title: Biochemistry, evolution and physiological function of the Rnf complex, a novel ion-motive electron transport complex in prokaryotes.
abstract: Microbes have a fascinating repertoire of bioenergetic enzymes and a huge variety of electron transport chains to cope with very different environmental conditions, such as different oxygen concentrations, different electron acceptors, pH and salinity. However, all these electron transport chains cover the redox span from NADH + H(+) as the most negative donor to oxygen/H(2)O as the most positive acceptor or increments thereof. The redox range more negative than -320 mV has been largely ignored. Here, we have summarized the recent data that unraveled a novel ion-motive electron transport chain, the Rnf complex, that energetically couples the cellular ferredoxin to the pyridine nucleotide pool. The energetics of the complex and its biochemistry, as well as its evolution and cellular function in different microbes, is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Microbiology and Bioenergetics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biegel
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D045855:Acetobacterium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D004579:Electron Transport; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D021122:Protein Subunits; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C028878:ferredoxin-NAD+ reductase