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. 2003 Nov 15;376(Pt 1):35–41. doi: 10.1042/BJ20031283

Oxo-iron clusters in a bacterial iron-trafficking protein: new roles for a conserved motif.

Haizhong Zhu 1, Dmitriy Alexeev 1, Dominic J B Hunter 1, Dominic J Campopiano 1, Peter J Sadler 1
PMCID: PMC1223766  PMID: 13129433

Abstract

We report a set of three 1.8-1.9 A resolution X-ray crystal structures of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Fbp (ferric-ion binding protein): (i) open-cleft apo-Fbp containing bound phosphate, (ii) open-cleft mono-Fe Fbp capped by nitrilotriacetate, and (iii) open-cleft trinuclear oxo-iron Fbp, the first structure of an iron-cluster adduct of a transferrin. The nine independent molecules in the unit cells provide 'snapshots' of the versatile dynamic structural roles of the conserved dityrosyl iron-binding motif (Tyr195-Tyr196) which control the capture and, possibly, processing of iron. These findings have implications for understanding bacterial iron acquisition and dissimilation, and organic/mineral interfaces.

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Selected References

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