New Biological Paramagnetic Center: Octahedrally Coordinated Nickel(III) in the Methanogenic Bacteria

Methanobacterium bryantii was grown in medium supplemented with nickel-61, an isotope with a nuclear spin of 3/2. The appearance of nuclear hyperfine structure in the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of a cell extract identified a previously observed signal as nickel(III) in an environment of octahedral coordination with rhombic distortions.