细菌铁蛋白释放铁的动力学研究

棕色固氮菌细菌蛋白在可见光谱区中有定性的特征吸收峰。细菌铁蛋白经过量Ｎａ２Ｓ２Ｏ４还原后,该蛋白的α、β和Ｓ峰的吸光度随着蛋白还原程度增大而递增。细菌铁蛋白的氧化还原状态可分为氧化态、半还原态和深度还原态。细菌铁蛋白铁核中的磷铁组成存在着非均匀性,该蛋白释放铁核表层的铁的反应为一级反应,推测这一过程受蛋白壳中的血红素调控。细菌铁蛋白释放铁核内层的铁的反应为零级反应。     

锰对部分缺失金属原子族的固氮酶钼铁蛋白的重组作用

棕色固氮菌固氮酶钼铁蛋白经邻菲罗啉的Ｏ２处理后,变为部分缺失Ｐ－ｃｌｕｓｔｅｒ和ＦｅＭｏｃｏ的失活蛋白、经与由ＫＭｎＯ４、高柠檬酸铁、Ｎａ２Ｓ和二硫苏糖醇组成的重组液保温后,重组蛋白的吸收光谱和对Ｃ２Ｈ２、Ｈ＋和Ｎ２的还原活性都恢复至与还原钼铁蛋白相似的状态,而它的α－螺旋度和在３８０－５５０ｎｍ,６２０－６７０ｎｍ的ＣＤ谱虽有明显的恢复,但仍与还原钼铁蛋白有所不同。表明：（１）重组蛋白液既含有在     

含铬重组液激活部分缺失金属原子簇的钼铁蛋白的研究

棕色固氮菌（Ａｚｏｔｏｂａｃｔｅｒ ｖｉｎｅｌａｎｄｉｉ）固氮酶钼铁蛋白经邻菲口罗啉和Ｏ２ 处理后,变为部分缺失ＦｅＭｏｃｏ 和Ｐ－ｃｌｕｓｔｅｒ的失活蛋白。与由Ｋ２ＣｒＯ４、高柠檬酸铁、Ｎａ２Ｓ和二硫苏糖醇组成的重组液保温后,处理蛋白对乙炔和质子还原的活性都得以显著恢复;然而,它的吸收光谱和圆二色谱虽有明显恢复,但仍与还原钼铁蛋白有所不同。这表明,激活蛋白中也许存在功能与钼铁蛋白相似,而结构则有所差异的含铬（ＣｒＦｅ）蛋白     

含铬重组液激活部分缺陷失金属原子族的钼铁蛋白的研究

棕色固氮菌固氮酶相铁蛋白经邻菲罗啉和Ｏ２处理,变为部分缺失ＦｅＭｏｃｏ和Ｐ－ｃｌｕｓｔｅｒ的失活蛋白。与由Ｋ２ＣｒＯ４、高柠檬酸铁、Ｎａ２Ｓ和二硫苏糖醇组成的重组液保温后,处理蛋白对乙炔和质子还原的活性都得以显恢复,然而,它的吸收光谱和圆二色谱虽有明显恢复,但仍与还原钼铁蛋白有所不同。这表明,激活蛋白中也话存在功能与钼铁蛋白相似,而结构则有所差异的含铬蛋白。     

锰对部分缺失金属原子簇的固氮酶钼铁蛋白的重组作用

棕色固氮菌（Ａｚｏｔｏｂａｃｔｅｒ ｖｉｎｅｌａｎｄｉｉ）固氮酶钼铁蛋白经邻菲口罗啉和Ｏ２ 处理后,变为部分缺失Ｐ－ｃｌｕｓｔｅｒ和ＦｅＭｏｃｏ 的失活蛋白,经与由ＫＭｎＯ４、高柠檬酸铁、Ｎａ２Ｓ和二硫苏糖醇组成的重组液保温后,重组蛋白的吸收光谱和对Ｃ２Ｈ２、Ｈ＋ 和Ｎ２ 的还原活性都恢复至与还原钼铁蛋白相似的状态,而它的α－螺旋度和在３８０—５５０ ｎｍ 、６２０—６７０ ｎｍ 的ＣＤ谱虽有明显的恢复,但仍与还原钼铁蛋白有所不同。表明：（１）重组蛋白液既含有在缺失金属原子簇的ＭｏＦｅ蛋白与含Ｍｎ 重组液重组过程中可能组装的ＭｎＦｅ 蛋白,又含有在邻菲口罗啉和Ｏ２ 处理后金属原子簇仍旧完整的ＭｏＦｅ蛋白;（２）ＭｎＦｅ蛋白和ＭｏＦｅ蛋白在固氮能力上可能是相似的,而在结构上却可能略有差异     

电子供体及受体对棕色固氮菌抗氨阻遏能力的影响*

电子供体连二亚硫酸钠、甲基紫精及电子受体亚甲蓝均能强烈抑制棕色固氮菌表达固氮活性 ,并引起该菌的抗氨阻遏能力减弱。适当提高氧压 ,能提高菌体的固氮活性近1 5 % ,但过高的氧分压反而抑制菌体的固氮活性。此外 ,提高氢分压能降低棕色固氮菌菌体内的还原电位 ,从而达到提高菌体抗氨阻遏能力的效果。     

电子供体及受体对棕色固氮菌抗氨阻遏能力的影响

电子供体连二亚硫酸钠,甲基紫精及电子受体亚甲蓝均能强烈的抑制棕色固氮菌表达固氮活性,并引起该菌的抗氨阻遏能力减弱,适当提高氧压,能提高菌体的固氮活性近15％,但过高的氧分压反而抑制菌体的固氮活性,此外,提高氢分压能降低棕色固氮菌菌体内的还原电位,从而达到提高菌体抗氨阻遏能力的效果。     

钼,铁,硫化合物激活曝氧的棕色固氮菌固氮酶钼铁蛋白的研究

曝氧后,棕色固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii)固氮酶钼铁蛋白的催化活性和圆二色信号都显著降低,而吸收光谱则显著增加。与钼、铁、硫化合物和二硫苏糖醇组成的重组溶液保温后,曝氢蛋白的圆二色信号和吸收光谱几乎完全恢复至天然状态的同时,乙炔还原活性也得到了显著的恢复,表明重组溶液可使曝氧蛋白中的 P-cluster和其它活性部位都得到了不同程度的修复。     

H2O2对棕色固氮菌钼铁蛋白的损伤

棕色固氮菌固氮酶钼铁蛋白经Ｈ２Ｏ２作用后,钼铁蛋白的Ｍｏ和Ｆｅ原子含量,乙炔还原少在性,摩尔消光系数和α－螺旋度地匀显著降低,蛋白质肽链也许发生部分断一。本和纱中存在过氧化物酶。可避免Ｈ２Ｏ２对钼铁蛋白的损伤作用,表明Ｈ２Ｏ２对钼欠蛋白的金属原子簇和蛋白质结构均有明显的损伤作用,而过氧化物酶可保护固氮酶不受Ｈ２Ｏ２的破坏。     

紫云英根瘤菌及巴西固氮螺菌的氢酶表达特征

紫云英根瘤菌氢酶表达依赖于H_2并受碳底物和高O_2浓度的阻遏及cAMP的显著促进。整体细胞的吸氢活性对O_2不敏感,受碘乙酸(50mmol L~(-1))的强烈抑制。少数氧化还原电位为正值的人工电子受体可支持吸氢活性。与紫云英根瘤菌不同,巴西固氮螺菌氢酶表达并不依赖于H_2,受碳底物阻遏及cAMP促进的效应均不显著,而对O_2敏感。整体细胞吸氢活性受碘乙酸的抑制作用不明显。无论正、负值氧化还原电位人工电子受体均可支持吸氢活性。在经饥饿的静止细胞中,H_2可支持固氮活性并增强固氮酶对O_2的耐受能力。     

Reconstituted and native iron-cores of bacterioferritin and ferritin

The structural and magnetic properties of the iron-cores of reconstituted horse spleen ferritin and Azotobacter vinelandii bacterioferritin have been investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The structural properties of native horse spleen ferritin, native Az. vinelandii, and native and reconstituted Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterioferritins have also been determined. Reconstitution in the absence of inorganic phosphate at pH 7.0 showed sigmoidal behaviour in each protein but was approximately 30% faster in initial rate for the Az. vinelandii protein when compared with horse spleen apoferritin. The presence of Zn2+ reduced the initial rate of Fe(II) oxidation in Az. vinelandii to 22% of the control rate. The iron-cores of the reconstituted bacterioferritins adopt defect ferrihydrite structures and are more highly ordered than their native counterparts, which are both amorphous. However, the blocking temperature for reconstituted Az. vinelandii (22.2 K) is almost identical to that for the native protein (20 K). Particle size measurements indicate that the reconstituted Az. vinelandii cores are smaller in median diameter than the native cores and this reduction in particle volume (V) offsets the increased magnetocrystalline contribution to the magnetic anisotropy constant (K) in such a way that the magnetic anisotropy barrier (KV), and hence the blocking temperature, is similar for both proteins. Reconstituted horse spleen ferritin exhibits a similar blocking temperature (38 K) to that determined for the native protein, although it is structurally more disordered. The possibility of introducing structural and compositional modifications in both horse ferritin and bacterioferritins by in-vitro reconstitution suggests that these proteins do not function primarily as a crystallochemical-specific interface for core development in vivo.     

含铼重组液对部分缺失金属原子簇的钼铁蛋白的激活作用

棕色固氮菌(AzotobactervinelandiiLipmann)固氮酶MoFe蛋白经邻菲啉和空气处理后,成为部分缺失P_cluster和FeMoco的失活蛋白。与由Re2O7、高柠檬酸铁、Na2S和二硫苏糖醇(DTT)组成的无圆二色(CD)谱信号的重组液保温后,保温蛋白对乙炔和质子还原的活性都得以显著恢复;紫外和可见光CD谱虽有明显恢复,但仍与还原MoFe蛋白有所差异。这表明:1)保温的蛋白液中除含有未被邻菲啉等处理而破坏的完整MoFe蛋白外,还可能存在新组装的含Re的固氮酶;2)新组装的ReFe蛋白和MoFe蛋白可能在固氮能力上相似,而在结构上有所差别     

Redox and spectroscopic properties of oxidized MoFe protein from Azotobacter vinelandii

The MoFe protein from Azotobacter vinelandii undergoes a six-electron oxidation by various organic dye oxidants with full retention of initial activity. Reduction of the oxidized protein by S2O42- and by controlled potential electrolysis indicates the presence of two reduction regions at -290 and -480 mV, each requiring three electrons for complete reaction. Control of the oxidation conditions provides a means for preparing two distinct MoFe protein species selectively oxidized by three electrons. Selective reduction of the redox region at -290 mV causes development of the EPR signal associated with fully reduced MoFe protein while reduction at -480 mV produces a change in the visible spectrum but has no effect on the EPR signal intensity. Kinetic differences for reduction of the two redox regions indicate that the cofactor region undergoes a more rapid reaction with reductant than the other metal redox sites.     

Hydrogen-mediated enhancement of hydrogenase expression in Azotobacter vinelandii.

Azotobacter vinelandii cultures express more H2 uptake hydrogenase activity when fixing N2 than when provided with fixed N. Hydrogen, a product of the nitrogenase reaction, is at least partly responsible for this increase. The addition of H2 to NH4+-grown wild-type cultures caused increased whole-cell H2 uptake activity, methylene blue-dependent H2 uptake activity of membranes, and accumulation of hydrogenase protein (large subunit as detected immunologically) in membranes. Both rifampin and chloramphenicol inhibited the H2-mediated enhancement of hydrogenase synthesis. Nif- A. vinelandii mutants with deletions or insertions in the nif genes responded to added H2 by increasing the amount of both whole-cell and membrane-bound hydrogenase activities. Nif- mutant strain CA11 contained fourfold more hydrogenase protein when incubated in N-free medium with H2 than when incubated in the same medium containing Ar. N2-fixing wild-type cultures that produce H2 did not increase hydrogenase protein levels in response to added H2.     

Kinetics of iron release from pig spleen ferritin with bare platinum electrode reduction

Several anaerobic electrochemical cells were employed to study the kinetics of iron release from pig spleen ferritin (PSF) at a bare platinum electrode. Controlled potential microcoulometry (CPM) is the principal technology used to investigate the kinetics in the absence of a mediator. A kinetic study of iron release by microcoulometry has revealed that ferritin undergoes direct electron transfer at the electrode in the absence of a mediator, indicating that ferritin is an electroactive protein. Several experiments failed to show that alpha'alpha-bipyridyl has the capacity to reduce hydrolyzed Fe(3+) within the ferritin core after it has been reduced by the electrode at -600 mV vs. NHE in the absence of mediator. PSF is known to bind heme to generate a hemeoprotein, named pig spleen hemeoferritin (PSF(ho)). The rate of iron release is accelerated by the heme binding to PSF(ho) without the need for small mediators. Under similar conditions, two kinetic processes for iron release from PSF and bacterial ferritin of Azoaobacter vinelandii (AvBF) were studied and both fit a zero-order law. In addition, the rate of iron release in PSF can be accelerated two-fold by a specific reduction system consisting of ascorbic acid (AA) and the bare platinum electrode at -600 mV. However, this kinetic process does not follow zero-, half-, first, or second-order rate laws. A model is proposed to explain a mechanism of direct electron transfer between ferritin and the electrode is derived to describe the kinetics of iron release.     

Reactivation of Partially Metallocluster deficient MoFe Protein by Rhenium-containing Reconstituent Solution

When the reduced MoFe protein from Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann was treated with ophenanthroline and air, an inactive protein partially deficient in both FeMoco and P-cluster could be obtained. After incubating the treated protein with a reconstituent solution containing Re2OT, ferric homocitrate, Na2S and dithiothreitol, which had no circular dichroism (CD) signal, the ultraviolet and visible CD spectra, the C2H2 and H+ -reduction activity of the incubated protein were significantly recovered. However, the spectra were somewhat different from those of the reduced MoFe protein. The results showed that: 1) in the incubated protein solution there was possibly a new recombined ReFe protein besides the intact MoFe protein which was not destroyed by the treatment with o-phenanthroline and air; 2) it might be possible that both ReFe protein and MoFe protein exhibited similar ability of nitrogen fixation, although they were somewhat different in structure.     

Nucleotide sequence and organization of an H2-uptake gene cluster from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae containing a rubredoxin-like gene and four additional open reading frames.

The nucleotide sequence of a 3.2 kb region following the hydrogenase structural operon (hupSLCDEF) in the H2-uptake gene cluster from Rhizobium leguminosarum by viciae strain 128C53 has been determined. Five closely linked genes encoding products of 16.3 (HupG), 30.5 (HupH), 8.0 (HupI), 18.4 (HupJ) and 38.7 (HupK) kDa were identified 166 bp downstream from hupF. Transposon insertions into hupG, hupH, hupJ and hupK suppress the H2-oxidizing capability of the wild-type strain. The amino acid sequence deduced from hupI contains two Cys-X-X-Cys motifs, characteristic of rubredoxins, separated by 29 amino acid residues showing strong sequence homology with other bacterial rubredoxins. The amino acid-derived sequence from hupG and hupH showed homology to products from genes hyaE and hyaF of the operon encoding hydrogenase 1 from Escherichia coli, and hupJ and hupK were related to open reading frames identified in Rhodobacter capsulatus and Azotobacter vinelandii hydrogenase gene clusters. An involvement of the hupGHIJK gene cluster in redox reactions related to hydrogenase synthesis or activity is predicted on the basis of the function as electron carrier attributed to rubredoxin.     

The vanadium-containing nitrogenase of Azotobacter

Fifty years after a role of vanadium in biological fixation was proposed, it was shown that in addition to their well-characterized molybdendum nitrogenases, Azotobacter chroococcum and Azotobacter vinelandii both have a genetically distinct nitrogenase system in which the conventional molybdoprotein is replaced by a vanadoprotein. Both Mo-nitrogenases and V-nitrogenases have similar requirements for activity: MgATP, a low potential reductant and the absence of oxygen. The genes encoding the V-nitrogenase are expressed only under conditions of Mo-deficiency. V-Nitrogenase of A.chroococcum is made up of a tetrameric VFe protein (Mr 210,000) with an alpha 2 beta 2 structure containing two V atoms, 23 Fe atoms and 20 acid-labile sulphide atoms per tetramer, and a dimeric Fe protein (Mr 64,000) with a gamma 2 structure containing four Fe atoms and four acid-labile sulphide atoms per dimer. Vanadium K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicates that V in the VFe protein, like Mo in MoFe protein, has S, Fe and possibly O as nearest neighbours. A vanadium- and iron-containing cofactor (FeVaco) can be extracted from the VFe protein and will restore C2H2 reductase, but no nitrogenase activity, to the inactive MoFe protein accumulated by mutants unable to synthesize the molybdenum- and iron-containing co-factor of Mo-nitrogenase. The products of C2H2 reduction by the hybrid protein (C2H6 as well as C2H4) are a characteristic of the VFe protein and provide evidence that FeVaco is, or forms part of the active site of V-nitrogenase.     

Electrochemical cells for voltammetry, coulometry, and protein activity assays of small-volume biological samples

Cell designs, experimental protocols, and results for electrochemical investigation of small quantitites of biological materials under anaerobic conditions are reported. Three types of electrochemical experiments are considered: (i) cyclic voltammetry of 20- to 100-microliters samples; (ii) direct coulometry of 0.5- to 1.5-ml samples; and (iii) an electrochemically initiated protein activity assay which includes provision for analysis of gaseous reaction products and correlation with electron flux. The first two procedures are illustrated by measurement of the formal electrode potential (E0') and number of electrons transferred (n) in redox reactions of small quantities of biological and inorganic materials. The third procedure is illustrated by assaying the activity of the MoFe protein plus Fe protein complex from Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenase for reduction of C2H2 to C2H4.     

Relationship Between nifZ and the Synthesis of P cluster in Nitrogenase MoFe Protein of Azotobacter vinelandii

In comparison with OP MoFe protein from wild type strain Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann, the C2H2-reduction activity and atom ratio of Fe to Mo of △nifZ MoFe protein from a nifZ deletion strain of A. vinelandii were remarkably decreased. FeMoco, which were extracted from these two proteins under the same condition, were almost similar to each other in activity and metal composition, and the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of these proteins were significantly different from each other. In the visible region except 540 750 nm, the △ε at 380 - 540 nm of △nifZ MoFe protein decreased and had a peculiar sharp negative peak around 430 nm; and in the ultraviolet region, the peaks at 208 nm and 222 nm were higher than those of OP MoFe protein. △nifZ MoFe protein could be crystallized in a suitable concentration of PEG 8000 and MgCl2, the size of crystals and amount of precipitation seemed to be related to the above-mentioned negative peaks. The results showed that △nifZ of Azotobacter vinelanclii might be related to the synthesis of P-cluster, rather than to that of FeMoco, which resulted in its conformation, stability and process of crystallization.