Geneviève Blondin

Structural and functional characterization of 2-oxo-histidine in oxidized PerR protein

In Bacillus subtilis, PerR is a metal-dependent sensor of hydrogen peroxide. PerR is a dimeric zinc protein with a regulatory site that coordinates either Fe(2+) (PerR-Zn-Fe) or Mn(2+) (PerR-Zn-Mn). Though most of the peroxide sensors use cysteines to detect H(2)O(2), it has been shown that reaction of PerR-Zn-Fe with H(2)O(2) leads to the oxidation of one histidine residue. Oxidation of PerR leads to the incorporation of one oxygen atom into His37 or His91. This study presents the crystal structure of the oxidized PerR protein (PerR-Zn-ox), which clearly shows a 2-oxo-histidine residue in position 37. Formation of 2-oxo-histidine is demonstrated and quantified by HPLC-MS/MS. EPR experiments indicate that PerR-Zn-H37ox retains a significant affinity for the regulatory metal, whereas PerR-Zn-H91ox shows a considerably reduced affinity for the metal ion. In spite of these major differences in terms of metal binding affinity, oxidation of His37 and/or His91 in PerR prevents DNA binding.

Structure and electronic properties of (N,N′-bis(4-methyl-6-tert-butyl-2-methyl-phenolato)-N,N′-bismethyl-1,2-diaminoethaneFeIII (DBSQ). Spectroelectrochemical study of the red-ox properties. Relevance to intradiol catechol dioxygenases

Abstract The species LFe III Cl ( 1 ) was synthesized where L 2− is the dianion N , N ′-bis(4-methyl-6-tert-butyl-2-methyl-phenolato)- N , N ′-bismethyl1,2-diaminoethane. It crystallizes in the triclinic space group P -1 with a = 14.704(6), b = 17.421(7), c = 17.328(8) A , α = 89.45(8) , β = 129.76(9), γ = 102.71(9)°, V = 3277(2) A 3 and Z = 2 . The molecule has approximately a square pyramidal structure. In the presence of DBCH 2 (3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol), this complex gives LFe III (DBSQ) ( 2 ), a stable Fe(III)-semiquinonato complex (DBSQ − stands for the 3,5-di-tert-butyl- o -benzosemiquinone monoanion). It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C 2/ c with a = 36.24(2), b = 10.438(5), c = 23.928(12) A , β = 115.31(5)°, V = 8183(7) A 3 and Z = 8 . This X-ray study allows the structure of the DBSQ − monoanion complexed to Fe(III) to be compared with that of the DBC 2− dianion complexed to Fe(III) as found in several complexes already described (see for instance H.G. Jang, D.D. Cox and L. Que, Jr., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 113 (1991) 9200–9204). A clear alternation is found in CC bond lengths in the DBSQ − monoanion. Magnetic coupling between the S Fe = 5 2 electronic spin on Fe(III) and the S R = 1 2 electronic spin on the DBSQ − anion radical has been deduced from the behavior of the magnetic susceptibility as a function of temperature. It has been found antiferromagnetic with J = −206 cm −1 (with the notation H = − JS Fc S R ). This is a weaker coupling than that found in other analogous complexes. Mossbauer spectroscopy confirms the S = 2 nature of the ground state. Analysis of the 57 Fe hyperfine coupling parameters prove that the earlier description of the electronic structure of 2 is correct. It is possible to reduce 2 to get [LFe III (DBC)] − ( E 0 = −0.3 V/SCE in AcN). This species has UV-Vis and EPR properties typical of this type of complex. In the absence of protons, [LFe III (DBC)] − is stable under pure O 2 but the addition of protons results in its oxidation to form 2 . The insensitivity of [LFe III (DBC)] − to O 2 is compatible with the idea that the system has to go through an Fe(II) (DBSQ) form by internal electron transfer to allow the attack of the aromatic ring by O 2 (see L. Que and R.Y.N. Ho, Chem. Rev., 96 (1996) 2607–2624, for a review). Observation of the lowest energy LMCT band in [LFe III (DBC)] − at 620 nm (2.00 eV, AcN) suggests that the Fe(II) (DBSQ) form is indeed at high energy ( ΔG 0 ) above the catechol form. This contributes from Marcus theory to a high activation energy. In intradiol dioxygenases the decoordination of one of the tyrosine ligands (D.H. Ohlendorf, A.M. Orville and J.D. Lipscomb, J. Mol. Biol., 244 (1994) 586–608) is certainly important for the deprotonation of the catechol substrate but could also accelerate the formation of the postulated Fe(II)-semiquinonato intermediate. The stability of 2 under O 2 also demonstrates the importance of the Fe(II) oxidation state in order to lead to a peroxo form of the oxygen adduct. The insensitivity of [LFe III (DBC)] − to O 2 argues against the view of the dioxygenase activity as the result of an electrophilic attack of the catecholato by O 2 in model complexes.

Dinitrogen Activation Upon Reduction of a Triiron(II) Complex

Reaction of a trinuclear iron(II) complex, Fe3 Br3 L (1), with KC8 under N2 leads to dinitrogen activation products (2) from which Fe3 (NH)3 L (2-1; L is a cyclophane bridged by three β-diketiminate arms) was characterized by X-ray crystallography. (1) H NMR spectra of the protonolysis product of 2 synthesized under (14) N2 and (15) N2 confirm atmospheric N2 reduction, and ammonia is detected by the indophenol assay (yield ∼30 %). IR and Mössbauer spectroscopy, and elemental analysis on 2 and 2-1 as well as the tri(amido)triiron(II) 3 and tri(methoxo)triiron 4 congeners support our assignment of the reduction product as containing protonated N-atom bridges.

Triggering the Generation of an Iron(IV)-Oxo Compound and Its Reactivity toward Sulfides by RuII Photocatalysis

The preparation of [FeIV(O)(MePy2tacn)]2+ (2, MePy2tacn = N-methyl-N,N-bis(2-picolyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) by reaction of [FeII(MePy2tacn)(solvent)]2+ (1) and PhIO in CH3CN and its full characterization are described. This compound can also be prepared photochemically from its iron(II) precursor by irradiation at 447 nm in the presence of catalytic amounts of [RuII(bpy)3]2+ as photosensitizer and a sacrificial electron acceptor (Na2S2O8). Remarkably, the rate of the reaction of the photochemically prepared compound 2 toward sulfides increases 150-fold under irradiation, and 2 is partially regenerated after the sulfide has been consumed; hence, the process can be repeated several times. The origin of this rate enhancement has been established by studying the reaction of chemically generated compound 2 with sulfides under different conditions, which demonstrated that both light and [RuII(bpy)3]2+ are necessary for the observed increase in the reaction rate. A combination of nanosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy with laser pulse excitation and other mechanistic studies has led to the conclusion that an electron transfer mechanism is the most plausible explanation for the observed rate enhancement. According to this mechanism, the in-situ-generated [RuIII(bpy)3]3+ oxidizes the sulfide to form the corresponding radical cation, which is eventually oxidized by 2 to the corresponding sulfoxide.

Post-translational Modification of Ribosomal Proteins STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF RimO FROM THERMOTOGA MARITIMA, A RADICAL S-ADENOSYLMETHIONINE METHYLTHIOTRANSFERASE

Post-translational modifications of ribosomal proteins are important for the accuracy of the decoding machinery. A recent in vivo study has shown that the rimO gene is involved in generation of the 3-methylthio derivative of residue Asp-89 in ribosomal protein S12 (Anton, B. P., Saleh, L., Benner, J. S., Raleigh, E. A., Kasif, S., and Roberts, R. J. (2008) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 105, 1826–1831). This reaction is formally identical to that catalyzed by MiaB on the C2 of adenosine 37 near the anticodon of several tRNAs. We present spectroscopic evidence that Thermotoga maritima RimO, like MiaB, contains two [4Fe-4S] centers, one presumably bound to three invariant cysteines in the central radical S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) domain and the other to three invariant cysteines in the N-terminal UPF0004 domain. We demonstrate that holo-RimO can specifically methylthiolate the aspartate residue of a 20-mer peptide derived from S12, yielding a mixture of mono- and bismethylthio derivatives. Finally, we present the 2.0 Å crystal structure of the central radical AdoMet and the C-terminal TRAM (tRNA methyltransferase 2 and MiaB) domains in apo-RimO. Although the core of the open triose-phosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel of the radical AdoMet domain was conserved, RimO showed differences in domain organization compared with other radical AdoMet enzymes. The unusually acidic TRAM domain, likely to bind the basic S12 protein, is located at the distal edge of the radical AdoMet domain. The basic S12 protein substrate is likely to bind RimO through interactions with both the TRAM domain and the concave surface of the incomplete TIM barrel. These biophysical results provide a foundation for understanding the mechanism of methylthioation by radical AdoMet enzymes in the MiaB/RimO family.

Mononuclear Fe(II) and Fe(III) complexes with the tetradentate ligand N,N′-bisbenzyl-N,N′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethane-1,2-diamine. Synthesis and characterisation

Abstract Two new mononuclear iron complexes, [(LBzl2)Fe(II)Cl2]·H2O and [(LBzl2) Fe(III)Cl2]·PF6, (LBzl2=N,N′-bisbenzyl-N,N′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethane-1,2-diamine) have been synthesised in view of generating complexes to mimic the active site of methane monooxygenase. Their structures have been determined by X-ray analysis. In both species, the iron atom shows a pseudo-octahedral coordination with two pyridine nitrogen atoms in axial positions and two amine nitrogen atoms in the equatorial plane. Two other equatorial positions are occupied by chloride ions. The coordination bond lengths clearly indicate the sensitivity of the ligand to the oxidation state of the iron. Thus, the FeN and FeCl bond distances in Fe(II) complex are more elongated than corresponding distances in Fe(III). A statistical examination of the bond distances of hexacoordinated Fe(II) and Fe(III) complexes using the Cambridge Structural Database provides evidence to relate both complexes to their spin state. The redox potential of the Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple was determined by cyclic voltammetry. The UV–Vis spectra are dominated by charge transfer transitions. The X-band EPR spectrum of [(LBzl2) FeCl2]·PF6 is characteristic of an S=5/2 species with an unusual zero-field splitting.

From metal to ligand electroactivity in nickel(II) oxamato complexes

The locus of oxidation in square-planar nickel(ii) oxamato complexes can be continuously shifted from the metal to the ligand by an appropriate choice of electron-donating substituents on the aromatic moiety of the ligand.

A novel mixed-valent MnIII–MnIV-dimer, [L2Mn2(µ-O)2(µ-MeCO2)][BPh4]2·MeCN: crystal structure, magnetic properties, and e.s.r. spectrum (L = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane)

The green mixed-valence dimer [L2Mn2(µ-O)2(µ-MeCO2)][BPh4]2·MeCN (L = 1,4,7-triacacyclononane) is formed on hydrolysis of [L2Mn2(µ-O)(µ-MeCO2)2]2+ in water in the presence of air; characterization by X-ray crystallography showed the presence of the di-µ-acetato-dimanganese(III,IV) core, and temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate an S= 1/2 ground state and very strong intramolecular antiferromagnetic coupling (J–440 cm–1).

Characterizations of chloro and aqua Mn(II) mononuclear complexes with amino-pyridine ligands. Comparison of their electrochemical properties with those of Fe(II) counterparts.

The solution behavior of mononuclear Mn(II) complexes, namely, [(L(5)(2))MnCl](+) (1), [(L(5)(3))MnCl](+) (2), [(L(5)(2))Mn(OH(2))](2+) (3), [(L(5)(3))Mn(OH(2))](2+) (4), and [(L(6)(2))Mn(OH(2))](2+) (6), with L(5)(2/3) and L(6)(2) being penta- and hexadentate amino-pyridine ligands, is investigated in MeCN using EPR, UV-vis spectroscopies, and electrochemistry. The addition of one chloride ion onto species 6 leads to the formation of the complex [(L(6)(2))MnCl](+) (5) that is X-ray characterized. EPR and UV-vis spectra indicate that structure and redox states of complexes 1-6 are maintained in MeCN solution. Chloro complexes 1, 2, and 5 show reversible Mn(II)/Mn(III) process at 0.95, 1.02, and 1.05 V vs SCE, respectively, whereas solvated complexes 3, 4, and 6 show an irreversible anodic peak around 1.5 V vs SCE. Electrochemical oxidations of 1 and 5 leading to the Mn(III) complexes [(L(5)(2))MnCl](2+) (7) and [(L(6)(2))MnCl](2+) (8) are successful. The UV-vis signatures of 7 and 8 show features associated with chloro to Mn(III) LMCT and d-d transitions. The X-ray characterization of the heptacoordinated Mn(III) species 8 is also reported. The analogous electrochemical generation of the corresponding Mn(III) complex was not possible when starting from 2. The new mixed-valence di-mu-oxo [(L(5)(2))Mn(muO)(2)Mn(L(5)(2))](3+) species (9) can be obtained from 3, whereas the sister [(L(5)(3))Mn(muO)(2)Mn(L(5)(3))](3+) species can not be generated from 4. Such different responses upon oxidations are commented on with the help of comparison with related Mn/Fe complexes and are discussed in relation with the size of the metallacycle formed between the diamino bridge and the metal center (5- vs 6-membered). Lastly, a comparison between redox potentials of the studied Mn(II) complexes with those of Fe(II) analogues is drawn and completed with previously reported data on Mn/Fe isostructural systems. This gives us the opportunity to get some indirect insights into the metal specificity encountered in enzymes among which superoxide dismutase is the archetypal model.

A Unique Heterotopic Ligand for Sequential Synthesis of Polymetallic Complexes

A new organic ligand bearing four coordination sites that may be metallated in a stepwise manner is described, together with its CuII and FeII derivatives. This may be considered as the first ligand precursor for trimetallic systems.