The biosynthetic routes for carbon monoxide and cyanide in the Ni-Fe active site of hydrogenases are different

The incorporation of carbon into the carbon monoxide and cyanide ligands of [NiFe]-hydrogenases has been investigated by using C-13 labelling in infrared studies of the Allochromatium vinosum enzyme and by C-14 labelling experiments with overproduced Hyp proteins from Escherichia coli. The results suggest that the biosynthetic routes of the carbon monoxide and cyanide ligands in [NiFe]-hydrogenases are different. (C) 2004 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.