Structure of a ribonucleotide reductase R2 protein radical.

Aerobic ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) initiate synthesis of DNA building blocks by generating a free radical within the R2 subunit; the radical is subsequently shuttled to the catalytic R1 subunit through proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). We present a high-resolution room temperature structure of the class Ie R2 protein radical captured by x-ray free electron laser serial femtosecond crystallography. The structure reveals conformational reorganization to shield the radical and connect it to the translocation path, with structural changes propagating to the surface where the protein interacts with the catalytic R1 subunit. Restructuring of the hydrogen bond network, including a notably short O-O interaction of 2.41 angstroms, likely tunes and gates the radical during PCET. These structural results help explain radical handling and mobilization in RNR and have general implications for radical transfer in proteins.

A nucleotide-sensing oligomerization mechanism that controls NrdR-dependent transcription of ribonucleotide reductases.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is an essential enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of DNA building blocks in virtually all living cells. NrdR, an RNR-specific repressor, controls the transcription of RNR genes and, often, its own, in most bacteria and some archaea. NrdR senses the concentration of nucleotides through its ATP-cone, an evolutionarily mobile domain that also regulates the enzymatic activity of many RNRs, while a Zn-ribbon domain mediates binding to NrdR boxes upstream of and overlapping the transcription start site of RNR genes. Here, we combine biochemical and cryo-EM studies of NrdR from Streptomyces coelicolor to show, at atomic resolution, how NrdR binds to DNA. The suggested mechanism involves an initial dodecamer loaded with two ATP molecules that cannot bind to DNA. When dATP concentrations increase, an octamer forms that is loaded with one molecule each of dATP and ATP per monomer. A tetramer derived from this octamer then binds to DNA and represses transcription of RNR. In many bacteria - including well-known pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis - NrdR simultaneously controls multiple RNRs and hence DNA synthesis, making it an excellent target for novel antibiotics development.

Structural and Biochemical Investigation of Class I Ribonucleotide Reductase from the Hyperthermophile Aquifex aeolicus.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is an essential enzyme with a complex mechanism of allosteric regulation found in nearly all living organisms. Class I RNRs are composed of two proteins, a large α-subunit (R1) and a smaller ß-subunit (R2) that exist as homodimers, that combine to form an active heterotetramer. Aquifex aeolicus is a hyperthermophilic bacterium with an unusual RNR encoding a 346-residue intein in the DNA sequence encoding its R2 subunit. We present the first structures of the A. aeolicus R1 and R2 (AaR1 and AaR2, respectively) proteins as well as the biophysical and biochemical characterization of active and inactive A. aeolicus RNR. While the active oligomeric state and activity regulation of A. aeolicus RNR are similar to those of other characterized RNRs, the X-ray crystal structures also reveal distinct features and adaptations. Specifically, AaR1 contains a ß-hairpin hook structure at the dimer interface, which has an interesting π-stacking interaction absent in other members of the NrdAh subclass, and its ATP cone houses two ATP molecules. We determined structures of two AaR2 proteins: one purified from a construct lacking the intein (AaR2) and a second purified from a construct including the intein sequence (AaR2_genomic). These structures in the context of metal content analysis and activity data indicate that AaR2_genomic displays much higher iron occupancy and activity compared to AaR2, suggesting that the intein is important for facilitating complete iron incorporation, particularly in the Fe2 site of the mature R2 protein, which may be important for the survival of A. aeolicus in low-oxygen environments.

Solution Structure of the dATP-Inactivated Class I Ribonucleotide Reductase From Leeuwenhoekiella blandensis by SAXS and Cryo-Electron Microscopy.

The essential enzyme ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is highly regulated both at the level of overall activity and substrate specificity. Studies of class I, aerobic RNRs have shown that overall activity is downregulated by the binding of dATP to a small domain known as the ATP-cone often found at the N-terminus of RNR subunits, causing oligomerization that prevents formation of a necessary α2ß2 complex between the catalytic (α2) and radical generating (ß2) subunits. In some relatively rare organisms with RNRs of the subclass NrdAi, the ATP-cone is found at the N-terminus of the ß subunit rather than more commonly the α subunit. Binding of dATP to the ATP-cone in ß results in formation of an unusual ß4 tetramer. However, the structural basis for how the formation of the active complex is hindered by such oligomerization has not been studied. Here we analyse the low-resolution three-dimensional structures of the separate subunits of an RNR from subclass NrdAi, as well as the α4ß4 octamer that forms in the presence of dATP. The results reveal a type of oligomer not previously seen for any class of RNR and suggest a mechanism for how binding of dATP to the ATP-cone switches off catalysis by sterically preventing formation of the asymmetrical α2ß2 complex.

A ribonucleotide reductase from Clostridium botulinum reveals distinct evolutionary pathways to regulation via the overall activity site.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is a central enzyme for the synthesis of DNA building blocks. Most aerobic organisms, including nearly all eukaryotes, have class I RNRs consisting of R1 and R2 subunits. The catalytic R1 subunit contains an overall activity site that can allosterically turn the enzyme on or off by the binding of ATP or dATP, respectively. The mechanism behind the ability to turn the enzyme off via the R1 subunit involves the formation of different types of R1 oligomers in most studied species and R1-R2 octamers in Escherichia coli To better understand the distribution of different oligomerization mechanisms, we characterized the enzyme from Clostridium botulinum, which belongs to a subclass of class I RNRs not studied before. The recombinantly expressed enzyme was analyzed by size-exclusion chromatography, gas-phase electrophoretic mobility macromolecular analysis, EM, X-ray crystallography, and enzyme assays. Interestingly, it shares the ability of the E. coli RNR to form inhibited R1-R2 octamers in the presence of dATP but, unlike the E. coli enzyme, cannot be turned off by combinations of ATP and dGTP/dTTP. A phylogenetic analysis of class I RNRs suggests that activity regulation is not ancestral but was gained after the first subclasses diverged and that RNR subclasses with inhibition mechanisms involving R1 oligomerization belong to a clade separated from the two subclasses forming R1-R2 octamers. These results give further insight into activity regulation in class I RNRs as an evolutionarily dynamic process.

Class Id ribonucleotide reductase utilizes a Mn2(IV,III) cofactor and undergoes large conformational changes on metal loading.

Outside of the photosynthetic machinery, high-valent manganese cofactors are rare in biology. It was proposed that a recently discovered subclass of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), class Id, is dependent on a Mn2(IV,III) cofactor for catalysis. Class I RNRs consist of a substrate-binding component (NrdA) and a metal-containing radical-generating component (NrdB). Herein we utilize a combination of EPR spectroscopy and enzyme assays to underscore the enzymatic relevance of the Mn2(IV,III) cofactor in class Id NrdB from Facklamia ignava. Once formed, the Mn2(IV,III) cofactor confers enzyme activity that correlates well with cofactor quantity. Moreover, we present the X-ray structure of the apo- and aerobically Mn-loaded forms of the homologous class Id NrdB from Leeuwenhoekiella blandensis, revealing a dimanganese centre typical of the subclass, with a tyrosine residue maintained at distance from the metal centre and a lysine residue projected towards the metals. Structural comparison of the apo- and metal-loaded forms of the protein reveals a refolding of the loop containing the conserved lysine and an unusual shift in the orientation of helices within a monomer, leading to the opening of a channel towards the metal site. Such major conformational changes have not been observed in NrdB proteins before. Finally, in vitro reconstitution experiments reveal that the high-valent manganese cofactor is not formed spontaneously from oxygen, but can be generated from at least two different reduced oxygen species, i.e. H2O2 and superoxide (O 2·- ). Considering the observed differences in the efficiency of these two activating reagents, we propose that the physiologically relevant mechanism involves superoxide.

Compounds with capacity to quench the tyrosyl radical in Pseudomonas aeruginosa ribonucleotide reductase.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) has been extensively probed as a target enzyme in the search for selective antibiotics. Here we report on the mechanism of inhibition of nine compounds, serving as representative examples of three different inhibitor classes previously identified by us to efficiently inhibit RNR. The interaction between the inhibitors and Pseudomonas aeruginosa RNR was elucidated using a combination of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and thermal shift analysis. All nine inhibitors were found to efficiently quench the tyrosyl radical present in RNR, required for catalysis. Three different mechanisms of radical quenching were identified, and shown to depend on reduction potential of the assay solution and quaternary structure of the protein complex. These results form a good foundation for further development of P. aeruginosa selective antibiotics. Moreover, this study underscores the complex nature of RNR inhibition and the need for detailed spectroscopic studies to unravel the mechanism of RNR inhibitors.

Metal-free ribonucleotide reduction powered by a DOPA radical in Mycoplasma pathogens.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) catalyses the only known de novo pathway for the production of all four deoxyribonucleotides that are required for DNA synthesis1,2. It is essential for all organisms that use DNA as their genetic material and is a current drug target3,4. Since the discovery that iron is required for function in the aerobic, class I RNR found in all eukaryotes and many bacteria, a dinuclear metal site has been viewed as necessary to generate and stabilize the catalytic radical that is essential for RNR activity5-7. Here we describe a group of RNR proteins in Mollicutes-including Mycoplasma pathogens-that possess a metal-independent stable radical residing on a modified tyrosyl residue. Structural, biochemical and spectroscopic characterization reveal a stable 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) radical species that directly supports ribonucleotide reduction in vitro and in vivo. This observation overturns the presumed requirement for a dinuclear metal site in aerobic ribonucleotide reductase. The metal-independent radical requires new mechanisms for radical generation and stabilization, processes that are targeted by RNR inhibitors. It is possible that this RNR variant provides an advantage under metal starvation induced by the immune system. Organisms that encode this type of RNR-some of which are developing resistance to antibiotics-are involved in diseases of the respiratory, urinary and genital tracts. Further characterization of this RNR family and its mechanism of cofactor generation will provide insight into new enzymatic chemistry and be of value in devising strategies to combat the pathogens that utilize it. We propose that this RNR subclass is denoted class Ie.

A glutaredoxin domain fused to the radical-generating subunit of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) functions as an efficient RNR reductant.

Class I ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) consists of a catalytic subunit (NrdA) and a radical-generating subunit (NrdB) that together catalyze reduction of ribonucleotides to their corresponding deoxyribonucleotides. NrdB from the firmicute Facklamia ignava is a unique fusion protein with N-terminal add-ons of a glutaredoxin (Grx) domain followed by an ATP-binding domain, the ATP cone. Grx, usually encoded separately from the RNR operon, is a known RNR reductant. We show that the fused Grx domain functions as an efficient reductant of the F. ignava class I RNR via the common dithiol mechanism and, interestingly, also via a monothiol mechanism, although less efficiently. To our knowledge, a Grx that uses both of these two reaction mechanisms has not previously been observed with a native substrate. The ATP cone is in most RNRs an N-terminal domain of the catalytic subunit. It is an allosteric on/off switch promoting ribonucleotide reduction in the presence of ATP and inhibiting RNR activity in the presence of dATP. We found that dATP bound to the ATP cone of F. ignava NrdB promotes formation of tetramers that cannot form active complexes with NrdA. The ATP cone bound two dATP molecules but only one ATP molecule. F. ignava NrdB contains the recently identified radical-generating cofactor MnIII/MnIV We show that NrdA from F. ignava can form a catalytically competent RNR with the MnIII/MnIV-containing NrdB from the flavobacterium Leeuwenhoekiella blandensis In conclusion, F. ignava NrdB is fused with a Grx functioning as an RNR reductant and an ATP cone serving as an on/off switch.

Novel ATP-cone-driven allosteric regulation of ribonucleotide reductase via the radical-generating subunit.

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) are key enzymes in DNA metabolism, with allosteric mechanisms controlling substrate specificity and overall activity. In RNRs, the activity master-switch, the ATP-cone, has been found exclusively in the catalytic subunit. In two class I RNR subclasses whose catalytic subunit lacks the ATP-cone, we discovered ATP-cones in the radical-generating subunit. The ATP-cone in the Leeuwenhoekiella blandensis radical-generating subunit regulates activity via quaternary structure induced by binding of nucleotides. ATP induces enzymatically competent dimers, whereas dATP induces non-productive tetramers, resulting in different holoenzymes. The tetramer forms by interactions between ATP-cones, shown by a 2.45 Å crystal structure. We also present evidence for an MnIIIMnIV metal center. In summary, lack of an ATP-cone domain in the catalytic subunit was compensated by transfer of the domain to the radical-generating subunit. To our knowledge, this represents the first observation of transfer of an allosteric domain between components of the same enzyme complex.

A unique cysteine-rich zinc finger domain present in a majority of class II ribonucleotide reductases mediates catalytic turnover.

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze the reduction of ribonucleotides to the corresponding deoxyribonucleotides, used in DNA synthesis and repair. Two different mechanisms help deliver the required electrons to the RNR active site. Formate can be used as reductant directly in the active site, or glutaredoxins or thioredoxins reduce a C-terminal cysteine pair, which then delivers the electrons to the active site. Here, we characterized a novel cysteine-rich C-terminal domain (CRD), which is present in most class II RNRs found in microbes. The NrdJd-type RNR from the bacterium Stackebrandtia nassauensis was used as a model enzyme. We show that the CRD is involved in both higher oligomeric state formation and electron transfer to the active site. The CRD-dependent formation of high oligomers, such as tetramers and hexamers, was induced by addition of dATP or dGTP, but not of dTTP or dCTP. The electron transfer was mediated by an array of six cysteine residues at the very C-terminal end, which also coordinated a zinc atom. The electron transfer can also occur between subunits, depending on the enzyme's oligomeric state. An investigation of the native reductant of the system revealed no interaction with glutaredoxins or thioredoxins, indicating that this class II RNR uses a different electron source. Our results indicate that the CRD has a crucial role in catalytic turnover and a potentially new terminal reduction mechanism and suggest that the CRD is important for the activities of many class II RNRs.

Structural Mechanism of Allosteric Activity Regulation in a Ribonucleotide Reductase with Double ATP Cones.

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) reduce ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides. Their overall activity is stimulated by ATP and downregulated by dATP via a genetically mobile ATP cone domain mediating the formation of oligomeric complexes with varying quaternary structures. The crystal structure and solution X-ray scattering data of a novel dATP-induced homotetramer of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa class I RNR reveal the structural bases for its unique properties, namely one ATP cone that binds two dATP molecules and a second one that is non-functional, binding no nucleotides. Mutations in the observed tetramer interface ablate oligomerization and dATP-induced inhibition but not the ability to bind dATP. Sequence analysis shows that the novel type of ATP cone may be widespread in RNRs. The present study supports a scenario in which diverse mechanisms for allosteric activity regulation are gained and lost through acquisition and evolutionary erosion of different types of ATP cone.

The Crystal Structure of Thermotoga maritima Class III Ribonucleotide Reductase Lacks a Radical Cysteine Pre-Positioned in the Active Site.

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze the reduction of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides, the building blocks for DNA synthesis, and are found in all but a few organisms. RNRs use radical chemistry to catalyze the reduction reaction. Despite RNR having evolved several mechanisms for generation of different kinds of essential radicals across a large evolutionary time frame, this initial radical is normally always channelled to a strictly conserved cysteine residue directly adjacent to the substrate for initiation of substrate reduction, and this cysteine has been found in the structures of all RNRs solved to date. We present the crystal structure of an anaerobic RNR from the extreme thermophile Thermotoga maritima (tmNrdD), alone and in several complexes, including with the allosteric effector dATP and its cognate substrate CTP. In the crystal structure of the enzyme as purified, tmNrdD lacks a cysteine for radical transfer to the substrate pre-positioned in the active site. Nevertheless activity assays using anaerobic cell extracts from T. maritima demonstrate that the class III RNR is enzymatically active. Other genetic and microbiological evidence is summarized indicating that the enzyme is important for T. maritima. Mutation of either of two cysteine residues in a disordered loop far from the active site results in inactive enzyme. We discuss the possible mechanisms for radical initiation of substrate reduction given the collected evidence from the crystal structure, our activity assays and other published work. Taken together, the results suggest either that initiation of substrate reduction may involve unprecedented conformational changes in the enzyme to bring one of these cysteine residues to the expected position, or that alternative routes for initiation of the RNR reduction reaction may exist. Finally, we present a phylogenetic analysis showing that the structure of tmNrdD is representative of a new RNR subclass IIIh, present in all Thermotoga species plus a wider group of bacteria from the distantly related phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria.

Biochemical Characterization of the Split Class II Ribonucleotide Reductase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa can grow under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Its flexibility with respect to oxygen load is reflected by the fact that its genome encodes all three existing classes of ribonucleotides reductase (RNR): the oxygen-dependent class I RNR, the oxygen-indifferent class II RNR, and the oxygen-sensitive class III RNR. The P. aeruginosa class II RNR is expressed as two separate polypeptides (NrdJa and NrdJb), a unique example of a split RNR enzyme in a free-living organism. A split class II RNR is also found in a few closely related γ-Proteobacteria. We have characterized the P. aeruginosa class II RNR and show that both subunits are required for formation of a biologically functional enzyme that can sustain vitamin B12-dependent growth. Binding of the B12 coenzyme as well as substrate and allosteric effectors resides in the NrdJa subunit, whereas the NrdJb subunit mediates efficient reductive dithiol exchange during catalysis. A combination of activity assays and activity-independent methods like surface plasmon resonance and gas phase electrophoretic macromolecule analysis suggests that the enzymatically active form of the enzyme is a (NrdJa-NrdJb)2 homodimer of heterodimers, and a combination of hydrogen-deuterium exchange experiments and molecular modeling suggests a plausible region in NrdJa that interacts with NrdJb. Our detailed characterization of the split NrdJ from P. aeruginosa provides insight into the biochemical function of a unique enzyme known to have central roles in biofilm formation and anaerobic growth.

Diversity in Overall Activity Regulation of Ribonucleotide Reductase.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) catalyzes the reduction of ribonucleotides to the corresponding deoxyribonucleotides, which are used as building blocks for DNA replication and repair. This process is tightly regulated via two allosteric sites, the specificity site (s-site) and the overall activity site (a-site). The a-site resides in an N-terminal ATP cone domain that binds dATP or ATP and functions as an on/off switch, whereas the composite s-site binds ATP, dATP, dTTP, or dGTP and determines which substrate to reduce. There are three classes of RNRs, and class I RNRs consist of different combinations of α and ß subunits. In eukaryotic and Escherichia coli class I RNRs, dATP inhibits enzyme activity through the formation of inactive α6 and α4ß4 complexes, respectively. Here we show that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa class I RNR has a duplicated ATP cone domain and represents a third mechanism of overall activity regulation. Each α polypeptide binds three dATP molecules, and the N-terminal ATP cone is critical for binding two of the dATPs because a truncated protein lacking this cone could only bind dATP to its s-site. ATP activates the enzyme solely by preventing dATP from binding. The dATP-induced inactive form is an α4 complex, which can interact with ß2 to form a non-productive α4ß2 complex. Other allosteric effectors induce a mixture of α2 and α4 forms, with the former being able to interact with ß2 to form active α2ß2 complexes. The unique features of the P. aeruginosa RNR are interesting both from evolutionary and drug discovery perspectives.

The origin and evolution of ribonucleotide reduction.

Ribonucleotide reduction is the only pathway for de novo synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides in extant organisms. This chemically demanding reaction, which proceeds via a carbon-centered free radical, is catalyzed by ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). The mechanism has been deemed unlikely to be catalyzed by a ribozyme, creating an enigma regarding how the building blocks for DNA were synthesized at the transition from RNA- to DNA-encoded genomes. While it is entirely possible that a different pathway was later replaced with the modern mechanism, here we explore the evolutionary and biochemical limits for an origin of the mechanism in the RNA + protein world and suggest a model for a prototypical ribonucleotide reductase (protoRNR). From the protoRNR evolved the ancestor to modern RNRs, the urRNR, which diversified into the modern three classes. Since the initial radical generation differs between the three modern classes, it is difficult to establish how it was generated in the urRNR. Here we suggest a model that is similar to the B12-dependent mechanism in modern class II RNRs.

Semiquinone-induced maturation of Bacillus anthracis ribonucleotide reductase by a superoxide intermediate.

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze the conversion of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides, and represent the only de novo pathway to provide DNA building blocks. Three different classes of RNR are known, denoted I-III. Class I RNRs are heteromeric proteins built up by α and ß subunits and are further divided into different subclasses, partly based on the metal content of the ß-subunit. In subclass Ib RNR the ß-subunit is denoted NrdF, and harbors a manganese-tyrosyl radical cofactor. The generation of this cofactor is dependent on a flavodoxin-like maturase denoted NrdI, responsible for the formation of an active oxygen species suggested to be either a superoxide or a hydroperoxide. Herein we report on the magnetic properties of the manganese-tyrosyl radical cofactor of Bacillus anthracis NrdF and the redox properties of B. anthracis NrdI. The tyrosyl radical in NrdF is stabilized through its interaction with a ferromagnetically coupled manganese dimer. Moreover, we show through a combination of redox titration and protein electrochemistry that in contrast to hitherto characterized NrdIs, the B. anthracis NrdI is stable in its semiquinone form (NrdIsq) with a difference in electrochemical potential of ∼110 mV between the hydroquinone and semiquinone state. The under anaerobic conditions stable NrdIsq is fully capable of generating the oxidized, tyrosyl radical-containing form of Mn-NrdF when exposed to oxygen. This latter observation strongly supports that a superoxide radical is involved in the maturation mechanism, and contradicts the participation of a peroxide species. Additionally, EPR spectra on whole cells revealed that a significant fraction of NrdI resides in its semiquinone form in vivo, underscoring that NrdIsq is catalytically relevant.

A metagenomics transect into the deepest point of the Baltic Sea reveals clear stratification of microbial functional capacities.

The Baltic Sea is characterized by hyposaline surface waters, hypoxic and anoxic deep waters and sediments. These conditions, which in turn lead to a steep oxygen gradient, are particularly evident at Landsort Deep in the Baltic Proper. Given these substantial differences in environmental parameters at Landsort Deep, we performed a metagenomic census spanning surface to sediment to establish whether the microbial communities at this site are as stratified as the physical environment. We report strong stratification across a depth transect for both functional capacity and taxonomic affiliation, with functional capacity corresponding most closely to key environmental parameters of oxygen, salinity and temperature. We report similarities in functional capacity between the hypoxic community and hadal zone communities, underscoring the substantial degree of eutrophication in the Baltic Proper. Reconstruction of the nitrogen cycle at Landsort deep shows potential for syntrophy between archaeal ammonium oxidizers and bacterial denitrification at anoxic depths, while anaerobic ammonium oxidation genes are absent, despite substantial ammonium levels below the chemocline. Our census also reveals enrichment in genetic prerequisites for a copiotrophic lifestyle and resistance mechanisms reflecting adaptation to prevalent eutrophic conditions and the accumulation of environmental pollutants resulting from ongoing anthropogenic pressures in the Baltic Sea.

A rare combination of ribonucleotide reductases in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum.

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze the only pathway for de novo synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides needed for DNA replication and repair. The vast majority of eukaryotes encodes only a class I RNR, but interestingly some eukaryotes, including the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, encode both a class I and a class II RNR. The amino acid sequence of the D. discoideum class I RNR is similar to other eukaryotic RNRs, whereas that of its class II RNR is most similar to the monomeric class II RNRs found in Lactobacillus spp. and a few other bacteria. Here we report the first study of RNRs in a eukaryotic organism that encodes class I and class II RNRs. Both classes of RNR genes were expressed in D. discoideum cells, although the class I transcripts were more abundant and strongly enriched during mid-development compared with the class II transcript. The quaternary structure, allosteric regulation, and properties of the diiron-oxo/radical cofactor of D. discoideum class I RNR are similar to those of the mammalian RNRs. Inhibition of D. discoideum class I RNR by hydroxyurea resulted in a 90% reduction in spore formation and decreased the germination viability of the surviving spores by 75%. Class II RNR could not compensate for class I inhibition during development, and an excess of vitamin B12 coenzyme, which is essential for class II activity, did not improve spore formation. We suggest that class I is the principal RNR during D. discoideum development and growth and is important for spore formation, possibly by providing dNTPs for mitochondrial replication.