Organization of iron-sulfur clusters in respiratory complex I

Science. 2005 Jul 29;309(5735):771-4. doi: 10.1126/science.1113988.

Abstract

Complex I of respiratory chains plays a central role in bioenergetics and is implicated in many human neurodegenerative diseases. An understanding of its mechanism requires a knowledge of the organization of redox centers. The arrangement of iron-sulfur clusters in the hydrophilic domain of complex I from Thermus thermophilus has been determined with the use of x-ray crystallography. One binuclear and six tetranuclear clusters are arranged, maximally 14 angstroms apart, in an 84-angstrom-long electron transfer chain. The binuclear cluster N1a and the tetranuclear cluster N7 are not in this pathway. Cluster N1a may play a role in the prevention of oxidative damage. The structure provides a framework for the interpretation of the large amounts of data accumulated on complex I.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Electron Transport
  • Electron Transport Complex I / chemistry*
  • Electron Transport Complex I / isolation & purification
  • Electron Transport Complex I / metabolism
  • Flavin Mononucleotide / metabolism
  • Iron / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • NAD / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Subunits / chemistry
  • Protein Subunits / isolation & purification
  • Protein Subunits / metabolism
  • Sulfur / chemistry*
  • Thermus thermophilus / enzymology*

Substances

  • Protein Subunits
  • NAD
  • Sulfur
  • Flavin Mononucleotide
  • Iron
  • Electron Transport Complex I