[2Fe-2S]-ferredoxin binds directly to cysteine desulfurase and supplies an electron for iron-sulfur cluster assembly but is displaced by the scaffold protein or bacterial frataxin.

ABSTRACT: Escherichia coli [2Fe-2S]-ferredoxin (Fdx) is encoded by the isc operon along with other proteins involved in the 'house-keeping' mechanism of iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. Although it has been proposed that Fdx supplies electrons to reduce sulfane sulfur (S(0)) produced by the cysteine desulfurase (IscS) to sulfide (S(2-)) as required for the assembly of Fe-S clusters on the scaffold protein (IscU), direct experimental evidence for the role of Fdx has been lacking. Here, we show that Fdx (in either oxidation state) interacts directly with IscS. The interaction face on Fdx was found to include residues close to its Fe-S cluster. In addition, C328 of IscS, the residue known to pick up sulfur from the active site of IscS and deliver it to the Cys residues of IscU, formed a disulfide bridge

SUBMITTER: Kim JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3677232 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature