Alternative ground states enable pathway switching in biological electron transfer.

ABSTRACT: Electron transfer is the simplest chemical reaction and constitutes the basis of a large variety of biological processes, such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Nature has evolved specific proteins and cofactors for these functions. The mechanisms optimizing biological electron transfer have been matter of intense debate, such as the role of the protein milieu between donor and acceptor sites. Here we propose a mechanism regulating long-range electron transfer in proteins. Specifically, we report a spectroscopic, electrochemical, and theoretical study on WT and single-mutant Cu(A) redox centers from Thermus thermophilus, which shows that thermal fluctuations may populate two alternative ground-state electronic wave functions optimized for electron entry and exit, respectively, th

SUBMITTER: Abriata LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3491497 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature