Structural Dynamics of Bifurcating Electron Transferring Flavoproteins (bf-ETF)
May 13, 2025
Scientific Achievement
SANS identified new bf-ETF conformations that facilitate rapid interconversion between functional states, enabling efficient electron bifurcation.
Significance and Impact
This work provides insights that advance knowledge of bioenergetics and could influence the design of biomimetic energy transfer systems or engineered redox proteins for biotechnological applications.
Research Details
- Proteins were expressed and purified in ORNL’s Bio-Deuteration lab Bio-SANS measured proteins in their oxidized and reduced states without perturbing their redox state
- A novel genetic algorithm with MD simulations (BilboMD) was developed to select ETF conformations using SANS constraints
“Extended conformations of bifurcating electron transfer flavoprotein constitute up to half the population, possibly mediating conformational change,” Chem. Sci. 15, 18796–18817 (2024)
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SC04544K
