UC Davis

The dynamics of manganese solid formation (as MnOx) by the multicopper oxidase (MCO)-containing Mnx protein complex were examined by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Continuous-wave (CW) EPR spectra of samples of Mnx, prepared in atmosphere and then reacted with Mn(II) for times ranging from 7 to 600 s, indicate rapid oxidation of the substrate manganese (with two-phase pseudo-first-order kinetics modeled using rate coefficients of: k(1obs) = 0.205 ± 0.001 s(-1) and k(2obs) = 0.019 ± 0.001 s(-1)). This process occurs on approximately the same time scale as in vitro solid MnOx formation when there is a large excess of Mn(II). We also found CW and pulse EPR spectroscopic evidence for at least three classes of Mn(II)-containing species in the reaction mixtures: (i) aqueous Mn(II), (ii) a specifically bound mononuclear Mn(II) ion coordinated to the Mnx complex by one nitrogenous ligand, and (iii) a weakly exchange-coupled dimeric Mn(II) species. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of manganese mineralization.