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The roles of long-range proton-coupled electron transfer in the directionality and efficiency of [FeFe]-hydrogenases.


ABSTRACT: As paradigms for proton-coupled electron transfer in enzymes and benchmarks for a fully renewable H2 technology, [FeFe]-hydrogenases behave as highly reversible electrocatalysts when immobilized on an electrode, operating in both catalytic directions with minimal overpotential requirement. Using the [FeFe]-hydrogenases from Clostridium pasteurianum (CpI) and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CrHydA1) we have conducted site-directed mutagenesis and protein film electrochemistry to determine how efficient catalysis depends on the long-range coupling of electron and proton transfer steps. Importantly, the electron and proton transfer pathways in [FeFe]-hydrogenases are well separated from each other in space. Variants with conservative substitutions (glutamate to aspartate) in either of two positions in the proton-transfer pathway retain significant activity and reveal the consequences of slowing down proton transfer for both catalytic directions over a wide range of pH and potential values. Proton reduction in the variants is impaired mainly by limiting the turnover rate, which drops sharply as the pH is raised, showing that proton capture from bulk solvent becomes critical. In contrast, hydrogen oxidation is affected in two ways: by limiting the turnover rate and by a large overpotential requirement that increases as the pH is raised, consistent with the accumulation of a reduced and protonated intermediate. A unique observation having fundamental significance is made under conditions where the variants still retain sufficient catalytic activity in both directions: An inflection appears as the catalytic current switches direction at the 2H+/H2 thermodynamic potential, clearly signaling a departure from electrocatalytic reversibility as electron and proton transfers begin to be decoupled.

SUBMITTER: Lampret O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7456106 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The roles of long-range proton-coupled electron transfer in the directionality and efficiency of [FeFe]-hydrogenases.

Lampret Oliver O   Duan Jifu J   Hofmann Eckhard E   Winkler Martin M   Armstrong Fraser A FA   Happe Thomas T  

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20200813 34


As paradigms for proton-coupled electron transfer in enzymes and benchmarks for a fully renewable H<sub>2</sub> technology, [FeFe]-hydrogenases behave as highly reversible electrocatalysts when immobilized on an electrode, operating in both catalytic directions with minimal overpotential requirement. Using the [FeFe]-hydrogenases from <i>Clostridium pasteurianum</i> (CpI) and <i>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</i> (CrHydA1) we have conducted site-directed mutagenesis and protein film electrochemistry  ...[more]

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