Mechanism of Mixed-Valence Fe2.5+···Fe2.5+ Formation in Fe4S4 Clusters in the Ferredoxin Binding Motif.

Most low-potential Fe4S4 clusters exist in the conserved binding sequence CxxCxxC (CnCn+3Cn+6). Fe(II) and Fe(III) at the first (Cn) and third (Cn+6) cysteine ligand sites form a mixed-valence Fe2.5+···Fe2.5+ pair in the reduced Fe(II)3Fe(III) cluster. Here, we investigate the mechanism of how the conserved protein environment induces mixed-valence pair formation in the Fe4S4 clusters, FX, FA, and FB in photosystem I, using a quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach. Exchange coupling between Fe sites is predominantly determined by the shape of the Fe4S4 cluster, which is stabilized by the preorganized protein electrostatic environment. The backbone NH and CO groups in the conserved CxxCxxC and adjacent helix regions orient along the FeCn···FeC(n+6) axis, generating an electric field and stabilizing the FeCn(II)FeC(n+6)(III) state in FA and FB. The overlap of the d orbitals via -S- (superexchange) is observed for the single FeCn(II)···FeC(n+6)(III) pair, leading to the formation of the mixed-valence Fe2.5+···Fe2.5+ pair. In contrast, several superexchange Fe(II)···Fe(III) pairs are observed in FX due to the highly symmetric pair of the CDGPGRGGTC sequences. This is likely the origin of FX serving as an electron acceptor in the two electron transfer branches.