Modifying the Steric Properties in the Second Coordination Sphere of Designed Peptides Leads to Enhancement of Nitrite Reductase Activity

Abstract

Protein design is a useful strategy to interrogate the protein structureâ function relationship. We demonstrate using a highly modular 3â stranded coiled coil (TRIâ peptide system) that a functional typeâ 2 copper center exhibiting copper nitrite reductase (NiR) activity exhibits the highest homogeneous catalytic efficiency under aqueous conditions for the reduction of nitrite to NO and H2O. Modification of the amino acids in the second coordination sphere of the copper center increases the nitrite reductase activity up to 75â fold compared to previously reported systems. We find also that steric bulk can be used to enforce a threeâ coordinate CuI in a site, which tends toward twoâ coordination with decreased steric bulk. This study demonstrates the importance of the second coordination sphere environment both for controlling metalâ center ligation and enhancing the catalytic efficiency of metalloenzymes and their analogues.Second is best: A significant increase in nitrite reductase activity is achieved by modification of the steric properties of the second coordination sphere of a typeâ 2 copper center. The steric properties can be harnessed to control metal coordination and reactivity in a 3â stranded coiled coil TRI peptide scaffold (TRIWâ H).