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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Support for the Core Research Activities and Studies of the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (DE-SC0020446 Final Technical Report)

Supported the core operations of the National Academies' Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB). Helped support planning and conducting of board meetings, identification of priority topics in computer science and other areas of computing and communications technologies, and oversight for CSTB's portfolio of studies and convenings. Activities shaped and overseen included: a workshop on Al for scientific discovery; collaborative work with other Academies units on a study on foundational research gaps and future directions for digital twins; a study on current capabilities, future prospects, and governance of facial recognition technologies, a study on post- exascale computing; a study on fostering responsible computing research, collaborative work with other Academies units on automated research workflows for accelerated scientific discovery; a study on meeting federal cybersecurity workforce needs, and a study of the ecosystem driving information technology innovation.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Structural basis of transcription: RNA polymerase II substrate binding and metal coordination using a free-electron laser

Catalysis and translocation of multisubunit DNA-directed RNA polymerases underlie all cellular mRNA synthesis. RNA polymerase II (Pol II) synthesizes eukaryotic pre-mRNAs from a DNA template strand buried in its active site. Structural details of catalysis at near-atomic resolution and precise arrangement of key active site components have been elusive. Here, we present the free-electron laser (FEL) structures of a matched ATP-bound Pol II and the hyperactive Rpb1 T834P bridge helix (BH) mutant at the highest resolution to date. The radiation-damage-free FEL structures reveal the full active site interaction network, including the trigger loop (TL) in the closed conformation, bonafide occupancy of both site A and B Mg 2+ , and, more importantly, a putative third (site C) Mg 2+ analogous to that described for some DNA polymerases but not observed previously for cellular RNA polymerases. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the structures indicate that the third Mg 2+ is coordinated and stabilized at its observed position. TL residues provide half of the substrate binding pocket while multiple TL/BH interactions induce conformational changes that could allow translocation upon substrate hydrolysis. Consistent with TL/BH communication, a FEL structure and MD simulations of the T834P mutant reveal rearrangement of some active site interactions supporting potential plasticity in active site function and long-distance effects on both the width of the central channel and TL conformation, likely underlying its increased elongation rate at the expense of fidelity.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Tungsten-dioxo single-site heterogeneous catalyst on carbon: synthesis, structure, and catalysis

This study investigates the application of a novel third-row metal, tungsten, to carbon-supported single-site metal-oxo heterogeneous catalysis. Tungsten is a green and earth-abundant metal, but an unexplored candidate in this role. The carbon (AC = activated carbon)-supported tungsten dioxo complex, AC/WO 2 was prepared via grafting of (DME)WO 2 Cl 2 (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) onto high-surface-area activated carbon. AC/WO 2 was fully characterized by ICP-OES, XPS, EXAFS, XANES, SMART-EM, and DFT. W 4d 7/2 XPS and W L III -Edge XANES assign the oxidation state as W(VI), while EXAFS reveals two W=O double and two W–O single bonds at distances of 1.73 and 1.92 Å, respectively. These data align well with DFT computational results, supporting the structure as Carbon(–μ-O–) 2 M(=O) 2 . SMART-EM verifies that single W(VI) catalytic sites are bonded in an out-of-plane manner. The catalytic performance of air- and water-stable AC/WO 2 is compared to that of AC/MoO 2 . AC/WO 2 is more active and selective than the molybdenum analog in mediating alcohol dehydration of various substrates, and is recyclable. Notably, AC/WO 2 is an effective and recyclable catalyst for primary aliphatic alcohol dehydration and forms no dehydrogenation side products in contrast to AC/MoO 2 . However, AC/WO 2 is less effective in epoxidation and PET depolymerization. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential of carbon-supported third row metals for future studies.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2024

Metal–support interactions in metal oxide-supported atomic, cluster, and nanoparticle catalysis

Supported metal catalysts are essential to a plethora of processes in the chemical industry. The overall performance of these catalysts depends strongly on the interaction of adsorbates at the atomic level, which can be manipulated and controlled by the different constituents of the active material (i.e., support and active metal). The description of catalyst activity and the relationship between active constituent and the support, or metal–support interactions (MSI), in heterogeneous (thermo)catalysts is a complex phenomenon with multivariate (dependent and independent) contributions that are difficult to disentangle, both experimentally and theoretically. So-called “strong metal–support interactions” have been reported for several decades and summarized in excellent review articles. However, in recent years, there has been a proliferation of new findings related to atomically dispersed metal sites, metal oxide defects, and, for example, the generation and evolution of MSI under reaction conditions, which has led to the designation of (sub)classifications of MSI deserving to be critically and systematically evaluated. These include dynamic restructuring under alternating redox and reaction conditions, adsorbate-induced MSI, and evidence of strong interactions in oxide-supported metal oxide catalysts. Here, we review recent literature on MSI in oxide-supported metal particles to provide an up-to-date understanding of the underlying physicochemical principles that dominate the observed effects in supported metal atomic, cluster, and nanoparticle catalysts. Critical evaluation of different subclassifications of MSI is provided, along with discussions on the formation mechanisms, theoretical and characterization advances, and tuning strategies to manipulate catalytic reaction performance. We also provide a perspective on the future of the field, and we discuss the analysis of different MSI effects on catalysis quantitatively.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

In-situ polarization modulation IRRAS investigation of ammonia electrooxidation on Pt-Ir and Pt-Ru nanoparticles prepared on engineered catalyst supports

The catalytic activity and surface reactivity of monometallic Pt and bimetallic Pt-Ir and Pt-Ru nanoparticles, supported on two distinct Engineered Catalyst Supports (ECSs), were investigated for the Ammonia Electrooxidation Reaction (AmER) in alkaline media. XRD measurements confirmed alloy formation between Pt-Ir and Pt-Ru nanoparticles, as indicated by the shift of the (111) reflection to higher 2θ values. Cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and chronoamperometry experiments were conducted to assess the catalytic activity of the Pt, Pt-Ir, and Pt-Ru electrocatalysts. All bimetallic catalysts exhibited lower onset potentials compared to Pt. The differing Tafel slopes between Pt (74 mV dec⁻¹), Pt-Ir (152 mV dec⁻¹), and Pt-Ru (118–197 mV dec⁻¹) suggest that alloying Pt with Ir or Ru alters the reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, the bimetallic Pt-Ir and Pt-Ru catalysts demonstrated greater tolerance for concentrated ammonia solutions relative to Pt. In-situ Polarization Modulation Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) provided insights into the formation of N-H species, azide anions (N₃⁻), and N-O compounds. For the Pt-Ru catalyst, an additional peak around ~3600 cm⁻¹ was observed, corresponding to OH⁻ species. The PM-IRRAS results align with the Gerischer–Mauerer mechanism, indicating that partially dehydrogenated ammonia adsorbates act as active intermediates in the oxidation of ammonia over Pt-Ir and Pt-Ru catalysts.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Savannah River Site Climatology for Research Activities Conducted Onsite and in P-Area (1994-2023)

This report presents a climatology of meteorological variables at the Savannah River Site (SRS) using measurements from the P-Area and Central Climatology meteorological towers to support research activities at the Savannah River Site. Key values included in this report are wind, surface pressure, temperature, relative humidity, soil moisture, cloud fraction, cloud base, lightning, atmospheric stability, and boundary layer parameters. The Central Climatology tower is useful in that it is instrumented at four levels, allowing for an examination of height dependence on some variables.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Savannah River Site Climatology for Research Activities Conducted Onsite and in P-Area (1994-2023)

Executive Summary This report presents a climatology of meteorological variables at the Savannah River Site (SRS) using measurements from the P-Area and Central Climatology meteorological towers to support research activities at the Savannah River Site. Key values included in this report are wind, surface pressure, temperature, relative humidity, soil moisture, cloud fraction, cloud base, lightning, atmospheric stability, and boundary layer parameters. The Central Climatology tower is useful in that it is instrumented at four levels, allowing for an examination of height dependence on some variables.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

A comprehensive study on two types of supercapacitor composite electrodes comprising MnO 2 and activated carbon nanofibers: Self-supporting membrane and ground powder

Manganese dioxide (MnO 2 )@carbon composites have been attractively considered as electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) due to synergistic effects. This work systematically investigated the structure of MnO 2 @carbon nanofiber (CNF) composite electrodes with the different forms of CNFs and the corresponding electrochemical performance of SCs. In brief, novel activated carbon nanofibers were first fabricated by electrospinning the hydroxyl-containing poly(amic acid) solution, and then the preferred CNF material was decorated by MnO 2 crystals in the form of self-supporting membrane and ground powders, respectively. Additionally, the synthesis parameters were investigated and optimized based on the electrochemical performance of SCs. The results reveal that the powdered composite electrode exhibits a higher specific surface area of 501 m 2 g –1 compared to the self-supporting membrane composite electrode under the same conditions, resulting in a promising specific capacity of 214.1 mAh g –1 (770.8 Fg –1 ) in 6M KOH solution at 0.5 A g –1 . In addition, the capacitance of the symmetrical SC device assembled by G-HMC-1:3–80 reaches 179.8 Fg –1 , coupled with an energy density of 24.86 Whkg –1 at 230 Wkg –1 power density. This work provides valuable hints for designing SC composite electrode materials with outstanding performance.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Radiochemical transport analysis of gamma spectroscopic data to support estimation of molten salt reactor off-gas inventories

This work introduces a novel application of radiochronometry to estimate nuclide inventories in molten salt reactor off-gas systems based on gamma spectroscopic data from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment. By analyzing isotopic, isobaric, and isomeric activity ratios, key depletion model parameters related to species transport within the reactor system could be inferred. The findings demonstrate the potential of leveraging a limited subset of gamma spectroscopy measurements to accurately estimate nuclide inventories throughout the off-gas system. The approach can be useful in reactor design activities and support analyses relevant to operations, safety, security, and safeguards.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dynamic Activation of Single-Atom Catalysts by Reaction Intermediates: Conversion of Formic Acid on Rh/Fe 3 O 4 (001)

The stability and activity of supported single-atom catalysts (SACs) represent critical yet opposing factors limiting our ability to explore and exploit their unique properties. Here, this study demonstrates the operation of a switchable catalyst that is activated in the presence of surface intermediates and reverts back to a stable but inactive form when the reaction is completed. We employ atomically defined Rh-Fe 3 O 4 (001) catalysts to demonstrate how structurally stable Rh, bound in surface octahedral Fe sites, gets destabilized to form highly active Rh adatoms and small clusters. Conversion of formic acid, leading initially to surface formate and hydroxyl species, is employed as a model reaction to probe the dynamics of such processes. We find that surface hydroxyl recombination to water through the Mars van Krevelen mechanism reduces Rh coordination, triggering its conversion to active Rh adatoms. Since such lattice oxygen exchange is observed in many acid-base and redox chemistries, the process can be broadly applicable to controlling the activation of the range of SACs.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Deciphering Catalyst–Support Interaction via Doping for Highly Active and Durable Oxygen Evolution Catalysis

The design of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts demands a delicate balance between activity and stability. Here, in this study, we present a rational design approach that leverages catalyst-support interactions to enhance both the intrinsic activity and durability of Ir-based catalysts. Our study reveals that while Mo doping energetically promotes the formation of high-valent Ir species, enhancing intrinsic catalytic activity, it also leads to a reduction in electrical conductivity. These findings emphasize that supporting doping can introduce both beneficial and limiting effects, highlighting the need for a carefully balanced design strategy to optimize the overall OER performance. Simultaneously, in situ analytical techniques and comparative evaluation reveal the crucial role of oxide supports in stabilizing the catalyst. These findings highlight the pivotal role of interface engineering in maintaining catalyst integrity and the need for support materials that balance dopant-driven electronic promotion with structural and electrochemical robustness. These interconnected degradation pathways highlight the need to move beyond a catalyst-centric view and instead adopt a system-level understanding of the stability. Our approach offers a strong foundation for the rational design and evaluation of high-performance OER electrocatalysts for electrochemical energy applications.

Kim, Jinyeop [Korea Advanced Inst. Science and Tec↗
DOE OSTI2026

Predicting compatibility between ferredoxins and the Fe protein of nitrogenase using in silico protein modeling

Biological nitrogen fixation is the process by which certain bacteria and archaea use the enzyme nitrogenase to reduce atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable ammonium. Engineering non‐nitrogen‐fixing organisms, like plants, to use nitrogenase could reduce dependency on synthetic fertilizer and mitigate the environmental impacts of industrial fertilizer production. However, nitrogenase activity requires delivery of reducing power by small electron carrying proteins known as ferredoxins and flavodoxins, and successfully engineering nitrogenase into new systems will require a mechanistic understanding of electron delivery by these proteins. Most organisms often have multiple ferredoxins, raising the question of which ferredoxin can support nitrogenase activity. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into how we can predict which ferredoxin is compatible with the Fe protein, the component of nitrogenase that interacts with ferredoxin or flavodoxin. Our in silico protein–protein docking simulations reveal that most ferredoxins and flavodoxins involved in nitrogen fixation have the shortest distance (≤10 Å) between their redox cofactor and the [4Fe‐4S] cluster of the Fe protein. We found shorter cofactor distance contributes to faster intermolecular electron tunneling rates. Bacterial ferredoxins that play a role in nitrogen fixation also exhibit more complementary interactions with the Fe protein than bacterial and plant ferredoxins not involved in this process. Heterologous expression of a set of ferredoxins from both nitrogen‐fixing and non‐nitrogen‐fixing bacteria in the diazotroph Rhodopseudomonas palustris supports our model‐derived prediction that shorter distances between the electron‐carrying cofactors favor nitrogenase compatibility. These findings offer a framework to predict and potentially enhance ferredoxin–nitrogenase compatibility, which will help to improve our ability to engineer nitrogen fixation into non‐nitrogen‐fixing organisms like plants.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Enabling Grid-Forming Control with Fault Ride-Through in Unbalanced Distribution Networks

Distribution networks are often unbalanced, causing oscillatory responses in inverter control designed for balanced conditions. Here, to address this problem, this paper proposes a novel time-domain transformation appropriate for inverter control and enables the decomposition of three-phase unbalanced signals into constant positive and negative components. Relations useful for calculating unbalanced active and reactive power are derived from first principle, providing insight into vector products of unbalanced three-phase signals. Furthermore, a grid-forming control effective under unbalanced conditions is developed, which delivers superior performance while meeting UNIFI1 specifications for grid-forming control under unbalanced conditions. specifications applicable to category 4 inverter-based resource, like setting and regulating frequency/voltage, providing voltage support, sharing active power, injecting negative sequence current, and riding through faults. A current limiter is proposed for safe fault ride-through and integrates with the grid-forming control featuring frequency/voltage droop controllers and current and voltage control loops. The transformation of interconnected inverters is formulated and stability of the proposed control analyzed to support robust parameter selections. The effectiveness of the proposed transformation and grid-forming control is demonstrated through analytical results and real-time simulation of a IEEE 123 distribution network on the Real-Time Digital Simulator. Comparison with existing methods shows that the proposed strategy satisfies the UNIFI specifications with a much better performance.

24 - POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Property Measurements of LiF-NaF-KF Molten Salts Doped with Corrosion Products and Oxygen

Measurements of thermophysical properties of molten salts are needed for modeling and simulation activities that support the development of molten salt reactor (MSR) technologies. Properties of interest including transition temperatures, phase behavior, heat capacity, density, volumetric thermal expansion, surface tension, viscosity, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and vapor pressure are being performed at Argonne. Results of these property measurements are suitable for use in evaluating reactor performance during startup and the early operating life of the reactor. Ingressions of oxygen and moisture into the fuel salt are expected to occur at different times during the operating life of the reactor due to system leaks, maintenance, and refueling activities. The presence of these environmental contaminants induces corrosion of structural materials. The introduction of corrosion-derived species, oxygen and moisture is expected to affect the physical and chemical properties of the salt and operation of the reactor. Previous work performed at Argonne evaluated the effects of fission product dopants on the thermal properties of eutectic LiF-NaF-KF (FLiNaK). Properties of FLiNaK are commonly used to represent those of fluoride-bearing fuel salts. Metallic corrosion products such as chromium and nickel ions together with dissolved oxygen are expected to affect system redox differently than the accumulation of fission products. Work summarized in this report was performed to measure the effects of corrosion products and dissolved oxygen on the phase transitions, and specific heat capacity of FLiNaK. Thermophysical property measurements were made using four salts that were prepared by doping aliquots of a eutectic mixture of FLiNaK with surrogate corrosion products. Controlled additions of CrF 3 and NiF 2 were used as surrogates for corrosion product contamination anticipated during extended reactor operations in which fuel salt is in contact with steel reactor components. Controlled additions of UF 4 from two sources containing known amounts of UO 2 at different concentrations were used to represent oxygen contamination. The phase transitions and specific heat capacities of the four salts were measured by using differential scanning calorimetry. Measurements were made at temperatures spanning the range of 500−900 °C, which is the expected operating range of MSRs. Measured property values were compared to values measured previously with eutectic FLiNaK without dopants. Differences between property values measured for the doped and non-doped salts were compared with the uncertainties of the measurements to determine the significance of the effect of corrosion products and oxygen on salt properties.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Advancing Protein Display on Bacterial Spores through an Extensive Survey of Coat Components

The profound stability of bacterial spores makes them a promising platform for biotechnological applications like biocatalysis, bioremediation, drug delivery, etc. However, though the Bacillus subtilis spore is composed of >40 types of proteins, only ∼12 have been explored as fusion carriers for protein display. Here, we assessed the suitability of 33 spore proteins (SPs) as enzyme display carriers by direct allele tagging at native genomic loci. Of the 33 SPs investigated, 26 formed functional fusions with β-glucuronidase (GUS)─a ∼272 kDa homotetramer. This almost triples the number of SPs assessed for enzyme display and doubles the number of functional fusions documented in the literature. We quantitatively assessed 1) SP promoter activation dynamics, 2) GUS activity on spores, 3) surface availability, and 4) protection from thermal and proteolytic degradation. Multicopy expression and pairwise coexpression of the most promising SP-GUS fusions highlighted the complexity of spore structure/assembly and the difficulty in predicting compatibility between different SP fusions. We also assessed the suitability of engineered spores to degrade PET (polyethylene terephthalate) films and found that surface-exposed SPs were most effective. Beyond the broad survey, a key outcome of our work was the identification of SscA (small spore coat assembly protein A) as an effective spore display carrier. SscA supported enzyme activity at least 4-fold higher than any other SP, including the well-established anchor, CotY. We attribute this to its promoter, which demonstrated early and sustained activation relative to other SPs and its small size (∼3 kDa), which likely minimally interferes with enzyme folding, oligomerization, and activity. Labeling and genetic studies, its hydrophobic nature, and low surface availability suggest that SscA assembles within the inner spore coat, which makes it stabilizing and suitable for many biocatalytic applications. Overall, this work serves as a knowledge base to advance the biotechnological utility of B. subtilis spores.

Bacillus subtilis↗
DOE OSTI2024

Structure-driven development of a biomimetic rare earth artificial metalloprotein

The 2011 discovery of the first rare earth–dependent enzyme in methylotrophic Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 prompted intensive research toward understanding the unique chemistry at play in these systems. This enzyme, an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), features a La 3+ ion closely associated with redox-active coenzyme pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) and is structurally homologous to the Ca 2+ -dependent ADH from the same organism. AM1 also produces a periplasmic PQQ-binding protein, PqqT, which we have now structurally characterized to 1.46-Å resolution by X-ray diffraction. This crystal structure reveals a Lys residue hydrogen-bonded to PQQ at the site analogously occupied by a Lewis acidic cation in ADH. Accordingly, we prepared K 142 A- and K 142 D-PqqT variants to assess the relevance of this site toward metal binding. Isothermal titration calorimetry experiments and titrations monitored by UV–Vis absorption and emission spectroscopies support that K 142 D-PqqT binds tightly (Kd = 0.6 ± 0.2 μM) to La 3+ in the presence of bound PQQ and produces spectral signatures consistent with those of ADH enzymes. These spectral signatures are not observed for WT- or K 142 A-variants or upon addition of Ca 2+ to PQQ ⸦ K 142 D-PqqT. Addition of benzyl alcohol to La 3+ -bound PQQ ⸦ K 142 D-PqqT (but not Ca 2+ -bound PQQ ⸦ K 142 D-PqqT, or La 3+ -bound PQQ ⸦ WT-PqqT) produces spectroscopic changes associated with PQQ reduction, and chemical trapping experiments reveal the production of benzaldehyde, supporting ADH activity. By creating a metal binding site that mimics native ADH enzymes, we present a rare earth-dependent artificial metalloenzyme primed for future mechanistic, biocatalytic, and biosensing applications.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Boundary spanning increases knowledge and action on invasive species in a changing climate

Abstract Challenges associated with global change stressors on ecosystems have prompted calls to improve actionable science, including through boundary‐spanning activities, which aim to build connections and communication between researchers and natural resource practitioners. By synthesizing and translating research and practitioner knowledge, boundary‐spanning activities could support proactive, research‐informed conservation practice, but the success of these efforts is rarely evaluated. Using repeat survey data from the Northeast Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (NE RISCC) Management Network, a boundary‐spanning organization, we evaluate whether participating in NE RISCC affected practitioners' knowledge, actions and priorities related to invasive species management under a changing climate. Our survey results suggest that practitioners who participate in NE RISCC have greater knowledge about invasive species and climate change and are incorporating climate change in more ways into their invasive species management. We also found NE RISCC membership affected the perceived usefulness of informational resources, with NE RISCC members more frequently identifying research syntheses and targeted workshops (both are common products used by NE RISCC to translate science into practice and share manager knowledge) as useful compared to non‐members. Practitioners who participate in NE RISCC also identified somewhat different research priorities, with non‐members and short‐term members more frequently identifying range‐shifting neonative species and their impacts on native communities as higher priorities compared to long‐term NE RISCC members. NE RISCC research activities and outreach materials have consistently framed range‐shifting neonative species as comparatively low risk, suggesting that this information has influenced practitioner's perception of risk. Practical implication : Although real‐world impacts of applied ecology are notoriously difficult to quantify, this analysis illustrates that if research results are actively translated, they can affect the knowledge and actions of natural resource practitioners. These impacts illustrate the potential for boundary‐spanning efforts to address other global change challenges to conservation.

Evans, Annette E.↗
DOE OSTI2025

The role of Tyr34 in proton coupled electron transfer and product inhibition of manganese superoxide dismutase

Human manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) plays a crucial role in controlling levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by converting superoxide (O$^{•–}_{2}$) to molecular oxygen (O 2 ) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) with proton-coupled electron transfers (PCETs). A key catalytic residue, Tyr34, determines the activity of human MnSOD and also becomes post-translationally inactivated by nitration in various diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Tyr34 has an unusual pK a due to its proximity to the Mn metal and undergoes cyclic deprotonation and protonation events to promote the electron transfers of MnSOD. Neutron diffraction, X-ray spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry calculations in oxidized, reduced and product inhibited enzymatic states shed light on the role of Tyr34 in MnSOD catalysis. The data identify the contributions of Tyr34 in MnSOD activity that support mitochondrial function and give a thorough characterization of how a single tyrosine modulates PCET catalysis. Product inhibition occurs by an associative displacement mechanism.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗