An Easily Prepared Monomeric Cobalt(II) Tetrapyrrole Complex that Efficiently Promotes the 4e–/4H+ Peractivation of O2 to Water

The selective 4e–/4H+ reduction of dioxygen to water is an important reaction that takes place at the cathode of fuel cells. Monomeric aromatic tetrapyrroles (such as porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and corroles) coordinated to Co(II) have been considered as oxygen reduction catalysts due to their low cost and relative ease of synthesis. How- ever, these systems have been repeatedly shown to be selective for O2 reduction by the less desired 2e –/2H+ pathway to yield hydrogen peroxide. Herein, we report the initial synthesis and study of a Co(II) tetrapyrrole complex based upon a non-aromatic isocorrole scaffold that is competent for 4e–/4H+ ORR. This Co(II) 10,10-dimethyl isocorrole (Co[10- DMIC]) is obtained in a just four simple steps and excellent yield from a known dipyrromethane synthon. Evaluation of the steady state spectroscopic and redox properties of Co[10-DMIC] against those of Co(II) porphyrin ([Co(TPFPP)]) and corrole ([Co(TPFPC)(PPh3)]) homologs demonstrated that the light harvesting and electrochemical properties of the isocorrole are distinct from those displayed by more traditional aromatic tetrapyrroles. Further, investigation of the ORR activity of Co[10-DMIC] using a combination of electrochemical and chemical reduction studies revealed that this simple, unadorned monomeric Co(II) tetrapyrrole is ~85% selective for the 4e–/4H+ reduction of O2 to H2O over the more kinetically facile 2e–/2H+ process that delivers H2O2. By contrast, the same ORR evaluations conducted for the Co(II) porphyrin and corrole homologs demonstrated that these traditional aromatic systems catalyze the 2e–/2H+ conversion of O2 to H2O2 with near complete selectivity. Despite being a simple, easily prepared, monomeric tetrapyrrole platform, Co[10-DMIC] supports an ORR catalysis that has historically only been achieved using elaborate porphyrinoid-based architectures that incorporate pendant proton-transfer groups, ditopic molecular clefts, or which impose cofacially ori- ented O2 binding sites. Accordingly, Co[10-DMIC] represents the first simple, unadorned, monomeric metalloisocorrole complex that can be easily prepared and which shows a privileged performance for the 4e–/4H+ peractivation of O2 to water as compared to other simple Co(II) tetrapyrroles.

Hydrogen Sulfide Is a Regulator of Hemoglobin Oxygen-Carrying Capacity via Controlling 2,3-BPG Production in Erythrocytes

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is naturally synthesized in a wide range of mammalian tissues. Whether H2S is involved in the regulation of erythrocyte functions remains unknown. Using mice with a genetic deficiency in a H2S natural synthesis enzyme cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) and high-throughput metabolomic profiling, we found that levels of erythrocyte 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG), an erythroid-specific metabolite negatively regulating hemoglobin- (Hb-) oxygen (O2) binding affinity, were increased in CSE knockout (Cse-/-) mice under normoxia. Consistently, the 50% oxygen saturation (P50) value was increased in erythrocytes of Cse-/- mice. These effects were reversed by treatment with H2S donor GYY4137. In the models of cultured mouse and human erythrocytes, we found that H2S directly acts on erythrocytes to decrease 2,3-BPG production, thereby enhancing Hb-O2 binding affinity. Mouse genetic studies showed that H2S produced by peripheral tissues has a tonic inhibitory effect on 2,3-BPG production and consequently maintains Hb-O2 binding affinity in erythrocytes. We further revealed that H2S promotes Hb release from the membrane to the cytosol and consequently enhances bisphosphoglycerate mutase (BPGM) anchoring to the membrane. These processes might be associated with S-sulfhydration of Hb. Moreover, hypoxia decreased the circulatory H2S level and increased the erythrocyte 2,3-BPG content in mice, which could be reversed by GYY4137 treatment. Altogether, our study revealed a novel signaling pathway that regulates oxygen-carrying capacity in erythrocytes and highlights a previously unrecognized role of H2S in erythrocyte 2,3-BPG production.

π-Helix controls activity of oxygen-sensing diguanylate cyclases

The ability of organisms to sense and adapt to oxygen levels in their environment leads to changes in cellular phenotypes, including biofilm formation and virulence. Globin coupled sensors (GCSs) are a family of heme proteins that regulate diverse functions in response to O2 levels, including modulating synthesis of cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), a bacterial second messenger that regulates biofilm formation. While GCS proteins have been demonstrated to regulate O2-dependent pathways, the mechanism by which the O2 binding event is transmitted from the globin domain to the cyclase domain is unknown. Using chemical cross-linking and subsequent liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, diguanylate cyclase (DGC)-containing GCS proteins from Bordetella pertussis (BpeGReg) and Pectobacterium carotovorum (PccGCS) have been demonstrated to form direct interactions between the globin domain and a middle domain π-helix. Additionally, mutation of the π-helix caused major changes in oligomerization and loss of DGC activity. Furthermore, results from assays with isolated globin and DGC domains found that DGC activity is affected by the cognate globin domain, indicating unique interactions between output domain and cognate globin sensor. Based on these studies a compact GCS structure, which depends on the middle domain π-helix for orienting the three domains, is needed for DGC activity and allows for direct sensor domain interactions with both middle and output domains to transmit the O2 binding signal. The insights from the present study improve our understanding of DGC regulation and provide insight into GCS signaling that may lead to the ability to rationally control O2-dependent GCS activity.