The alkylating warhead of the pancreatic cancer drug streptozotocin (SZN) contains an N-nitrosourea moiety constructed from N ω -methyl-L-arginine (L-NMA) by the multidomain metalloenzyme SznF. The enzyme's central heme-oxygenase-like (HO-like) domain sequentially hydroxylates N δ and N ω ′ of L-NMA. Its C-terminal cupin domain then rearranges the triply modified arginine to N δ -hydroxy-N ω -methyl-N ω -nitroso-L-citrulline, the proposed donor of the functional pharmacophore. Here we show that the HO-like domain of SznF can bind Fe(II) and use it to capture O 2 , forming a peroxo-Fe 2 (III/III) intermediate. This intermediate has absorption-and Mossbauer-spectroscopic features similar to those of complexes previously trapped in ferritin-like diiron oxidases and oxygenases (FDOs) and, more recently, the HO-like fatty acid oxidase UndA. The SznF peroxo-Fe 2 (III/III) complex is an intermediate in both hydroxylation steps, as shown by the concentration-dependent acceleration of its decay upon exposure to either L-NMA or N δ -hydroxy-N ω -methyl-L-Arg (L-HMA). The Fe 2 (III/III) cluster produced upon decay of the intermediate has a small Mossbauer quadrupole splitting parameter, implying that, unlike the corresponding product states of many FDOs, it lacks an oxo-bridge. The subsequent decomposition of the product cluster to one or more paramagnetic Fe(III) species over several hours explains why SznF was previously purified and crystallographically characterized without its cofactor. Programmed instability of the oxidized form of the cofactor appears to be a unifying characteristic of the emerging superfamily of HO-like diiron oxidases and oxygenases (HDOs).

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), uses an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) for the replication of its genome and the transcription of its genes. We found that the catalytic subunit of the RdRp, nsp12, ligates two iron-sulfur metal cofactors in sites that were modeled as zinc centers in the available cryo-electron microscopy structures of the RdRp complex. These metal binding sites are essential for replication and for interaction with the viral helicase. Oxidation of the clusters by the stable nitroxide TEMPOL caused their disassembly, potently inhibited the RdRp, and blocked SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell culture. These iron-sulfur clusters thus serve as cofactors for the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp and are targets for therapy of COVID-19.

We report the synthesis, structure, and spectroscopic characterization of 1,2-bis[μ-hydroxo iron(III) 5-(2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrinyl)]ethane with PF6(–) and SbF6(–) counteranions. The two iron centers are nonequivalent with admixed intermediate spin state (S = 3/2 with a minor contribution of S = 5/2) on each metal both in the solid and in solution. The molecules are compared with previously known μ-hydroxo complexes with other counterions, such as I3(–), BF4(–), and ClO4(–), which demonstrates that the nature of the counterion can affect the spin-state ordering dramatically. To understand how the spin-state ordering is affected by external perturbations, we also have done a comprehensive computational study. The calculations show that subtle environmental perturbations affect the spin-state ordering and relative energies and are likely to be the root cause of the variation in spin-state ordering observed experimentally.

A new family of five ethene-bridged diiron(III)-μ-hydroxo bisporphyrins with the same core structure but different counter anions, represented by the general formula [Fe2 (bisporphyrin)]OH·X (X=counter anion), is reported herein. In these complexes, two different spin states of Fe are stabilized in a single molecular framework. Protonation of the oxo-bridged dimer 1 by strong Brønsted acids such as HI, HBF4, HPF6, HSbF6 , and HClO4 produces the μ-hydroxo complexes with I5(-)(2), BF4(-)(3), PF6(-)(4), SbF6(-)(5), and ClO4(-)(6) as counter anions, respectively. The X-ray structures of 2 and 6 have been determined, which provide a rare opportunity to investigate structural changes upon protonation. Spectroscopic characterization has revealed that the two iron(III) centers in 2 are nonequivalent with nearly high and admixed-intermediate spins in both the solid state and solution. Moreover, the two different Fe(III) centers of 3-5 are best described as having admixed-high and admixed-intermediate spins with variable contributions of S=5/2 and 3/2 for each state in the solid, but two different admixed-intermediate spins in solution. In contrast, the two Fe(III) centers in 6 are equivalent and are assigned as having high and intermediate spin states in the solid and solution, respectively. The X-ray structures reveal that the Fe-O bond length increases on going from the μ-oxo to the μ-hydroxo complexes, and the Fe-O(H)-Fe unit becomes more bent, with the dihedral angle decreasing from 150.9(2)° in 1 to 142.3(3)° and 143.85(2)° in 2 and 6, respectively. Variable-temperature magnetic data have been subjected to a least-squares fitting using the expressions derived from the spin Hamiltonians H=-2JS1·S2 -μ·B+D[S(2)(z) - 1/3S(S + 1)] (for 2, 3, 4, and 5) and H=-2JS1·S2 (for 6). The results show that strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the two Fe(III) centers in 1 is attenuated to nearly zero (-2.4 cm(-1)) in 2, whereas the values are -46, -32.6, -33.5, and -34 cm(-1) for 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively.

Interaction between heme centers has been cleverly implemented by Nature in order to regulate different properties of multiheme cytochromes, thereby allowing them to perform a wide variety of functions. Our broad interest lies in unmasking the roles played by heme-heme interactions in modulating different properties viz., metal spin state, redox potential etc., of the individual heme centers using an ethane-bridged porphyrin dimer as a synthetic model of dihemes. The large differences in the structure and properties of the diheme complexes, as compared to the monoheme analogs, provide unequivocal evidence of the role played by heme-heme interactions in the dihemes. This Perspective provides a brief account of our recent efforts to explore these interesting aspects and the subsequent outcomes.