The aim of this study was to clarify the pathway of electron transfer between the inner membrane components and the periplasmic chlorate reductase. Several soluble c-type cytochromes were found in the periplasm. The optical difference spectrum of dithionite-reduced periplasmic extract shows that at least one of these components is capable of acting as an electron donor to the enzyme chlorate reductase. The cytochromes were partially separated, and the fractions were analyzed by UV/visible spectroscopy to determine the ability of donating electrons to chlorate reductase. Our results show that one of the c cytochromes (6 kDa) is able to donate electrons, both to chlorate reductase and to the membrane-bound cytochrome c oxidase, whereas the roles of the remaining c cytochromes still remain to be elucidated. Peptide extracts of the c cytochromes were obtained by tryptic in-gel digestion for matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry analysis. Peptide sequences obtained indicate that the 6-kDa cytochrome c protein is similar to c cytochromes from the chlorate-reducing bacterium Dechloromonas aromatica.

Anaerobic chlorate respiration requires electron transport from the bacterial inner membrane to the soluble periplasmic chlorate reductase. We have recently demonstrated that soluble c cytochromes function as electron carriers for chlorate reduction in Ideonella dechloratans (Smedja Bäcklund et al. 2009). In the present work, we describe a gene encoding soluble c-type cytochrome [cyt; GenBank ID: EU768872] located close to the gene cluster for chlorate reduction in I. dechloratans. The predicted amino acid sequence does not match any of the peptide masses or partial sequences obtained earlier from periplasmic c cytochromes. The gene, without the predicted signal sequence, was expressed heterologously in E. coli and the recombinant protein was purified, refolded and reconstituted with heme. The reconstituted protein shows spectral properties characteristic for c cytochromes, with an absorption maximum at 553 nm for the alpha band in the reduced state. Pyridine hemochrome analysis demonstrates the formation of covalently bound heme.

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