Metalloproteins redox intramolecular

Redox reactions usually lead, however, to a marked change in the species, as reactions 4-6 indicate. Important reactions involve the oxidation of organic and metalloprotein substrates (reactions 5 and 6) by oxidizing complex ions. Here the substrate often has ligand properties, and the first step in the overall process appears to be complex formation between the metal and substrate species. Redox reactions will often then be phenomenologically associated with substitution. After complex formation, the redox reaction can occur in a variety of ways, of which a direct intramolecular electron transfer within the adduct is the most obvious. 

Chi, Q.J., Zhang, J.D., Jensen, P.S., Nazmudtinov, R.R., and Ulstrup, J. (2008) Surface-induced intramolecular electron transfer in multi-centre redox metalloproteins the di-haem protein cytochrome q in homogeneous solution and at electrochemical surfaces. Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, 20, 374124. 

Over the past several years, we have developed a technique that has proven extremely valuable in the study of electron transfer between redox sites in metalloproteins. We have reported kinetic studies of the reaction of cytochrome c with cytochrome c peroxidase (i-3), cytochrome oxidase (4), cytochrome bs (5, 6) plastocyanin (7), and cytochrome Ci (8). In addition, we have been able to show (9,10) that intramolecular electron transfer in cytochrome bs covalently... 

These intramolecular electron transfer processes provide an opportunity to examine electron transfer within the protein environment. Addition of a reduc-tant, such as aniline, results in efficient reaction of the Ru(III) with the reduc-tant to form Ru(II), which leaves the heme iron in the reduced state. If a redox active metalloprotein is present in the solution, electron transfer between the reduced heme and the added protein can be observed. Production of reduced heme iron and removal of the Ru(III) intermediate can be accomplished within a few hundred nanoseconds, which allows the study of extremely rapid interprotein electron transfer reactions. 

---