Chloroperoxidase. IX. The structure of compound I

Electroenzymatic cascade reaction on a biohybrid boosts the chiral epoxidation reaction

The chiral epoxidation of styrene and its derivatives is an important transformation that has attracted considerable scientific interest in the chemical industry. Herein, we integrate enzymatic catalysis and electrocatalysis to propose a new route for the chiral epoxidation of styrene and its derivatives. Chloroperoxidase (CPO) functionalized with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (ILEMB) was loaded onto cobalt nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CoN@CNT) to form a biohybrid (CPO-ILEMB/CoN@CNT). H2O2 species were generated in situ through a two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e-ORR) at CoN@CNT to initiate the following enzymatic epoxidation of styrene by CPO. CoN@CNT had high electroactivity for the ORR to produce H2O2 at a more positive potential, prohibiting the conversion of FeIII to FeII in the heme of CPO to maintain enzymatic activity. Meanwhile, CoN@CNT could serve as an ideal carrier for the immobilization of CPO-ILEMB. Hence, the coimmobilization of CPO-ILEMB and CoN@CNT could facilitate the diffusion of intermediate H2O2, which achieved 17 times higher efficiency than the equivalent amounts of free CPO-ILEMB in bulk solution for styrene epoxidation. Notably, an enhancement (∼45%) of chiral selectivity for the epoxidation of styrene was achieved.

Chiral N,N'-dioxide-iron(iii)-catalyzed asymmetric sulfoxidation with hydrogen peroxide

A highly enantioselective sulfoxidation of various sulfides has been achieved by a N,N'-dioxide-iron(iii) complex with 35% aq. H2O2 as the oxidant. The utility of the current method was demonstrated by asymmetric gram-scale synthesis of drug molecule (R)-modafinil. Moreover, a possible working mode was provided to elucidate the chiral induction.

O-O Bond Formation and Liberation of Dioxygen Mediated by N5 -Coordinate Non-Heme Iron(IV) Complexes

Formation of the O-O bond is considered the critical step in oxidative water cleavage to produce dioxygen. High-valent metal complexes with terminal oxo (oxido) ligands are commonly regarded as instrumental for oxygen evolution, but direct experimental evidence is lacking. Herein, we describe the formation of the O-O bond in solution, from non-heme, N5 -coordinate oxoiron(IV) species. Oxygen evolution from oxoiron(IV) is instantaneous once meta-chloroperbenzoic acid is administered in excess. Oxygen-isotope labeling reveals two sources of dioxygen, pointing to mechanistic branching between HAT (hydrogen atom transfer)-initiated free-radical pathways of the peroxides, which are typical of catalase-like reactivity, and iron-borne O-O coupling, which is unprecedented for non-heme/peroxide systems. Interpretation in terms of [FeIV (O)] and [FeV (O)] being the resting and active principles of the O-O coupling, respectively, concurs with fundamental mechanistic ideas of (electro-) chemical O-O coupling in water oxidation catalysis (WOC), indicating that central mechanistic motifs of WOC can be mimicked in a catalase/peroxidase setting.

Reaction of ferric Caldariomyces fumago chloroperoxidase with meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid: sequential formation of compound I, compound II and regeneration of the ferric state using one reactant

The mechanism of the reaction between ferric Caldariomyces fumago chloroperoxidase (CCPO) and meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (mCPBA) has been examined. It has previously been established that an Fe(IV) -oxo porphyrin radical species known as Compound I (Cpd I) is formed by two-electron oxidation of the native ferric enzyme by a variety of oxidants including organic peracids and hydroperoxides. Cpd I can return to the ferric state either by direct oxygen insertion into an organic substrate (e.g. a P450 oxygenase-like reaction), or by two consecutive one-electron additions, the first resulting in an intermediate Fe(IV) -oxo species known as Compound II (Cpd II). There has been much debate over the role of Cpd II and the details of its structure. In the present study, both CCPO Fe(IV) -oxo intermediates are formed, but unlike most CCPO reactions, Cpd I and Cpd II are formed using the same reactant, mCPBA. Thus, the peracid is used as an oxo donor to produce Cpd I and then as a reductant to reduce Cpd I to Cpd II, and finally, Cpd II to the ferric state. The observation of saturation kinetics with respect to mCPBA concentration for each step is consistent with the formation of CCPO-mCPBA complexes in each phase of the reaction. The original reaction mechanism for ferric CCPO with mCPBA was hypothesized to involve a scrambling mechanism with a unique Fe -OOO-C(O)R intermediate formed with no observed Cpd II intermediate. The data reported herein clearly demonstrate the formation of Cpd II in returning the oxidized enzyme back to its native ferric state.

Structural features promoting dioxygen production by Dechloromonas aromatica chlorite dismutase

Chlorite dismutase (Cld) is a heme enzyme capable of rapidly and selectively decomposing chlorite (ClO(2) (-)) to Cl(-) and O(2). The ability of Cld to promote O(2) formation from ClO(2) (-) is unusual. Heme enzymes generally utilize ClO(2) (-) as an oxidant for reactions such as oxygen atom transfer to, or halogenation of, a second substrate. The X-ray crystal structure of Dechloromonas aromatica Cld co-crystallized with the substrate analogue nitrite (NO(2) (-)) was determined to investigate features responsible for this novel reactivity. The enzyme active site contains a single b-type heme coordinated by a proximal histidine residue. Structural analysis identified a glutamate residue hydrogen-bonded to the heme proximal histidine that may stabilize reactive heme species. A solvent-exposed arginine residue likely gates substrate entry to a tightly confined distal pocket. On the basis of the proposed mechanism of Cld, initial reaction of ClO(2) (-) within the distal pocket generates hypochlorite (ClO(-)) and a compound I intermediate. The sterically restrictive distal pocket probably facilitates the rapid rebound of ClO(-) with compound I forming the Cl(-) and O(2) products. Common to other heme enzymes, Cld is inactivated after a finite number of turnovers, potentially via the observed formation of an off-pathway tryptophanyl radical species through electron migration to compound I. Three tryptophan residues of Cld have been identified as candidates for this off-pathway radical. Finally, a juxtaposition of hydrophobic residues between the distal pocket and the enzyme surface suggests O(2) may have a preferential direction for exiting the active site.

Mechanism of and exquisite selectivity for O-O bond formation by the heme-dependent chlorite dismutase

Chlorite dismutase (Cld) is a heme b-dependent, O-O bond forming enzyme that transforms toxic chlorite (ClO(2)(-)) into innocuous chloride and molecular oxygen. The mechanism and specificity of the reaction with chlorite and alternate oxidants were investigated. Chlorite is the sole source of dioxygen as determined by oxygen-18 labeling studies. Based on ion chromatography and mass spectrometry results, Cld is highly specific for the dismutation of chlorite to chloride and dioxygen with no other side products. Cld does not use chlorite as an oxidant for oxygen atom transfer and halogenation reactions (using cosubstrates guaiacol, thioanisole, and monochlorodimedone, respectively). When peracetic acid or H(2)O(2) was used as an alternative oxidant, oxidation and oxygen atom transfer but not halogenation reactions occurred. Monitoring the reaction of Cld with peracetic acid by rapid-mixing UV-visible spectroscopy, the formation of the high valent compound I intermediate, [(Por(*+))Fe(IV) = O], was observed [k(1) = (1.28 +/- 0.04) x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)]. Compound I readily decayed to form compound II in a manner that is independent of peracetic acid concentration (k(2) = 170 +/- 20 s(-1)). Both compound I and a compound II-associated tryptophanyl radical that resembles cytochrome c peroxidase (Ccp) compound I were observed by EPR under freeze-quench conditions. The data collectively suggest an O-O bond-forming mechanism involving generation of a compound I intermediate via oxygen atom transfer from chlorite, and subsequent recombination of the resulting hypochlorite and compound I.

Reactivities of oxo and peroxo intermediates studied by hemoprotein mutants

A series of myoglobin mutants, in which distal sites are modified by site-directed mutagenesis, are able to catalyze peroxidase, catalase, and P450 reactions even though their proximal histidine ligands are intact. More importantly, reactions of P450, catalase, and peroxidase substrates and compound I of myoglobin mutants can be observed spectroscopically. Thus, detailed oxidation mechanisms were examined. On the basis of these results, we suggest that the different reactivities of P450, catalase, and peroxidase are mainly caused by their active site structures, but not the axial ligand. We have also prepared compound 0 under physiological conditions by employing a mutant of cytochrome c 552. Compound 0 is not able to oxidize ascorbic acid.

Metabolism of Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs by Peroxidase: Implication for Gastrointestinal Mucosal Lesions

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used to treat inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and gout. The anti-inflammatory action of NSAIDs is due to the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by preventing cyclooxygenase (COX) activity of prostaglandin H synthase (PGS). However, administration of NSAIDs causes gastrointestinal mucosal lesions and a decrease of granulocytes as side effects. PGS catalyzes two distinct enzyme reactions: (1) bis-dioxygenation of arachidonic acid catalyzed by COX activity of PGS to form PGG(2); and (2) reduction of the hydroperoxide group in PGG(2) by PGS hydroperoxidase. Most NSAID are oxidized by peroxidases to produce NSAID radicals that damage biological components such as lipids and enzymes. Indomethacin, phenylbutazone, and piroxicam are more toxic under aerobic conditions than anaerobic conditions during the interaction with peroxidase. We discuss the contribution of peroxidases in the formation of gastrointestinal mucosal lesions induced by NSAIDs.

Hydrogen peroxide oxidation by catalase-peroxidase follows a non-scrambling mechanism

Despite catalyzing the same reaction (2 H2O2-->2 H2O+O2) heme-containing monofunctional catalases and bifunctional catalase-peroxidases (KatGs) do not share sequence or structural similarities raising the question of whether or not the reaction pathways are similar or different. The production of dioxygen from hydrogen peroxide by monofunctional catalases has been shown to be a two-step process involving the redox intermediate compound I which oxidizes H2O2 directly to O2. In order to investigate the origin of O2 released in KatG mediated H2O2 degradation we performed a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry investigation of the evolved O2 from a 50:50 mixture of H2(18)O2/H2(16)O2 solution containing KatGs from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Synechocystis PCC 6803. The GC-MS analysis clearly demonstrated the formation of (18)O2 (m/e = 36) and (16)O2 (m/e = 32) but not (16)O(18)O (m/e = 34) in the pH range 5.6-8.5 implying that O2 is formed by two-electron oxidation without breaking the O-O bond. Also active site variants of Synechocystis KatG with very low catalase but normal or even enhanced peroxidase activity (D152S, H123E, W122F, Y249F and R439A) are shown to oxidize H2O2 by a non-scrambling mechanism. The results are discussed with respect to the catalatic mechanism of KatG.

Chlorinations catalyzed by chloroperoxidase occur via diffusible intermediate(s) and the reaction components play multiple roles in the overall process

The chlorination mechanism of the fungal enzyme chloroperoxidase (CPO) has been debated for (1) active site chlorination and (2) diffusible species mediated chlorination. Based upon the conversion of approximately 35 different substrates belonging to different reactive groups, it was found that substrate dimensions and topography had no pronounced effect on rates of CPO chlorination reaction. Epoxidation of indene was dependent on its concentration where as chlorination was not. Also, effective conversion was seen in the chlorination mixture for substrates that could not be epoxidized or sulfoxidized. Some insoluble substrates and certain molecules that exceeded the active site dimensions were chlorinated at rates comparable to the rates required for CPO's more natural substrate, monochlorodimedone. By terminating the enzymatic reaction with an active site ligand (azide), the amount of diffusible species was correlated to CPO in the reaction mixture. The preferential utilization of a substrate, earlier attributed to the active site, is found to be due to the specificity afforded by the reaction environment. It was found that the reaction medium components of peroxide, chloride and hydronium ions affected the reaction rates through varying roles in the enzymatic and non-enzymatic process. Besides these experimental evidences, key mechanistic and kinetic arguments are presented to infer that the final chlorine transfer occurs outside the active site via a diffusible species.

Two-State Reactivity, Electromerism, Tautomerism, and “Surprise” Isomers in the Formation of Compound II of the Enzyme Horseradish Peroxidase from the Principal Species, Compound I

QM and QM/MM calculations on Compound II, the enigmatic species in the catalytic cycle of the horseradish peroxidase enzyme, reveal six low-lying isomers. The principal isomer is the triplet oxo-ferryl form (PorFe(IV)=O) that yields the hydroxo-ferryl isomer (PorFe(IV)-OH+). These are the only forms observed in experimental studies. Theory shows, however, that these are the least stable isomers of Compound II. The two most stable forms are the singlet and triplet states of the Por+*Fe(III)-OH electromer. In addition, theory reveals species never considered in heme enzymes: the singlet and triplet states of the Por+*Fe(III)-OH2 electromer. The computational results reproduce the experimental features of the known isomers and enable us to draw relationships and make predictions regarding the missing ones. For example, while the "surprise" species, singlet and triplet Por+*Fe(III)-OH2, have never been considered in heme chemistry, the calculated Fe-O bond lengths indicate that these isomers may have, in fact, been observed in one of the two opposing EXAFS studies reported previously. Furthermore, these ferric-aqua complexes could be responsible for the reported 18O exchange with bulk water. It is clear, therefore, that the role of Compound II in the HRP cycle is considerably more multi-faceted than has been revealed so far. Our suggested multi-state reactivity scheme provides a paradigm for Compound II species. The calculated Mössbauer parameters may be helpful toward eventual characterization of these missing isomers of Compound II.

Gauging the Relative Oxidative Powers of Compound I, Ferric-Hydroperoxide, and the Ferric-Hydrogen Peroxide Species of Cytochrome P450 Toward C−H Hydroxylation of a Radical Clock Substrate

Density functional calculations were performed in response to the controversies regarding the identity of the oxidant species in cytochrome P450. The calculations were used to gauge the relative C-H hydroxylation reactivity of three potential oxidant species of the enzyme, the high-valent oxo-iron species Compound I (Cpd I), the ferric hydroperoxide Compound 0 (Cpd 0), and the ferric-hydrogen peroxide complex Fe(H(2)O(2)). The results for the hydroxylation of a radical probe substrate, 1, show the following trends: (a) Cpd I is the most reactive species; in its presence the other two reagents will be silent. (b) In the absence of Cpd I, substrate oxidation by Cpd 0 and Fe(H(2)O(2)) will take place via a stepwise mechanism that involves initial O-O homolysis followed by H-abstraction from 1. (c) Cpd 0 will undergo mostly porphyrin hydroxylation and only approximately 15% of substrate oxidation producing mostly the rearranged alcohol, 3 (Scheme 2). (d) Fe(H(2)O(2)) will generate mostly free hydrogen peroxide (uncoupling). A small fraction will perform substrate oxidation and lead mostly to 3. Reactivity probes for these reagents are kinetic isotope effect (KIE) and the product ratio of unrearranged to rearranged alcohols, [2/3]. Thus, for substrate oxidation by Cpd 0 or Fe(H(2)O(2)) KIE will be small, approximately 2, while Cpd I will have large KIE values. Typically both Cpd 0 and Fe(H(2)O(2)) will lead to a [2/3] ratio < 1, while Cpd I will lead to ratios > 1. In addition, the product isotope effect (KIE(2)/KIE(3) not equal 1) is expected from the reactivity of Cpd I.

Catalase Reaction by Myoglobin Mutants and Native Catalase

The catalase reaction has been studied in detail by using myoglobin (Mb) mutants. Compound I of Mb mutants (Mb-I), a ferryl species (Fe(IV)=O) paired with a porphyrin radical cation, is readily prepared by the reaction with a nearly stoichiometric amount of m-chloroperbenzoic acid. Upon the addition of H2O2 to an Mb-I solution, Mb-I is reduced back to the ferric state without forming any intermediates. This indicates that Mb-I is capable of performing two-electron oxidation of H2O2 (catalatic reaction). Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis of the evolved O2 from a 50:50 mixture of H2(18)O2/H2(16)O2 solution containing H64D or F43H/H64L Mb showed the formation of 18O2 (m/e = 36) and 16O2 (m/e = 32) but not 16O18O (m/e = 34). This implies that O2 is formed by two-electron oxidation of H2O2 without breaking the O-O bond. Deuterium isotope effects on the catalatic reactions of Mb mutants and catalase suggest that the catalatic reactions of Micrococcus lysodeikticus catalase and F43H/H64L Mb proceed via an ionic mechanism with a small isotope effect of less than 4.0, since the distal histidine residue is located at a proper position to act as a general acid-base catalyst for the ionic reaction. In contrast, other Mb mutants such as H64X (X is Ala, Ser, and Asp) and L29H/H64L Mb oxidize H2O2 via a radical mechanism in which a hydrogen atom is abstracted by Mb-I with a large isotope effect in a range of 10-29, due to a lack of the general acid-base catalyst.

Kinetic characterization of compound I formation in the thermostable cytochrome P450 CYP119

The kinetics of formation and breakdown of the putative active oxygenating intermediate in cytochrome P450, a ferryl-oxo-(pi) porphyrin cation radical (Compound I), have been analyzed in the reaction of a thermostable P450, CYP119, with meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA). Upon rapid mixing of m-CPBA with the ferric form of CYP119, an intermediate with spectral features characteristic of a ferryl-oxo-(pi) porphyrin cation radical was clearly observed and identified by the absorption maxima at 370, 610, and 690 nm. The rate constant for the formation of Compound I was 3.20 (+/-0.3) x 10(5) m(-1) s(-1) at pH 7.0, 4 degrees C, and this rate decreased with increasing pH. Compound I of CYP119 decomposed back to the ferric form with a first order rate constant of 29.4 +/- 3.4 s(-1), which increased with increasing pH. These findings form the first kinetic analysis of Compound I formation and decay in the reaction of m-CPBA with ferric P450.

Utilization of peroxide and its relevance in oxygen insertion reactions catalyzed by chloroperoxidase

Chloroperoxidase (CPO) catalyzed oxygen insertions are highly enantioselective and hence of immense biotechnological potential. A peroxide activation step is required to give rise to the compound I species that catalyzes this chiral reaction. A side reaction, a catalase type peroxide dismutation, is another feature of CPO's versatility. This work systematically investigates the utilization of different peroxides for the two reactions, i.e. the catalase type reaction and the oxygen insertion reaction. For the oxygen insertion reaction, indene and phenylethyl sulfide were chosen as substrate models for epoxidation and sulfoxidation respectively. The results clearly show that CPO is stable towards hydrogen peroxide and has a total number of turnovers near one million prior to deactivation. The epoxidation reactions terminate before completion because the enzyme functioning in its catalatic mode quickly removes all of the hydrogen peroxide from the reaction mixture. Sulfoxidation reactions are much faster than epoxidation reactions and thus are better able to compete with the catalase reaction for hydrogen peroxide utilization. A preliminary study towards optimizing the reaction system components for a laboratory scale synthetic epoxidation is reported.

Calculation of the electronic structure and spectra of model cytochrome P450 compound I

The electronic structure and spectra of the oxyferryl (Fe=O) compound I P450 heme species, the transient putative active intermediate of cytochrome P450s, have been calculated employing a full protoporphyrin IX heme model representation. The principal aim of this work was to compare the computed spectra of this species with the observed transient spectra attributed to it. Computations were made using both nonlocal density functional theory (DFT) and semiempirical INDO/CI methods to characterize the electronic structure of the compound I P450 species. Both methods resulted in a similar antiferromagnetic doublet as the ground state with a ferromagnetic quartet excited state partner, slightly higher in energy. The INDO/ROHF/CI semiempirical method was used to calculate the spectrum of the protoporphyrin IX P450 compound I heme species in its lowest energy antiferromagnetic doublet state at the DFT optimized geometry. As a reference, the spectrum of the ferric resting form of the protoporphyrin IX P450 heme species was also calculated. The computed shifts in the Soret and Q bands of compound I relative to the resting state were both in good agreement with the corresponding experimentally observed shifts in the transient spectra of cytochrome P450cam (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 201 (1994) 1464) and chloroperoxidase (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 94 (1980) 1123) both ascribed to their common compound I heme site. This consistency provides additional, independent support for the assignment of compound I as the origin of the reported observed transient spectra.

Effect of distal cavity mutations on the formation of compound I in catalase-peroxidases

Catalase-peroxidases have a predominant catalase activity but differ from monofunctional catalases in exhibiting a substantial peroxidase activity and in having different residues in the heme cavity. We present a kinetic study of the formation of the key intermediate compound I by probing the role of the conserved distal amino acid triad Arg-Trp-His of a recombinant catalase-peroxidase in its reaction with hydrogen peroxide, peroxoacetic acid, and m-chloroperbenzoic acid. Both the wild-type enzyme and six mutants (R119A, R119N, W122F, W122A, H123Q, H123E) have been investigated by steady-state and stopped-flow spectroscopy. The turnover number of catalase activity of R119A is 14.6%, R119N 0.5%, H123E 0.03%, and H123Q 0.02% of wild-type activity. Interestingly, W122F and W122A completely lost their catalase activity but retained their peroxidase activity. Bimolecular rate constants of compound I formation of the wild-type enzyme and the mutants have been determined. The Trp-122 mutants for the first time made it possible to follow the transition of the ferric enzyme to compound I by hydrogen peroxide spectroscopically underlining the important role of Trp-122 in catalase activity. The results demonstrate that the role of the distal His-Arg pair in catalase-peroxidases is important in the heterolytic cleavage of hydrogen peroxide (i.e. compound I formation), whereas the distal tryptophan is essential for compound I reduction by hydrogen peroxide.

Theoretical study of model compound I complexes of horseradish peroxidase and catalase

Theoretical studies of the electronic structure and spectra of models for the ferric resting state and Compound I intermediates of horseradish peroxidase (HRP-I) and catalase (CAT-I) have been performed using the INDO-RHF/CI method. The goals of these studies were twofold: i) to determine whether the axial ligand of HRP is best described as imidazole or imidazolate, and ii) to address the long-standing question of whether HRP-I and CAT-I are a1u and a2u tau cation radicals. Only the imidazolate HRP-I model led to a calculated electronic spectra consistent with the experimentally observed significant reduction in the intensity of the Soret band compared with the ferric resting state. These results provide compelling evidence for significant proton transfer to the conserved Asp residue by the proximal histidine. The origin of the observed reduction of the Soret band intensity in HRP-I and CAT-I spectra has been examined and found to be caused by the mixing of charge transfer transitions into the predominantly porphyrin tau-tau transitions. For both HRP-I and CAT-I, the a1u porphyrin tau cation state is the lowest energy, and it is further stabilized by both the anionic form of the ligand and the porphyrin ring substituents of protoporphyrin-IX. The calculated values of quadrupole-splitting observed in the Mossbauer resonance of HRP-I and CAT-I are similar for the a1u and a2u tau cation radicals. Electronic spectrum of the a1u tau cation radical of HRP-I are more similar to the observed spectra, whereas the spectra of both a1u tau and a2u tau cation radicals of CAT-I resemble the observed spectra. These results also indicate the limitations of using any one observable property to try to distinguish between these states. Taken together, comparison of calculated and observed properties indicate that there is no compelling reason to invoke the higher energy a2u tau cation radical as the favored state in HRP-I and CAT-I. Both ground-state properties and electronic spectra are consistent with the a1u tau cation radical.

Histidine 52 is a critical residue for rapid formation of cytochrome c peroxidase compound I

The crystal structure and reactivity with hydrogen peroxide are reported for a mutant of a cloned cytochrome c peroxidase [CcP(MI)], in which the conserved distal His (His-52) is replaced with Leu. The reaction of the H52L enzyme with peroxide was examined as a function of pH in 0.1 M phosphate buffers and buffers in which nitrate was used to adjust the ionic strength. The pH-independent bimolecular rate constant for the reaction of H52L with peroxide was 731 +/- 44 and 236 +/- 14 M-1 s-1 in phosphate and nitrate-containing buffers, respectively. This represents a 10(5)-fold decrease in rate relative to the CcP(MI) parent under comparable conditions. Single-crystal diffraction studies showed that no dramatic changes in the structure or in the accessibility of the heme binding site were caused by the mutation. Rather, the mutation caused significant structural changes only at residue 52 and the nearby active-site water molecules. The residual reactivity of the H52L enzyme with peroxide was pH- and buffer-dependent. In nitrate-containing buffer, the apparent bimolecular rate constant for the reaction with peroxide decreased with decreasing pH; the loss of reactivity correlated with protonation of a group with an apparent pKA = 4.5. Protonation of the group caused a loss of reactivity with peroxide. This is in contrast to the CcP(MI) parent enzyme, as well as all other mutants that have been examined, where the loss of reactivity correlates with protonation of an enzyme group with an apparent pKA = 5.4.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cytochrome c peroxidase catalyzed oxidation of ferrocytochrome c by hydrogen peroxide: ionic strength dependence of the steady-state rate parameters

The steady-state kinetics of the cytochrome c peroxidase catalyzed oxidation of horse heart ferrocytochrome c by hydrogen peroxide have been studied at both pH 7.0 and pH 7.5 as a function of ionic strength. Plots of the initial velocity versus hydrogen peroxide concentration at fixed cytochrome c are hyperbolic. The limiting slope at low hydrogen peroxide give apparent bimolecular rate constants for the cytochrome c peroxidase-hydrogen peroxide reaction identical with those determined directly by stopped-flow techniques. Plots of the initial velocity versus cytochrome c concentration at saturating hydrogen peroxide (200 microM) are nonhyperbolic. The rate expression requires squared terms in cytochrome c concentration. The maximum turnover rate of the enzyme is independent of ionic strength, with values of 470 +/- 50 s-1 and 290 +/- 30 s-1 at pH 7.0 and 7.5, respectively. The limiting slope of velocity versus cytochrome c concentration plots provides a lower limit for the association rate constant between cytochrome c and the oxidized intermediates of cytochrome c peroxidase. The limiting slope varies from 10(6) M-1 s-1 at 300 mM ionic strength to 10(8) M-1 s-1 at 20 mM ionic strength and extrapolates to 5 x 10(8) M-1 s-1 at zero ionic strength. The data are discussed in terms of both a two-binding-site mechanism and a single-binding-site, multiple-pathway mechanism.

Evidence for variable metal-radical spin coupling in oxoferrylporphyrin cation radical complexes

Oxoferrylporphyrin cation radical complexes were generated by m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid oxidation of the chloro and trifluoromethanesulfonato complexes of tetramesitylporphyrinatoiron(III) [(TMP)Fe] and the trifluoromethanesulfonato complex of tetra(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porphyrinatoiron(III) [TPP(2,6-Cl)Fe]. Coupling between ferryl iron (S = 1) and porphyrin radical (S' = 1/2) spin systems was investigated by Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopy. The oxoferrylporphyrin cation radical systems generated from the TMP complexes show strong ferromagnetic coupling. Analysis of the magnetic Mössbauer spectra, using a spin Hamiltonian explicitly including a coupling tensor J, suggests an exchange-coupling constant J greater than 80 cm-1. The EPR spectra show non-zero rhombicity, the origin of which is discussed in terms of contributions from the usual zero-field effects of iron and from iron-radical spin-dipolar interaction. A consistent estimate of zero-field splitting parameter D approximately + 6 cm-1 was obtained by EPR and Mössbauer measurements. EPR and Mössbauer parameters are shown to be slightly dependent on solvent, but not on the axial ligand in the starting (TMP)Fe complex. In contrast to the TMP complex, the oxoferrylporphyrin cation radical system generated from [TPP(2,6-Cl)FeOSO2CF3] exhibits Mössbauer and EPR spectra consistent with weak iron-porphyrin radical coupling of magnitude of J approximately 1 cm-1.

Uncoupling of the cytochrome P-450cam monooxygenase reaction by a single mutation, threonine-252 to alanine or valine: possible role of the hydroxy amino acid in oxygen activation

Site-directed mutants of cytochrome P-450cam (the cytochrome P-450 that acts as the terminal monooxygenase in the d-camphor monooxygenase system), in which threonine-252 had been changed to alanine, valine, or serine, were employed to study the role of the hydroxy amino acid in the monooxygenase reaction. The mutant enzymes were expressed in Escherichia coli and were purified by a conventional method. All the mutant enzymes in the presence of d-camphor exhibited optical absorption spectra almost indistinguishable from those of the wild-type enzyme in their ferric, ferrous, oxygenated, and carbon monoxide ferrous forms. In a reconstituted system with putidaredoxin and its reductase, the alanine enzyme consumed O2 at a rate (1100 per min per heme) comparable to that of the wild-type enzyme (1330 per min per heme), whereas the amount of exo-5-hydroxycamphor formed was less than 10% of that formed by the wild-type enzyme. About 85% of the O2 consumed was recovered as H2O2. The valine enzyme also exhibited an oxidase activity to yield H2O2 accompanied by a relative decrease in the monooxygenase activity. On the other hand, the serine enzyme exhibited essentially the same monooxygenase activity as that of the wild-type enzyme. Thus, uncoupling of O2 consumption from the monooxygenase function was produced by the substitution of an amino acid without a hydroxyl group. When binding of O2 to the ferrous forms was examined, the alanine and valine enzymes formed instantaneously an oxygenated form, which slowly decomposed to the ferric form with rates of 5.5 and 3.2 x 10(-3) sec-1 for the former and latter enzymes, respectively. Since these rates were too slow to account for the overall rates of O2 consumption, the formation of H2O2 was considered to proceed not by way of this route but through the decomposition of a peroxide complex formed by reduction of the oxygenated form by reduced putidaredoxin. Based on these findings, a possible mechanism for oxygen activation in this monooxygenase reaction has been discussed.

The temperature dependence of the MCD spectrum of horseradish peroxidase compound I

The magnetic circular dichroism spectrum of the compound I species of horseradish peroxidase, which contains an iron (IV) porphyrin pi-cation radical complex, has been measured between 273 K and 4.2 K. The spectrum is temperature independent between 273 K and 30 K. However, very strong temperature dependence is observed below 30 K. These data do not appear to fit the temperature dependence expected for the presence of a simple MCD C term, or combination of C terms, but suggest that an increase in the coupling between the S = 1 iron (IV), and the S = 1/2 porphyrin pi-cation radical occurs forming a degenerate ground state. This increase in coupling below 30 K may be the result of a phase change in the protein which in turn affects the electronic structure of the heme group.

Structure of horseradish peroxidase compound I. Kinetic evidence for the incorporation of one oxygen atom from the oxidizing substrate into the enzyme

The kinetics of the reaction between horseradish peroxidase and p-nitroperbenzoic acid to form compound I have been studied at 25 degrees C in phosphate buffer pH 7.2 and ionic strength of 0.11 M by transient-state and steady-state methods. The second-order rate constant for compound I formation obtained by stopped-flow measurements at 403 nm is (3.7 +/- 0.2) x 10(7) M-1 s-1. For the disappearance of p-nitroperbenzoic acid and appearance of p-nitrobenzoic acid using steady-state kinetics measured at 265 nm the rate constant is (3.0 +/- 0.6) x 10(7) M-1 s-1. The results provide an independent confirmation that one and only one oxygen atom is incorporated from the oxidizing substrate into compound I.

Kinetics of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase compound I formation with modified substrates (peroxybenzoic acids)

The kinetics of formation of Compound I of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (ferrocytochrome c:hydrogen-peroxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.5) with a series of peroxybenzoic acids were studied. Reactivity is affected not only by protein ionization, as in the reaction with H2O2, but also by substrate ionization. The reactivity of negatively charged substrates is markedly lower than that of uncharged species, implying that electrostatic factors profoundly influence substrate binding. The rate constants for neutral peroxybenzoic acids carrying electron-withdrawing substituents increase with increasing peroxy acid pKa. This behaviour suggests that, as previously discussed for reactions of turnip peroxidases, formation of peroxy anion by ionization of substrate within the active site is kinetically important. The results support the mechanism of cytochrome c peroxidase Compound I formation which has been proposed by Poulos and Kraut (J. Biol. Chem. 225 (1980), 8199-8205) on the basis of enzyme structural studies.