DNA repair glycosylases with a [4Fe-4S] cluster: a redox cofactor for DNA-mediated charge transport?

J Inorg Biochem. 2007 Nov;101(11-12):1913-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2007.05.001. Epub 2007 May 17.

Abstract

The [4Fe-4S] cluster is ubiquitous to a class of base excision repair enzymes in organisms ranging from bacteria to man and was first considered as a structural element, owing to its redox stability under physiological conditions. When studied bound to DNA, two of these repair proteins (MutY and Endonuclease III from Escherichia coli) display DNA-dependent reversible electron transfer with characteristics typical of high potential iron proteins. These results have inspired a reexamination of the role of the [4Fe-4S] cluster in this class of enzymes. Might the [4Fe-4S] cluster be used as a redox cofactor to search for damaged sites using DNA-mediated charge transport, a process well known to be highly sensitive to lesions and mismatched bases? Described here are experiments demonstrating the utility of DNA-mediated charge transport in characterizing these DNA-binding metalloproteins, as well as efforts to elucidate this new function for DNA as an electronic signaling medium among the proteins.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • DNA Damage
  • DNA Glycosylases / chemistry*
  • DNA Glycosylases / metabolism*
  • DNA Repair Enzymes / chemistry
  • DNA Repair Enzymes / metabolism
  • DNA Repair*
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins / chemistry
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins / metabolism
  • Models, Biological

Substances

  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins
  • DNA Glycosylases
  • DNA Repair Enzymes