Temperature and viscosity dependence of the electron-transfer reaction between plastocyanin and cytochrome c labeled with a ruthenium (II) bipyridine complex

by Harris, Michele R.; Davis, Dan J.; Durham, Bill; Millett, Francis

The temperature and viscosity dependence of the photo-induced electron-transfer reaction between plastocyanin and cytochrome c labeled at Lys13 with Ru(4,4'-dicarboxybipyridine)(bipyridine)(2)(+2) have been investigated. In these studies, a short pulse of 450 nm light was used to excite the ruthenium complex which was oxidatively quenched by the iron center of cytochrome c. The resulting Fe(II) cytochrome c was then rapidly reoxidized by plastocyanin. The reactions were investigated over a temperature range of 3.5 to 37 degrees C under low ionic strength conditions such that protein/protein complex formation was favored. The enthalpy of activation was 7 kcal mol(-1) and the entropy of activation was -20 cal mol(-1) K-1. Increasing the viscosity by the addition of sucrose up to 70% resulted in a 4-fold decrease in the rate constant for electron transfer. The overall results suggest a rate-limiting step that involves either dissociation of the dominant protein/protein complex or surface diffusion of the associated proteins.

Journal
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-Bioenergetics
Volume
1319
Issue
2-3
Year
1997
Start Page
147-154
URL
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0005-2728(96)00155-7
ISBN/ISSN
0005-2728
DOI
10.1016/s0005-2728(96)00155-7