Nickel-[iron-sulfur]-selenium-containing hydrogenases from Desulfovibrio baculatus (DSM 1743). Redox centers and catalytic properties

Selenium-More than Just a Fortuitous Sulfur Substitute in Redox Biology

Living organisms use selenium mainly in the form of selenocysteine in the active site of oxidoreductases. Here, selenium's unique chemistry is believed to modulate the reaction mechanism and enhance the catalytic efficiency of specific enzymes in ways not achievable with a sulfur-containing cysteine. However, despite the fact that selenium/sulfur have different physicochemical properties, several selenoproteins have fully functional cysteine-containing homologues and some organisms do not use selenocysteine at all. In this review, selected selenocysteine-containing proteins will be discussed to showcase both situations: (i) selenium as an obligatory element for the protein's physiological function, and (ii) selenium presenting no clear advantage over sulfur (functional proteins with either selenium or sulfur). Selenium's physiological roles in antioxidant defence (to maintain cellular redox status/hinder oxidative stress), hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, and repair (maintain genetic stability) will be also highlighted, as well as selenium's role in human health. Formate dehydrogenases, hydrogenases, glutathione peroxidases, thioredoxin reductases, and iodothyronine deiodinases will be herein featured.

Promising approaches for the assembly of the catalytically active, recombinant Desulfomicrobium baculatum hydrogenase with substitutions at the active site

BACKGROUND

Hydrogenases (H2ases) are metalloenzymes capable of the reversible conversion of protons and electrons to molecular hydrogen. Exploiting the unique enzymatic activity of H2ases can lead to advancements in the process of biohydrogen evolution and green energy production.

RESULTS

Here we created of a functional, optimized operon for rapid and robust production of recombinant [NiFe] Desulfomicrobium baculatum hydrogenase (Dmb H2ase). The conversion of the [NiFeSe] Dmb H2ase to [NiFe] type was performed on genetic level by site-directed mutagenesis. The native dmb operon includes two structural H2ase genes, coding for large and small subunits, and an additional gene, encoding a specific maturase (protease) that is essential for the proper maturation of the enzyme. Dmb, like all H2ases, needs intricate bio-production machinery to incorporate its crucial inorganic ligands and cofactors. Strictly anaerobic, sulfate reducer D. baculatum bacteria are distinct, in terms of their biology, from E. coli. Thus, we introduced a series of alterations within the native dmb genes. As a result, more than 100 elements, further compiled into 32 operon variants, were constructed. The initial requirement for a specific maturase was omitted by the artificial truncation of the large Dmb subunit. The assembly of the produced H2ase subunit variants was investigated both, in vitro and in vivo. This approach resulted in 4 recombinant [NiFe] Dmb enzyme variants, capable of H2 evolution. The aim of this study was to overcome the gene expression, protein biosynthesis, maturation and ligand loading bottlenecks for the easy, fast, and cost-effective delivery of recombinant [NiFe] H2ase, using a commonly available E. coli strains.

CONCLUSION

The optimized genetic constructs together with the developed growth and purification procedures appear to be a promising platform for further studies toward fully-active and O2 tolerant, recombinant [NiFeSe] Dmb H2ase, resembling the native Dmb enzyme. It could likely be achieved by selective cysteine to selenocysteine substitution within the active site of the [NiFe] Dmb variant.

The physiology and evolution of microbial selenium metabolism

Selenium is an essential trace element whose compounds are widely metabolized by organisms from all three domains of life. Moreover, phylogenetic evidence indicates that selenium species, along with iron, molybdenum, tungsten, and nickel, were metabolized by the last universal common ancestor of all cellular lineages, primarily for the synthesis of the 21st amino acid selenocysteine. Thus, selenium metabolism is both environmentally ubiquitous and a physiological adaptation of primordial life. Selenium metabolic reactions comprise reductive transformations both for assimilation into macromolecules and dissimilatory reduction of selenium oxyanions and elemental selenium during anaerobic respiration. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the physiology and evolution of both assimilatory and dissimilatory selenium metabolism in bacteria and archaea, highlighting mechanisms of selenium respiration. This includes a thorough discussion of our current knowledge of the physiology of selenocysteine synthesis and incorporation into proteins in bacteria obtained from structural biology. Additionally, this is the first comprehensive discussion in a review of the incorporation of selenium into the tRNA nucleoside 5-methylaminomethyl-2-selenouridine and as an inorganic cofactor in certain molybdenum hydroxylase enzymes. Throughout, conserved mechanisms and derived features of selenium metabolism in both domains are emphasized and discussed within the context of the global selenium biogeochemical cycle.

Selective cysteine-to-selenocysteine changes in a [NiFe]-hydrogenase confirm a special position for catalysis and oxygen tolerance

In [NiFe]-hydrogenases, the active-site Ni is coordinated by four cysteine-S ligands (Cys; C), two of which are bridging to the Fe(CO)(CN)2 fragment. Substitution of a single Cys residue by selenocysteine (Sec; U) occurs occasionally in nature. Using a recent method for site-specific Sec incorporation into proteins, each of the four Ni-coordinating cysteine residues in the oxygen-tolerant Escherichia coli [NiFe]-hydrogenase-1 (Hyd-1) has been replaced by U to identify its importance for enzyme function. Steady-state solution activity of each Sec-substituted enzyme (on a per-milligram basis) is lowered, although this may reflect the unquantified presence of recalcitrant inactive/immature/misfolded forms. Protein film electrochemistry, however, reveals detailed kinetic data that are independent of absolute activities. Like native Hyd-1, the variants have low apparent KMH2 values, do not produce H2 at pH 6, and display the same onset overpotential for H2 oxidation. Mechanistically important differences were identified for the C576U variant bearing the equivalent replacement found in native [NiFeSe]-hydrogenases, its extreme O2 tolerance (apparent KMH2 and Vmax [solution] values relative to native Hyd-1 of 0.13 and 0.04, respectively) implying the importance of a selenium atom in the position cis to the site where exogenous ligands (H-, H2, O2) bind. Observation of the same unusual electrocatalytic signature seen earlier for the proton transfer-defective E28Q variant highlights the direct role of the chalcogen atom (S/Se) at position 576 close to E28, with the caveat that Se is less effective than S in facilitating proton transfer away from the Ni during H2 oxidation by this enzyme.

Selenium affects the activity of black tea in preventing metabolic syndrome in high-fat diet-fed Sprague-Dawley rats

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome, a group of factors that increase the risk of health problems, is becoming increasingly common. Strategies to prevent metabolic syndrome have received substantial attention. Black tea consumption and selenium (Se) intake have been reported to be associated negatively with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. We therefore sought to investigate whether Se-rich black tea might have a stronger effect than Se-deficient black tea in the prevention of metabolic syndrome.

RESULTS

Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups and fed a normal rodent diet, high-fat diet, high-fat diet containing 3% Se-rich black tea, or a high-fat diet containing 3% Se-deficient black tea for 4 weeks. Blood and tissue samples were tested at the end of the experiment. The results suggested that both types of black tea ameliorated high-fat diet-induced body-weight gain, lowered serum triglycerides and attenuated intestinal barrier dysfunction. Selenium-rich black tea showed stronger activity in decreasing fasting serum glucose and increasing insulin sensitivity, as well as stronger hepatoprotection, owing to higher total antioxidant capacity and activated hepatic antioxidant enzymes. However, it did not exhibit better effects in preventing fat accumulation. The different effects of Se-rich and Se-deficient black tea on the gut microbiota might have been partially responsible for the results.

CONCLUSION

Compared with Se-deficient black tea, Se-rich black tea displayed stronger activity in preventing high-fat diet-induced hyperglycemia and liver damage but was not better at preventing fat accumulation and attenuating dysbiosis. More experiments are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms further. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Computational Investigation into the Ni(SeNHC2(CN)2)2 and Ni(SNHC2(CN)2)2 Complexes as Potential Catalysts for Hydrogen Production

To reduce our carbon footprint, we must look at alternative non-carbon-containing fuels to prevent continued global climate change. One environmentally friendly alternative fuel is molecular hydrogen. Herein the Ni(SeNHC₂(CN)₂)₂ complex was studied using DFT to determine the thermodynamics associated with the electrocatalytic formation of H₂(g). From the calculated thermodynamics, it appears that the Ni(SeNHC₂(CN)₂)₂ complex is predicted to catalyze the production of H₂ gas under mildly reducing conditions relative to the SHE. Notably, the thermodynamics are better than the values calculated for the analogous Ni(SNHC₂(CN)₂)₂ complex which has been shown experimentally to catalyze the formation of H₂ gas in aqueous solution. Regarding possible kinetic reactivity, the HOMO-LUMO gap energies were calculated. From the gap energies, it is expected that the Se-containing compounds would be more reactive to electron transfer in the third reduction step, meaning therefore that a smaller overpotential would be needed to drive the reduction of Red2-H₂ relative to ^SRed2-H₂ in agreement with past experimental work. Thus, the use of Se in such compounds may offer a means to improve the catalysts for H₂ production.

A Computational Investigation of the Binding of the Selenium Analogues of Ergothioneine and Ovothiol to Cu(I) and Cu(II) and the Effect of Binding on the Redox Potential of the Cu(II)/Cu(I) Redox Couple

The complexes formed from the binding of ovoselenol (OSeH) and ergoseloneine (ESeH) to Cu(II) and Cu(I) have been investigated with DFT methods. From the calculated thermodynamics, the binding of OSeH and ESeH to Cu(II) and Cu(I) ions increases the reduction potential for the Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox couple. The calculated reduction potentials for the Cu(II)(OSe)2/Cu(I)(OSeH)3+ and Cu(II)(ESe)2/Cu(I)(ESeH)3+ redox couples were found to be 1.15 V and 1.24 V in a dilute aqueous solution. By combining the half reactions for the oxidation of OSeH to the diselenide OSeSeO with the reduction of Cu(II)(OSe)2 to Cu(I)(OSeH)3+, the calculated EMF was 0.90 V. For the oxidation of ESeH to the diselenide ESeSeE with the concomitant reduction of Cu(II)(ESe)2 to Cu(I)(ESeH)3+, the calculated EMF was 0.67 V. Thus, for both systems, the reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) with concomitant formation of either diselenide is thermodynamically favourable, and it is expected that both OSeH and ESeH are suitable for the protection against copper induced oxidative damage. As a result, the inhibition of the recycling of Cu(I) to Cu(II) is thermodynamically favourable in the presence of OSeH and ESeH.

Characterization of the [NiFeSe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

The [NiFeSe] hydrogenases are a subgroup of the well-characterized family of [NiFe] hydrogenases, in which a selenocysteine is a ligand to the nickel atom in the binuclear NiFe active site instead of cysteine. These enzymes display very interesting catalytic properties for biological hydrogen production and bioelectrochemical applications: high H₂ production activity, bias for H₂ evolution, low H₂ inhibition, and some degree of O₂ tolerance. Here we describe the methodologies employed to study the [NiFeSe] hydrogenase isolated from the sulfate-reducing bacteria D. vulgaris Hildenborough and the creation of a homologous expression system for production of variant forms of the enzyme.

From protein engineering to artificial enzymes - biological and biomimetic approaches towards sustainable hydrogen production

Hydrogen gas is used extensively in industry today and is often put forward as a suitable energy carrier due its high energy density. Currently, the main source of molecular hydrogen is fossil fuels via steam reforming. Consequently, novel production methods are required to improve the sustainability of hydrogen gas for industrial processes, as well as paving the way for its implementation as a future solar fuel. Nature has already developed an elaborate hydrogen economy, where the production and consumption of hydrogen gas is catalysed by hydrogenase enzymes. In this review we summarize efforts on engineering and optimizing these enzymes for biological hydrogen gas production, with an emphasis on their inorganic cofactors. Moreover, we will describe how our understanding of these enzymes has been applied for the preparation of bio-inspired/-mimetic systems for efficient and sustainable hydrogen production.

Why Nature Chose Selenium

The authors were asked by the Editors of ACS Chemical Biology to write an article titled "Why Nature Chose Selenium" for the occasion of the upcoming bicentennial of the discovery of selenium by the Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1817 and styled after the famous work of Frank Westheimer on the biological chemistry of phosphate [Westheimer, F. H. (1987) Why Nature Chose Phosphates, Science 235, 1173-1178]. This work gives a history of the important discoveries of the biological processes that selenium participates in, and a point-by-point comparison of the chemistry of selenium with the atom it replaces in biology, sulfur. This analysis shows that redox chemistry is the largest chemical difference between the two chalcogens. This difference is very large for both one-electron and two-electron redox reactions. Much of this difference is due to the inability of selenium to form π bonds of all types. The outer valence electrons of selenium are also more loosely held than those of sulfur. As a result, selenium is a better nucleophile and will react with reactive oxygen species faster than sulfur, but the resulting lack of π-bond character in the Se-O bond means that the Se-oxide can be much more readily reduced in comparison to S-oxides. The combination of these properties means that replacement of sulfur with selenium in nature results in a selenium-containing biomolecule that resists permanent oxidation. Multiple examples of this gain of function behavior from the literature are discussed.

Molecular evolution of gas cavity in [NiFeSe] hydrogenases resurrected in silico

Oxygen tolerance of selenium-containing [NiFeSe] hydrogenases (Hases) is attributable to the high reducing power of the selenocysteine residue, which sustains the bimetallic Ni–Fe catalytic center in the large subunit. Genes encoding [NiFeSe] Hases are inherited by few sulphate-reducing δ-proteobacteria globally distributed under various anoxic conditions. Ancestral sequences of [NiFeSe] Hases were elucidated and their three-dimensional structures were recreated in silico using homology modelling and molecular dynamic simulation, which suggested that deep gas channels gradually developed in [NiFeSe] Hases under absolute anaerobic conditions, whereas the enzyme remained as a sealed edifice under environmental conditions of a higher oxygen exposure risk. The development of a gas cavity appears to be driven by non-synonymous mutations, which cause subtle conformational changes locally and distantly, even including highly conserved sequence regions.

[NiFeSe]-hydrogenase chemistry

The development of technology for the inexpensive generation of the renewable energy vector H2 through water splitting is of immediate economic, ecological, and humanitarian interest. Recent interest in hydrogenases has been fueled by their exceptionally high catalytic rates for H2 production at a marginal overpotential, which is presently only matched by the nonscalable noble metal platinum. The mechanistic understanding of hydrogenase function guides the design of synthetic catalysts, and selection of a suitable hydrogenase enables direct applications in electro- and photocatalysis. [FeFe]-hydrogenases display excellent H2 evolution activity, but they are irreversibly damaged upon exposure to O2, which currently prevents their use in full water splitting systems. O2-tolerant [NiFe]-hydrogenases are known, but they are typically strongly biased toward H2 oxidation, while H2 production by [NiFe]-hydrogenases is often product (H2) inhibited. [NiFeSe]-hydrogenases are a subclass of [NiFe]-hydrogenases with a selenocysteine residue coordinated to the active site nickel center in place of a cysteine. They exhibit a combination of unique properties that are highly advantageous for applications in water splitting compared with other hydrogenases. They display a high H2 evolution rate with marginal inhibition by H2 and tolerance to O2. [NiFeSe]-hydrogenases are therefore one of the most active molecular H2 evolution catalysts applicable in water splitting. Herein, we summarize our recent progress in exploring the unique chemistry of [NiFeSe]-hydrogenases through biomimetic model chemistry and the chemistry with [NiFeSe]-hydrogenases in semiartificial photosynthetic systems. We gain perspective from the structural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical properties of the [NiFeSe]-hydrogenases and compare them with the chemistry of synthetic models of this hydrogenase active site. Our synthetic models give insight into the effects on the electronic properties and reactivity of the active site upon the introduction of selenium. We have utilized the exceptional properties of the [NiFeSe]-hydrogenase from Desulfomicrobium baculatum in a number of photocatalytic H2 production schemes, which are benchmark systems in terms of single site activity, tolerance toward O2, and in vitro water splitting with biological molecules. Each system comprises a light-harvesting component, which allows for light-driven electron transfer to the hydrogenase in order for it to catalyze H2 production. A system with [NiFeSe]-hydrogenase on a dye-sensitized TiO2 nanoparticle gives an enzyme-semiconductor hybrid for visible light-driven generation of H2 with an enzyme-based turnover frequency of 50 s(-1). A stable and inexpensive polymeric carbon nitride as a photosensitizer in combination with the [NiFeSe]-hydrogenase shows good activity for more than 2 days. Light-driven H2 evolution with the enzyme and an organic dye under high O2 levels demonstrates the excellent robustness and feasibility of water splitting with a hydrogenase-based scheme. This has led, most recently, to the development of a light-driven full water splitting system with a [NiFeSe]-hydrogenase wired to the water oxidation enzyme photosystem II in a photoelectrochemical cell. In contrast to the other systems, this photoelectrochemical system does not rely on a sacrificial electron donor and allowed us to establish the long sought after light-driven water splitting with an isolated hydrogenase.

Nickel-Substituted Rubredoxin as a Minimal Enzyme Model for Hydrogenase

A simple, functional mimic of [NiFe] hydrogenases based on a nickel-substituted rubredoxin (NiRd) protein is reported. NiRd is capable of light-initiated and solution-phase hydrogen production and demonstrates high electrocatalytic activity using protein film voltammetry. The catalytic voltammograms are modeled using analytical expressions developed for hydrogenase enzymes, revealing maximum turnover frequencies of approximately 20-100 s(-1) at 4 °C with an overpotential of 540 mV. These rates are directly comparable to those observed for [NiFe] hydrogenases under similar conditions. Like the native enzymes, the proton reduction activity of NiRd is strongly inhibited by carbon monoxide. This engineered rubredoxin-based enzyme is chemically and thermally robust, easily accessible, and highly tunable. These results have implications for understanding the enzymatic mechanisms of native hydrogenases, and, using NiRd as a scaffold, it will be possible to optimize this catalyst for application in sustainable fuel generation.

Cofactor composition and function of a H2-sensing regulatory hydrogenase as revealed by Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopy

The regulatory hydrogenase (RH) from Ralstonia eutropha H16 acts as a sensor for the detection of environmental H₂ and regulates gene expression related to hydrogenase-mediated cellular metabolism. In marked contrast to prototypical energy-converting [NiFe] hydrogenases, the RH is apparently insensitive to inhibition by O₂ and CO. While the physiological function of regulatory hydrogenases is well established, little is known about the redox cycling of the [NiFe] center and the nature of the iron-sulfur (FeS) clusters acting as electron relay. The absence of any FeS cluster signals in EPR had been attributed to their particular nature, whereas the observation of essentially only two active site redox states, namely Ni-SI and Ni-C, invoked a different operant mechanism. In the present work, we employ a combination of Mössbauer, FTIR and EPR spectroscopic techniques to study the RH, and the results are consistent with the presence of three [4Fe-4S] centers in the small subunit. In the as-isolated, oxidized RH all FeS clusters reside in the EPR-silent 2+ state. Incubation with H₂ leads to reduction of two of the [4Fe-4S] clusters, whereas only strongly reducing agents lead to reduction of the third cluster, which is ascribed to be the [4Fe-4S] center in 'proximal' position to the [NiFe] center. In the two different active site redox states, the low-spin Fe^II exhibits distinct Mössbauer features attributed to changes in the electronic and geometric structure of the catalytic center. The results are discussed with regard to the spectral characteristics and physiological function of H₂-sensing regulatory hydrogenases.

Synthetic Active Site Model of the [NiFeSe] Hydrogenase

A dinuclear synthetic model of the [NiFeSe] hydrogenase active site and a structural, spectroscopic and electrochemical analysis of this complex is reported. [NiFe(‘S₂Se₂’)(CO)₃] (H₂‘S₂Se₂’=1,2-bis(2-thiabutyl-3,3-dimethyl-4-selenol)benzene) has been synthesized by reacting the nickel selenolate complex [Ni(‘S₂Se₂’)] with [Fe(CO)₃bda] (bda=benzylideneacetone). X-ray crystal structure analysis confirms that [NiFe(‘S₂Se₂’)(CO)₃] mimics the key structural features of the enzyme active site, including a doubly bridged heterobimetallic nickel and iron center with a selenolate terminally coordinated to the nickel center. Comparison of [NiFe(‘S₂Se₂’)(CO)₃] with the previously reported thiolate analogue [NiFe(‘S₄’)(CO)₃] (H₂‘S₄’=H₂xbsms=1,2-bis(4-mercapto-3,3-dimethyl-2-thiabutyl)benzene) showed that the selenolate groups in [NiFe(‘S₂Se₂’)(CO)₃] give lower carbonyl stretching frequencies in the IR spectrum. Electrochemical studies of [NiFe(‘S₂Se₂’)(CO)₃] and [NiFe(‘S₄’)(CO)₃] demonstrated that both complexes do not operate as homogenous H₂ evolution catalysts, but are precursors to a solid deposit on an electrode surface for H₂ evolution catalysis in organic and aqueous solution.

Spectroscopic and electrochemical characterization of the [NiFeSe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F: reversible redox behavior and interactions between electron transfer centers

Characterizing a new hydrogenase: The newly isolated [NiFeSe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F displays catalytic properties distinct from other hydrogenase proteins. Here we apply site-specific spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques to characterize these unique features at the molecular level.

Influence of the protein structure surrounding the active site on the catalytic activity of [NiFeSe] hydrogenases

A combined experimental and theoretical study of the catalytic activity of a [NiFeSe] hydrogenase has been performed by H/D exchange mass spectrometry and molecular dynamics simulations. Hydrogenases are enzymes that catalyze the heterolytic cleavage or production of H2. The [NiFeSe] hydrogenases belong to a subgroup of the [NiFe] enzymes in which a selenocysteine is a ligand of the nickel atom in the active site instead of cysteine. The aim of this research is to determine how much the specific catalytic properties of this hydrogenase are influenced by the replacement of a sulfur by selenium in the coordination of the bimetallic active site versus the changes in the protein structure surrounding the active site. The pH dependence of the D2/H(+) exchange activity and the high isotope effect observed in the Michaelis constant for the dihydrogen substrate and in the single exchange/double exchange ratio suggest that a "cage effect" due to the protein structure surrounding the active site is modulating the enzymatic catalysis. This "cage effect" is supported by molecular dynamics simulations of the diffusion of H2 and D2 from the outside to the inside of the protein, which show different accumulation of these substrates in a cavity next to the active site.

Principles of sustained enzymatic hydrogen oxidation in the presence of oxygen--the crucial influence of high potential Fe-S clusters in the electron relay of [NiFe]-hydrogenases

"Hyd-1", produced by Escherichia coli , exemplifies a special class of [NiFe]-hydrogenase that can sustain high catalytic H(2) oxidation activity in the presence of O(2)-an intruder that normally incapacitates the sulfur- and electron-rich active site. The mechanism of "O(2) tolerance" involves a critical role for the Fe-S clusters of the electron relay, which is to ensure the availability-for immediate transfer back to the active site-of all of the electrons required to reduce an attacking O(2) molecule completely to harmless H(2)O. The unique [4Fe-3S] cluster proximal to the active site is crucial because it can rapidly transfer two of the electrons needed. Here we investigate and establish the equally crucial role of the high potential medial [3Fe-4S] cluster, located >20 Å from the active site. A variant, P242C, in which the medial [3Fe-4S] cluster is replaced by a [4Fe-4S] cluster, is unable to sustain steady-state H(2) oxidation activity in 1% O(2). The [3Fe-4S] cluster is essential only for the first stage of complete O(2) reduction, ensuring the supply of all three electrons needed to form the oxidized inactive state "Ni-B" or "Ready" (Ni(III)-OH). Potentiometric titrations show that Ni-B is easily reduced (E(m) ≈ +0.1 V at pH 6.0); this final stage of the O(2)-tolerance mechanism regenerates active enzyme, effectively completing a competitive four-electron oxidase cycle and is fast regardless of alterations at the proximal or medial clusters. As a consequence of all these factors, the enzyme's response to O(2), viewed by its electrocatalytic activity in protein film electrochemistry (PFE) experiments, is merely to exhibit attenuated steady-state H(2) oxidation activity; thus, O(2) behaves like a reversible inhibitor rather than an agent that effectively causes irreversible inactivation. The data consolidate a rich picture of the versatile role of Fe-S clusters in electron relays and suggest that Hyd-1 can function as a proficient hydrogen oxidase.

Structural features of [NiFeSe] and [NiFe] hydrogenases determining their different properties: a computational approach

Hydrogenases are metalloenzymes that catalyze the reversible reaction H(2)<->2H(+) + 2e(-), being potentially useful in H(2) production or oxidation. [NiFeSe] hydrogenases are a particularly interesting subgroup of the [NiFe] class that exhibit tolerance to O(2) inhibition and produce more H(2) than standard [NiFe] hydrogenases. However, the molecular determinants responsible for these properties remain unknown. Hydrophobic pathways for H(2) diffusion have been identified in [NiFe] hydrogenases, as have proton transfer pathways, but they have never been studied in [NiFeSe] hydrogenases. Our aim was, for the first time, to characterize the H(2) and proton pathways in a [NiFeSe] hydrogenase and compare them with those in a standard [NiFe] hydrogenase. We performed molecular dynamics simulations of H(2) diffusion in the [NiFeSe] hydrogenase from Desulfomicrobium baculatum and extended previous simulations of the [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio gigas (Teixeira et al. in Biophys J 91:2035-2045, 2006). The comparison showed that H(2) density near the active site is much higher in [NiFeSe] hydrogenase, which appears to have an alternative route for the access of H(2) to the active site. We have also determined a possible proton transfer pathway in the [NiFeSe] hydrogenase from D. baculatum using continuum electrostatics and Monte Carlo simulation and compared it with the proton pathway we found in the [NiFe] hydrogenase from D. gigas (Teixeira et al. in Proteins 70:1010-1022, 2008). The residues constituting both proton transfer pathways are considerably different, although in the same region of the protein. These results support the hypothesis that some of the special properties of [NiFeSe] hydrogenases could be related to differences in the H(2) and proton pathways.

Model study of CO inhibition of [NiFe]hydrogenase

We propose a modified mechanism for the inhibition of [NiFe]hydrogenase ([NiFe]H(2)ase) by CO. We present a model study, using a NiRu H(2)ase mimic, that demonstrates that (i) CO completely inhibits the catalytic cycle of the model compound, (ii) CO prefers to coordinate to the Ru(II) center rather than taking an axial position on the Ni(II) center, and (iii) CO is unable to displace a hydrido ligand from the NiRu center. We combine these studies with a reevaluation of previous studies to propose that, under normal circumstances, CO inhibits [NiFe]H(2)ase by complexing to the Fe(II) center.

Hydrogen production and deuterium-proton exchange reactions catalyzed by Desulfovibrio nickel(II)-substituted rubredoxins

The nickel tetrahedral sulfur-coordinated core formed upon metal replacement of the native iron in Desulfovibrio sp. rubredoxins is shown to mimic the reactivity pattern of nickel-containing hydrogenases with respect to hydrogen production, deuterium-proton exchange, and inhibition by carbon monoxide.

Complete genome sequence of Desulfomicrobium baculatum type strain (X)

Desulfomicrobium baculatum is the type species of the genus Desulfomicrobium, which is the type genus of the family Desulfomicrobiaceae. It is of phylogenetic interest because of the isolated location of the family Desulfomicrobiaceae within the order Desulfovibrionales. D. baculatum strain X(T) is a Gram-negative, motile, sulfate-reducing bacterium isolated from water-saturated manganese carbonate ore. It is strictly anaerobic and does not require NaCl for growth, although NaCl concentrations up to 6% (w/v) are tolerated. The metabolism is respiratory or fermentative. In the presence of sulfate, pyruvate and lactate are incompletely oxidized to acetate and CO(2). Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence and annotation. This is the first completed genome sequence of a member of the deltaproteobacterial family Desulfomicrobiaceae, and this 3,942,657 bp long single replicon genome with its 3494 protein-coding and 72 RNA genes is part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

The exchange activities of [Fe] hydrogenase (iron-sulfur-cluster-free hydrogenase) from methanogenic archaea in comparison with the exchange activities of [FeFe] and [NiFe] hydrogenases

[Fe] hydrogenase (iron-sulfur-cluster-free hydrogenase) catalyzes the reversible reduction of methenyltetrahydromethanopterin (methenyl-H4MPT+) with H2 to methylene-H4MPT, a reaction involved in methanogenesis from H2 and CO2 in many methanogenic archaea. The enzyme harbors an iron-containing cofactor, in which a low-spin iron is complexed by a pyridone, two CO and a cysteine sulfur. [Fe] hydrogenase is thus similar to [NiFe] and [FeFe] hydrogenases, in which a low-spin iron carbonyl complex, albeit in a dinuclear metal center, is also involved in H2 activation. Like the [NiFe] and [FeFe] hydrogenases, [Fe] hydrogenase catalyzes an active exchange of H2 with protons of water; however, this activity is dependent on the presence of the hydride-accepting methenyl-H4MPT+. In its absence the exchange activity is only 0.01% of that in its presence. The residual activity has been attributed to the presence of traces of methenyl-H4MPT+ in the enzyme preparations, but it could also reflect a weak binding of H2 to the iron in the absence of methenyl-H4MPT+. To test this we reinvestigated the exchange activity with [Fe] hydrogenase reconstituted from apoprotein heterologously produced in Escherichia coli and highly purified iron-containing cofactor and found that in the absence of added methenyl-H4MPT+ the exchange activity was below the detection limit of the tritium method employed (0.1 nmol min(-1) mg(-1)). The finding reiterates that for H2 activation by [Fe] hydrogenase the presence of the hydride-accepting methenyl-H4MPT+ is essentially required. This differentiates [Fe] hydrogenase from [FeFe] and [NiFe] hydrogenases, which actively catalyze H2/H2O exchange in the absence of exogenous electron acceptors.

Hydrogenases in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough: structural and physiologic characterisation of the membrane-bound [NiFeSe] hydrogenase

The genome of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough (DvH) encodes for six hydrogenases (Hases), making it an interesting organism to study the role of these proteins in sulphate respiration. In this work we address the role of the [NiFeSe] Hase, found to be the major Hase associated with the cytoplasmic membrane. The purified enzyme displays interesting catalytic properties, such as a very high H(2) production activity, which is dependent on the presence of phospholipids or detergent, and resistance to oxygen inactivation since it is isolated aerobically in a Ni(II) oxidation state. Evidence was obtained that the [NiFeSe] Hase is post-translationally modified to include a hydrophobic group bound to the N-terminal, which is responsible for its membrane association. Cleavage of this group originates a soluble, less active form of the enzyme. Sequence analysis shows that [NiFeSe] Hases from Desulfovibrionacae form a separate family from the [NiFe] enzymes of these organisms, and are more closely related to [NiFe] Hases from more distant bacterial species that have a medial [4Fe4S](2+/1+) cluster, but not a selenocysteine. The interaction of the [NiFeSe] Hase with periplasmic cytochromes was investigated and is similar to the [NiFe](1) Hase, with the Type I cytochrome c (3) as the preferred electron acceptor. A model of the DvH [NiFeSe] Hase was generated based on the structure of the Desulfomicrobium baculatum enzyme. The structures of the two [NiFeSe] Hases are compared with the structures of [NiFe] Hases, to evaluate the consensual structural differences between the two families. Several conserved residues close to the redox centres were identified, which may be relevant to the higher activity displayed by [NiFeSe] Hases.

Structural and oxidation-state changes at its nonstandard Ni-Fe site during activation of the NAD-reducing hydrogenase from Ralstonia eutropha detected by X-ray absorption, EPR, and FTIR spectroscopy

Structure and oxidation state of the Ni-Fe cofactor of the NAD-reducing soluble hydrogenase (SH) from Ralstonia eutropha were studied employing X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Ni K-edge, EPR, and FTIR spectroscopy. The SH comprises a nonstandard (CN)Ni-Fe(CN)(3)(CO) site; its hydrogen-cleavage reaction is resistant against inhibition by dioxygen and carbon monoxide. Simulations of the XANES and EXAFS regions of XAS spectra revealed that, in the oxidized SH, the Ni(II) is six-coordinated ((CN)O(3)S(2)); only two of the four conserved cysteines, which bind the Ni in standard Ni-Fe hydrogenases, provide thiol ligands to the Ni. Upon the exceptionally rapid reductive activation of the SH by NADH, an oxygen species is detached from the Ni; hydrogen may subsequently bind to the vacant coordination site. Prolonged reducing conditions cause the two thiols that are remote from the Ni in the native SH to become direct Ni ligands, creating a standardlike Ni(II)(CysS)(4) site, which could be further reduced to form the Ni-C (Ni(III)-H(-)) state. The Ni-C state does not seem to be involved in hydrogen cleavage. Two site-directed mutants (HoxH-I64A, HoxH-L118F) revealed structural changes at their Ni sites and were employed to further dissect the role of the extra CN ligand at the Ni. It is proposed that the predominant coordination by (CN),O ligands stabilizes the Ni(II) oxidation state throughout the catalytic cycle and is a prerequisite for the rapid activation of the SH in the presence of oxygen.

The organometallic active site of [Fe]hydrogenase: models and entatic states

The simple organometallic, (mu-S(2))Fe(2)(CO)(6), serves as a precursor to synthetic analogues of the chemically rudimentary iron-only hydrogenase enzyme active site. The fundamental properties of the (mu-SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)S)[Fe(CO)(3)](2) compound, including structural mobility and regioselectivity in cyanidecarbon monoxide substitution reactions, relate to the enzyme active site in the form of transition-state structures along reaction paths rather than ground-state structures. Even in the absence of protein-based active-site organization, the ground-state structural model complexes are shown to serve as hydrogenase enzyme reaction models, H(2) uptake and H(2) production, with the input of photo- or electrochemical energy, respectively.

Trends in selenium biochemistry

The biochemistry of selenium-containing natural products, including selenoproteins, is reviewed up to May 2002. Particular emphasis is placed on the assimilation of selenium from inorganic and organic selenium sources for selenoprotein synthesis, the catalytic role of selenium in enzymes, and medical implications of an unbalanced selenium supply. The review contains 393 references on key discoveries and recent progress.

Density functional calculations for modeling the active site of nickel-iron hydrogenases. 2. Predictions for the unready and ready States and the corresponding activation processes

ZORA relativistic DFT calculations are presented which aim to model the geometric and electronic structure of the active site of NiFe hydrogenases in its EPR-active oxidized states Ni-A (unready state) and Ni-B (ready state). Starting coordinates are taken from the X-ray structure of a mutant of Desulfovibrio fructosovorans hydrogenase refined at 1.81 A resolution. Nine possible candidates for Ni-A and Ni-B are analyzed in terms of their geometric and electronic structure. Comparison of calculated geometric and magnetic resonance parameters with available experimental data indicates that both oxidized states have a micro-hydroxo bridge between the two metal centers. The different electronic structures of both forms can be explained by a modification of a terminal cysteine in Ni-B, best modeled by protonation of the sulfur atom. A possible mechanism for the activation of both oxidized forms is presented.

The quinol:fumarate oxidoreductase from the sulphate reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio gigas: spectroscopic and redox studies

The membrane bound fumarate reductase (FRD) from the sulphate-reducer Desulfovibrio gigas was purified from cells grown on a fumarate/sulphate medium and extensively characterized. The FRD is isolated with three subunits of apparent molecular masses of 71, 31, and 22 kDa. The enzyme is capable of both fumarate reduction and succinate oxidation, exhibiting a higher specificity toward fumarate (Km for fumarate is 0.42 and for succinate 2 mM) and a reduction rate 30 times faster than that for oxidation. Studies by Visible and EPR spectroscopies allowed the identification of two B-type haems and the three iron-sulplur clusters usually found in FRDs and succinate dehydrogenases: [2Fe-2S]2+/1+ (S1), [4Fe-4S]2+/1+ (S2), and [3Fe-4S]1+/0 (S3). The apparent macroscopic reduction potentials for the metal centers, at pH 7.6, were determined by redox titrations: -45 and -175 mV for the two haems, and +20 and -140 mV for the S3 and SI clusters, respectively. The reduction potentials of the haem groups are pH dependent, supporting the proposal that fumarate reduction is associated with formation of the membrane proton gradient. Furthermore, co-reconstitution in liposomes of D. gigas FRD, duroquinone, and D. gigas cytochrome bd shows that this system is capable of coupling succinate oxidation with oxygen reduction to water.