Reversible Unfolding and Folding of the Metalloprotein Ferredoxin Revealed by Single-Molecule Atomic Force Microscopy

J Am Chem Soc. 2017 Feb 1;139(4):1538-1544. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b11371. Epub 2017 Jan 24.

Abstract

Plant type [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins function primarily as electron transfer proteins in photosynthesis. Studying the unfolding-folding of ferredoxins in vitro is challenging, because the unfolding of ferredoxin is often irreversible due to the loss or disintegration of the iron-sulfur cluster. Additionally, the in vivo folding of holo-ferredoxin requires ferredoxin biogenesis proteins. Here, we employed atomic force microscopy-based single-molecule force microscopy and protein engineering techniques to directly study the mechanical unfolding and refolding of a plant type [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin from cyanobacteria Anabaena. Our results indicate that upon stretching, ferredoxin unfolds in a three-state mechanism. The first step is the unfolding of the protein sequence that is outside and not sequestered by the [2Fe-2S] center, and the second one relates to the force-induced rupture of the [2Fe-2S] metal center and subsequent unraveling of the protein structure shielded by the [2Fe-2S] center. During repeated stretching and relaxation of a single polyprotein, we observed that the completely unfolded ferredoxin can refold to its native holo-form with a fully reconstituted [2Fe-2S] center. These results demonstrate that the unfolding-refolding of individual ferredoxin is reversible at the single-molecule level, enabling new avenues of studying both folding-unfolding mechanisms, as well as the reactivity of the metal center of metalloproteins in vitro.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anabaena / chemistry*
  • Ferredoxins / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Protein Engineering
  • Protein Folding

Substances

  • Ferredoxins