The plant ferredoxins and their relationship to the evolution of ferredoxins from primitive life

Abstract

The first few ferredoxins were isolated, more or less simultaneously, from Clostridurn and spinach. These non-haem, ironcontaining oxidoreductases had almost the same low redox potential and both could catalyse the photoreduction of NADP by chloroplasts. but differed in molecular weight and in the number of iron atoms they contained. Since that time nearly forty more ferredoxins have been isolated from all classes of organisms. These fall into four categories containing respectively 2, 4, 6 or 8 atoms of iron per mole. Numerous physical properties have been determined and studies on circular dichroism, electron spin resonance, proton magnetic resonance and Mossbauer spectra have been especially valuable in giving an insight into the varying nature of the active centre of the different ferredoxins. The amino acid sequences of fourteen ferredoxins have been determined and together with the variation in function permit phylogenetic relationships to be determined. The experimental work leading to these results is covered in this review.

Ferredoxin Containing Bacteriocins Suggest a Novel Mechanism of Iron Uptake in Pectobacterium spp

“…The purified recombinant proteins were red-brown in colour and the absorption spectra of both proteins displayed maxima at 330 nm, 423 nm, and 466 nm (Figure 3b), which are characteristic of plant ferredoxins [21]. These data show both pectocins M1 and M2 contain a [2Fe-2S] cluster.…”

Isolation and properties of a ferredoxin from leaves of Sambucus racemosa L.

“…Amino acid compositions of Sambucus and Leucaena ferredoxin L, lysozyme; R, ribonuclease; F1 and F2, samples of Sumbucus ferredoxin from two different preparations.values suggest that two iron atoms are present in one molecule of Sambucus ferredoxin, as in all wellcharacterized plant ferredoxins(24). Together with the results of the EPR spectrum, this suggests the active centre ofSambucus ferredoxin to be the same as in other plant chloroplast ferredoxins.Amino Acid CompositionThe amino acid composition of Sambucus ferredoxin is detailed inTable 1.…”

“…3) of Sambucus ferredoxin is typical of a plant-type ferredoxin containing two atoms of iron and two atoms of labile sulphur per molecule (24). The principal apparent g values at 20°Careg,r = 1.894,gr = 1.957, andg, = 2.046.…”

“…However, a preliminary analysis of the amino acid composition of Sambuc~ts ferredoxin and 16 other plant ferredoxins (data from Ref. 24) was performed during the present study. It showed that S~rmbucrts ferredoxin is most closely related to that ofLeucuen~l (Rosales, DI = 7.8), then taro (Arales) and alfalfa (Rosales, both with DI = 8.2), and then corn (Graminales, DI = 9.5).…”

Amino acid sequence of spirulina platensis ferredoxin: A far divergency of blue‐green algal ferredoxins

“…The study has strongly suggested the commonness of the blue-green algal ferredoxin and those of green plants including green algae. Several other blue-green algal ferredoxins have been shown to have characteristics of the typical chloroplast-type ferredoxin [7][8][9][10][11][12] and their amino acid compositions have suggested the common origin of these and green plant ferredoxins.…”