1elu

Publication Abstract from PubMed

FeS clusters are versatile cofactors of a variety of proteins, but the mechanisms of their biosynthesis are still unknown. The cystine C-S lyase from Synechocystis has been identified as a participant in ferredoxin FeS cluster formation. Herein, we report on the crystal structure of the lyase and of a complex with the reaction products of cystine cleavage at 1.8- and 1.55-A resolution, respectively. The sulfur-containing product was unequivocally identified as cysteine persulfide. The reactive persulfide group is fixed by a hydrogen bond to His-114 in the center of a hydrophobic pocket and is thereby shielded from the solvent. Binding and stabilization of the cysteine persulfide represent an alternative to the generation of a protein-bound persulfide by NifS-like proteins and point to the general importance of persulfidic compounds for FeS cluster assembly.

Crystal structure of the cystine C-S lyase from Synechocystis: stabilization of cysteine persulfide for FeS cluster biosynthesis.,Clausen T, Kaiser JT, Steegborn C, Huber R, Kessler D Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Apr 11;97(8):3856-61. PMID:10760256^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.