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Disulfide bond cleavage: a redox reaction without electron transfer
Florian Hofbauer1, Irmgard Frank
1Institut für Physikalische Chemie und Elektrochemie, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Callinstr. 3A, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
Mechanical force can trigger protein reduction. Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations reveal that breaking disulfide bonds involves electron and proton transfer, elucidating the reaction mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Computational Chemistry
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Single-molecule atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments show mechanical force influences protein reduction.
- The reduction of disulfide bonds by dithiothreitol is dependent on mechanical bond destabilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the reaction mechanism of mechanically induced redox reactions.
- To monitor electron motion during the reduction of disulfide bonds.
Main Methods:
- Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) simulations were employed.
- Reactive molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to study reaction steps.
Main Results:
- The simulations revealed a mechanically induced redox reaction.
- The reaction mechanism involves heterolytic cleavage of the S--S bond.
- A sequence of proton transfers follows the bond cleavage.
Conclusions:
- Mechanical force can initiate and drive the reduction of disulfide bonds.
- CPMD simulations provide detailed insights into the molecular steps of mechanically induced redox reactions.
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