Concerted Two-Electron Reduction of Ubiquinone in Respiratory Complex I

J Phys Chem B. 2019 Jun 27;123(25):5265-5273. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b04082. Epub 2019 Jun 13.

Abstract

Respiratory complex I catalyzes two-electron/two-proton reduction of a ubiquinone (Q) substrate bound at its Q-binding pocket; upon reduction, ubiquinole carries electrons further down the electron transport chain. The mechanism of this two-electron transfer reaction is poorly understood. Here we consider a hypothetical scheme in which two electrons transfer together with two protons in a concerted fashion. On one side, a coupled electron/proton transfer occurs from the reduced N2 FeS cluster and protonated His38 residue, respectively, while on the other side a hydrogen atom transfer occurs from the neutral Tyr87 residue, generating a tyrosyl radical. A method to evaluate the coupling matrix element that corresponds to a concerted tunneling of two electrons was developed. Overall, our calculations indicate that the concerted reaction is feasible, in which case a transient tyrosyl radical is formed during the catalytic cycle of the enzyme.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Biocatalysis
  • Density Functional Theory
  • Electron Transport
  • Electron Transport Complex I / chemistry*
  • Electron Transport Complex I / metabolism
  • Electrons
  • Hydrogen / chemistry
  • Hydrogen / metabolism
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Protons
  • Ubiquinone / chemistry*
  • Ubiquinone / metabolism

Substances

  • Protons
  • Ubiquinone
  • Hydrogen
  • Electron Transport Complex I