii iscSUA operon that encodes proteins involved in iron-sulfur cluster assembly or repair. An apoprotein molecular mass of 12,434.03 +/- 0.21 Da was determined by mass spectrometry consistent with the known gene sequence. The monomeric protein was shown to contain a single [2Fe-2S](2+/+) cluster by UV/visible, CD, and EPR spectroscopies with a reduction potential of -344 mV versus the standard hydrogen electrode. When overexpressed in Escherichia coli, recombinant FdIV holoprotein was successfully assembled. However, the polypeptide of the recombinant protein was modified in some way such that the apoprotein molecular mass increased by 52 Da. Antibodies raised against FdIV and EPR spectroscopy were used to examine the relative levels of FdIV and FdI in various A. vinelandii strains leading to the conclusion that FdIV levels appear to be specifically increased under conditions where another protein, NADPH:ferredoxin reductase is also up-regulated. In that case, the fpr gene is known to be activated in response to oxidative stress. This suggests that the fdxD gene and other genes in the iron-sulfur cluster assembly or repair operon might be similarly up-regulated in response to oxidative stress.

A T14C variant of Azotobacter vinelandii ferredoxin I undergoes facile [3Fe-4S]0 to [4Fe-4S]2+ conversion in vitro but not in vivo

[4Fe-4S]2+/+ clusters that are ligated by Cys-X-X-Cys-X-X-Cys sequence motifs share the general feature of being hard to convert to [3Fe-4S]+/0 clusters, whereas those that contain a Cys-X-X-Asp-X-X-Cys motif undergo facile and reversible cluster interconversion. Little is known about the factors that control the in vivo assembly and conversion of these clusters. In this study we have designed and constructed a 3Fe to 4Fe cluster conversion variant of Azotobacter vinelandii ferredoxin I (FdI) in which the sequence that ligates the [3Fe-4S] cluster in native FdI was altered by converting a nearby residue, Thr-14, to Cys. Spectroscopic and electrochemical characterization shows that when purified in the presence of dithionite, T14C FdI is an O2-sensitive 8Fe protein. Both the new and the indigenous clusters have reduction potentials that are significantly shifted compared with those in native FdI, strongly suggesting a significantly altered environment around the clusters. Interestingly, whole cell EPR have revealed that T14C FdI exists as a 7Fe protein in vivo. This 7Fe form of T14C FdI is extremely similar to native FdI in its spectroscopic, electrochemical, and structural features. However, unlike native FdI which does not undergo facile cluster conversion, the 7Fe form T14C FdI quickly converts to the 8Fe form with a high efficiency under reducing conditions.