MiaB, a Bifunctional Radical-S-Adenosylmethionine Enzyme Involved in the Thiolation and Methylation of tRNA, Contains Two Essential [4Fe-4S] Clusters

HL Hernández, F Pierrel, E Elleingand… - Biochemistry, 2007 - ACS Publications
HL Hernández, F Pierrel, E Elleingand, R García-Serres, BH Huynh, MK Johnson…
Biochemistry, 2007ACS Publications
The radical-S-adenosylmethionine (radical-AdoMet) enzyme MiaB catalyzes the
posttranscriptional methylthiolation of N-6-isopentenyladenosine in tRNAs. Spectroscopic
and analytical studies of the reconstituted wild-type and C150/154/157A triple variant forms
of Thermotoga maritima MiaB have revealed the presence of two distinct [4Fe-4S] 2+, 1+
clusters in the protein. One is coordinated by the three conserved cysteines in the radical-
AdoMet motif (Cys150, Cys154, and Cys157) as previously reported, and the other, here …
The radical-S-adenosylmethionine (radical-AdoMet) enzyme MiaB catalyzes the posttranscriptional methylthiolation of N-6-isopentenyladenosine in tRNAs. Spectroscopic and analytical studies of the reconstituted wild-type and C150/154/157A triple variant forms of Thermotoga maritima MiaB have revealed the presence of two distinct [4Fe-4S]2+,1+ clusters in the protein. One is coordinated by the three conserved cysteines in the radical-AdoMet motif (Cys150, Cys154, and Cys157) as previously reported, and the other, here observed for the first time, is proposed to be coordinated by the three N-terminal conserved cysteines (Cys10, Cys46, and Cys79). The two [4Fe-4S]2+ clusters have similar UV−visible absorption, resonance Raman, and Mössbauer properties but differ in terms of redox properties and the EPR properties of the reduced [4Fe-4S]1+ clusters. Reconstituted forms of MiaB containing two [4Fe-4S] clusters are more active than previously reported. Comparison of MiaB with other radical-AdoMet enzymes involved in thiolation reactions, such as biotin synthase and lipoate synthase, is discussed as well as a possible role of the second cluster as a sacrificial S-donor in the MiaB-catalyzed reaction.
ACS Publications