The role of the maturase HydG in FeFe‐hydrogenase active site synthesis and assembly

FeFe-hydrogenases catalyze the protons/hydrogen interconversion through a unique di-iron active site consisting of three CO and two CN ligands, and a non-protein SCH(2)XCH(2)S (X=N or O) dithiolate bridge. Site assembly requires two "Radical-S-adenosylmethionine (SAM or AdoMet)" iron-sulfur enzymes, HydE and HydG, and one GTPase, HydF. The sequence homology between HydG and ThiH, a Radical-SAM enzyme which cleaves tyrosine into p-cresol and dehydroglycine, and the finding of a similar cleavage reaction catalyzed by HydG suggests a mechanism for hydrogenase maturation. Here we propose that HydG is specifically involved in the synthesis of the dithiolate ligand, with two tyrosine-derived dehydroglycines as precursors along with an FeS cluster of HydG functioning both as electron shuttle and source of the sulfur atoms.