The high-valent state of the diheme enzyme MauG exhibits charge–resonance (CR) stabilization in which the major species is a bis-FeIV state with one heme present as FeIV=O and the other as FeIV with axial heme ligands provided by His and Tyr side chains. In the absence of its substrate, the high-valent state is relatively stable and returns to the diferric state over several minutes. It is shown that this process occurs in two phases. The first phase is redistribution of the resonance species that support the CR. The second phase is the loss of CR and reduction to the diferric state. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the rates of the two phases exhibited different temperature dependencies and activation energies of 8.9 and 19.6 kcal/mol. The two phases exhibited kinetic solvent isotope effects of 2.5 and 2.3. Proton inventory plots of each reaction phase exhibited extreme curvature that could not be fit to models for one- or multiple-proton transfers in the transition state. Each did fit well to a model for two alternative pathways for proton transfer, each involving multiple protons. In each case the experimentally determined fractionation factors were consistent with one of the pathways involving tunneling. The percent of the reaction that involved the tunneling pathway differed for the two reaction phases. Using the crystal structure of MauG it was possible to propose proton–transfer pathways consistent with the experimental data using water molecules and amino acid side chains in the distal pocket of the high-spin heme.

In the absence of its substrate, the autoreduction of the high-valent bis-FeIV state of the diheme enzyme MauG is coupled to oxidative damage of a methionine residue. Transient kinetic and solvent isotope effect studies reveal that this process occurs via two sequential long-range electron transfer (ET) reactions from methionine to the hemes. The first ET is coupled to proton transfer (PT) to the hemes from solvent via an ordered water network. The second ET is coupled to PT at the methionine site and occurs during the oxidation of the methionine to a sulfoxide. This process proceeds via Compound I- and Compound II-like heme intermediates. It is proposed that the methionine radical is stabilized of a by a two-center three-electron bond. This provides insight into how oxidative damage to proteins may occur without direct contact with a reactive oxygen species, and how that damage can be propagated through the protein.

The Rv2633c gene in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is rapidly up-regulated after macrophage infection, suggesting that Rv2633c is involved in M. tuberculosis pathogenesis. However, the activity and role of the Rv2633c protein in host colonization is unknown. Here, we analyzed the Rv2633c protein sequence, which revealed the presence of an HHE cation-binding domain common in hemerythrin-like proteins. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Rv2633c is a member of a distinct subset of hemerythrin-like proteins exclusive to mycobacteria. The Rv2633c sequence was significantly similar to protein sequences from other pathogenic strains within that subset, suggesting that these proteins are involved in mycobacteria virulence. We expressed and purified the Rv2633c protein in Escherichia coli and found that it contains two iron atoms, but does not behave like a hemerythrin. It migrated as a dimeric protein during size-exclusion chromatography. It was not possible to reduce the protein or observe any evidence for its interaction with O 2 . However, Rv2633c did exhibit catalase activity with a k cat of 1475 s ؊1 and K m of 10.1 ؎ 1.7 mM. Cyanide and azide inhibited the catalase activity with K i values of 3.8 M and 37.7 M, respectively. Rv2633c's activity was consistent with a role in defenses against oxidative stress generated during host immune responses after M. tuberculosis infection of macrophages. We note that Rv2633c is the first example of a non-heme di-iron catalase, and conclude that it is a member of a subset of hemerythrin-like proteins exclusive to mycobacteria, with likely roles in protection against host defenses.

Pathogenic and opportunistic mycobacteria have a distinct class of non-heme di-iron hemerythrin-like proteins (HLPs). The first to be isolated was the Rv2633c protein, which plays a role in infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), but could not be crystallized. This work presents the first crystal structure of an ortholog of Rv2633c, the mycobacterial HLP from Mycobacterium kansasii (Mka). This structure differs from those of hemerythrins and other known HLPs. It consists of five α-helices, whereas all other HLP domains have four. In contrast with other HLPs, the HLP domain is not fused to an additional protein domain. The residues ligating and surrounding the di-iron site are also unique among HLPs. Notably, a tyrosine occupies the position normally held by one of the histidine ligands in hemerythrin. This structure was used to construct a homology model of Rv2633c. The structure of five α-helices is conserved and the di-iron site ligands are identical in Rv2633c. Two residues near the ends of helices in the Mka HLP structure are replaced with prolines in the Rv2633c model. This may account for structural perturbations that decrease the solubility of Rv2633c relative to Mka HLP. Clusters of residues that differ in charge or polarity between Rv2633c and Mka HLP that point outward from the helical core could reflect a specificity for potential differential interactions with other protein partners in vivo, which are related to function. The Mka HLP exhibited weaker catalase activity than Rv2633c. Evidence was obtained for the interaction of Mka HLP irons with nitric oxide.

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Thermal isomerization of olefins to carbenes via a 1,2-silyl shift was examined by both experiment and theory. No evidence of this rearrangement was found for acyclic vinylsilanes, nor could electronic assistance by silicon be identified in cis, trans isomerizations. Serendipitous synthesis of a 2,4-dimethylene-1,3-disilacyclobutane allowed a kinetic examination of its gas-phase, thermal ring expansion to a 2-methylene-1,3-disilacyclopentene. The Arrhenius parameters (log A = 12.48, Eact = 54.09 kcallmol) are the first to be reported for an olefin-to-carbene rearrangement. The analogous all-carbon system failed to ring expand. Ab initio calculations revealed that this was opposite to any predictions which would be made from ring strain considerations. Calculations showed that for silyl migration the transition state was late and was actually the carbene, while for carbon migration the TS was early and considerably higher in energy than the resulting carbene. The 2-methylene-1-silacyclobutane rearrangement (ref 5) was reexamined to find that reversible ring opening to a 1,4-diradical occurred at temperatures below those required to ring expand via a carbene TS. Disciplines Chemistry CommentsReprinted (adapted) Abstract: Thermal isomerization of olefins to carbenes via a 1,2-silyl shift was examined by both experiment and theory. No evidence of this rearrangement was found for acyclic vinylsilanes, nor could electronic assistance by silicon be identified in cis, trans isomerizations. Serendipitous synthesis of a 2,4-dimethylene-1,3-disilacyclobutane allowed a kinetic examination of its gas-phase, thermal ring expansion to a 2-methylene-1,3-disilacyclopentene.The Arrhenius parameters (log A = 12.48, Eact = 54.09 kcallmol) are the first to be reported for an olefin-to-carbene rearrangement. The analogous all-carbon system failed to ring expand. Ab initio calculations revealed that this was opposite to any predictions which would be made from ring strain considerations. Calculations showed that for silyl migration the transition state was late and was actually the carbene, while for carbon migration the TS was early and considerably higher in energy than the resulting carbene. The 2-methylene-1-silacyclobutane rearrangement (ref 5) was reexamined to find that reversible ring opening to a 1,4-diradical occurred at temperatures below those required to ring expand via a carbene TS.

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