How the Co-C bond is cleaved in coenzyme B12 enzymes: a theoretical study

The homolytic cleavage of the organometallic Co-C bond in vitamin B12-dependent enzymes is accelerated by a factor of approximately 10(12) in the protein compared to that of the isolated cofactor in aqueous solution. To understand this much debated effect, we have studied the Co-C bond cleavage in the enzyme glutamate mutase with combined quantum and molecular mechanics methods. We show that the calculated bond dissociation energy (BDE) of the Co-C bond in adenosyl cobalamin is reduced by 135 kJ/mol in the enzyme. This catalytic effect can be divided into four terms. First, the adenosine radical is kept within 4.2 angstroms of the Co ion in the enzyme, which decreases the BDE by 20 kJ/mol. Second, the surrounding enzyme stabilizes the dissociated state by 42 kJ/mol using electrostatic and van der Waals interactions. Third, the protein itself is stabilized by 11 kJ/mol in the dissociated state. Finally, the coenzyme is geometrically distorted by the protein, and this distortion is 61 kJ/mol larger in the Co(III) state. This deformation of the coenzyme is caused mainly by steric interactions, and it is especially the ribose moiety and the Co-C5'-C4' angle that are distorted. Without the polar ribose group, the catalytic effect is much smaller, e.g. only 42 kJ/mol for methyl cobalamin. The deformation of the coenzyme is caused mainly by the substrate, a side chain of the coenzyme itself, and a few residues around the adenosine part of the coenzyme.     

Spectroscopic and computational studies on the adenosylcobalamin-dependent methylmalonyl-CoA mutase: evaluation of enzymatic contributions to Co-C bond activation in the Co3+ ground state

Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MMCM) is an enzyme that utilizes the adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) cofactor to catalyze the rearrangement of methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA. Despite many years of dedicated research, the mechanism by which MMCM and related AdoCbl-dependent enzymes accelerate the rate for homolytic cleavage of the cofactor's Co-C bond by approximately 12 orders of magnitude while avoiding potentially harmful side reactions remains one of the greatest subjects of debate among B(12) researchers. In this study, we have employed electronic absorption (Abs) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopic techniques to probe cofactor/enzyme active site interactions in the Co(3+)Cbl "ground" state for MMCM reconstituted with both the native cofactor AdoCbl and its derivative methylcobalamin (MeCbl). In both cases, Abs and MCD spectra of the free and enzyme-bound cofactor are very similar, indicating that replacement of the intramolecular base 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB) by a histidine residue from the enzyme active site has insignificant effects on the cofactor's electronic properties. Likewise, spectral perturbations associated with substrate (analogue) binding to holo-MMCM are minor, arguing against substrate-induced enzymatic Co-C bond activation. As compared to the AdoCbl data, however, Abs and MCD spectral changes for the sterically less constrained MeCbl cofactor upon binding to MMCM and treatment of holoenzyme with substrate (analogues) are much more substantial. Analysis of these changes within the framework of time-dependent density functional theory calculations provides uniquely detailed insight into the structural distortions imposed on the cofactor as the enzyme progresses through the reaction cycle. Together, our results indicate that, although the enzyme may serve to activate the cofactor in its Co(3+)Cbl ground state to a small degree, the dominant contribution to the enzymatic Co-C bond activation presumably comes through stabilization of the Co(2+)Cbl/Ado. post-homolysis products.     

Raman spectroscopic study of the conformational change of 12-crown-4 due to cation capture

Raman spectra of the Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, NH⁺₄, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, Pb²⁺ complexes of 12-crown-4 and also 12-crown-4 in various states are observed. The spectra of 12-crown-4 change remarkably by complex formation with cations. Normal vibration calculations of various conformations of 12-crown-4 are carried out. On the basis of the observed spectra and the results of the calculations, the conformation of 12-crown-4 in the Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, NH⁺₄, Mg²⁺ complexes is found to have approximate D_2d symmetry, while that in the Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺ complexes is found to have approximate C_2V symmetry.     

Direct determination of product radical structure reveals the radical rearrangement pathway in a coenzyme B12-dependent enzyme

A carbinolamine (1-aminoethan-1-ol-2-yl) structure for the product radical in the CoII product radical pair catalytic intermediate state in coenzyme B12 (adenosylcobalamin)-dependent ethanolamine deaminase from Salmonella typhimurium has been determined by using isotope labeling and techniques of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The presence of nitrogen is detected from the difference in the EPR line shapes of the product radicals that are cryotrapped during steady-state turnover on either 14N- or 15N-labeled aminoethanol substrate. Three-pulse electron spin-echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopy of the product radical labeled with 2H reveals two types of beta-2H hyperfine couplings. A structural model is proposed in which the two beta-2H couplings arise from two C1-C2 product radical rotamer states. The sum of the dihedral angles between the C2 p-orbital axis and C1-Hbeta bonds is 120 degrees , which indicates sp3-hybridization at C1. This confirms the C1 carbinolamine structure. The identification of the carbinolamine product radical indicates that the radical rearrangement in ethanolamine deaminase deviates from the solution elimination reaction pathway and proceeds by migration of the amine from C2 of the substrate radical to C1 of the product radical.     

Model for proton transport coupled to protein conformational change: application to proton pumping in the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle

A modeling method is presented for protein systems in which proton transport is coupled to conformational change, as in proton pumps and in motors driven by the proton-motive force. Previously developed methods for calculating pKa values in proteins using a macroscopic dielectric model are extended beyond the equilibrium case to a master-equation model for the time evolution of the system through states defined by ionization microstate and a discrete set of conformers. The macroscopic dielectric model supplies free energy changes for changes of protonation microstate, while the method for obtaining the energetics of conformational change and the relaxation rates, the other ingredients needed for the master equation, are system dependent. The method is applied to the photoactivated proton pump, bacteriorhodopsin, using conformational free energy differences from experiment and treating relaxation rates through three adjustable parameters. The model is found to pump protons with an efficiency relatively insensitive to parameter choice over a wide range of parameter values, and most of the main features of the known photocycle from very early M to the return to the resting state are reproduced. The boundaries of these parameter ranges are such that short-range proton transfers are faster than longer-range ones, which in turn are faster than conformational changes. No relaxation rates depend on conformation. The results suggest that an "accessibility switch", while not ruled out, is not required and that vectorial proton transport can be achieved through the coupling of the energetics of ionization and conformational states.     

The biosynthesis of GDP-L-colitose: C-3 deoxygenation is catalyzed by a unique coenzyme B6-dependent enzyme

l-Colitose (1) is a 3,6-dideoxyhexose found in the O-antigen of gram-negative lipopoly-saccharides. While the biosynthesis of many deoxysugars have previously been investigated, l-colitose is distinct in that it originates from GDP-d-mannose. In contrast, other 3,6-dideoxyhexoses arise from CDP-d-glucose. Therefore, the enzymes involved in the l-colitose biosynthetic pathway must be specifically tailored to utilize such a modified substrate. The mode for deoxygenation at C-3 of colitose is of particular interest because this conversion in other naturally occurring 3,6-dideoxyhexoses requires a pair of enzymes, E1 and E3, acting in concert. Interestingly, no E3 equivalent was identified in the five open reading frames of the col biosynthetic gene cluster from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis IVA. However, the gene product of colD showed moderate similarity with the E1 gene (ddhC/ascC) of the ascarylose pathway (27% identity and 42% similarity). Because E1 is a pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate (PMP)-dependent enzyme, it was thought that ColD might also utilize PMP. Indeed, turnover was observed during incubation of ColD with substrate in the presence of excess PMP, but not with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP). However, the rate of product formation increased by more than 40-fold when l-glutamate was included in the PLP incubation. The formation of alpha-ketoglutarate as a byproduct under these conditions clearly indicated that ColD functions as a transaminase, recognizing both PMP and PLP. In this paper, we propose a novel biosynthetic route for colitose, including the unprecedented C-3 deoxygenation performed solely by ColD. The utilization of PMP in a dehydration reaction is rare, but the combined deoxygenation-transamination activity makes ColD a unique enzyme.     

DNA-conducting polymer complexes: a computational study of the hydrogen bond between building blocks

Ab initio quantum mechanical calculations at the MP2 level were used for an extensive study concerning the stability of hydrogen-bonded complexes formed by pyrrole and thiophene, which are the most common building blocks of conducting polymers, and DNA bases. Results indicated that very stable complexes were formed with pyrrole, which shows a clear tendency to form specific hydrogen-bonding interactions with nucleic acid bases. Furthermore, the strength of such interactions depends significantly on the base, growing in the following order: thymine < adenine approximately equal to cytosine < guanine. On the contrary, thiophene formed complexes stabilized by nonspecific interactions between the pi-cloud of the ring and the N-H groups of the nucleic acid bases rather than specific hydrogen bonds. Overall, these results are fully consistent with experimental observations: polypyrrole is able not only to stabilize adducts with DNA but also to interact specifically, while the interactions of the latter with polythiophene and their derivatives are weaker and nonspecific.     

Stereodynamics of bond rotation in tertiary 1-naphthoic acid amides: a computational study

Computations sho that independent N-CO rotation is not possible in N,N-diethyl-1-naphthamide, and that the coalescence signal corresponding to methyl equivalence observed in the VT NMR spectrum of this system is caused by a complex process whose rate-determining step implies concerted N-CO, Ar-CO, and ethyl rotations. The calculated Gibbs energy barriers for these processes in solution are in good agreement with the experimental values.     

Thermochemistry of the fluoroformyloxyl radical: a computational study based on coupled cluster theory

The standard enthalpy of formation of FCO(2) (X (2)B(2)) was determined by a computational approach based on coupled cluster theory [CCSD(T)] with energies extrapolated to the basis-set limit, with additional corrections accounting for core-valence correlation, scalar relativity, spin-orbit coupling, and zero-point vibrational motions. Utilizing a variety of independent reaction schemes, our best estimate is Delta(f)H(o)(0)(FCO(2)) = -86.0 +/- 0.6 kcal mol(-1) [Delta(f)H(o)(298) )(FCO(2)) = -86.7 +/- 0.6 kcal mol(-1)], which is shown to be more accurate than previous theoretical and experimental values. The chosen computational procedure was also applied to HCO (X (2)A'), where we find excellent agreement with experiment, and to FCO (X (2)A'), where we recommend an improved value of Delta(f)H(o)(0)(FCO) = -42.1 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1) [ Delta(f)H(o)(298)(FCO) = -42.0 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1)]. Further theoretical results concern the C-F bond dissociation energy, electron affinity, ionization energy, first and second excitation energies in FCO(2), fluoride ion affinity of CO(2), and equilibrium geometries of the molecules treated presently. For FCO (X (2)A') we propose an improved equilibrium structure: r(e)(CF) = 132.5(2) pm, r(e)(CO) = 116.7(2) pm, and theta(e)(FCO) = 127.8(2)(o).     

Mechanism for activation of triosephosphate isomerase by phosphite dianion: the role of a ligand-driven conformational change

The L232A mutation in triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) from Trypanosoma brucei brucei results in a small 6-fold decrease in k(cat)/K(m) for the reversible enzyme-catalyzed isomerization of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate to give dihydroxyacetone phosphate. In contrast, this mutation leads to a 17-fold increase in the second-order rate constant for the TIM-catalyzed proton transfer reaction of the truncated substrate piece [1-(13)C]glycolaldehyde ([1-(13)C]-GA) in D(2)O, a 25-fold increase in the third-order rate constant for the reaction of the substrate pieces GA and phosphite dianion (HPO(3)(2-)), and a 16-fold decrease in K(d) for binding of HPO(3)(2-) to the free enzyme. Most significantly, the mutation also results in an 11-fold decrease in the extent of activation of the enzyme toward turnover of GA by bound HPO(3)(2-). The data provide striking evidence that the L232A mutation leads to a ca. 1.7 kcal/mol stabilization of a catalytically active loop-closed form of TIM (E(c)) relative to an inactive open form (E(o)). We propose that this is due to the relief, in L232A mutant TIM, of unfavorable steric interactions between the bulky hydrophobic side chain of Leu-232 and the basic carboxylate side chain of Glu-167, the catalytic base, which destabilize E(c) relative to E(o).     

Infrared spectroscopy of the intramolecular hydrogen bond in acethylacetone: a computational approach

The intramolecular hydrogen bond in the enol-acethylacetone (ACAC) is investigated by performing reduced-dimensional quantum calculations. To analyze the shared proton vibrations, two sets of coordinates were employed: normal mode coordinates describing the motion in the vicinity of the most stable configuration, and internal coordinates accounting for the double minimum proton motion. It is proved that the extreme broadness of the OH-stretch band in ACAC is a consequence of the coexistence of two enol-ACAC structures: the global minimum and the transition state for rotation of the distal methyl group. Further, a ground-state tunneling splitting of 116 cm(-1) is found, and it is shown that the inclusion of the kinematic coupling is mandatory when treating large-amplitude proton motion. In the OH-stretch direction a splitting of 853 cm(-1) was predicted.     

Carbon-oxygen bond formation via organometallic Baeyer-Villiger transformations: a computational study on the impact of metal identity

Metal-mediated formation of C-O bonds is an important transformation that can occur by a variety of mechanisms. Recent studies suggest that oxygen-atom insertion into metal-hydrocarbyl bonds in a reaction that resembles the Baeyer-Villiger transformation is a viable process. In an effort to identify promising new systems, this study is designed to assess the impact of metal identity on such O-atom insertions for the reaction [(bpy)(x)M(Me)(OOH)](n) → [(bpy)(x)M(OMe)(OH)](n) (x = 1 or 2; bpy = 2,2'-bipyridyl; n is varied to maintain the d-electron count at d(6) or d(8)). Six d(8)-square-planar complexes (M = Pt(II), Pd(II), Ni(II), Ir(I), Rh(I), and Co(I)) and eight d(6)-octahedral systems (M = Ir(III), Rh(III), Co(III), Fe(II) Ru(II), Os(II), Mn(I), and Tc(I)) are studied. Using density functional theory calculations, the structures and energies of ground-state and transition-state species are elucidated. This study shows clear trends in calculated ΔG(++)'s for the O-atom insertions. The organometallic Baeyer-Villiger insertions are favored by lower coordination numbers (x = 1 versus x = 2), earlier transition metals, and first-row (3d) transition metals.     

Understanding the mechanism of B(12)-dependent diol dehydratase: a synergistic retro-push--pull proposal.

Ab initio molecular orbital theory is used to investigate the coenzyme B(12)-dependent reactions catalyzed by diol dehydratase. The key step in such reactions is believed to be a 1,2-hydroxyl migration, which occurs within free-radical intermediates. The barrier for this migration, if unassisted, is calculated to be too high to be consistent with the observed reaction rate. However, we find that "pushing" the migrating hydroxyl, through interaction with a suitable acid, is able to provide significant catalysis. This is denoted retro-push catalysis, the retro prefix signifying that the motion of the migrating group is in the direction opposite to the electron motion. Similarly, the "pulling" of the migrating group, through interaction of the spectator hydroxyl with an appropriate base, is found to substantially reduce the rearrangement barrier. Importantly, the combination of these two effects results in a barrier reduction that is notably greater than additive. This synergistic interplay of the push and the pull provides an attractive means of catalysis. Our proposed retro-push--pull mechanism leads to results that are consistent with isotope-labeling experiments, with experimental rate data, and with the crystal structure of the enzyme.     

Energy relaxation of the amide-I mode in hydrogen-bonded peptide units: a route to conformational change

A one-site Davydov model involving a C[Double Bond]O group engaged in a hydrogen bond is used to study the amide-I relaxation due to Fermi resonances with a bath of intramolecular normal modes. In the amide-I ground state, the hydrogen bond behaves as a harmonic oscillator whose eigenstates are phonon number states. By contrast, in the amide-I first excited state, the hydrogen bond experiences a linear distortion so that the eigenstates are superimpositions of number states. By assuming the hydrogen bond in thermal equilibrium at biological temperature, it is shown that the amide-I excitation favors the population of these excited states and the occurrence of coherences. Due to the interaction with the bath, the vibron decays according to an exponential or a biexponential law depending on whether the Fermi resonance is wide or narrow. Therefore, each excited state relaxes over a set of number states according to specific pathways. The consequence is twofold. First, the relaxation leads to a redistribution of the number state population which differs from the initial Boltzmann distribution. Then, it allows for coherence transfers so that, although the vibron has disappeared, the hydrogen keeps the memory of its initial distortion and it develops free oscillations.     

Metal-ligand cooperation in catalytic intramolecular hydroamination: a computational study of iridium-pyrazolato cooperative activation of aminoalkenes

The present study comprehensively explores diverse mechanistic pathways for intramolecular hydroamination of prototype 2,2-dimethyl-4-penten-1-amine by Cp*Ir chloropyrazole (1; Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) in the presence of KOtBu base with the aid of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The most accessible mechanistic pathway for catalytic turnover commences from Cp*Ir pyrazolato (Pz) substrate adduct 2?S, representing the catalytically competent compound and proceeds via initial electrophilic activation of the olefin C=C bond by the metal centre. It entails 1) facile and reversible anti nucleophilic amine attack on the iridium-olefin linkage; 2) Ir-C bond protonolysis via stepwise transfer of the ammonium N-H proton at the zwitterionic [Cp*IrPz-alkyl] intermediate onto the metal that is linked to turnover-limiting, reductive, cycloamine elimination commencing from a high-energy, metastable [Cp*IrPz-hydrido-alkyl] species; and 3) subsequent facile cycloamine liberation to regenerate the active catalyst species. The amine-iridium bound 2?a?S likely corresponds to the catalyst resting state and the catalytic reaction is expected to proceed with a significant primary kinetic isotope. This study unveils the vital role of a supportive hydrogen-bonded network involving suitably aligned β-basic pyrazolato and cycloamido moieties together with an external amine molecule in facilitating metal protonation and reductive elimination. Cooperative hydrogen bonding thus appears pivotal for effective catalysis. The mechanistic scenario is consonant with catalyst performance data and furthermore accounts for the variation in performance for [Cp*IrPz] compounds featuring a β- or γ-basic pyrazolato unit. As far as the route that involves amine N-H bond activation is concerned, a thus far undocumented pathway for concerted amidoalkene → cycloamine conversion through olefin protonation by the pyrazole N-H concurrent with N-C ring closure is disclosed as a favourable scenario. Although not practicable in the present system, this pathway describes a novel mechanistic variant in late transition metal-ligand bifunctional hydroamination catalysis that can perhaps be viable for tailored catalyst designs. The insights revealed herein concerning the operative mechanism and the structure-reactivity relationships will likely govern the rational design of late transition metal-ligand bifunctional catalysts and facilitate further conceptual advances in the area.     

Broadband measurement of true transverse relaxation rates in systems with coupled protons: application to the study of conformational exchange

Accurate measurement of transverse relaxation rates in coupled spin systems is important in the study of molecular dynamics, but is severely complicated by the signal modulations caused by scalar couplings in spin echo experiments. The most widely used experiments for measuring transverse relaxation in coupled systems, CPMG and PROJECT, can suppress such modulations, but they also both suppress some relaxation contributions, and average relaxation rates between coupled spins. Here we introduce a new experiment which for the first time allows accurate broadband measurement of transverse relaxation rates of coupled protons, and hence the determination of exchange rate constants in slow exchange from relaxation measurements. The problems encountered with existing methods are illustrated, and the use of the new method is demonstrated for the classic case of hindered amide rotation and for the more challenging problem of exchange between helical enantiomers of a gold(i) complex.

Existing methods for measuring transverse relaxation give incorrect results in coupled spin systems. Measuring true relaxation rates extends their utility.     

Stairway to the conical intersection: a computational study of the retinal isomerization

The potential-energy surface of the first excited state of the 11-cis-retinal protonated Schiff base (PSB11) chromophore has been studied at the density functional theory (DFT) level using the time-dependent perturbation theory approach (TDDFT) in combination with Becke's three-parameter hybrid functional (B3LYP). The potential-energy curves for torsion motions around single and double bonds of the first excited state have also been studied at the coupled-cluster approximate singles and doubles (CC2) level. The corresponding potential-energy curves for the ground state have been calculated at the B3LYP DFT and second-order M?ller-Plesset (MP2) levels. The TDDFT study suggests that the electronic excitation initiates a turn of the beta-ionone ring around the C6-C7 bond. The torsion is propagating along the retinyl chain toward the cis to trans isomerization center at the C11=C12 double bond. The torsion twist of the C10-C11 single bond leads to a significant reduction in the deexcitation energy indicating that a conical intersection is being reached by an almost barrierless rotation around the C10-C11 single bond. The energy released when passing the conical intersection can assist the subsequent cis to trans isomerization of the C11=C12 double bond. The CC2 calculations also show that the torsion barrier for the twist of the retinyl C10-C11 single bond adjacent to the isomerization center almost vanishes for the excited state. Because of the reduced torsion barriers of the single bonds, the retinyl chain can easily deform in the excited state. Thus, the CC2 and TDDFT calculations suggest similar reaction pathways on the potential-energy surface of the excited state leading toward the conical intersection and resulting in a cis to trans isomerization of the retinal chromophore. According to the CC2 calculations the cis to trans isomerization mechanism does not involve any significant torsion motion of the beta-ionone ring.     

A comparative computational study of the homolytic and heterolytic bond dissociation energies involved in the activation step of ATRP and SET‐LRP of vinyl monomers

A quantum‐chemical calculation of the homolytic and heterolytic bond dissociation energies of the model compounds of the monomer and dimer is reported. These model compounds include the dormant chloride, bromide, and iodide species for representative activated and nonactivated monomers containing electron‐withdrawing groups as well as for a nonactivated monomer containing an electron‐donor group. Two examples of sulfonyl and N‐halide initiators are also reported. The homolytic inner‐sphere electron‐transfer bond dissociation is known as atom transfer and is responsible for the activation step in ATRP. The heterolytic outer sphere single electron transfer bond dissociation is responsible for the activation step in single electron transfer mediated living radical polymerization (SET‐LRP). The results of this study demonstrated much lower bond dissociation energies for the outer sphere single electron transfer processes. These results explain the higher rate constant of activation, the higher apparent rate constant of propagation, and the lower polymerization temperature for both activated and nonactivated monomers containing electron‐withdrawing groups in SET‐LRP. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1607–1618, 2007     

Mechanism of the palladium-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to enones: a computational study

The palladium(II)-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to β,β-disubstituted enones has been investigated with the BP86 density functional. The results show that the mechanism requires three steps: transmetalation, alkene insertion, and protonation. The alkene insertion is the rate-determining step. For unactivated alkenes, the Heck-type β-hydride elimination is more favored than protonation.