The Copper Chaperone NosL Forms a Heterometal Site for Cu Delivery to Nitrous Oxide Reductase.
Prasser, B., Schoner, L., Zhang, L., Einsle, O.(2021) Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 60: 18810-18814
- PubMed: 34171184 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202106348
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
7OG7 - PubMed Abstract: 
The final step of denitrification is the reduction of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) to N 2 , mediated by Cu-dependent nitrous oxide reductase (N 2 OR). Its metal centers, Cu A and Cu Z , are assembled through sequential provision of twelve Cu I ions by a metallochaperone that forms part of a nos gene cluster encoding the enzyme and its accessory factors. The chaperone is the nosL gene product, an 18 kDa lipoprotein predicted to reside in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. In order to better understand the assembly of N 2 OR, we have produced NosL from Shewanella denitrificans and determined the structure of the metal-loaded chaperone by X-ray crystallography. The protein assembled a heterodinuclear metal site consisting of Zn II and Cu I , as evidenced by anomalous X-ray scattering. While only Cu I is delivered to the enzyme, the stabilizing presence of Zn II is essential for the functionality and structural integrity of the chaperone.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Institut für Biochemie, Fakultät für Chemie und Pharmazie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstrasse 21, 79104, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.