Search PubMedSearch

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Rubredoxins”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Cloning, sequencing and expression in Escherichia coli of the rubredoxin gene from Clostridium pasteurianum.

A 3.9 kb BglII-HindIII DNA fragment containing the rubredoxin gene from Clostridium pasteurianum has been cloned using oligonucleotide probes designed from the protein sequence. The 2675 bp SspI-HindIII portion of this fragment has been sequenced and found to contain three open reading frames in addition to the rubredoxin gene. The putative product of one of these open reading frames is similar to various thioredoxin reductases. The rubredoxin gene translates into a sequence that differs from the previously published protein sequence in three positions, D-14, D-22 and E-48 being replaced by the corresponding amides. These changes have been confirmed by partial resequencing of the protein. Promoter-like sequences and a transcription termination signal have been found near the sequence of the rubredoxin gene, which may therefore constitute an independent transcriptional unit. Expression of C. pasteurianum rubredoxin in Escherichia coli strain JM109 has been optimized by subcloning a 476 bp SspI-SspI fragment encompassing the rubredoxin gene. Under these conditions, the latter gene was partly under the control of the lac promoter of pUC18, and the level of rubredoxin production could be increased twofold on addition of a lactose analogue, thus reaching 2-3 mg of pure protein/l of culture. Recombinant rubredoxin was produced in E. coli cells as the holoprotein, and displayed a u.v.-visible-absorption spectrum identical with that of the rubredoxin purified from C. pasteurianum. M.s. and N-terminal sequencing showed that C. pasteurianum rubredoxin expressed in E. coli differs from its native counterpart by having an unblocked N-terminal methionine.

Amino Acid Sequence

Preparation and properties of immobilized rubredoxin.

Rubredoxin, one of the three protein components of the epoxidation/hydroxylation system of Pseudomonas oleovorans was immobilized by attachment to CNBr-activated agarose (Sepharose 4B). Since this represents the first reported example of the preparation of a water-insoluble derivative of an enzyme of this type, the electron transfer and physical properties of the conjugate were examined in order to allow comparison with those of the soluble enzyme. Immobilized rubredoxin exhibits all of the major spectral properties of the soluble enzyme above 300 nm, but some distortion in the 280 nm abosrbance band was observed. The immobilized enzyme accepts electrons from dithionite or form NADPH in the presence of spinach ferredoxin-NADP reductase, and upon reduction the visible absorbance is bleached. Immobilized rubredoxin mediates the reduction of cytochrome c in the presence of NADPH and spinach reductase, although it is less efficient in this role than soluble rubredoxin. The oxidation-reduction potential of immobilized rubredoxin was determined and found to be similar to that of the soluble enzyme. In the presence of 2.5 m guanidine HCL, the immobilized enzyme is considerably more stable than soluble rubredoxin toward denaturation. After anaerobic reduction, iron was readily removed from immobilized rubredoxin by washing in 0.5 m Tris base, PH 9.5 containing 0.07 M mercaptoethanol, and the resulting immobilized apoenzyme could then be reconstituted to give back a conjugate with the original iron content, as judged from its absorbance at 497 NM. Reptition of the entire reduction-dissociation-reconstitution cycle gave the same results as were obtained after the initial reconstitution.

Anaerobiosis

X-ray crystal structures of the oxidized and reduced forms of the rubredoxin from the marine hyperthermophilic archaebacterium Pyrococcus furiosus.

The structures of the oxidized and reduced forms of the rubredoxin from the archaebacterium, Pyrococcus furiosus, an organism that grows optimally at 100 degrees C, have been determined by X-ray crystallography to a resolution of 1.8 A. Crystals of this rubredoxin grow in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with room temperature cell dimensions a = 34.6 A, b = 35.5 A, and c = 44.4 A. Initial phases were determined by the method of molecular replacement using the oxidized form of the rubredoxin from the mesophilic eubacterium, Clostridium pasteurianum, as a starting model. The oxidized and reduced models of P. furiosus rubredoxin each contain 414 nonhydrogen protein atoms comprising 53 residues. The model of the oxidized form contains 61 solvent H2O oxygen atoms and has been refined with X-PLOR and TNT to a final R = 0.178 with root mean square (rms) deviations from ideality in bond distances and bond angles of 0.014 A and 2.06 degrees, respectively. The model of the reduced form contains 37 solvent H2O oxygen atoms and has been refined to R = 0.193 with rms deviations from ideality in bond lengths of 0.012 A and in bond angles of 1.95 degrees. The overall structure of P. furiosus rubredoxin is similar to the structures of mesophilic rubredoxins, with the exception of a more extensive hydrogen-bonding network in the beta-sheet region and multiple electrostatic interactions (salt bridge, hydrogen bonds) of the Glu 14 side chain with groups on three other residues (the amino-terminal nitrogen of Ala 1; the indole nitrogen of Trp 3; and the amide nitrogen group of Phe 29). The influence of these and other features upon the thermostability of the P. furiosus protein is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence

Expression of a synthetic gene coding for the amino acid sequence of Clostridium pasteurianum rubredoxin.

A synthetic gene based on the published amino acid sequence for Clostridium pasteurianum rubredoxin was constructed, cloned in Escherichia coli 71/18 and expressed using the T7 RNA polymerase/promoter system in E. coli HMS273. UV/visible spectroscopy and metal analyses indicated that the as-isolated synthetic gene product is a mixture of holo-(i.e. iron-containing) rubredoxin and zinc-substituted rubredoxin, with the latter amounting to approximately 70% of the total rubredoxin. The UV/visible absorption and resonance Raman spectra of the cloned holorubredoxin are characteristic of the native rubredoxin-type iron site. N-terminal amino acid sequencing suggests that the gene product consists of at least three polypeptide species with the initial sequences (approximate relative abundances): Met-Met-Lys-... (63%), blocked (30%) and Met-Lys-... (7%). The blocked portion presumably consists of a mixture of nMet-Met-Lys-... and nMet-Lys-..., where nMet represents an amino-blocked methionine residue.

Amino Acid Sequence

The primary structure of rubrerythrin, a protein with inorganic pyrophosphatase activity from Desulfovibrio vulgaris. Comparison with hemerythrin and rubredoxin.

The complete polypeptide chain of rubrerythrin from the sulfate reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris, strain Hildenborough NCIB 8303, was found by protein chemical techniques to consist of 191 residues and to have the amino acid sequence [sequence: see text] The C-terminal part of the protein (position 153----191) shows the typical sequence features of rubredoxin, a protein with a nonheme iron center also present in the same and other Desulfovibrio species. Based on the known three-dimensional structure of D. desulfuricans rubredoxin, we propose that the C-terminal part of rubrerythrin is folded in a similar way and suggest that the deletion of the extra 10 residues is compatible with the same basic rubredoxin-fold. After characterization of the C-terminal region, and in contrast to what could be expected from previously published spectroscopic analyses, the N-terminal region 1-152 of rubrerythrin appears to have no sequence similarity with the eukaryotic protein hemerythrin which is known to contain a binuclear iron center bound by 5 histidine ligands. However, the N-terminal region of rubrerythrin does contain 5 histidine residues but they are differently spaced along the peptide chain. We suggest that at least one of the 3 histidine residues located in the rubredoxin-like center of rubrerythrin may be liganded to one iron atom of the hemerythrin-like center. This paper is the first sequence report of a protein with pyrophosphatase activity although the physiological substrate for the rubrerythrin may be not inorganic pyrophosphate.

Amino Acid Sequence

Isolation and characterization of a rubredoxin and an (8Fe-8S) ferredoxin from Desulfuromonas acetoxidans.

A two cluster (4Fe-4S) ferredoxin and a rubredoxin have been isolated from the sulfur-reducing bacterium Desulfuromonas acetoxidans. Their amino acid compositions are reported and compared to those of other iron-sulfur proteins. The ferredoxin contains 8 cysteine residues, 8 atoms of iron and 8 atoms of labile sulfur per molecule; its minimum molecular weight is 6163. The protein exhibits an abosrbance ratio of A385/A283 = 0.74. Storage results in a bleaching of the chromophore; the denatured ferredoxin is reconstitutable with iron and sulfide. The instability temperature is 52 degrees C. The rubredoxin does not differ markedly from rubredoxins from other anaerobic bacteria.

Amino Acids

Isolation and characterization of a rubredoxin and two ferredoxins from Desulfovibrio africanus.

Rubredoxin and two distinct ferredoxins have been purified from Desulfovibrio africanus. The rubredoxin has a molecular weight of 6000 while the ferredoxins appear to be dimers of identical subunits of approximately 6000 to 7000 molecular weight. Rubredoxin contains one iron atom, no acid-labile sulfide and four cysteine residues per molecule. Its absorbance ratio A278/A490 is 2.23 and its amino acid composition is characterized by the absence of leucine and a preponderance of acidic amino acids. The two ferredoxins, designated I and II, are readily separated on DEAE-cellulose. The amino acid compositions of ferredoxins I and II show them to be different protein species; the greater number of acidic amino acid residues in ferredoxin I than in ferredoxin II appears to account for separation based on electronic charge. Both ferredoxins contain four iron atoms, four acid-labile residues per molecule. Spectra of the two ferredoxins differ from those of ferredoxins of other Desulfovibrio species by exhibiting a pronounced absorption peak at 283 nm consistent with an unusual high content of aromatic residues. The A385/A283 absorbance ratio of ferredoxins I and II are 0.56 and 0.62, respectively. The N-terminal sequencing data of the two ferredoxins clearly indicate that ferredoxins I and II are different protein species. However, the two proteins exhibit a high degree of homology.

Amino Acid Sequence

Non-heme iron proteins. The amino acid sequence of rubredoxin from Desulfovibrio vulgaris.

A non-heme iron protein, rubredoxin has been isolated from the sulfate-reducing bacterium, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, strain Hildenborough. The complete amino acid sequence has been established. The 52 amino acid residues of the protein were aligned with the aid of tryptic and chymotryptic peptides and of a fragment produced by cleavage of the Asn-Gly bond (22-23) by hydroxylamine. The sequence of the first 30 residues of the molecule was determined using an automatic sequenator, after removal of the N-terminal methionine by CNBr. In comparing this sequence with those of Micrococcus aerogenes, Clostridium pasteurianum and Peptostreptococcus elsdenii rubredoxins, a high degree of mutation was observed between these homologous proteins. It has been shown that 20 amino acid residues occurred in identical positions. The locations of the four cysteine residues were found to be invariable. A crystallographic study of the Desulfovibrio vulgaris rubredoxin is in progress.

Amino Acid Sequence

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.

Amino Acid Sequence

Determination of the iron-sulfur distances in rubredoxin by x-ray absorption spectroscopy.

The high intensity x-ray flux from the synchrotron radiation at the Stanford Synchroton Radiation Project has been used to study the extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) of the iron-sulfur protein Peptococcus aerogenes rubredoxin. Absorption measurements were made from 7080 eV, which is below the K-edge of iron, to about 650 eV above the edge and structure was obtained over the entire region. By means of a model iron-sulfur compound for evaluating the phase shifts, the variation of the absorption above the edge of lyophilized, oxidized rubredoxin was converted to iron-sulfur distances. The data were fitted with a least squares program to a model in which three distances R3 were kept equal and the fourth R1 was allowed to differ. The mean square error was constant over a region of this parameter space, becoming twice as large at R3 = 2.217, R1 = 2.389 and R3 = 2.268, R1 = 2.108 A. These values, which are the extreme differences allowed by the present data, are definitely closer to being equal than those found by the determination of the x-ray diffraction crystal structure of the similar protein from Clostridium pasteurianum. However, the average distance from our experiment is in excellent agreement with the average distance from the crystal structure determination. Preliminary EXAFS measurements were also made on the oxidized rubredoxin in solution at pH 7.0. The spectra were unchanged, indicating that the average iron-sulfur distance change is less than 0.02 A. Upon reduction the average iron-sulfur bond length increased by about 0.05 A. Since the EXAFS measurements can give accurate determinations of distances in proteins both in crystals and solution, the technique should be widely applicable.

Binding Sites

Synthetic analogs of active sites of iron-sulfur proteins: bis (o-xylyldithiolato) ferrate (III) monoanion, a structurally unconstrained model for the rubredoxin Fe-S4 unit.

To complete the set of synthetic analogs of the three recognized types of active sites in iron-sulfur redox proteins, the compound (Et4N)[Fe((SCH2)2C6H4)2], derived from o-xylyl-alpha,alpha'-dithiol, has been prepared and its structure has been determined by x-ray diffraction. The bischelate anion contains a near-tetrahedral Fe(III)-S4 coordination unit with small rhombic distortions and all Fe-S bond distances in the range 2.252-2.279 A. Its electronic properties have been partially characterized by measurement of electronic absorption, paramagnetic resonance, Mössbauer spectra, and magnetic susceptibility. The analog, as the protein, exhibits the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple. These results substantiate designation of [Fe((SCH2)2C6H4)2]- as a synthetic analog of the Fe(III)(S-Cys)4 center in oxidized rubredoxin proteins. Comparison of the analog structure with that of the Clostridium pasteurianum rubredoxin active site shows that the former is substantially less distorted from idealized tetrahedral symmetry, and is considered to represent an essentially unconstrained structural model of the latter. Provided the grossly distorted tetrahedral stereochemistry of the protein site persists through final structural refinement, the analog-protein structural comparison supports an entatic state description of oxidized rubredoxin.

Ferredoxins

Phylogenetic studies of two rubredoxins from sulfate reducing bacteria.

The sequences of two rubredoxins isolated from the sulfate reducing bacteria: Desulfovibrio vulgaris and Desulfovibrio gigas have been elucidated. They have similar sequences but many more differences occur than would be expected from two bacteria of the same genus. Of the 52 sites, only 37 are occupied by identical residues. The primary structures are compared with those of the anaerobic bacteria rubredoxins of Clostridium pasteurianum, Micrococcus aerogenes, Pseudomonas oleovorans and Peptostreptococcus elsdenii: only 12 identities are found, mostly in the two clusters that contain two iron-bound cysteines each. A phylogenetic tree based on the primary structures is presented and possible relations with plant and bacterial ferredoxins are discussed. A secondary and tertiary structure stereochemically compatible with the sequence data, is proposed.

Amino Acid Sequence

Isoelectric focusing of ferredoxins, flavordoxins and a rubredoxin.

Isoelectric points of ferredoxins, flavodoxins and a rubredoxin from a range of sources were measured by electrofocusing over the pH range between 2.5 and 5.0 on thin layers of polyacrylamide gel. The pH gradient along the gel was measured directly by a surface electrode. The isoelectric points of the plant-type ferredoxins were between approx. 3.15 and 3.35, and those of the flavodoxins close to 3.5. Ferredoxin, rubredoxin and flavodoxin from Clostridium pasteurianum had isolectric points of the of 2.75, 2.9, and 3.1, respectively. The values for the isoelectric points ferredoxins are significantly lower than previous results in the literature suggest.

Bacteria

Synthesis and characterization of a 25-residue rubredoxin(II)-like metalloprotein and its valine-leucine mutant.

An iron-sulfur metalloprotein containing the 5-12 and 35-50 residues of Desulfovibrio gigas rubredoxin has been synthesized by Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis and subsequent peptide folding. A Gly links the two residue chains between Val-5 and Glu-50. Sybyl Tripos structure optimization indicates only minor structural changes of the folded synthetic protein compared to the similar residue positions in the native protein. The UV-VIS spectrum of the reduced synthetic protein is very similar to that of native D. gigas rubredoxin and the molecular mass determined by laser mass spectrometry has the expected value (+/- 2D). No metal is transferred to the gas phase by the laser beam merely by mixing the peptide and iron(II), substantiating that the folding procedure is a necessary pre-requisite for protein formation. The Val-->Leu41 chemical mutant has also been synthesized and behaves in a closely similar fashion.

Amino Acid Sequence

The iron-sulfur environment in rubredoxin.

The atomic environment around the iron site in the nonheme iron sulfur protein rubredoxin was studied by the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique. Within experimental error, the Fe-S bonds in oxidized Clostridium pasteurianum rubredoxin are the same as in the analogue anion [Fe(S2-o-xyl)2]-synthesized by Holm. The average Fe-S bond length is 2.267 +/- 0.003A and the root mean square deviation about this average due to structural disorder is 0.032 + 0.013 - 0.032.

Absorption

NH---S hydrogen bonds in Peptococcus aerogenes ferredoxin, Clostridium pasteurianum rubredoxin, and Chromatium high potential iron protein.

Results from refinement of the crystal structures of P. aerogenes ferredoxin and C. pasteurianum rubredoxin determined by x-ray diffraction show that there are 15-18 NH---S bonds in the former and six in the latter with lengths in the range 3.1-3.9 A. Earlier tritium exchange experiments are consistent with the presence of these hydrogen bonds in the ferredoxin structure and show that more peptide hydrogen atoms are available for exchange in apoferredoxin than in intact ferredoxin. Four types of NH---S bonds are observed and two of these are geometrically similar to the two types of 3(10) NH---O bonds. The existence of more NH---S bonds in ferredoxin than in high potential iron protein suggests why the -2 form of the Fe4S4 cluster is preferred in ferredoxin over the -1 form found in high potential iron protein. From comparison of Cys-X-Y-Cys sequences in rubredoxin, ferredoxin, and high potential iron protein we suggest that two Cys-X-Y-Cys-Z sequences, where Z may have conformation angles similar to glycine, are required to make a one-iron cluster, no more than one Cys-X-Y-Cys-Z-Gly sequence is required to form a Fe2S2 ferredoxin, and a Cys-X-Y-Cys-Gly sequence where Y has a conformation such that the cysteines bond to different iron atoms is necessary to form the tetrameric cluster.

Binding Sites

Purification and characterization of cytochrome c3, ferredoxin, and rubredoxin isolated from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans Norway.

Different electron carriers of the non-desulfoviridin-containing, sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (Norway strain) have been studied. Two nonheme iron proteins, ferredoxin and rubredoxin, have been purified. This ferredoxin contains four atoms of non-heme iron and acid-labile sulfur and six residues of cysteine per molecule. Its amino acid composition suggests that it is homologous with the other Desulfovibrio ferredoxins. The rubredoxin is also an acidic protein of 6,000 molecular weight and contains one atom of iron and four cysteine residues per molecule. The amino acid composition and molecular weight of the cytochrome c3 from D. desulfuricans (strain Norway 4) are reported. Its spectral properties are very similar to those of the other cytochromes c3 (molecular weight, 13,000) of Desulfovibrio and show that it contains four hemes per molecule. This cytochrome has a very low redox potential and acts as a carrier in the coupling of hydrogenase and thiosulfate reductase in extracts of Desulfovibrio gigas and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (Norway strain) in contrast to D. gigas cytochrome c3 (molecular weight, 13,000). A comparison of the activities of the cytochrome c3 (molecular weight, 13,000) of D. gigas and that of D. desulfuricans in this reaction suggests that these homologous proteins can have different specificity in the electron transfer chain of these bacteria.

Amino Acids

[Isolation and characterization of rubredoxin from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus].

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus growing on long-chain n-alkanes contains a soluble iron-sulfur protein, which corresponds in its properties to a rubredoxin. It was prepared from the 50000 X g supernatant of ultrasonically treated cells using ion exchange chromatography on DEAE cellulose and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75. The isolated protein is pure electrophoretically, but yields two bands corresponding to molecular weights of 6000 and 12000 respectively. A content of 11 acidic against 6 basic amino acids is in line with the acidic character of the protein. The absence of acid-labile sulfur, content of 4 cysteine residues and one iron atom per polypeptide chain and the typical absorption maxima at gamma = 280, 380, and 490 nm exclude the presence of a ferredoxin. Involvement of the rubredoxin in the alkane hydroxylation is discussed.

Acinetobacter