Reduction-Induced Structural and Motional Changes of Plant-Type Ferredoxin Using Molecular Dynamics and Umbrella
Tomoki Nakayoshi1,2, Yusuke Ohnishi3,4, Hideaki Tanaka4
1Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan.
Plant-type ferredoxin (Fd) undergoes structural changes upon reduction, with the C-terminal region showing increased flexibility. This conformational shift, particularly a peptide bond flip, is energetically favorable and impacts Fd function.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Structural Biology
- Photosynthesis Research
Background:
- Plant-type ferredoxin (Fd) is a crucial metalloprotein containing a [2Fe-2S] cluster.
- Fd facilitates electron transfer in photosynthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of redox-state changes on the structure and dynamics of plant-type ferredoxin.
- To elucidate the functional implications of these structural dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Performed 5-μs molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on oxidized and reduced Anabaena PCC7119 Fds.
- Utilized 14.6-μs umbrella sampling simulations to determine free-energy profiles.
Main Results:
- Overall structures of oxidized and reduced Fds were similar, but local structures and motions differed.
- The C-terminal region of reduced Fd exhibited greater conformational flexibility.
- A peptide bond flip (Cys46-Ser47) was found to be energetically favorable in the reduced state, with a low activation free energy.
Conclusions:
- Redox-state conversions significantly influence the local dynamics of plant-type ferredoxin.
- The increased flexibility and stable "CO-out" conformation in reduced Fd likely play a role in its function.
- This study provides valuable dynamical structural insights into ferredoxin function.
More Related Videos
05:57Author Spotlight: In Silico Creation and Impact of Carbonylated Amino Acids on Protein Structure and Function
Published on: April 26, 2024
10:52Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
Published on: April 12, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Oxidation and Reduction of Organic Molecules
The removal of an electron from a molecule, results in a...
Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂
Protein Dynamics in Living Cells
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...
The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis
