title: Metallocenter assembly of the hydrogenase enzymes.
abstract: The biosynthesis of the [NiFe]- and [FeFe]-hydrogenase enzymes requires the activities of multiple proteins that assemble the intricate metallocenters on the enzyme precursor proteins in an energy-dependent process. These accessory proteins include enzymes that synthesize the non-protein iron ligands as well as metallochaperones for the delivery of nickel to the [NiFe]-hydrogenase. Over the past few years many of these proteins have been examined in vitro. The biochemical properties, in the context of the earlier genetic studies, provide a basis for assigning function to the individual accessory proteins and mapping out the sequential steps of the metallocenter assembly pathways. This framework will serve as a foundation for detailed mechanistic analysis of these complex biomolecular factories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St George St, Toronto, ON Canada, M5S 3H6.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: Deborah B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Zamble
mesh_terms: D006864:Hydrogenase / Q000737:chemistry*; D007506:Iron-Sulfur Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure
chemical_list: D007506:Iron-Sulfur Proteins; C118830:iron hydrogenase; C043296:nickel-iron hydrogenase; D006864:Hydrogenase