Equilibration of Tyrosyl Radicals (Y[• over 356], Y[• over 731], Y[• over 730]) in the Radical Propagation Pathway of the Escherichia coli Class Ia Ribonucleotide Reductase

Escherichia coli ribonucleotide reductase is an α2β2 complex that catalyzes the conversion of nucleotides to deoxynucleotides using a diferric-tyrosyl radical (Y122•) cofactor in β2 to initiate catalysis in α2. Each turnover requires reversible long-range proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) over 35 Å between the two subunits by a specific pathway (Y122• ⇆ [W48?] ⇆ Y356 within β to Y731 ⇆ Y730 ⇆ C439 within α). Previously, we reported that a β2 mutant with 3nitrotyrosyl radical (NO2Y•, 1.2 radicals/β2) in place of Y122• in the presence of α2, CDP and ATP catalyzes formation of 0.6 equiv dCDP and accumulates 0.6 equiv of a new Y• proposed to be located on Y356 in β2. We now report three independent methods that establish that Y356 is the predominant location (85 – 90%) of the radical with the remaining 10 – 15% delocalized onto Y731 and Y730 in α2. Pulsed electron-electron double resonance spectroscopy on samples prepared by rapid freeze quench (RFQ) methods identified three distances: 30 ± 0.4 Å (88 ± 3%), 33 ± 0.4 Å and 38 ± 0.5 Å (12 ± 3%) indicative of NO2Y122•-Y356•, NO2Y122•NO2Y122•, and NO2Y122•Y731(730)•, respectively. Radical distribution in α2 was supported by RFQ EPR studies using Y731(3,5-F2Y) or Y730(3,5-F2Y)-α2 which revealed F2Y•, and by studies using globally incorporated [β-H2]Y-α2 and analysis using parameters obtained from 140 GHz EPR spectroscopy. The amount of Y• delocalized in α2 from these two studies varied from 6 to 15%. The studies together give the first insight into the relative redox potentials of the three transient Y•s in the PCET pathway and their conformations.