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R R Eady

Publications and source records attributed to R R Eady.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Molybdenum-independent nitrogenases of Azotobacter vinelandii: a functional species of alternative nitrogenase-3 isolated from a molybdenum-tolerant strain contains an iron-molybdenum cofactor.

Nitrogenase-3 of Azotobacter vinelandii is synthesized under conditions of molybdenum and vanadium deficiency. The minimal metal requirement for its synthesis, and its metal content, indicated that the only transition metal in nitrogenase-3 was iron [Chisnell, Premakumar and Bishop (1988) J. Bacteriol. 170, 27-33; Pau, Mitchenall and Robson (1989) J. Bacteriol. 171, 124-129]. A new species of nitrogenase-3 has been purified from a strain of A. vinelandii (RP306) lacking structural genes for the Mo- and V-nitrogenases and containing a mutation which enables nitrogenase-3 to be synthesized in the presence of molybdenum. SDS/PAGE showed that component 1 contained a 15 kDa polypeptide which N-terminal amino acid sequence determination showed to be encoded by anfG. This confirms that nitrogenase-3, like V-nitrogenase, comprises three subunits. Preparations of the nitrogenase-3 from strain RP306 contained 24 Fe atoms and 1 Mo atom per molecule. Characterization of the cofactor centre of the enzyme by e.p.r. spectroscopy and an enzymic cofactor assay, together with stimulation of the growth of strain RP306 by Mo, showed that nitrogenase-3 can incorporate the Mo-nitrogenase cofactor (FeMoco) to form a functional enzyme. The specific activities (nmol of product produced/min per mg of protein) determined from activity titration curves were: under N2, NH3 formation 110, with concomitant H2 evolution of 220; under argon, H2 evolution 350; under 10% acetylene (C2H2) in argon, ethylene (C2H4) 58, ethane (C2H6) 26, and concomitant H2 evolution 226. The rate of formation of C2H6 was non-linear, and the C2H6/C2H4 ratio strongly dependent on the ratio of nitrogenase components.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1993

Energy transduction by nitrogenase: binding of MgADP to the MoFe protein is dependent on the oxidation state of the iron-sulphur 'P' clusters.

Hydrolysis of MgATP to MgADP is essential for nitrogenase action. There is good evidence for binding of both nucleotides to the Fe protein of nitrogenase, but data indicating their binding to the MoFe protein have been controversial [see Miller and Eady (1989) Biochem. J. 263, 725-729]. The binding of MgADP to the MoFe protein of nitrogenase of Klebsiella pneumoniae was investigated by non-equilibrium gel-filtration column methods. No binding of MgADP to the dithionite-reduced protein could be detected. Treatment of the MoFe protein with phenosafranine [midpoint potential (Em) -270 mV] did not affect the activity, and oxidized the 'P' clusters but not the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) centres. This oxidized species bound 3.9 mol of MgADP with a binding pattern characteristic of low rates of ligand dissociation. These observations suggest that the variability in published data on nucleotide binding to the MoFe protein is related to poor control of the protein oxidation level. Our data, coupled with the observation that 'P' clusters become oxidized during reduction of N2 [Lowe, Fisher and Thorneley (1993) Biochem. J., in the press], led us to propose that the ADP binding sites are transiently filled during enzyme turnover by hydrolysis of ATP originally bound to the Fe protein, and that hydrolysis occurs on a bridging site on the MoFe-Fe-protein complex.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1993

Purification and characterization of the assimilatory nitrate reductase of Azotobacter vinelandii.

1. A soluble reduced Methyl Viologen-dependent assimilatory nitrate reductase from Azotobacter vinelandii strain UW136 grown aerobically on nitrate was purified to homogeneity by the criteria of nitrate reductase activity staining, and coincidence of a Coomassie Blue-staining protein band on polyacrylamide gels run under non-denaturing conditions. The specific activity was 3 mumol of NO2- formed/min per mg of protein. 2. Gel filtration on Superose-12 and SDS/PAGE showed that the enzyme had an M(r) of 105,000 and was monomeric. The enzyme contained 1 Mo atom, 4 Fe atoms and 4 acid-labile sulphide atoms per molecule; no evidence for the presence of cytochrome or FAD was found. 3. Mo was present in a molybdenum cofactor, which on extraction was capable of activating apo-(nit-1) nitrate reductase present in crude extracts of nit-1 mutants of Neurospora crassa. 4. As isolated, the enzyme had e.p.r. signals assigned to Mo(V) with g-values g1 = 2.023; g2 = 1.998; g3 = 1.993 and with gav. = 2.004 indicating an unusual environment of Mo in this enzyme. 5. Reduction with S2O4(2-) bleached the e.p.r. signals which, on reoxidation after the addition of NO3(2-) to initiate enzyme turnover, exhibited at short times Mo(V) signals similar to those of dissimilatory nitrate reductases, with g1 = 1.998; g2 = 1.989; g3 = 1.981 and gav. = 1.989. Prolonged incubation subsequently gave a mixture of both e.p.r. species. 6. Neither NADH nor NADPH was effective as an electron donor, but reduced Methyl Viologen (apparent Km 998 microM) and reduced Bromophenol Blue (apparent Km 158 microM) were effective. With these donors the apparent Km values for nitrate were 70 microM and 217 microM respectively.

Azotobacter vinelandii↗
PubMed1993

The molybdenum and vanadium nitrogenases of Azotobacter chroococcum: effect of elevated temperature on N2 reduction.

During the reduction of N2 by V-nitrogenase at 30 degrees C, some hydrazine (N2H4) is formed as a product in addition to NH3 [Dilworth and Eady (1991) Biochem. J. 277, 465-468]. We show here the following. (1) That over the temperature range 30-45 degrees C the apparent Km for the reduction of N2 to yield these products is the same, but increases from 30 to 58 kPa of N2. On increasing the temperature from 45 degrees C to 50 degrees C, little change occurred in the rate of reduction of protons to H2; the rate of N2H4 production increased, but the rate of NH3 formation decreased 7-fold. (2) Temperature-shift experiments from 42 to 50 degrees C or from 50 to 42 degrees C showed that this selective loss of the ability to reduce N2 to NH3 was reversible. The effects we observe are consistent with the existence of different conformers of the VFe-protein at the two temperatures, that predominating at 50 degrees C being largely unable to reduce N2 to ammonia. (3) Measurement of the ratio between H2 evolution and N2 reduced to NH3 at N2 pressures up to 339 kPa for both Mo- and V-nitrogenases gave limiting H2/N2 values of 1.13 +/- 0.13 for Mo-nitrogenase and 3.50 +/- 0.03 for V-nitrogenase. Since for Mo-nitrogenase our measured value for the ratio at 339 kPa is the same as that derived by Simpson and Burris [(1984) Science 224, 1095-1097] at 5650 kPa, there appears to be little or no divergence from the predictions based on the apparent Km for N2. These data then suggest that there may be a fundamentally different mechanism for N2 binding to V-nitrogenase compared with Mo-nitrogenase. (4) We did not detect any N2H4 as a product of N2 reduction by Mo-nitrogenase over the temperature range investigated; however, at 50 degrees C this system reduced acetylene (C2H2) to yield some ethane (C2H6), in addition to ethylene (C2H4), a reaction normally associated with Mo-independent nitrogenases.

Azotobacter↗
PubMed1992

Correction for creatine interference with the direct indophenol measurement of NH3 in steady-state nitrogenase assays.

Creatine was identified as a major source of interference with the direct phenol/hypochlorite colorimetric determination of ammonia in nitrogenase reaction mixtures. A method is described for removing other compounds which inhibit color development and for compensating for the interference produced by creatine. This method avoids time-consuming microdiffusion and also routinely makes available the efficiency of ATP hydrolysis coupled to substrate reduction (ATP/2e ratio) with N2 as a reducible substrate. Using this method we determined values for this ratio at 30 degrees C of 4.87 +/- 0.03 during the reduction of protons to H2 and 7.16 +/- 0.14 during the reduction of N2 by the vanadium-containing nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1992

Posttranslational modification of Klebsiella pneumoniae flavodoxin by covalent attachment of coenzyme A, shown by 31P NMR and electrospray mass spectrometry, prevents electron transfer from the nifJ protein to nitrogenase. A possible new regulatory mechanism for biological nitrogen fixation.

A strain of Escherichia coli (71-18) that produces ca. 15% of its soluble cytoplasmic protein as a flavodoxin, the Klebsiella pneumoniae nifF gene product, has been constructed. The flavodoxin was purified using FPLC and resolved into two forms, designated KpFldI and KpFldII, which were shown to have identical N-terminal amino acid sequences (30 residues) in agreement with that predicted by the K. pneumoniae nifF DNA sequence. 31P NMR, electrospray mass spectrometry, UV-visible spectra, and thiol group estimations showed that the single cysteine residue (position 68) of KpFldI is posttranslationally modified in KpFldII by the covalent, mixed disulfide, attachment of coenzyme A. KpFldII was inactive as an electron carrier between the K. pneumoniae nifJ product (a pyruvate-flavodoxin oxidoreductase) and K. pneumoniae nifH product (the Fe-protein of nitrogenase). This novel posttranslational modification of a flavodoxin is discussed in terms of the regulation of nitrogenase activity in vivo in response to the level of dissolved O2 and the carbon status of diazotrophic cultures.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Direct electrochemistry of two genetically distinct flavodoxins isolated from Azotobacter chroococcum grown under nitrogen-fixing conditions.

Two genetically distinct flavodoxins, designated AcFldA and AcFldB, were isolated from Azotobacter chroococcum (MCD1155) grown under nitrogen-fixing conditions. AcFldA and AcFldB differ in their midpoint potentials for the semiquinone-hydroquinone couple (Em -305 mV and -520 mV respectively). Only AcFldB was competent to act as an electron donor to the Mo-containing nitrogenase of A. chroococcum. The N-terminal amino acid sequence (20 residues) of AcFldB was identical with that predicted from the nifF DNA sequence of A. vinelandii OP [Bennett, Jacobsen & Dean (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 1364-1369], suggesting that AcFldB is the nifF gene product of A. chroococcum (MCD1155). Direct fast reversible electrochemistry of these flavodoxins has been achieved at a polished edge-plane graphite electrode using the aminoglycoside neomycin as a promoter. The heterogeneous rates of electron transfer between the graphite electrode and AcFldA and AcFldB were determined to be 1.2 x 10(-3) cm.s-1 and 2.0 x 10(-3) cm.s-1 respectively. The natures of two minor species of flavodoxin designated AcFldC and AcFldD, which were resolved by f.p.l.c., are also discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Hydrazine is a product of dinitrogen reduction by the vanadium-nitrogenase from Azotobacter chroococcum.

During the enzymic reduction of N2 to NH3 by Mo-nitrogenase, free hydrazine (N2H4) is not detectable, but an enzyme-bound intermediate can be made to yield N2H4 by quenching the enzyme during turnover [Thorneley, Eady & Lowe (1978) Nature (London) 272, 557-558]. In contrast, we show here that the V-nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum produces a small but significant amount of free N2H4 (up to 0.5% of the electron flux resulting in N2 reduction) as a product of the reduction of N2. The amount of N2H4 formed increased 15-fold on increasing the assay temperature from 20 degrees C to 40 degrees C. Activity cross-reactions between nitrogenase components of Mo- and V-nitrogenases showed that the formation of free N2H4 was associated with the VFe protein. These data provide the first direct evidence for an enzyme intermediate at the four-electron-reduced level during the reduction of N2 by V-nitrogenase.

Azotobacter↗
PubMed1990

Iron K-edge X-ray-absorption spectroscopy of the iron-vanadium cofactor of the vanadium nitrogenase from Azotobacter chroococcum.

Iron K-edge e.x.a.f.s. data for the iron-vanadium cofactor (FeVaco) from Azotobacter chroococcum vanadium nitrogenase reported here provide further evidence for the structural similarity between this and the iron-molybdenum nitrogenase cofactor (FeMoco) from Klebsiella pneumoniae molybdenum nitrogenase [Arber, Flood, Garner, Gormal, Hasnain & Smith (1988) Biochem. J. 252, 421-425]. The e.x.a.f.s. data are consistent with the vanadium being present in a V-Fe-S cluster, thus confirming that the N-methylformamide extract of the VFe protein component of A. chroococcum vanadium nitrogenase does indeed contain a polynuclear metal-sulphur cluster. Additionally, a long Fe-Fe distance is observed as 0.369 nm, demonstrating the presence of a long-range order in the cluster.

Azotobacter↗
PubMed1989

Molybdenum nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum. Tight binding of MgADP to the MoFe protein.

The dye-oxidized or dithionite-reduced forms of the MoFe protein of molybdenum nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum were shown to bind 2 mol of MgADP/mol of protein, as determined by column equilibrium techniques. The gel-filtration elution profile of unbound Mg[14C]ADP was not symmetrical, consistent with a low rate of dissociation from the protein. Symmetrical elution profiles were observed for the oxidized Fe protein of nitrogenase, which bound 2 mol of MgADP/mol of protein. The low rate of dissociation of MgADP from MoFe protein was shown by non-equilibrium column techniques, where 1 mol of MgADP/mol of MoFe protein remained tightly bound during chromatography. Very weak binding of MgATP (less than 0.01 mol of MgATP/mol of MoFe protein) to dye-oxidized but not to dithionite-reduced MoFe protein was observed. These results are discussed in terms of their relevance to the catalytic cycle of nitrogenase catalysis.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1989

Vanadium K-edge X-ray-absorption spectroscopy of the functioning and thionine-oxidized forms of the VFe-protein of the vanadium nitrogenase from Azotobacter chroococcum.

Vanadium K-edge X-ray-absorption spectra were collected for samples of thionine-oxidized, super-reduced (during enzyme turnover) and dithionite-reduced VFe-protein of the vanadium nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum (Acl*). Both the e.x.a.f.s and the x.a.n.e.s. (X-ray-absorption near-edge structure) are consistent with the vanadium being present as part of a VFeS cluster; the environment of the vanadium is not changed significantly in different oxidation states of the protein. The vanadium atom is bound to three oxygen (or nitrogen), three sulphur and three iron atoms at 0.215(3), 0.231(3) and 0.275(3) nm respectively.

Azotobacter↗
PubMed1989

Vanadium nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum. MgATP-dependent electron transfer within the protein complex.

The kinetics of MgATP-induced electron transfer from the Fe protein (Ac2V) to the VFe protein (AclV) of the vanadium-containing nitrogenase from Azotobacter chroococcum were studied by stopped-flow spectrophotometry at 23 degrees C at pH 7.2. They are very similar to those of the molybdenum nitrogenase of Klebsiella pneumoniae [Thorneley (1975) Biochem. J. 145, 391-396]. Extrapolation of the dependence of kobs. on [MgATP] to infinite MgATP concentration gave k = 46 s-1 for the first-order electron-transfer reaction that occurs with the Ac2V MgATPAclV complex. MgATP binds with an apparent KD = 230 +/- 10 microM and MgADP acts as a competitive inhibitor with Ki = 30 +/- 5 microM. The Fe protein and VFe protein associate with k greater than or equal to 3 x 10(7) M-1.s-1. A comparison of the dependences of kobs. for electron transfer on protein concentrations for the vanadium nitrogenase from A. chroococcum with those for the molybdenum nitrogenase from K. pneumoniae [Lowe & Thorneley (1984) Biochem. J. 224, 895-901] indicates that the proteins of the vanadium nitrogenase system form a weaker electron-transfer complex.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1989

Structural genes for the vanadium nitrogenase from Azotobacter chroococcum.

Structural genes for the VFe-protein (Ac1V) of the vanadium nitrogenase from Azotobacter chroococcum were cloned and sequenced. The VFe-protein contains three subunit types with Mr of 53,793 (alpha), 52,724 (beta) and 13,274 (delta). alpha and beta subunits show 18 and 15% sequence identity respectively, with alpha and beta subunits of the MoFe-protein of A.chroococcum molybdenum nitrogenase. The genes for the three subunits vnfD (alpha), vnfG (delta) and vnfK (beta) are contiguous and form an operon whose transcription is repressed in response to ammonia. The Fe-protein component of the V-nitrogenase (Ac2V) is the product of nifH* that we have previously cloned and sequenced. This gene was located 2.5 kb upstream of vnfD. A deletion in the vnfD, G and K gene cluster prevents V-dependent nitrogen fixation. A strain defective in both V-nitrogenase and Mo-nitrogenase structural genes showed no residual nitrogen fixing capacity arguing against the presence of a third nitrogen fixation system in this organism.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Molybdenum and vanadium nitrogenases of Azotobacter chroococcum. Low temperature favours N2 reduction by vanadium nitrogenase.

A comparison of the effect of temperature on the reduction of N2 by purified molybdenum nitrogenase and vanadium nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum showed differences in behaviour. As the assay temperature was lowered from 30 degrees C to 5 degrees C N2 remained an effective substrate for V nitrogenase, but not Mo nitrogenase, since the specific activity for N2 reduction by Mo nitrogenase decreased 10-fold more than that of V nitrogenase. Activity cross-reactions between nitrogenase components showed the enhanced low-temperature activity to be associated with the Fe protein of V nitrogenase. The lower activity of homologous Mo nitrogenase components, although dependent on the ratio of MoFe protein to Fe protein, did not equal that of V nitrogenase even under conditions of high electron flux obtained at a 12-fold molar excess of Fe protein.

Azotobacter↗
PubMed1988

The vanadium nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum. Purification and properties of the Fe protein.

1. Nitrogenase activity of a strain of Azotobacter chroococcum lacking the structural genes of Monitrogenase (nifHDK) was associated with a V + Fe-containing protein and an Fe-containing protein [Robson, Eady, Richardson, Miller, Hawkins & Postgate (1986) Nature (London) 322, 388-390; Eady, Robson, Richardson, Miller & Hawkins (1987) Biochem. J. 244, 197-207]. 2. The Fe protein was purified to homogeneity by the criterion of Coomassie Blue staining after electrophoresis in 10% or 17% (w/v) polyacrylamide gels in the presence of SDS. One type of subunit, of Mr 32,000 +/- 2000, was found. 3. The native protein had an Mr of 62,500 +/- 2500 and contained approximately 4 Fe atoms and 4 acid-labile sulphide groups per molecule. The amino acid composition was similar to those of other purified Fe proteins, and, characteristically, tryptophan was absent. The specific activities (nmol of protein/min per mg of protein) when assayed under optimum conditions with the VFe protein from this strain were 1211 for H2 evolution under Ar, 337 for NH3 from N2 formation and 349 for C2H2 reduction. Activity of the Fe protein was O2-labile with a t1/2 of 36 s in air. At low temperatures the dithionite-reduced protein exhibited e.p.r. signals consistent with the presence of both S = 1/2 and S = 3/2 spin states. These signals were similar to those given by other nitrogenase Fe proteins, as were the changes in their line shape that occurred in the presence of MgATP or MgADP. The absorbance spectra showed that an increase in absorption occurred in the visible range on reversible oxidation of the dithionite-reduced protein. The oxidized-minus-reduced epsilon 420 was 6000 M-1.cm-1.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1988

The vanadium- and molybdenum-containing nitrogenases of Azotobacter chroococcum. Comparison of mid-point potentials and kinetics of reduction by sodium dithionite of the iron proteins with bound magnesium adenosine 5'-diphosphate.

The mid-point potentials of the Fe protein components (Ac2 and Ac2* respectively) of the Mo nitrogenase and V nitrogenase from Azotobacter chroococcum were determined in the presence of MgADP to be -450 mV (NHE) [Ac2(MgADP)2-Ac2*ox.(MgADP)2 couple] and -463 mV (NHE) [Ac2* (MgADP)2-Ac2*ox.(ADP)2 couple] at 23 degrees C at pH 7.2. These values are consistent with a flavodoxin characterized by Deistung & Thorneley [(1986) Biochem. J. 239, 69-75] with Em = -522 mV (NHE) being an effective electron donor to both the Mo nitrogenase and the V nitrogenase in vivo. Ac2*ox.(MgADP)2 and Ac2*ox.(MgADP)2 were reduced by SO2.- (formed by the predissociation of dithionite ion, S2O4(2-)) at similar rates, k = 4.7 X 10(6) +/- 0.5 X 10(6) M-1.s-1 and 3.2 X 10(6) +/- 0.2 X 10(6) M-1.s-1 respectively, indicating structural homology at the electron-transfer site associated with the [4Fe-4S] centre in these proteins.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗