Electron transfer in peptides and proteins.
Proteins and peptides use their amino acids as medium for electron-transfer reactions that occur either in single-step superexchange or in multistep hopping processes. Whereas the rate of the single-step electron transfer dramatically decreases with the distance, a hopping process is less distance dependent. Electron hopping is possible if amino acids carry oxidizable side chains, like the phenol group in tyrosine. These side chains become intermediate charge carriers. Because of the weak distance dependency of hopping processes, fast electron transfer over very long distances occurs in multistep reactions, as in the enzyme ribonucleotide reductase.
Giese
Bernd
B
Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns Ring 19, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland. bernd.giese@unibas.ch
Graber
Michael
M
Cordes
Meike
M
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004579:Electron Transport; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012264:Ribonucleotide Reductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D000596:Amino Acids; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized; D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins; D012264:Ribonucleotide Reductases