An electrogenic redox loop in sulfate reduction reveals a likely widespread mechanism of energy conservation

Duarte, Américo G., Catarino, Teresa, White, Gaye F., Lousa, Diana, Neukirchen, Sinje, Soares, Cláudio M., Sousa, Filipa L., Clarke, Thomas A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6234-1914 and Pereira, Inês A.C. (2018) An electrogenic redox loop in sulfate reduction reveals a likely widespread mechanism of energy conservation. Nature Communications, 9. ISSN 2041-1723

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Abstract

The bioenergetics of anaerobic metabolism frequently relies on redox loops performed by membrane complexes with substrate- and quinone-binding sites on opposite sides of the membrane. However, in sulfate respiration (a key process in the biogeochemical sulfur cycle), the substrate- and quinone-binding sites of the QrcABCD complex are periplasmic, and their role in energy conservation has not been elucidated. Here we show that the QrcABCD complex of Desulfovibrio vulgaris is electrogenic, as protons and electrons required for quinone reduction are extracted from opposite sides of the membrane, with a H+/e− ratio of 1. Although the complex does not act as a H+-pump, QrcD may include a conserved proton channel leading from the N-side to the P-side menaquinone pocket. Our work provides evidence of how energy is conserved during dissimilatory sulfate reduction, and suggests mechanisms behind the functions of related bacterial respiratory complexes in other bioenergetic contexts.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: chemistry(all),biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology(all),physics and astronomy(all),sdg 7 - affordable and clean energy ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1600
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Science > School of Natural Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Molecular Microbiology
Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Molecular and Structural Biochemistry
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Energy Materials Laboratory
Related URLs:
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 10 Jan 2019 15:30
Last Modified: 09 Mar 2024 01:09
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/69539
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07839-x

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