Person:

Olshansky, Lisa

The E. coli class Ia ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) achieves forward and reverse proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) over a pathway of redox-active amino acids (β-Y122 ⇌ β-Y356 ⇌ α-Y731 ⇌ α-Y730 ⇌ α-C439) spanning ~35 Å and two subunits every time it turns over. We have developed photoRNRs that allow radical transport to be phototriggered at tyrosine (Y) or fluorotyrosine (FnY) residues along the PCET pathway. We now report a new photoRNR in which photooxidation of a tryptophan (W) residue replacing Y356 within the α/β subunit interface proceeds by a stepwise ETPT (electron transfer then proton transfer) mechanism and provides an orthogonal spectroscopic handle with respect to radical pathway residues Y731/Y730 in α. This construct displays a ~3-fold enhancement in photochemical yield of W• relative to F3Y• and a ~7-fold enhancement relative to Y•. Photogeneration of the W• radical occurs with a rate constant of 4.4 ± 0.2 × 105 s−1, which obeys a Marcus correlation for radical generation at the RNR subunit interface. Despite the fact that the Y → W variant displays no enzymatic activity in the absence of light, photogeneration of W• within the subunit interface results in 20% activity for turnover relative to wt-RNR under the same conditions.

Substrate turnover in class Ia ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) requires reversible radical transport across two subunits over 35 A, which occurs by a multi-step proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism. Using a photooxidant-labeled β2 subunit of Escherichia coli class Ia RNR, we demonstrate photoinitiated oxidation of a tyrosine in an α2:β2 complex, which results in substrate turnover. Using site-directed mutations of the redox-active tyrosines at the subunit interface—Y356F(β) and Y731F(α)—this oxidation is identified to be localized on Y356. The rate of Y356 oxidation depends on the presence of Y731 across the interface. This observation supports the proposal that unidirectional PCET across the Y356(β)–Y731(α)–Y730(α) triad is crucial to radical transport in RNR.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) catalyzes the conversion of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides to provide the monomeric building blocks for DNA replication and repair. Nucleotide reduction occurs by way of multi-step proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) over a pathway of redox active amino acids spanning ~ 35 Å and two subunits (α2 and β2). Despite the fact that PCET in RNR is rapid, slow conformational changes mask kinetic examination of these steps. As such, we have pioneered methodology in which site-specific incorporation of a [ReI] photooxidant on the surface of the β2 subunit (photoβ2) allows photochemical oxidation of the adjacent PCET pathway residue β-Y356 and time-resolved spectroscopic observation of the ensuing reactivity. A series of photoβ2s capable of performing photoinitiated substrate turnover have been prepared in which four different fluorotyrosines (FnYs) are incorporated in place of β-Y356. The FnYs are deprotonated under biological conditions, undergo oxidation by electron transfer (ET) and provide a means by which to vary the ET driving force (ΔG°) with minimal additional perturbations across the series. We have used these features to map the correlation between ΔG° and kET both with and without the fully assembled photoRNR complex. The photooxidation of FnY356 within the α/β subunit interface occurs within the Marcus inverted region with a reorganization energy of λ ≈ 1 eV. We also observe enhanced electronic coupling between donor and acceptor (HDA) in the presence of an intact PCET pathway. Additionally, we have investigated the dynamics of proton transfer (PT) by a variety of methods including dependencies on solvent isotopic composition, buffer concentration, and pH. We present evidence for the role of α2 in facilitating PT during β-Y356 photooxidation; PT occurs by way of readily exchangeable positions and within a relatively “tight” subunit interface. These findings show that RNR controls ET by lowering λ, raising HDA, and directing PT both within and between individual polypeptide subunits.

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze the conversion of nucleotides to deoxynucleotides in all organisms. Active E. coli class Ia RNR is an α2β2 complex that undergoes reversible, long-range proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) over a pathway of redox active amino acids (β-Y122 → [β-W48] → β-Y356 → α-Y731 → α-Y730 → α-C439) that spans ∼35 Å. To unmask PCET kinetics from rate-limiting conformational changes, we prepared a photochemical RNR containing a [ReI] photooxidant site-specifically incorporated at position 355 ([Re]-β2), adjacent to PCET pathway residue Y356 in β. [Re]-β2 was further modified by replacing Y356 with 2,3,5-trifluorotyrosine to enable photochemical generation and spectroscopic observation of chemically competent tyrosyl radical(s). Using transient absorption spectroscopy, we compare the kinetics of Y· decay in the presence of substrate and wt-α2, Y731F-α2 ,or C439S-α2, as well as with 3′-[2H]-substrate and wt-α2. We find that only in the presence of wt-α2 and the unlabeled substrate do we observe an enhanced rate of radical decay indicative of forward radical propagation. This observation reveals that cleavage of the 3′-C–H bond of substrate by the transiently formed C439· thiyl radical is rate-limiting in forward PCET through α and has allowed calculation of a lower bound for the rate constant associated with this step of (1.4 ± 0.4) × 104 s–1. Prompting radical propagation with light has enabled observation of PCET events heretofore inaccessible, revealing active site chemistry at the heart of RNR catalysis.

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze the conversion of nucleotides to deoxynucleotides in all organisms. Active E. coli class Ia RNR is an α2β2 complex that undergoes reversible, long-range proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) over a pathway of redox active amino acids (β-Y122 → [β-W48] → β-Y356 → α-Y731 → α-Y730 → α-C439) that spans ∼35 Å. To unmask PCET kinetics from rate-limiting conformational changes, we prepared a photochemical RNR containing a [ReI] photooxidant site-specifically incorporated at position 355 ([Re]-β2), adjacent to PCET pathway residue Y356 in β. [Re]-β2 was further modified by replacing Y356 with 2,3,5-trifluorotyrosine to enable photochemical generation and spectroscopic observation of chemically competent tyrosyl radical(s). Using transient absorption spectroscopy, we compare the kinetics of Y· decay in the presence of substrate and wt-α2, Y731F-α2 ,or C439S-α2, as well as with 3′-[2H]-substrate and wt-α2. We find that only in the presence of wt-α2 and the unlabeled substrate do we observe an enhanced rate of radical decay indicative of forward radical propagation. This observation reveals that cleavage of the 3′-C–H bond of substrate by the transiently formed C439· thiyl radical is rate-limiting in forward PCET through α and has allowed calculation of a lower bound for the rate constant associated with this step of (1.4 ± 0.4) × 104 s–1. Prompting radical propagation with light has enabled observation of PCET events heretofore inaccessible, revealing active site chemistry at the heart of RNR catalysis.