Photolysis of Hi-CO Nitrogenase - Observation of a Plethora of Distinct CO Species using Infrared Spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to study the photochemistry of CO-inhibited Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenase using visible light at cryogenic temperatures. The FT-IR difference spectrum of photolyzed hi-CO at 4 K comprises negative bands at 1973 cm-1 and 1679 cm-1 together with positive bands at 1711 cm-1, 2135 and 2123 cm-1. The negative bands are assigned to a hi-CO state that comprises 2 metal-bound CO ligands, one terminally bound, and one bridged and/or protonated species. The positive band at 1711 cm-1 is assigned to a lo-CO product with a single bridged and/or protonated metal-CO group. We term these species 'Hi-1' and 'Lo-1' respectively. The high-energy bands are assigned to a liberated CO trapped in the protein pocket. Warming results in CO recombination, and the temperature dependence of the recombination rate yields an activation energy of 4 kJ mol-1. Two α-H195 variant enzymes yielded additional signals. Asparagine substitution, α-H195N, gives a spectrum containing 2 negative 'Hi-2' bands at 1936 and 1858 cm-1 with a positive 'Lo-2' band at 1780 cm-1, while glutamine substitution, α-H195Q, produces a complex spectrum that includes a third CO species, with negative 'Hi-3' bands at 1938 and 1911 cm-1 and a positive feature 'Lo-3' band at 1921 cm-1. These species can be assigned to a combination of terminal, bridged, and possibly protonated CO groups bound to the FeMo-cofactor active site. The proposed structures are discussed in terms of both CO inhibition and the mechanism nitrogenase catalysis. Given the intractability of observing nitrogenase intermediates by crystallographic methods, IR-monitored photolysis appears to be a promising and information-rich probe of nitrogenase structure and chemistry.