Dielectric image effects in environmental reorganization free energies and inter-reactant work terms of metalloprotein electron transfer reactions

Abstract

Kinetics of electron transfer between redox metalloproteins and small inorganic reaction partners has become a powerful tool for investigations of protein electron transport. We introduce here a model for metalloprotein electron transfer which incorporates essential features omitted in previous approaches to metalloprotein electron transfer data analysis. The protein is represented by a spherical region of low dielectric constant, with a conducting sphere excentrically located inside the protein simulating the metal centre. A conducting sphere outside the protein represents the small reaction partners, and the whole system is embedded in a dielectric solvent. The inter-reactant work terms and overall protein and solvent reorganization free energy for this model have been calculated. It appears that dielectric image interactions for multiply charged small reactants are important and comparable to interactions with both the protein surface charges and the solvent. The character of work terms and reorganization free energies for proteins is thus different from those of small ionic reactants. Cross relations and other frames where these features are disregarded should therefore be used with care for protein electron transfer.