INTERACTION OF PLANT AND ADRENOCORTICAL 2FE-2S-FERREDOXINS WITH DETERGENTS

Interactions of 2Fe-2S-ferredoxins (isolated from cattle adrenal corte x, blue-green algae, and three plant species) with several cationic, a nionic, or nonionic detergents were studied. In most cases the interac tion with detergents destroyed the active center of the ferredoxins, t hat is, their iron-sulfur cluster. Oxidants such as oxygen and potassi um ferricyanide were shown to degrade the cluster. Ferredoxins from pl ant and animal tissues displayed different sensitivities to anionic an d nonanionic detergents.