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![Protein Film Infrared Electrochemistry Demonstrated for Study of H2 Oxidation by a [NiFe] Hydrogenase](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F55858.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
10:01
Protein Film Infrared Electrochemistry Demonstrated for Study of H2 Oxidation by a [NiFe] Hydrogenase
Published on: December 4, 2017
[FeFe] hydrogenases and their evolution: a genomic perspective
1Chimie et Biologie des Métaux, UMR 5249 CEA-CNRS-UJF, IRTSV, CEA-Grenoble, 38054 Grenoble, France. jacques.meyer@cea.fr
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS
|March 14, 2007
Summary
Most hydrogenases, enzymes producing or oxidizing dihydrogen, are [NiFe] or [FeFe] types. [FeFe] hydrogenases in diverse organisms offer insights into evolutionary events, including prokaryote-eukaryote transitions.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Evolutionary Biology
- Enzymology
Background:
- Hydrogenases (H2ases) are enzymes catalyzing dihydrogen production/oxidation.
- Most H2ases feature dimetallic active sites, falling into [NiFe] and [FeFe] classes.
- [NiFe] and [FeFe] H2ases exhibit convergent evolution in active site structure and mechanism but differ in sequence, structure, maturation, and distribution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary significance of [FeFe] hydrogenases.
- To explore the potential of [FeFe] H2ases as indicators of evolutionary events, such as the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition.
- To utilize genome-derived [FeFe] H2ase sequences for understanding protein and host organism evolution.
Main Methods:
- Bioinformatic analysis of genome sequences.
- Phylogenetic analysis of [FeFe] hydrogenase sequences.
- Comparative analysis of protein structure and sequence.
Main Results:
- [FeFe] hydrogenases are found in anaerobic bacteria, anaerobic protists, and mitochondriate eukaryotes.
- Sequence and structural data reveal distinct evolutionary paths for [NiFe] and [FeFe] H2ases despite convergent active site evolution.
- Genome-wide analysis provides a rich dataset for tracing the evolution of [FeFe] H2ases and their hosts.
Conclusions:
- [FeFe] hydrogenases are valuable molecular markers for studying evolutionary transitions, particularly the emergence of eukaryotes.
- The distribution and diversity of [FeFe] H2ases reflect significant evolutionary events in microbial and eukaryotic life.
- Genomic data are crucial for elucidating the evolutionary history of hydrogenases and their ecological roles.
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