Spectroscopic and kinetic studies of PKU-inducing mutants of phenylalanine hydroxylase: Arg158Gln and Glu280Lys

Phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) is a tetrahydrobiopterin-dependent, nonheme iron enzyme that catalyzes the hydroxylation of L-Phe to L-Tyr in the rate-limiting step of phenylalanine catabolism. This reaction is tightly coupled in the wild-type enzyme to oxidation of the tetrahydropterin cofactor. Dysfunction of PAH activity in humans leads to the disease phenylketonuria (PKU). We have investigated two PKU-inducing mutants, Arg158Gln and Glu280Lys, using kinetic methods, magnetic circular dichrosim (MCD) spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Analysis of the products produced by the mutant enzymes shows that although both oxidize pterin at more than twice the rate of wild-type enzyme, these reactions are only approximately 20% coupled to production of L-Tyr. Previous MCD and XAS studies had demonstrated that the resting Fe(II) site is six-coordinate in the wild-type enzyme and converts to a five-coordinate site when both L-Phe and reduced pterin are present in the active site. Although the Arg158Gln mutant forms the five-coordinate site when both cosubstrates are bound, the Fe(II) site of the Glu280Lys mutant remains six-coordinate. These results provide insight into the PAH reaction and disease mechanism at a molecular level, indicating that the first step of the mechanism is formation of a peroxy-pterin species, which subsequently reacts with the Fe(II) site if the pterin is properly oriented for formation of an Fe-OO-pterin bridge and an open coordination position is available on the Fe(II).     

Surface properties of hydrous manganite (gamma-MnOOH). A potentiometric, electroacoustic, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study

The acid-base characteristics of the manganite (gamma-MnOOH) surface have been studied at pH above 6, where dissolution is negligible. Synthetic microcrystalline particles of manganite were used in the experiments. From potentiometric titrations, electrophoretic mobility measurements, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), a one pK(a) model was constructed that describes the observed behavior. The data show no ionic strength effect at pH < 8.2, which is the pH at the isoelectric point (pH(iep)), but ionic strength effects were visible above this pH. To explain these observations, Na(+) ions were suggested to form a surface complex. The following equilibria were established: =MnOH(2)(+1/2) right harpoon over left harpoon =MnOH(-)(1/2) + H(+), log beta(0) (intr.) = -8.20; =MnOH(2)(+1/2) + Na(+) right harpoon over left harpoon =MnOHNa(+1/2) + H(+), log beta(0) (intr.) = -9.64. The excess of Na(+) at the surface was supported by XPS measurements of manganite suspensions containing 10 mM NaCl. The dielectric constant of synthetic manganite powder was also determined in this study.     

Geometric and electronic structure of the heme-peroxo-copper complex [(F8TPP)FeIII-(O22-)-CuII(TMPA)](ClO4)

The geometric and electronic structure of the untethered heme-peroxo-copper model complex [(F(8)TPP)Fe(III)-(O(2)(2)(-))-Cu(II)(TMPA)](ClO(4)) (1) has been investigated using Cu and Fe K-edge EXAFS spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations in order to describe its geometric and electronic structure. The Fe and Cu K-edge EXAFS data were fit with a Cu...Fe distance of approximately 3.72 A. Spin-unrestricted DFT calculations for the S(T) = 2 spin state were performed on [(P)Fe(III)-(O(2)(2)(-))-Cu(II)(TMPA)](+) as a model of 1. The peroxo unit is bound end-on to the copper, and side-on to the high-spin iron, for an overall mu-eta(1):eta(2) coordination mode. The calculated Cu...Fe distance is approximately 0.3 A longer than that observed experimentally. Reoptimization of [(P)Fe(III)-(O(2)(2)(-))-Cu(II)(TMPA)](+) with a 3.7 A Cu...Fe constrained distance results in a similar energy and structure that retains the overall mu-eta(1):eta(2)-peroxo coordination mode. The primary bonding interaction between the copper and the peroxide involves electron donation into the half-occupied Cu d(z)2 orbital from the peroxide pi(sigma) orbital. In the case of the Fe(III)-peroxide eta(2) bond, the two major components arise from the donor interactions of the peroxide pi*(sigma) and pi*(v) orbitals with the Fe d(xz) and d(xy) orbitals, which give rise to sigma and delta bonds, respectively. The pi*(sigma) interaction with both the half-occupied d(z)2 orbital on the copper (eta(1)) and the d(xz) orbital on the iron (eta(2)), provides an effective superexchange pathway for strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the metal centers.     

Electronic structure description of the mu(4)-sulfide bridged tetranuclear Cu(Z) center in N(2)O reductase

Spectroscopy coupled with density functional calculations has been used to define the spin state, oxidation states, spin distribution, and ground state wave function of the mu4-sulfide bridged tetranuclear CuZ cluster of nitrous oxide reductase. Initial insight into the electronic contribution to N2O reduction is developed, which involves a sigma superexchange pathway through the bridging sulfide.     

S K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopic investigation of the Ni-containing superoxide dismutase active site: new structural insight into the mechanism

Superoxide dismutases protect cells from the toxic effects of reactive oxygen species derived from superoxide. Nickel-containing superoxide dismutases (NiSOD), found in Streptomyces species and in cyanobacteria, are distinct from Mn-, Fe-, or Cu/Zn-containing SODs in amino acid sequence and metal ligand environment. Sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopic investigations were carried out for a series of mono- and binuclear Ni model compounds with varying sulfur ligation, and for oxidized and reduced NiSOD to elucidate the types of Ni-S interactions found in the two oxidation states. The S K-edge XAS spectra clearly indicate the presence of Ni(III)-bound terminal thiolate in the oxidized enzyme and the absence of such coordination to Ni(II) in the peroxide-reduced enzyme. This striking change in the S ligation for Ni with redox suggests that, upon peroxide reduction, an electron is transferred to the Ni(III) site and the terminal thiolate becomes protonated, providing an efficient mechanism for proton-coupled electron transfer.     

Investigation of the calcium-binding site of the oxygen evolving complex of photosystem II using 87Sr ESEEM spectroscopy

The proximity of the calcium/strontium binding site of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII) to the paramagnetic Mn cluster is explored with (87)Sr three-pulse electron spin-echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopy. CW-EPR spectra of Sr(2+)-substituted Ca(2+)-depleted PSII membranes show the modified g = 2 multiline EPR signal as previously reported. We performed three-pulse ESEEM on this modified multiline signal of the Mn cluster using natural abundance Sr and (87)Sr, respectively. Three-pulse ESEEM of the natural abundance Sr sample exhibits no detectable modulation by the 7% abundance (87)Sr. On the other hand, that of the (87)Sr enriched (93%) sample clearly reveals modulation arising from the I = (9)/(2) (87)Sr nucleus weakly magnetically coupled to the Mn cluster. Using a simple point dipole approximation for the electron spin, analysis of the (87)Sr ESEEM modulation depth via an analytic expression suggests a Mn-Ca (Sr) distance of 4.5 A. Simulation of three-pulse ESEEM with a numerical matrix diagonalization procedure gave good agreement with this analytical result. A more appropriate tetranuclear magnetic/structural model for the Mn cluster converts the 4.5 A point dipole distance to a 3.8-5.0 A range of distances. DFT calculations of (43)Ca and (87)Sr quadrupolar interactions on Ca (and Sr substituted) binding sites in various proteins suggest that the lack of the nuclear quadrupole induced splitting in the ESEEM spectrum of (87)Sr enriched PSII samples is related to a very high degree of symmetry of the ligands surrounding the Sr(2+) ion in the substituted Ca site. Numerical simulations show that moderate (87)Sr quadrupolar couplings decrease the envelope modulation relative to the zero quadrupole case, and therefore we consider that the 3.8-5.0 A range obtained without quadrupolar coupling included in the simulation represents an upper limit to the actual manganese-calcium distance. This (87)Sr pulsed EPR spectroscopy provides independent direct evidence that the calcium/strontium binding site is close to the Mn cluster in the OEC of PSII.     

High-frequency and -field EPR spectroscopy of tris(2,4-pentanedionato)manganese(III): investigation of solid-state versus solution Jahn-Teller effects

High-frequency and -field electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR) spectroscopy of a classical coordination complex, Mn(acac)(3) (Hacac = 2,4-pentanedione), has been performed on both solid powder and frozen solution (in CH(2)Cl(2)/toluene, 3:2 v/v) samples. Parallel mode detection X-band EPR spectra exhibiting resolved (55)Mn hyperfine coupling were additionally obtained for frozen solutions. Magnetic susceptibility and field-dependent magnetization measurements were also made on powder samples. Analysis of the entire EPR data set for the frozen solution allowed extraction of the relevant spin Hamiltonian parameters: D = -4.52(2); |E| = 0.25(2) cm(-1); g(iso) = 1.99(1). The somewhat lower quality solid-state HFEPR data and the magnetic measurements confirmed these parameters. These parameters are compared to those for other complexes of Mn(III) and to previous studies on Mn(acac)(3) using X-ray crystallography, solution electronic absorption spectroscopy, and powder magnetic susceptibility. Crystal structures have been reported for Mn(acac)(3) and show tetragonal distortion, as expected for this Jahn-Teller ion (Mn(3+), 3d(4)). However, in one case, the molecule exhibits axial compression and, in another, axial elongation. The current HFEPR studies clearly show the negative sign of D, which corresponds to an axial (tetragonal) elongation in frozen solution. The correspondence among solution and solid-state HFEPR data, solid-state magnetic measurements, and an HFEPR study by others on a related complex indicates that the form of Mn(acac)(3) studied here exhibits axial elongation in all cases. Such tetragonal elongation has been found for Mn(3+) and Cr(2+) complexes with homoleptic pseudooctahedral geometry as well as for Mn(3+) in square pyramidal geometry. This taken together with the results obtained here for Mn(acac)(3) in frozen solution indicates that axial elongation could be considered the "natural" form of Jahn-Teller distortion for octahedral high-spin 3d(4) ions. The previous electronic absorption data together with current HFEPR and magnetic data allow estimation of ligand-field parameters for Mn(acac)(3).     

PHOTOPHYSICS and PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF BIS-2-(9-ANTHRYL)ETHYL GLUTARATE

Abstract— The photochemistry and photophysics of bis-(2-(9-anthryl)ethyl glutarate 2 and 2-(9-anthryl) ethyl pivalate 3 have been examined as monomeric models for poly-2-(9-anthryl)ethyl methacrylate 1. The absorption and excitation spectra of 2 show no ground state interaction, but appreciable monomer (51%) and excimer (49%) emission. Delayed monomer and excimer fluorescence are also observed in fluid solution at room temperature. Photolysis of 2 at low temperature produces a photoproduct (44% yield) which is unstable at room temperature and presumably is the head-to-head (H-H) dimer. Steady state irradiation of 2 at room temperature (Λ 350 nm) cleanly produces a head-to-tail (H-T) dimer (6) derived from the singlet state and an additional unidentified adduct (7). The product distribution is concentration dependent, with 6 predominating at high concentrations (> 10⁻³ M ). The fluorescence spectra of the broken dimers derived from 6 and 7 indicate that substantial ir overlap exists in the transition state leading to each product.     

Spectroscopic and density functional theory studies of the blue-copper site in M121SeM and C112SeC azurin: Cu-Se versus Cu-S bonding

S K-edge X-ray absorption, UV-vis absorption, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and resonance Raman spectroscopies are used to investigate the electronic structure differences among WT, M121SeM, and C112SeC Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a) azurin. A comparison of S K-edge XAS of WT and M121SeM azurin and a CuII-thioether model complex shows that the 38% S character in the ground state wave function of the blue-copper (BC) sites solely reflects the Cu-SCys bond. Resonance Raman (rR) data on WT and C112SeC azurin give direct evidence for the kinematic coupling between the Cu-SCys stretch and the cysteine deformation modes in WT azurin, which leads to multiple features in the rR spectrum of the BC site. The UV-vis absorption and MCD data on WT, M121SeM, and C112SeC give very similar C0/D0 ratios, indicating that the C-term MCD intensity mechanism involves Cu-centered spin-orbit coupling (SOC). The spectroscopic data combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that SCys and SeCys have similar covalent interactions with Cu at their respective bond lengths of 2.1 and 2.3 A. This reflects the similar electronegativites of S and Se in the thiolate/selenolate ligand fragment and explains the strong spectroscopic similarities between WT and C112SeC azurin.     

Solution [Cu(amm)]2+ is a strongly solvated square pyramid: a full account of the copper K-edge XAS spectrum within single-electron theory

The solution structure of Cu(II) in 4 M aqueous ammonia, [Cu(amm)](2+), was assessed using copper K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and Minuit XANes (MXAN) analyses. Tested structures included trigonal planar, planar and D2d -tetragonal, regular and distorted square pyramids, trigonal bipyramids, and Jahn-Teller distorted octahedra. Each approach converged to the same axially elongated square pyramid, 4 x Cu-Neq=2.00+/-0.02 A and 1 x Cu-Nax=2.16+/-0.02 A (EXAFS) or 2.20+/-0.07 A (MXAN), with strongly localized solvation shells. In the MXAN model, four equatorial ammonias averaged 13 degrees below the Cu(II) xy-plane, which was 0.45+/-0.1 A above the mean N4 plane. When the axial ligand equilibrium partial occupancies of about 0.65 ammonia and 0.35 water were included, EXAFS modeling found Cu-Lax distances of 2.16 and 2.31 A, respectively, reproducing the distances found in the crystal structures of [Cu(NH3)5](2+) and [Cu(NH3)4(H2O)](2+). A transverse axially localized solvent molecule was found at 2.8 A (EXAFS) or 3.1 A (MXAN). Six second-shell solvent molecules were also found at about 3.4+/-0.01 (EXAFS) or 3.8+/-0.2 A (MXAN). The structure of Cu(II) in 4 M pH 10 aqueous NH 3 may be notationally described as {[Cu(NH 3)4.62(H2O)0.38](solv)}(2+).6solv, solv=H2O, NH 3. The prominent shoulder and duplexed maximum of the rising K-edge XAS of [Cu(amm)](2+) primarily reflect the durable and well-organized solvation shells, not found around [Cu(H2O)5](2+), rather than two-electron shakedown transitions. Not accounting for solvent scattering thus may confound XAS-based estimates of metal-ligand covalency. [Cu(amm)](2+) continues the dissymmetry previously found for the solution structure of [Cu(H2O)5](2+), again contradicting the rack-bonding theory of blue copper proteins.