Iron-sulfur clusters oxidation-reduction reactions

Proteins containing iron-sulfur clusters are ubiquitous in nature, due primarily to their involvement in biological electron transfer reactions. In addition to functioning as simple reagents for electron transfer, protein-bound iron-sulfur clusters also function in catalysis of numerous redox reactions (e.g., H2 oxidation, N2 reduction) and, in some cases, of reactions that involve the addition or elimination of water to or from specific substrates (e.g., aconitase in the tricarboxylic acid cycle) (1). 

Bonding concepts for cubanes, as discussed in Chapter 2.3., predict that the metal polyhedra in the cubanes will contract upon oxidation because of increased metal-metal interaction and vice versa. This has been verified for [CpFeS] 381), [CpFe(CO)]4 167, 177), and [CpCoS]4 361). Furthermore, the ease of oxidation and reduction of several cubane-type clusters 166,167, 361, 381), and the delocalization of electrons in the charged species 48, 176,177, 401) is noticeable. This, together with the prefered formation of iron-sulfur clusters, 381), is borne out by the fact that Nature uses iron-sulfur proteins for redox reactions 207). 

NADH dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase also contain Fe atoms that are bound by the S atoms of cysteine residues of the protein, in association with additional, inorganic sulfide atoms. Structures of these complexes are shown in figure 10.19. Succinate dehydrogenase has three iron-sulfur centers, one with a [2Fe-2S] cluster, one with [4Fe-4S], and one with a cluster containing 3 Fe atoms and 3 (or possibly 4) sulfides. Iron-sulfur centers undergo one-electron oxidation-reduction reactions. 

Other biomimetic reactions are based on the catalytic properties of metal ions. Many enzymes require metal ions that function, in one way or another, in oxidation-reduction processes. The wide range of such metal-ion reactions precludes mentioning more than a few in addition to the iron-porphyrin class, and in addition to chlorophyll, a number of enzymes require cobalamin as cofactor ferridoxin and high-potential iron proteins require iron-sulfur clusters, and nitrog-... 

The reduction state of the pterin was a point of uncertainty throughout these studies of molybopterin derivatives. The absence of fluorescence in anaerobic molybdopterin samples suggested a reduced pterin. Redox titration of XO and SO both indicated that the pterin could undergo a two-electron oxidation reaction (73, 74). Sulfite oxidase, for example, produced the fluorescence characteristic of an oxidized pterin after addition of 2 equiv of ferricyanide. However, titrating XO was problematic due to interfering redox processes of the iron-sulfur clusters. 

Two clusters in CO dehydrogenase are required for oxidation of CO or reduction of CO 2 (Figure 1). The catalytic site is a nickel iron sulfur cluster called Cluster C. The two electrons involved in this redox reaction are transferred to or from a ferredoxin-like [4Fe64S] cluster called Cluster B. Cluster C is a NiFeS center whereas. Cluster B is most certainly a typical [4Fe64S] cluster (Ragsdale et ah, 1982 Lindahl et al., 1990 Lindahl et ah, 1990). 

Figure 18.13. Iron-Sulfur Clusters. (A) A single iron ion hound hy four cysteine residues. (B) 2Fe-2S cluster with iron ions bridged by sulfide ions. (C) 4Fe-4S cluster. Each of these clusters can undergo oxidation-reduction reactions.

All known molybdenum- and tungsten-containing enzymes catalyse reduction-oxidation reactions. The oxidation state of the metal centre can vary between iv, v and vi, hence one- and two-electron transfer reaction steps are possible. In Nature two different ways exist to control the catalytic power and the oxidation state of the metal centre of molybdenum enzymes. One is a mononuclear metal centre, which consists of sulfur and oxygen atoms as coordination sphere around molybdenum and the other is the multinuclear metal centre in which the molybdenum is part of an iron-sulfur cluster, which is only known for bacterial nitroge-nase enzymes. ... 

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