Interaction between super-reduced cobalamin and selenite

The kinetics of the reaction between the two-electron reduced form of cobalamin (super-reduced cobalamin, cob(I)alamin, or Cbl(I)) and sodium selenite in an alkaline medium is studied spectrophotometrically. It is shown that the selenite rapidly oxidizes Cbl(I) to cob(II)alamin (Cbl(II)). It is established that the active form of the oxidant is the protonated selenite anion (HSeO₃^-), which receives six electrons during the reaction and transforms into HSe^–. The reactions of cob(I)alamin oxidation by selenite and sulfite are compared.