Ferritin-Like Proteins: A Conserved Core for a Myriad of Enzyme Complexes

Structure of a ribonucleotide reductase R2 protein radical

“…RNR provides the only pathway for de novo synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides and represents a drug target for both cancer and infectious diseases ( 4 , 5 ). Aerobic RNR (class I) depends on the ferritin-like R2 subunit to generate a catalytic radical in an oxygen dependent reaction; the radical must be transferred back-and-forth with the catalytic R1 subunit, which performs the ribonucleotide reduction ( 6 ). Radical translocation between the subunits proceeds via reversible long-range proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) in a transient R1-R2 complex ( 7 ).…”