Spectroscopic studies of pyrococcus furiosus superoxide reductase: Implications for active-site structures and the catalytic mechanism

The spectroscopic studies of pyrococcus furiosus superoxide reductase are detailed. The ability cyanide to bind exogenous ligands to both the ferrous and ferric sites of superoxide reductase is consistent with an inner-sphere catalytic mechanism involving superoxide binding at the ferrous site to yield a ferric-hydroperoxo intermediate.