Pourbaix Diagram, Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer, and Decay Kinetics of a Protein Tryptophan Radical : Comparing the Redox Properties of W32• and Y32• Generated Inside the Structurally Characterized α3W and α3Y Proteins

• Protein-based “hole” hopping typically involves spatially arranged redox-active tryptophan or tyrosine residues. Thermodynamic information is scarce for this type of process. The well-structured α3W model protein was studied by protein film square wave voltammetry and transient absorption spectroscopy to obtain a comprehensive thermodynamic and kinetic description of a buried tryptophan residue. A Pourbaix diagram, correlating thermodynamic potentials (E°′) with pH, is reported for W32 in α3W and compared to equivalent data recently presented for Y32 in α3Y (Ravichandran, K. R.; Zong, A. B.; Taguchi, A. T.; Nocera, D. G.; Stubbe, J.; Tommos, C. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 2994−3004). The α3W Pourbaix diagram displays a pKOX of 3.4, a E°′(W32(N•+/NH)) of 1293 mV, and a E°′(W32(N•/NH); pH 7.0) of 1095 ± 4 mV versus the normal hydrogen electrode. W32(N•/NH) is 109 ± 4 mV more oxidizing than Y32(O•/OH) at pH 5.4–10. In the voltammetry measurements, W32 oxidation–reduction occurs on a time scale of about 4 ms and is coupled to the release and subsequent uptake of one full proton to and from bulk. Kinetic analysis further shows that W32 oxidation likely involves pre-equilibrium electron transfer followed by proton transfer to a water or small water cluster as the primary acceptor. A well-resolved absorption spectrum of W32• is presented, and analysis of decay kinetics show that W32• persists ∼104 times longer than aqueous W• due to significant stabilization by the protein. The redox characteristics of W32 and Y32 are discussed relative to global and local protein properties.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biofysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biophysics (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biokemi och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

general trends

can be extracted from the scattered

and limited

information available

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)