Site-specific replacement of a conserved tyrosine in ribonucleotide reductase with an aniline amino acid: A mechanistic probe for a redox-active tyrosine

An aniline-based amino acid provides a powerful mechanistic probe for redox-active tyrosines, affording a general method for elucidating the sequence of proton and electron transfer events during side-chain oxidation in biological systems. Intein technology allows Y356 to be site-specifically replaced with p-aminophenylalanine (PheNH₂) on the R2 subunit of the class I ribonucleotide reductase. Analysis of the pH rate profile of Y356PheNH₂-R2 strongly suggests that the mechanism of long-distance intrasubunit radical transfer through position 356 proceeds with electron transfer prior to proton transfer. In addition, we propose that radical transfer through position 356 only becomes rate-limiting upon raising the reduction potential of the residue at that location and is not affected by protonation state of either the ground state or oxidized amino acid.