Crystallographic and spectroscopic assignment of the proton transfer pathway in [FeFe]-hydrogenases

Abstract

[FeFe]-hydrogenases catalyze H2-evolution and -oxidation at very high turnover-rates. Here the authors provide experimental evidence for the proposed proton-transfer (PT) pathway by kinetically, spectroscopically, and crystallographically characterizing eleven mutants from the two [FeFe]-hydrogenases CpI and HydA1.