The pathway for serial proton supply to the active site of nitrogenase: enhanced density functional modeling of the Grotthuss mechanism

Nitrogenase contains a well defined and conserved chain of water molecules leading to the FeMo cofactor (FeMo-co, an [Fe7MoCS9] cluster with bidentate chelation of Mo by homocitrate) that is the active site where N-2 and other substrates are sequentially hydrogenated using multiple protons and electrons. The function of this chain is proposed to be a proton wire, serially translocating protons to triply-bridging S3B of FeMo-co, where, concomitant with electron transfer to FeMo-co, an H atom is generated on S3B. Density functional simulations of this proton translocation mechanism are reported here, using a large 269-atom model that includes all residues hydrogen bonded to and surrounding the water chain, and likely to influence proton transfer: three carboxylate O atoms of obligatory homocitrate are essential. The mechanism involves the standard two components of the Grotthuss mechanism, namely H atom slides that shift H3O+ from one water site to the next, and HOH molecular rotations that convert backward (posterior) OH bonds in the water chain to forward (anterior) OH bonds. The topography of the potential energy surface for each of these steps has been mapped. H atom slides pass through very short (ca. 2.5 angstrom) O-H-O hydrogen bonds, while HOH rotations involve the breaking of O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds, and the occurrence of long (up to 3.6 angstrom) separations between contiguous water molecules. Both steps involve low potential energy barriers, <7 kcal mol(-1). During operation of the Grotthuss mechanism in nitrogenase there are substantial displacements of water molecules along the chain, occurring as ripples. These characteristics of the 'Grotthuss two-step', coupled with a buffering ability of two carboxylate O atoms of homocitrate, and combined with density functional characterisation of the final proton slide from the ultimate water molecule to S3B (including electron addition), have been choreographed into a complete mechanism for serial hydrogenation of FeMo-co. The largest potential barrier is estimated to be 14 kcal mol(-1). These results are discussed in the context of reactivity data for nitrogenase, and the occurrence of a comparable water chain in cytochrome-c oxidase. Further investigation of the lowfrequency conformational dynamics of the nitrogenase proteins, coupling proton transfer with other events in the nitrogenase cycle, is briefly canvassed.