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Science 17 February 2006:
Vol. 311. no. 5763, pp. 996 - 1000
DOI: 10.1126/science.1120306
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Reports

X-ray Structure of a Self-Compartmentalizing Sulfur Cycle Metalloenzyme

Tim Urich,1 Cláudio M. Gomes,2 Arnulf Kletzin,1* Carlos Frazão2*

Numerous microorganisms oxidize sulfur for energy conservation and contribute to the global biogeochemical sulfur cycle. We have determined the 1.7 angstrom–resolution structure of the sulfur oxygenase reductase from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Acidianus ambivalens, which catalyzes an oxygen-dependent disproportionation of elemental sulfur. Twenty-four monomers form a large hollow sphere enclosing a positively charged nanocompartment. Apolar channels provide access for linear sulfur species. A cysteine persulfide and a low-potential mononuclear non-heme iron site ligated by a 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad in a pocket of each subunit constitute the active sites, accessible from the inside of the sphere. The iron is likely the site of both sulfur oxidation and sulfur reduction.

1 Darmstadt University of Technology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Schnittspahnstrasse 10, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
2 Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Avenida da República EAN, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail kletzin{at}bio.tu-darmstadt.de (A.K.); frazao{at}itqb.unl.pt. (C.F.)

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy as a Probe of Microbial Sulfur Biochemistry: the Nature of Bacterial Sulfur Globules Revisited.
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The Genome Sequence of the Metal-Mobilizing, Extremely Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Metallosphaera sedula Provides Insights into Bioleaching-Associated Metabolism.
K. S. Auernik, Y. Maezato, P. H. Blum, and R. M. Kelly (2008)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 74, 682-692
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In Situ Analysis of Sulfur Species in Sulfur Globules Produced from Thiosulfate by Thermoanaerobacter sulfurigignens and Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes.
Y.-J. Lee, A. Prange, H. Lichtenberg, M. Rohde, M. Dashti, and J. Wiegel (2007)
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The SoxYZ Complex Carries Sulfur Cycle Intermediates on a Peptide Swinging Arm.
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Ferrous Iron- and Sulfur-Induced Genes in Sulfolobus metallicus.
S. Bathe and P. R. Norris (2007)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 73, 2491-2497
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Utilization of solid 'elemental' sulfur by the phototrophic purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum: a sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy study.
B. Franz, H. Lichtenberg, J. Hormes, H. Modrow, C. Dahl, and A. Prange (2007)
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