Structural Studies of the Molybdenum Center of the Pathogenic R160Q Mutant of Human Sulfite Oxidase by Pulsed EPR Spectroscopy and 17O and 33S Labeling

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) investigation of the Mo(V) center of the pathogenic R160Q mutant of human sulfite oxidase (hSO) confirms the presence of three distinct species whose relative abundances depend upon pH. Species 1 is exclusively present at pH ≤ 6, and remains in significant amounts even at pH 8. Variable-frequency electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) studies of this species prepared with 33S-labeled sulfite clearly show the presence of coordinated sulfate, as has previously been found for the “blocked” form of Arabidopsis thaliana at low pH (Astashkin, A. V.; Johnson-Winters, K.; Klein, E. L.; Byrne, R. S.; Hille, R.; Raitsimring, A. M.; Enemark, J. H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 14800). The ESEEM spectra of Species 1 prepared in 17O-enriched water show both strongly and weakly magnetically coupled 17O atoms that can be assigned to an equatorial sulfate ligand and the axial oxo ligand, respectively. The nuclear quadrupole interaction (nqi) of the axial oxo ligand is substant...