Abiotic protein fragmentation by manganese oxide: Implications for a mechanism to supply soil biota with oligopeptides
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)
- Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States); Institut fur Bodenlandschaftforschung, Leibniz Zentrum fur Agrarlandschaftsforschung (ZALF), Muncheberg (Germany)
Proteins facilitate a wide range of chemical transformations important in soil as well as being a major reservoir of soil nitrogen themselves. The interactions and reactions of proteins with soils and minerals are of key importance to our understanding of their functional persistence in the environment. We combined NMR and EPR spectroscopies to distinguish the reaction of a model protein with a redox active mineral surface (Birnessite, MnO2) from its response to a redox neutral phyllosilicate (Kaolinite). Our data demonstrate that birnessite fragments the model protein while kaolinite has little impact on the protein structure. NMR and EPR spectroscopies are shown to be valuable tools to observe these reactions and capture the extent of protein transformation together with the extent of mineral response. These data suggest that mineral surfaces can have both promoting and retarding roles in terrestrial nitrogen cycling, with redox active minerals acting as accelerators by catalyzing the breakdown of proteins and proteinaceous materials while phyllosilicates are more likely to act as preservative media.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER) (SC-23)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1254585
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA--108407; 48183; 48364; KP1704020
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 50; ISSN 0013-936X
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
| Minerals in the rhizosphere: overlooked mediators of soil nitrogen availability to plants and microbes 
 | journal | June 2018 | 
| The laccase-like reactivity of manganese oxide nanomaterials for pollutant conversion: rate analysis and cyclic voltammetry 
 | journal | August 2017 | 
| Carbohydrates protect protein against abiotic fragmentation by soil minerals 
 | journal | January 2018 | 
| Fe(II) reduction of pyrolusite (β-MnO2) and secondary mineral evolution 
 | journal | December 2017 | 
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