The 300-MHz proton NMR spectra of the tetrahaem cytochrome c3 from Desulfovibrio vulgaris were examined while varying the pH and the redox potential. The analysis of the complete NMR reoxidation pattern was done taking into account all the 16 redox states that can be present in the redox titration of a tetra-redox-center molecule. A network of saturation transfer experiments performed at different oxidation stages, between the fully reduced and the fully oxidized states, allowed the observation of different resonances for some of the haem methyl groups. In the present experimental conditions, some of the haems show a fast intramolecular electron exchange rate, but the intermolecular electron exchange is always slow. In intermediate reoxidation stages, large shifts of the resonances of some haem methyl groups were observed upon changing the pH. These shifts are discussed in terms of a pH dependence of the haem midpoint redox potentials. The physiological relevance of this pH dependence is discussed.

Two ferredoxins from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, Norway Strain, were investigated by EPR spectroscopy. Ferredoxin I appears to be a conventional [4Fe-4S]2+;1+ ferredoxin, with a midpoint reduction potential of -374 mV at pH 8. Ferredoxin II when reduced, at first showed a more complex spectrum, indicating an interaction between two [4Fe-4S] clusters, and probably, has two clusters per protein subunit. Upon reductive titration ferredoxin II changed to give a spectrum in which no intercluster interaction was seen. The midpoint potentials of the native and modified ferredoxin at pH 8 were estimated to be -500 and -440 mV, respectively.

We have obtained the iron K-edge extended X-ray adsorption fine structure spectra of the 3Fe ferredoxin II of Desulfovibrio gigas in the oxidized and reduced states. For both states, interpretation of the EXAFS data suggests that the Fe-S first shell coordination distance is near 2.25 A, in agreement with crystallographic studies of model compounds and proteins containing 2Fe-2S and 4Fe-4S centers, as well as with a recent crystallographic study of Azotobacter vinelandii ferredoxin I (Ghosh, D., Furey, W., Jr., O'Donnell, S., and Stout, C. D. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 4185-4192). The apparent Fe-Fe distance we obtain for the desulfovibrio protein (2.7 A) also agrees with similar distances seen in other Fe-S centers, except with the 3Fe cluster in the Azotobacter vinelandii ferredoxin I structure, for which an Fe-Fe distance of 4.2 A was reported. We conclude that either the two 3Fe ferredoxins have substantially different core dimensions, a possibility apparently unique to 3Fe centers among known Fe-S systems in proteins, or that one (or more) of the structural studies is in substantial error.

Hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (ATCC No. 27774) grown in unenriched and in enriched 61Ni and 57Fe media has been purified to apparent homogeneity. Two fractions of enzymes with hydrogenase activity were separated and were termed hydrogenase I and hydrogenase II. they were shown to have similar molecular weights (77,600 for hydrogenase I and 75,500 for hydrogenase II), to be composed of two polypeptide chains, and to contain Ni and non-heme iron. Because of its higher specific activity (152 versus 97) hydrogenase II was selected for EPR and Mossbauer studies. As isolated, hydrogenase II exhibits an "isotropic" EPR signal at g = 2.02 and a rhombic EPR signal at g = 2.3, 2.2, and 2.0. Isotopic substitution of 61Ni proves that the rhombic signal is due to Ni. Combining the Mossbauer and EPR data, the isotropic g = 2.02 EPR signal was shown to originate from a 3Fe cluster which may have oxygenous or nitrogenous ligands. In addition, the Mossbauer data also revealed two [4Fe-4S]2+ clusters iun each molecule of hydrogenase II. The EPR and Mossbauer data of hydrogenase I were found to be identical to those of hydrogenase II, indicating that both enzymes have common metallic centers.

The complete amino acid sequence for a 3Fe:3S ferredoxin from the "archaebacterium" Methanosarcina barkeri (DSM 800) was determined by repetitive Edman degradation on the whole protein and peptides derived from trypsin, thermolysin, and Staphylococcus aureus protease digestion. The protein has 59 residues of which 8 are cysteines. The latter have the same spacing and distribution as found for the clostridial-type 2 x 4Fe:4S ferredoxins. Also, the sequence had evidence of internal homology which is indicative of gene duplication prior to the divergence of the archaebacteria and the eubacteria. This is the first sequence to be reported for a methanogen ferredoxin and only the fourth for a 3Fe:3S ferredoxin from any source.

Methanosarcina barkeri ferredoxin was purified and characterized by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The purification procedure included chromatographic steps on DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration. The isolated protein is unstable under aerobic conditions. The ferredoxin exhibits charge transfer bands at 283 nm and 405 nm with an absorption ratio A405/A283 = 0.73. Its molecular weight has been estimated to be 20000-22000 by gel filtration chromatography. The native ferredoxin exhibits an intense EPR signal at g = 2.02 and only a very weak g = 1.94 signal develops upon reduction with dithionite. The Mossbauer spectra of the reduced protein are characteristic of a [3Fe-3S] center. The combined EPR and Mossbauer studies show that M. barkeri ferredoxin contains only [3Fe-3S] clusters, similar to Azotobacter vinelandii Fd[Emptage, M.H., Kent, T.A., Huynh, B.H., Rawlings, J., Orme-Johnson, W.H. & Munck, M. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 1793-1796], Desulfovibrio gigas FdII [Huynh, B.H., Moura, J.J.G., Moura, I., Kent, T.A., LeGall, J., Xavier, A.V. & Munck, E. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 3242-3244] and mitochondrial beef heart aconitase [Kent, T.A., Dreyer, J.-L., Kennedy, M.C., Huynh, B.H., Emptage, M.H., Beinert, H. & Munck, E. (1982) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 79, 1096-1100].

When Methanosarcina barkeri is grown on methanol as the sole carbon source, a B12-containing protein is synthesized by this organism. This B12 protein contains bound aquocobalamin, and when this cofactor is reduced and methylated with [14C]methyl iodide, the resultant [14C]methyl B12 protein is extremely active in the biosynthesis of 14C-labeled methane. These findings indicate that a B12-dependent system is operative in the biological formation of methane in addition to other systems that are B12-independent.

The resonance Raman spectra of ferredoxins (Fd) I and II from Desulfovibrio gigas are reported using 4579 A Ar+ laser excitation. The (3Fe-3S) center in Fd II has a characteristic resonance Raman spectrum, readily distinguishable from those of (2Fe-2S) or (4Fe-4S) clusters. Reduction of Fd II produces a marked alteration in the resonance Raman spectrum. Fd I is shown to contain both (3Fe-3S) and (4Fe-4S) Fd-type clusters. The results illustrate the potential of resonance Raman spectroscopy in Fe-S cluster identification, even in cases where more than one cluster type is present.

Ferredoxin II from Desulphovibrio gigas is a tetrameric protein containing a novel iron-sulphur cluster consisting of three iron atoms. The low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of the oxidized and dithionite-reduced forms of ferredoxin II have been measured over the wavelength range approx. 300-800 nm. Both oxidation levels of the cluster are shown to be paramagnetic, although only the oxidized form gives an EPR signal. MCD magnetization curves have been constructed over the temperature range approx. 1.5-150 K and at fields between 0 and 5.1 Tesla. The curve for the oxidized protein can be fitted to a ground state of spin S = 1/2 with an isotropic g factor of 2.01. There is evidence for the thermal population of a low-lying electronic state above 50 K. The reduced protein gives a distinctive set of magnetization curves that are tentatively assigned to a ground state of S = 2, with a predominantly axial zero-field distortion that leaves the doublet Ms = +/-2 lowest in energy. The zero-field components have a maximum energy spread of approx. 15 cm-1. which places an upper limit of 4 cm-1 on the axial zero-field parameter D. The MCD spectra of the oxidized and reduced forms of the cluster are quite distinctive from one another. The spectra of the oxidized state are also different from those of oxidized high-potential iron protein from Chromatium and should provide a useful criterion for distinguishing between four- and three-iron clusters in their highest oxidation levels.

A flavodoxin and a rubredoxin have been isolated from the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulphovibrio salexigens (strain British Guiana, NICB 8403). Their amino acid composition and spectral characteristics did not differ markedly from the homologous proteins presented in other Desulphovibrio spp. Flavodoxin was shown to be active in the electron transport of the sulfite reductase system.