Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 26, 2025

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
Double-Cubane [8Fe9S] Clusters: A Novel Nitrogenase-Related Cofactor in Biology
Jae-Hun Jeoung1, Berta M Martins1, Holger Dobbek1
1Institut für Biologie, Strukturbiologie/Biochemie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany.
Abstract:
Three different types of electron-transferring metallo-ATPases are able to couple ATP hydrolysis to the reduction of low-potential metal sites, thereby energizing an electron. Besides the Fe-protein known from nitrogenase and homologous enzymes, two other kinds of ATPase with different scaffolds and cofactors are used to achieve a unidirectional, energetic, uphill electron transfer to either reduce inactive Co-corrinoid-containing proteins (RACE-type activators) or a second iron-sulfur cluster-containing enzyme of a unique radical enzymes family (archerases). We have found a new cofactor in the latter enzyme family, that is, a double-cubane cluster with two [4Fe4S] subclusters bridged by a sulfido ligand. An enzyme containing this cofactor catalyzes the ATP-dependent reduction of small molecules, including acetylene. Thus, enzymes containing the double-cubane cofactor are analogous in function and share some structural features with nitrogenases.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation
Structural Isomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can...
Cofactors and Coenzymes
Cofactors can be metallic ions or organic molecules called coenzymes. These types of helper...
Cofactors and Coenzymes
Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
Spin–Spin Coupling: Two-Bond Coupling (Geminal Coupling)
The central atom need not be NMR-active because its electrons are affected by the electron polarization of the spin-active atoms. However, spin information is transmitted less effectively than in one-bond coupling, and 2J values are usually weaker than 1J values. The energy of...

