Complete Charge Regulation by a Redox Enzyme Upon Single Electron Transfer

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/anie.202001452

The degree by which metalloproteins partially regulate net charge () upon electron transfer (ET) was recently measured for the first time using “protein charge ladders” of azurin, cytochrome c, and myoglobin [Angew. Chem. Int. Ed 2018 57 (19), 5364–5368; Angew. Chem 2018 130 , 5462–5466]. Here, we show that Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is unique among proteins in its ability to resist changes in net charge upon single ET (e.g., ΔET(SOD1)=0.05±0.08 per electron, compared to ΔET(Cyt‐c)=1.19±0.02). This total regulation of net charge by SOD1 is attributed to the protonation of the bridging histidine upon copper reduction, yielding redox centers that are isoelectric at both copper oxidation states. Charge regulation by SOD1 would prevent long range coulombic perturbations to residue pa’s upon ET at copper, allowing SOD1’s “electrostatic loop” to attract superoxide with equal affinity (at both redox states of copper) during diffusion‐limited reduction and oxidation of superoxide.