TOTAL SYNTHESIS OF A MINIFERREDOXIN

A miniferredoxin has been designed based on the Desulfovibrio gigas fe rredoxin II structure and has been successfully synthesized. The 31 am ino acid apoprotein was synthesized via standard Fmoc solid phase pept ide synthesis and in vitro cluster insertion carried out. The UV-visib le spectrum of the miniferredoxin (peak at 300 nm and a shoulder at 40 5 nm) shows the same features as that of the D. gigas ferredoxin. Cycl ic voltammetry indicated a quasireversible electrode process with a mi dpoint potential of -370mV vs NHE, which demonstrates that the minifer redoxin is redox active. From these and EPR studies, we propose the in corporation of a Fe4S4 cluster. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.