Biosynthesis of the iron-guanylylpyridinol cofactor of [Fe]-hydrogenase in methanogenic archaea as elucidated by stable-isotope labeling

[Fe]-hydrogenase catalyzes the reversible hydride transfer from H(2) to methenyltetrahydromethanoptherin, which is an intermediate in methane formation from H(2) and CO(2) in methanogenic archaea. The enzyme harbors a unique active site iron-guanylylpyridinol (FeGP) cofactor, in which a low-spin Fe(II) is coordinated by a pyridinol-N, an acyl group, two carbon monoxide, and the sulfur of the enzyme's cysteine. Here, we studied the biosynthesis of the FeGP cofactor by following the incorporation of (13)C and (2)H from labeled precursors into the cofactor in growing methanogenic archaea and by subsequent NMR, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FT-ICR-MS) and IR analysis of the isolated cofactor and reference compounds. The pyridinol moiety of the cofactor was found to be synthesized from three C-1 of acetate, two C-2 of acetate, two C-1 of pyruvate, one carbon from the methyl group of l-methionine, and one carbon directly from CO(2). The metabolic origin of the two CO-ligands was CO(2) rather than C-1 or C-2 of acetate or pyruvate excluding that the two CO are derived from dehydroglycine as has previously been shown for the CO-ligands in [FeFe]-hydrogenases. A formation of CO from CO(2) via direct reduction catalyzed by a nickel-dependent CO dehydrogenase or from formate could also be excluded. When the cells were grown in the presence of (13)CO, the two CO-ligands and the acyl group became (13)C-labeled, indicating either that free CO is an intermediate in their synthesis or that free CO can exchange with these iron-bound ligands. Based on these findings, we propose pathways for how the FeGP cofactor might be synthesized.     

Supported Co catalysts for methane reforming with CO2

Co/-Al₂O₃ catalysts prepared at different calcination temperatures were tried in methane reforming with CO₂ and characterized by XRD, H₂-TPR and coking reaction via CH₄ temperature-programmed decomposition. Characterizations indicated that the surface species of Co, reforming activity and coke formation rate strongly depended on calcination temperature and reduction time.This revised version was published online in December 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Dioxygen Sensitivity of [Fe]‐Hydrogenase in the Presence of Reducing Substrates

Mono‐iron hydrogenase ([Fe]‐hydrogenase) reversibly catalyzes the transfer of a hydride ion from H₂ to methenyltetrahydromethanopterin (methenyl‐H₄MPT⁺) to form methylene‐H₄MPT. Its iron guanylylpyridinol (FeGP) cofactor plays a key role in H₂ activation. Evidence is presented for O₂ sensitivity of [Fe]‐hydrogenase under turnover conditions in the presence of reducing substrates, methylene‐H₄MPT or methenyl‐H₄MPT⁺/H₂. Only then, H₂O₂ is generated, which decomposes the FeGP cofactor; as demonstrated by spectroscopic analyses and the crystal structure of the deactivated enzyme. O₂ reduction to H₂O₂ requires a reductant, which can be a catalytic intermediate transiently formed during the [Fe]‐hydrogenase reaction. The most probable candidate is an iron hydride species; its presence has already been predicted by theoretical studies of the catalytic reaction. The findings support predictions because the same type of reduction reaction is described for ruthenium hydride complexes that hydrogenate polar compounds.     

Reactive oxygen species scavenging ability of a new compound derived from weathered coal

The scavenging activity of three fulvic acids (named XWCS-1, XWCS-4, and XWCS-8 according to time taken for ozonolysis) obtained by ozonolysis of humic acid extracted from Xinjiang (China) weathered coal and a fulvic acid (named XWCFA) extracted from the same coal towards reactive oxygen species such as superoxide radical (O(2)(.)(-)) and hydroxyl radical ((.)OH) was investigated with an electron spin resonance (ESR)-spin trapping method using 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) as a spin trap. O(2)(.)(-) was generated with a hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system. (.)OH was generated by three different methods; (i) FeSO(4)-hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) system, (ii) Cu(en)(2)-H(2)O(2) system, and (iii) UVB photolysis of H(2)O(2). At physiological pH, XWCS-1 had the greatest O(2)(.)(-) scavenging activity, followed by XWCS-4, XWCS-8 and XWCFA. XWCFA had the greatest ?OH scavenging activity among the four fulvic acids, whereas XWCS-1 and XWCS-4 enhanced the production of (.)OH from a metal-catalyzed hydroxyl radical generating system, suggesting that these molecules act as prooxidants in the presence of metal ion.     

Standard model leakage-resilient authenticated key exchange using inner-product extractors

Designs, Codes and Cryptography - With the development of side-channel attacks, a necessity arises to invent authenticated key exchange protocols in a leakage-resilient manner. Constructing...     

Binding of Scandium Ions to Metalloporphyrin–Flavin Complexes for Long‐Lived Charge Separation

A porphyrin–flavin‐linked dyad and its zinc and palladium complexes (MPor?Fl: 2 ?M, M=2 H, Zn, and Pd) were newly synthesized and the X‐ray crystal structure of 2 ?Pd was determined. The photodynamics of 2 ?M were examined by femto‐ and nanosecond laser flash photolysis measurements. Photoinduced electron transfer (ET) in 2 ?H₂ occurred from the singlet excited state of the porphyrin moiety (H₂Por) to the flavin (Fl) moiety to produce the singlet charge‐separated (CS) state ¹(H₂Por^.+?Fl^.?), which decayed through back ET (BET) to form ³[H₂Por]*?Fl with rate constants of 1.2×10¹⁰ and 1.2×10⁹ s^?1, respectively. Similarly, photoinduced ET in 2 ?Pd afforded the singlet CS state, which decayed through BET to form ³[PdPor]*?Fl with rate constants of 2.1×10¹¹ and 6.0×10¹⁰ s^?1, respectively. The rate constant of photoinduced ET and BET of 2 ?M were related to the ET and BET driving forces by using the Marcus theory of ET. One and two Sc³⁺ ions bind to the flavin moiety to form the Fl?Sc³⁺ and Fl?(Sc³⁺)₂ complexes with binding constants of K₁=2.2×10⁵ M ^?1 and K₂=1.8×10³ M ^?1, respectively. Other metal ions, such as Y³⁺, Zn²⁺, and Mg²⁺, form only 1:1 complexes with flavin. In contrast to 2 ?M and the 1:1 complexes with metal ions, which afforded the short‐lived singlet CS state, photoinduced ET in 2 ?Pd???Sc³⁺ complexes afforded the triplet CS state (³[PdPor^.+?Fl^.??(Sc³⁺)₂]), which exhibited a remarkably long lifetime of τ=110 ms (k_BET=9.1 s^?1).     

Effect of branched alkyl chains attached at sp3 silicon of donor–acceptor copolymers on their morphology and photovoltaic properties

We study the degree of π?π interactions in two copolymers composed of 2‐octylbenzotriazole and dialkyldithienosiloles with linear hexyl (P1) and branched 2‐ethylhexyl groups (P2). Although the branched ethyl group can be positioned above the π‐plane of dithienosilole to bring disadvantage to stack among the polymers, the solid‐state absorption spectra of the polymers reveal that P2 possesses stronger interchain interactions than P1. We also evaluate the photovoltaic properties of each polymer with [6,6]‐phenyl‐C₇₁‐butyric acid methyl ester. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012