Structural and spectroscopic characterization of CO inhibition of [NiFe]-hydrogenase from Citrobacter sp. S-77.

Hydrogenases catalyze the reversible oxidation of H2. Carbon monoxide (CO) is known to be a competitive inhibitor of O2-sensitive [NiFe]-hydrogenases. Although the activities of some O2-tolerant [NiFe]-hydrogenases are unaffected by CO, the partially O2-tolerant [NiFe]-hydrogenase from Citrobacter sp. S-77 (S77-HYB) is inhibited by CO. In this work, the CO-bound state of S77-HYB was characterized by activity assays, spectroscopic techniques and X-ray crystallography. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy showed a diamagnetic Ni2+ state, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the stretching vibration of the exogenous CO ligand. The crystal structure determined at 1.77 Šresolution revealed that CO binds weakly to the nickel ion in the Ni-Fe active site of S77-HYB. These results suggest a positive correlation between O2 and CO tolerance in [NiFe]-hydrogenases.

Spin Polarization Reveals the Coordination Geometry of the [FeFe] Hydrogenase Active Site in Its CO-Inhibited State.

The active site of [FeFe] hydrogenase features a binuclear iron cofactor Fe2ADT(CO)3(CN)2, where ADT represents the bridging ligand aza-propane-dithiolate. The terminal diatomic ligands all coordinate in a basal configuration, and one CO bridges the two irons leaving an open coordination site at which the hydrogen species and the competitive inhibitor CO bind. Externally supplied CO is expected to coordinate in an apical configuration. However, an alternative configuration has been proposed in which, due to ligand rotation, the CN- bound to the distal Fe becomes apical. Using selective 13C isotope labeling of the CN- and COext ligands in combination with pulsed 13C electron-nuclear-nuclear triple resonance spectroscopy, spin polarization effects are revealed that, according to density functional theory calculations, are consistent with only the "unrotated" apical COext configuration.

Quantum dot interactions with and toxicity to Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

Combining abiotic photosensitisers such as quantum dots (QDs) with non-photosynthetic bacteria presents an intriguing concept into the design of artificial photosynthetic organisms and solar-driven fuel production. Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (MR-1) is a versatile bacterium concerning respiration, metabolism and biocatalysis, and is a promising organism for artificial photosynthesis as the bacterium's synthetic and catalytic ability provides a potential system for bacterial biohydrogen production. MR-1's hydrogenases are present in the periplasmatic space. It follows that for photoenergised electrons to reach these enzymes, QDs will need to be able to enter the periplasm, or electrons need to enter the periplasm via the Mtr pathway that is responsible for MR-1's extracellular electron transfer ability. As a step towards this goal, various QDs were tested for their photo-reducing potential, nanotoxicology and further for their interaction with MR-1. CdTe/CdS/TGA, CdTe/CdS/Cysteamine, a commercial, negatively charged CdTe and CuInS2/ZnS/PMAL QDs were examined. The photoreduction potential of the QDs was confirmed by measuring their ability to photoreduce methyl viologen with different sacrificial electron donors. The commercial CdTe and CuInS2/ZnS/PMAL QDs showed no toxicity towards MR-1 as evaluated by a colony-forming units method and a fluorescence viability assay. Only the commercial negatively charged CdTe QDs showed good interaction with MR-1. With transmission electron microscopy, QDs were observed both in the cytoplasm and periplasm. These results inform on the possibilities and bottlenecks when developing bionanotechnological systems for the photosynthetic production of biohydrogen by MR-1.

Interaction of HydSL hydrogenase from Thiocapsa roseopersicina with cyanide leads to destruction of iron-sulfur clusters.

The effects of cyanide on enzymatic activity and absorption spectra in the visible and mid-IR (2150-1850cm-1) regions were characterized for purified HydSL hydrogenase from the purple sulfur bacterium Thiocapsa (T.) roseopersicina BBS. Prolonged incubation (over hours) of T. roseopersicina hydrogenase with exogenous cyanide was shown to result in an irreversible loss of activity of the enzyme in both the oxidized (as isolated) and H2-reduced states. The frequency position of the active site CO and CN- ligand stretching bands in the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of the oxidized form of hydrogenase was not influenced by cyanide treatment. The 410-nm absorption band characteristic of hydrogenase iron­sulfur clusters showed a bleaching concomitantly with cyanide inactivation. A new band at 2038cm-1 was present in the FTIR spectrum of the cyanide-inactivated preparation, which band is assignable to ferrocyanide as a possible product of a destructive interaction of hydrogenase with cyanide. The results are interpreted in terms of a slow destruction of iron­sulfur clusters of hydrogenase in the presence of cyanide accompanied by a release of iron ions in the form of ferrocyanide into the surrounding solution. Such a slow and irreversible cyanide-dependent inactivation seems to be complementary to a recently described rapid, reversible inhibitory reaction of cyanide with the active site of hydrogenases [S.V. Hexter, M.-W. Chung, K.A. Vincent, F.A. Armstrong, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136 (2014) 10470-10477].

The structurally unique photosynthetic Chlorella variabilis NC64A hydrogenase does not interact with plant-type ferredoxins.

Hydrogenases from green algae are linked to the photosynthetic electron transfer chain via the plant-type ferredoxin PetF. In this work the [FeFe]-hydrogenase from the Trebouxiophycean alga Chlorella variabilis NC64A (CvHydA1), which in contrast to other green algal hydrogenases contains additional FeS-cluster binding domains, was purified and specific enzyme activities for both hydrogen (H2) production and H2 oxidation were determined. Interestingly, although C. variabilis NC64A, like many Chlorophycean algal strains, exhibited light-dependent H2 production activity upon sulfur deprivation, CvHydA1 did not interact in vitro with several plant-type [2Fe-2S]-ferredoxins, but only with a bacterial2[4Fe4S]-ferredoxin. In an electrochemical characterization, the enzyme exhibited features typical of bacterial [FeFe]-hydrogenases (e.g. minor anaerobic oxidative inactivation), as well as of algal enzymes (very high oxygen sensitivity).

Guiding Principles of Hydrogenase Catalysis Instigated and Clarified by Protein Film Electrochemistry.

Protein film electrochemistry (PFE) is providing cutting-edge insight into the chemical principles underpinning biological hydrogen. Attached to an electrode, many enzymes exhibit "reversible" electrocatalytic behavior, meaning that a catalyzed redox reaction appears reversible or quasi-reversible when viewed by cyclic voltammetry. This efficiency is most relevant for enzymes that are inspiring advances in renewable energy, such as hydrogen-activating and CO2-reducing enzymes. Exploiting the rich repertoire of available instrumental methods, PFE experiments yield both a general snapshot and fine detail, all from tiny samples of enzyme. The dynamic electrochemical investigations blaze new trails and add exquisite detail to the information gained from structural and spectroscopic studies. This Account describes recent investigations of hydrogenases carried out in Oxford, including ideas initiated with PFE and followed through with complementary techniques, all contributing to an eventual complete picture of fast and efficient H2 activation without Pt. By immobilization of an enzyme on an electrode, catalytic electron flow and the chemistry controlling it can be addressed at the touch of a button. The buried nature of the active site means that structures that have been determined by crystallography or spectroscopy are likely to be protected, retained, and fully relevant in a PFE experiment. An electrocatalysis model formulated for the PFE of immobilized enzymes predicts interesting behavior and gives insight into why some hydrogenases are H2 producers and others are H2 oxidizers. Immobilization also allows for easy addition and removal of inhibitors along with precise potential control, one interesting outcome being that formaldehyde forms a reversible complex with reduced [FeFe]-hydrogenases, thereby providing insight into the order of electron and proton transfers. Experiments on O2-tolerant [NiFe]-hydrogenases show that O2 behaves like a reversible inhibitor: it is also a substrate, and implicit in the description of some hydrogenases as "H2/O2 oxidoreductases" is the hypothesis that fast and efficient multielectron transfer is a key to O2 tolerance because it promotes complete reduction of O2 to harmless water. Not only is a novel [4Fe-3S] cluster (able to transfer two electrons consecutively) an important component, but connections to additional electron sources (other Fe-S clusters, an electrode, another quaternary structure unit, or the physiological membrane itself) ensure that H2 oxidation can be sustained in the presence of O2, as demonstrated with enzyme fuel cells able to operate on a H2/air mixture. Manipulating the H-H bond in the active site is the simplest proton-coupled electron-transfer reaction to be catalyzed by an enzyme. Unlike small molecular catalysts or the surfaces of materials, metalloenzymes are far better suited to engineering the all-important outer-coordination shell. Hence, recent successful site-directed mutagenesis of the conserved outer-shell "canopy" residues in a [NiFe]-hydrogenase opens up new opportunities for understanding the mechanism of H2 activation beyond the role of the inner coordination shell.

Mechanism of inhibition of NiFe hydrogenase by nitric oxide.

Hydrogenases reversibly catalyze the oxidation of molecular hydrogen and are inhibited by several small molecules including O2, CO and NO. In the present work, we investigate the mechanism of inhibition by NO of the oxygen-sensitive NiFe hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio fructosovorans by coupling site-directed mutagenesis, protein film voltammetry (PFV) and EPR spectroscopy. We show that micromolar NO strongly inhibits NiFe hydrogenase and that the mechanism of inhibition is complex, with NO targeting several metallic sites in the protein. NO reacts readily at the NiFe active site according to a two-step mechanism. The first and faster step is the reversible binding of NO to the active site followed by a slower and irreversible transformation at the active site. NO also induces irreversible damage of the iron-sulfur centers chain. We give direct evidence of preferential nitrosylation of the medial [3Fe-4S] to form dinitrosyl-iron complexes.

The iron-sulfur cluster assembly network component NARFL is a key element in the cellular defense against oxidative stress.

Aim of this study was to explore cellular changes associated with increased resistance to atmospheric oxygen using high-resolution DNA and RNA profiling combined with functional studies. Two independently selected oxygen-resistant substrains of HeLa cells (capable of proliferating at >80% O2, i.e. hyperoxia) were compared with their parental cells (adapted to growth at 20% O2, but unable to grow at >80% O2). A striking consistent alteration found to be associated with the oxygen-resistant state appeared to be an amplified and overexpressed region on chromosome 16p13.3 harboring 21 genes. The driver gene of this amplification was identified by functional studies as NARFL, which encodes a component of the cytosolic iron-sulfur cluster assembly system. In line with this result we found the cytosolic c-aconitase activity as well as the nuclear protein RTEL1, both Fe-S dependent proteins, to be protected by NARFL overexpression under hyperoxia. In addition, we observed a protective effect of NARFL against hyperoxia-induced loss of sister-chromatid cohesion. NARFL thus appeared to be a key factor in the cellular defense against hyperoxia-induced oxidative stress in human cells. Our findings suggest that new insight into age-related degenerative processes may come from studies that specifically address the involvement of iron-sulfur proteins.

Electrochemical Measurements of the Kinetics of Inhibition of Two FeFe Hydrogenases by O2 Demonstrate That the Reaction Is Partly Reversible.

The mechanism of reaction of FeFe hydrogenases with oxygen has been debated. It is complex, apparently very dependent on the details of the protein structure, and difficult to study using conventional kinetic techniques. Here we build on our recent work on the anaerobic inactivation of the enzyme [Fourmond et al. Nat. Chem. 2014, 4, 336-342] to propose and apply a new method for studying this reaction. Using electrochemical measurements of the turnover rate of hydrogenase, we could resolve the first steps of the inhibition reaction and accurately determine their rates. We show that the two most studied FeFe hydrogenases, from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Clostridium acetobutylicum, react with O2 according to the same mechanism, despite the fact that the former is much more O2 sensitive than the latter. Unlike often assumed, both enzymes are reversibly inhibited by a short exposure to O2. This will have to be considered to elucidate the mechanism of inhibition, before any prediction can be made regarding which mutations will improve oxygen resistance. We hope that the approach described herein will prove useful in this respect.

Spectroscopic Investigations of [FeFe] Hydrogenase Maturated with [(57)Fe2(adt)(CN)2(CO)4](2-).

The preparation and spectroscopic characterization of a CO-inhibited [FeFe] hydrogenase with a selectively (57)Fe-labeled binuclear subsite is described. The precursor [(57)Fe2(adt)(CN)2(CO)4](2-) was synthesized from the (57)Fe metal, S8, CO, (NEt4)CN, NH4Cl, and CH2O. (Et4N)2[(57)Fe2(adt)(CN)2(CO)4] was then used for the maturation of the [FeFe] hydrogenase HydA1 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, to yield the enzyme selectively labeled at the [2Fe]H subcluster. Complementary (57)Fe enrichment of the [4Fe-4S]H cluster was realized by reconstitution with (57)FeCl3 and Na2S. The Hox-CO state of [2(57)Fe]H and [4(57)Fe-4S]H HydA1 was characterized by Mössbauer, HYSCORE, ENDOR, and nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy.

Impact of membrane-associated hydrogenases on the F0F1-ATPase in Escherichia coli during glycerol and mixed carbon fermentation: ATPase activity and its inhibition by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide in the mutants lacking hydrogenases.

Escherichia coli is able to ferment glycerol and to produce molecular hydrogen (H2) by four membrane-associated hydrogenases (Hyd) changing activity in response to different conditions. In this study, overall ATPase activity of glycerol alone and mixed carbon sources (glucose and glycerol) fermented E. coli wild type and different Hyd mutants and its inhibition by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) were first investigated. ATPase activity was higher in glycerol fermented wild type cells at pH 7.5 compared to pH 6.5 and pH 5.5; DCCD inhibited markedly ATPase activity at pH 7.5. The ATPase activity at pH 7.5, compared with wild type, was lower in selC and less in hypF single mutants, suppressed in hyaB hybC selC triple mutant. Moreover, total ATPase activity of mixed carbon fermented wild type cells was maximal at pH 7.5 and lowered at pH 5.5. The ATPase activities of hypF and hyaB hybC selC mutants were higher at pH 5.5, compared with wild type; DCCD inhibited markedly ATPase activity of hypF mutant. These results demonstrate that in E. coli during glycerol fermentation the membrane proton-translocating FOF1-ATPase has major input in overall ATPase activity and alkaline pH is more optimal for the FOF1-ATPase operation. Hyd-1 and Hyd-2 are required for the FOF1-ATPase activity upon anaerobic fermentation of glycerol. The impact of Hyd-1 and Hyd-2 on the FOF1-ATPase is more obvious during mixed carbon fermentation at slightly acidic pH.

How Formaldehyde Inhibits Hydrogen Evolution by [FeFe]-Hydrogenases: Determination by ¹³C ENDOR of Direct Fe-C Coordination and Order of Electron and Proton Transfers.

Formaldehyde (HCHO), a strong electrophile and a rapid and reversible inhibitor of hydrogen production by [FeFe]-hydrogenases, is used to identify the point in the catalytic cycle at which a highly reactive metal-hydrido species is formed. Investigations of the reaction of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii [FeFe]-hydrogenase with formaldehyde using pulsed-EPR techniques including electron-nuclear double resonance spectroscopy establish that formaldehyde binds close to the active site. Density functional theory calculations support an inhibited super-reduced state having a short Fe-(13)C bond in the 2Fe subsite. The adduct forms when HCHO is available to compete with H(+) transfer to a vacant, nucleophilic Fe site: had H(+) transfer already occurred, the reaction of HCHO with the Fe-hydrido species would lead to methanol, release of which is not detected. Instead, Fe-bound formaldehyde is a metal-hydrido mimic, a locked, inhibited form analogous to that in which two electrons and only one proton have transferred to the H-cluster. The results provide strong support for a mechanism in which the fastest pathway for H2 evolution involves two consecutive proton transfer steps to the H-cluster following transfer of a second electron to the active site.

[FeFe]-hydrogenase oxygen inactivation is initiated at the H cluster 2Fe subcluster.

The [FeFe]-hydrogenase catalytic site H cluster is a complex iron sulfur cofactor that is sensitive to oxygen (O2). The O2 sensitivity is a significant barrier for production of hydrogen as an energy source in water-splitting, oxygenic systems. Oxygen reacts directly with the H cluster, which results in rapid enzyme inactivation and eventual degradation. To investigate the progression of O2-dependent [FeFe]-hydrogenase inactivation and the process of H cluster degradation, the highly O2-sensitive [FeFe]-hydrogenase HydA1 from the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was exposed to defined concentrations of O2 while monitoring the loss of activity and accompanying changes in H cluster spectroscopic properties. The results indicate that H cluster degradation proceeds through a series of reactions, the extent of which depend on the initial enzyme reduction/oxidation state. The degradation process begins with O2 interacting and reacting with the 2Fe subcluster, leading to degradation of the 2Fe subcluster and leaving an inactive [4Fe-4S] subcluster state. This final inactive degradation product could be reactivated in vitro by incubation with 2Fe subcluster maturation machinery, specifically HydF(EG), which was observed by recovery of enzyme activity.

Activation barriers of oxygen transformation at the active site of [FeFe] hydrogenases.

Oxygen activation at the active sites of [FeFe] hydrogenases has been proposed to be the initial step of irreversible oxygen-induced inhibition of these enzymes. On the basis of a first theoretical study into the thermodynamics of O2 activation [Inorg. Chem. 2009, 48, 7127] we here investigate the kinetics of possible reaction paths at the distal iron atom of the active site by means of density functional theory. A sequence of steps is proposed to either form a reactive oxygen species (ROS) or fully reduce O2 to water. In this reaction cascade, two branching points are identified where water formation directly competes with harmful oxygen activation reactions. The latter are water formation by O-O bond cleavage of a hydrogen peroxide-bound intermediate competing with H2O2 dissociation and CO2 formation by a putative iron-oxo species competing with protonation of the iron-oxo species to form a hydroxyo ligand. Furthermore, we show that proton transfer to activated oxygen is fast and that proton supply to the active site is vital to prevent ROS dissociation. If sufficiently many reduction equivalents are available, oxygen activation reactions are accelerated, and oxygen reduction to water becomes possible.

Investigations on the role of proton-coupled electron transfer in hydrogen activation by [FeFe]-hydrogenase.

Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) is a fundamental process at the core of oxidation-reduction reactions for energy conversion. The [FeFe]-hydrogenases catalyze the reversible activation of molecular H2 through a unique metallocofactor, the H-cluster, which is finely tuned by the surrounding protein environment to undergo fast PCET transitions. The correlation of electronic and structural transitions at the H-cluster with proton-transfer (PT) steps has not been well-resolved experimentally. Here, we explore how modification of the conserved PT network via a Cys → Ser substitution at position 169 proximal to the H-cluster of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii [FeFe]-hydrogenase (CrHydA1) affects the H-cluster using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Despite a substantial decrease in catalytic activity, the EPR and FTIR spectra reveal different H-cluster catalytic states under reducing and oxidizing conditions. Under H2 or sodium dithionite reductive treatments, the EPR spectra show signals that are consistent with a reduced [4Fe-4S]H(+) subcluster. The FTIR spectra showed upshifts of νCO modes to energies that are consistent with an increase in oxidation state of the [2Fe]H subcluster, which was corroborated by DFT analysis. In contrast to the case for wild-type CrHydA1, spectra associated with Hred and Hsred states are less populated in the Cys → Ser variant, demonstrating that the exchange of -SH with -OH alters how the H-cluster equilibrates among different reduced states of the catalytic cycle under steady-state conditions.

The oxidative inactivation of FeFe hydrogenase reveals the flexibility of the H-cluster.

Nature is a valuable source of inspiration in the design of catalysts, and various approaches are used to elucidate the mechanism of hydrogenases, the enzymes that oxidize or produce H2. In FeFe hydrogenases, H2 oxidation occurs at the H-cluster, and catalysis involves H2 binding on the vacant coordination site of an iron centre. Here, we show that the reversible oxidative inactivation of this enzyme results from the binding of H2 to coordination positions that are normally blocked by intrinsic CO ligands. This flexibility of the coordination sphere around the reactive iron centre confers on the enzyme the ability to avoid harmful reactions under oxidizing conditions, including exposure to O2. The versatile chemistry of the diiron cluster in the natural system might inspire the design of novel synthetic catalysts for H2 oxidation.

Hydrogenosome metabolism is the key target for antiparasitic activity of resveratrol against Trichomonas vaginalis.

Metronidazole (MDZ) and related 5-nitroimidazoles are the recommended drugs for treatment of trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. However, novel treatment options are needed, as recent reports have claimed resistance to these drugs in T. vaginalis isolates. In this study, we analyzed for the first time the in vitro effects of the natural polyphenol resveratrol (RESV) on T. vaginalis. At concentrations of between 25 and 100 µM, RESV inhibited the in vitro growth of T. vaginalis trophozoites; doses of 25 µM exerted a cytostatic effect, and higher doses exerted a cytotoxic effect. At these concentrations, RESV caused inhibition of the specific activity of a 120-kDa [Fe]-hydrogenase (Tvhyd). RESV did not affect Tvhyd gene expression and upregulated pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase (a hydrogenosomal enzyme) gene expression only at a high dose (100 µM). At doses of 50 to 100 µM, RESV also caused overexpression of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), a protective protein found in the hydrogenosome of T. vaginalis. The results demonstrate the potential of RESV as an antiparasitic treatment for trichomoniasis and suggest that the mechanism of action involves induction of hydrogenosomal dysfunction. In view of the results, we propose hydrogenosomal metabolism as a key target in the design of novel antiparasitic drugs.

Redirecting the electron flow towards the nitrogenase and bidirectional Hox-hydrogenase by using specific inhibitors results in enhanced H2 production in the cyanobacterium Anabaena siamensis TISTR 8012.

The inhibition of competitive metabolic pathways by various inhibitors in order to redirect electron flow towards nitrogenase and bidirectional Hox-hydrogenase was investigated in Anabaena siamensis TISTR 8012. Cells grown in BG11(0) supplemented with KCN, rotenone, DCMU, and DL-glyceraldehyde under light condition for 24 h showed enhanced H(2) production. Cells grown in BG11 medium showed only marginal H(2) production and its production was hardly increased by the inhibitors tested. H(2) production with either 20mM KCN or 50 µM DCMU in BG11(0) medium was 22 µmol H(2) mg chl a(-1) h(-1), threefold higher than the control. The increased H(2) production caused by inhibitors was consistent with the increase in the respective Hox-hydrogenase activities and nifD transcript levels, as well as the decrease in hupL transcript levels. The results suggested that interruption of metabolic pathways essential for growth could redirect electrons flow towards nitrogenase and bidirectional Hox-hydrogenase resulting in increased H(2) production.

Inhibition of biocatalysis in [Fe-Fe] hydrogenase by oxygen: molecular dynamics and density functional theory calculations.

Designing O(2)-tolerant hydrogenases is a major challenge in applying [Fe-Fe]H(2)ases for H(2) production. The inhibition involves transport of oxygen through the enzyme to the H-cluster, followed by binding and subsequent deactivation of the active site. To explore the nature of the oxygen diffusion channel for the hydrogenases from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (Dd) and Clostridium pasteurianum (Cp), empirical molecular dynamics simulations were performed. The dynamic nature of the oxygen pathways in Dd and Cp was elucidated, and insight is provided, in part, into the experimental observation on the difference of oxygen inhibition in Dd and the hydrogenase from Clostridium acetobutylicum (Ca, assumed homologous to Cp). Further, to gain an understanding of the mechanism of oxygen inhibition of the [Fe-Fe]H(2)ase, density functional theory calculations of model compounds composed of the H-cluster and proximate amino acids are reported. Confirmation of the experimentally based suppositions on inactivation by oxygen at the [2Fe](H) domain is provided, validating the model compounds used and oxidation state assumptions, further explaining the mode of damage. This unified approach provides insight into oxygen diffusion in the enzyme, followed by deactivation at the H-cluster.

Inhibition of [FeFe]-hydrogenases by formaldehyde and wider mechanistic implications for biohydrogen activation.

Formaldehyde-a rapid and reversible inhibitor of hydrogen evolution by [FeFe]-hydrogenases-binds with a strong potential dependence that is almost complementary to that of CO. Whereas exogenous CO binds tightly to the oxidized state known as H(ox) but very weakly to a state two electrons more reduced, formaldehyde interacts most strongly with the latter. Formaldehyde thus intercepts increasingly reduced states of the catalytic cycle, and density functional theory calculations support the proposal that it reacts with the H-cluster directly, most likely targeting an otherwise elusive and highly reactive Fe-hydrido (Fe-H) intermediate.