Chances and challenges of long‐distance electron transfer for cellular redox reactions. Issue 1 (17th October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Giese, Bernd; Karamash, Maksym; Fromm, Katharina M.
• Is Part Of: FEBS letters. Volume 597:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: 166
• Page End: 173
• Publication Date: 2022-10-17
• Subjects: cable bacteria -- compartmentalization -- electron transfer -- Geobacter sulfurreducens -- homeostasis -- pili -- redox reactions -- respiration; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Biochimie -- Périodiques; Biochemistry; Biophysics; Molecular biology; Periodicals; 572.05
• DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14493
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0014-5793

Abstract

Abstract : Biological redox reactions often use a set‐up in which final redox partners are localized in different compartments and electron transfer (ET) among them is mediated by redox‐active molecules. In enzymes, these ET processes occur over nm distances, whereas multi‐protein filaments bridge μm ranges. Electrons are transported over cm ranges in cable bacteria, which are formed by thousands of cells. In this review, we describe molecular mechanisms that explain how respiration in a compartmentalized set‐up ensures redox homeostasis. We highlight mechanistic studies on ET through metal‐free peptides and proteins demonstrating that long‐distance ET is possible because amino acids Tyr, Trp, Phe, and Met can act as relay stations. This cuts one long ET into several short reaction steps. The chances and challenges of long‐distance ET for cellular redox reactions are then discussed. Abstract : This review describes the advantages of compartmentalization for the metabolism of cellular redox reactions and explains different mechanisms for electron transfer through enzymes, protein filaments, and cable bacteria over nm to cm distances.