title: Mechanistic insights into energy conservation by flavin-based electron bifurcation.
abstract: The recently realized biochemical phenomenon of energy conservation through electron bifurcation provides biology with an elegant means to maximize utilization of metabolic energy. The mechanism of coordinated coupling of exergonic and endergonic oxidation-reduction reactions by a single enzyme complex has been elucidated through optical and paramagnetic spectroscopic studies revealing unprecedented features. Pairs of electrons are bifurcated over more than 1 volt of electrochemical potential by generating a low-potential, highly energetic, unstable flavin semiquinone and directing electron flow to an iron-sulfur cluster with a highly negative potential to overcome the barrier of the endergonic half reaction. The unprecedented range of thermodynamic driving force that is generated by flavin-based electron bifurcation accounts for unique chemical reactions that are catalyzed by these enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lubner
authors.affiliation: School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.affiliation: Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Gerrit J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Schut
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Oleg A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Zadvornyy
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hoben
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokmina-Lukaszewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Diep M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Gina L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Lipscomb
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bothner
authors.affiliation: School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.
authors.forename: Anne K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: Anne-Frances
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4973-2061
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5039-654X
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Michael W W
authors.initials: MWW
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA.|Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D004579:Electron Transport; D004583:Electrons; D005182:Flavin-Adenine Dinucleotide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005415:Flavins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D005415:Flavins; D005182:Flavin-Adenine Dinucleotide; C029276:flavin semiquinone