Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are essential protein cofactors whose biosynthetic defects lead to severe diseases among which is Friedreich's ataxia caused by impaired expression of frataxin (FXN). Fe-S clusters are biosynthesized on the scaffold protein ISCU, with cysteine desulfurase NFS1 providing sulfur as persulfide and ferredoxin FDX2 supplying electrons, in a process stimulated by FXN but not clearly understood. Here, the authors report the breakdown of this process, made possible by removing a zinc ion in ISCU that hinders iron insertion and promotes non-physiological Fe-S cluster synthesis from free sulfide in vitro. By binding zinc-free ISCU, iron drives persulfide uptake from NFS1 and allows persulfide reduction into sulfide by FDX2, thereby coordinating sulfide production with its availability to generate Fe-S clusters. FXN stimulates the whole process by accelerating persulfide transfer. The authors propose that this reconstitution recapitulates physiological conditions which provides a model for Fe-S cluster biosynthesis, clarifies the roles of FDX2 and FXN and may help develop Friedreich's ataxia therapies.

Based on these new findings, FARA recently awarded grant funding to this team of researchers to begin a drug discovery project to try to identify molecules that might be able to replace or substitute for frataxin.
To view this specific Grant Award - Click HERE - then expand [Drug Discovery] and scroll down a bit.

Read the entire article HERE