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Cytochrome C (Fe2+) as a competitive inhibitor of NADPH-dependent reduction of cytochrome P450 LM2: locating protein-protein interaction sites in microsomal electron carriers.

The kinetics of NADPH-dependent reduction of cytochrome P450 LM2 in the soluble monomeric reconstituted system in the absence of any substrate is shown to be monophasic. We show that ferrous cytochrome c acts as a competitive inhibitor of the reduction. In the presence of 1 mM benzphetamine an additional extremely fast phase was observed. Under these conditions ferrous cytochrome c was found to be a competitive inhibitor of the slow phase of the reduction process, which accounted for 80% of the total reduction amplitude. Inhibition experiments yield a dissociation constant for the LM2-reductase complex of 3.0 +/- 1.5 microM. This constant was the same both in the presence and in the absence of benzphetamine. Based on these data we conclude that cytochromes P450 and c bind to the same center on the NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase molecule. Comparative analysis of the amino acid sequences reveals a detectable similarity between cytochrome c and cytochrome P450 LM2 at positions 68-87 and 121-145, respectively. In addition, a substantial similarity was shown for sequence fragments 204-224 of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and 40-60 of cytochrome b5. Based on these findings a hypothesis for the location of the centers of intermolecular interactions on the molecules of cytochrome P450 LM2 and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase is proposed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effect of dysprosium on the spin-lattice relaxation time of cytochrome c and cytochrome a.

The progressive power saturation of the electron paramagnetic resonance of horse heart cytochrome c and solubilized bovine heart cytochrome oxidase has been monitored at low temperature in the presence of the relaxing agent, dysprosium. The saturation of the EPR signal of cytochrome c is relieved even at 6 K. With increasing temperature the effect is enhanced as the relaxation time of the dysprosium becomes shorter; however, the intrinsic spin-lattice relaxation time, T1, for cytochrome c decreases even more rapidly with increasing temperature. T1 for cytochrome c can be described by an intrinsic component, a component which is proportional to the concentration of dysprosium and a third component due to local binding which is independent of dysprosium concentration. The cytochrome a component of cytochrome oxidase is also affected by dysprosium. In the presence of cytochrome oxidase, T1 for cytochrome c is almost unaffected by dysprosium, indicating that access to the cytochrome c heme is blocked by the binding of c to oxidase. Based on the concentration-dependent effect of dysprosium on the lifetime of cytochrome c, it is possible to make distance estimates from the EPR active center to Dy3+. Dysprosium is therefore useful for determining the spatial relationships among paramagnetic enzyme components in a quantitative way.

Animals↗

Incorporation of cytochrome b5 into rat liver microsomal membranes. Impairment of cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed function oxidase activity.

Cytochrome b5 was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from the liver microsomes of untreated rats and reincorporated into liver microsomes from phenobarbital-treated rats, resulting in an approximate three-fold enrichment of the cytochrome b5 specific content (1.5 nmol haemoprotein X mg-1 protein). Our results have shown that the N-demethylation of benzphetamine was progressively inhibited in cytochrome b5-fortified microsomal preparations. Using stopped flow, visible difference spectrophotometry, the NADPH-driven reduction kinetics of cytochrome P-450 were examined in the modified microsomes over the first few seconds of reaction. Increasing the amount of incorporated cytochrome b5 resulted in a progressive inhibition of the initial, fast phase reduction rate constant of microsomal cytochrome P-450, both in the absence and presence of the type I substrate benzphetamine. Although the initial rate of NADPH-driven cytochrome b5 reduction was the same for both native and cytochrome b5-fortified microsomes, the extent of cytochrome b5 reduction was greater in the fortified microsomes. If cytochrome b5 has a positive role to play in cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed function oxidase activity either as an effector or in electron transfer or both, the former haemoprotein must be already present in sufficient concentrations in the native microsomes.

Animals↗

Two distinct binding sites for high potential iron-sulfur protein and cytochrome c on the reaction center-bound cytochrome of Rubrivivax gelatinosus.

The photosynthetic cyclic electron transfer of the purple bacterium Rubrivivax gelatinosus, involving the cytochrome bc(1) complex and the reaction center, can be carried out via two pathways. A high potential iron-sulfur protein (HiPIP) acts as the in vivo periplasmic electron donor to the reaction center (RC)-bound cytochrome when cells are grown under anaerobic conditions in the light, while cytochrome c is the soluble electron carrier for cells grown under (8)aerobic conditions in the dark. A spontaneous reversion of R. gelatinosus C244, a defective mutant in synthesis of the RC-bound cytochrome by insertion of a Km(r) cassette leading to gene disruption with a slow growth rate, restores the normal photosynthetic growth. This revertant, designated C244-P1, lost the Km(r) cassette but synthesized a RC-bound cytochrome with an external 77-amino acid insertion derived from the cassette. We characterized the RC-bound cytochrome of this mutant by EPR, time-resolved optical spectroscopy, and structural analysis. We also investigated the in vivo electron transfer rates between the two soluble electron donors and this RC-bound cytochrome. Our results demonstrated that the C244-P1 RC-bound cytochrome is still able to receive electrons from HiPIP, but it is no longer reducible by cytochrome c(8). Combining these experimental and theoretical protein-protein docking results, we conclude that cytochrome c(8) and HiPIP bind the RC-bound cytochrome at two distinct but partially overlapping sites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effect of cytochrome b5 on fatty acid omega- and (omega-1)-hydroxylation catalyzed by partially purified cytochrome P-450 from rabbit kidney cortex microsomes.

Cytochrome P-450 was solubilized from kidney cortex microsomes of rabbits treated with 3-methylcholanthrene and partially purified by chromatography on 6-amino-n-hexyl Sepharose 4B and heparin-Sepharose CL-6B columns. Fatty acid omega- and (omega-1)-hydroxylation activity was reconstituted from the partially purified cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, with phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylcholine. The activity was further stimulated by addition of detergent-solubilized cytochrome b5 from rabbit liver microsomes. Trypsin-solubilized or boiled detergent-solubilized cytochrome b5 had no effect. Among fatty acids tested, caprate, laurate, myristate, and palmitate were the most effective substrates. When caprate and laurate were used as the substrates, the products were the corresponding omega- and (omega-1)-hydroxy fatty acids. The ratio of these products was altered by addition of cytochrome b5. On the other hand, when myristate and palmitate were the substrates, small amounts of unknown polar fatty acids were also formed besides omega- and (omega-1)-hydroxy fatty acids, and the ratio of these products was not affected by addition of cytochrome b5. Benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylation activity was also reconstituted from the same cytochrome P-450 preparation, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and phosphatidylserine. However, cytochrome b5 showed only a slight stimulation. The possibility that different cytochrome P-450 species are involved in fatty acid and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylations is discussed.

Animals↗

Polymer phase partition in the purification of cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b5 from the yeast Brettanomyces anomalus.

About 0.5% of the total cellular protein in the yeast Brettanomyces anomalus is membrane-bound cytochrome P-450, when this yeast is grown in the presence of 5% glucose as the main carbon and energy source. A partial purification of cytochrome P-450 by phase partition is described. Breakdown of yeast cell walls with microbial enzyme preparations led to extensive losses of this hemoprotein. Instead, by a carefully controlled mechanical breakage as much as 50% of the total cellular cytochrome P-450 could be recovered. During the solubilization of cytochrome P-450 from the cell homogenate with Triton X-100, the protective agents dithiothreitol, EDTA, and butylated hydroxytoluene prevented major losses of the hemoprotein. Applying a three-phase partition system (polyethylene glycol-Ficoll-dextran) to the solubilized whole cell homogenate in the presence of 1 M sodium chloride, followed by a precipitation of the top "oily layer" with 25% polyethylene glycol, a 25- to 60-fold enrichment of cytochrome P-450 was obtained. This corresponds to a specific content of 0.8-2.2 nmol of cytochrome P-450 per milligram of protein. Cytochrome b5 enriched (41%) to the PEG-Ficoll interphase, and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and "cytochromes P-420" to the Ficoll and dextran phases. The polymer phase partition system thus serves as an excellent initial purification step of cytochrome P-450 without a need for the preparation of the microsomal fraction. Another advantage of the method is that it allows the simultaneous partial purification of cytochrome b5.

Cell Wall↗

[Interaction between cytochrome P-448 and NADP-cytochrome P-450 reductase in reconstituted microsomal membranes].

The regularities of changes in the functional activity of the microsomal monooxygenase system reconstituted by self-assembly from intact rat liver microsomes solubilized with 4% sodium cholate were studied at variable levels of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and the 3-methylcholanthrene-induced form of cytochrome P-450. Using antibodies against cytochrome P-448, the role of cytochrome P-448 in the overall reaction of benzopyrene hydroxylation induced in the microsomal membrane by a set of molecular forms of cytochrome P-450 was investigated. The effect of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome P-448 incorporation into reconstituted microsomal membranes on benzpyrene metabolism suggests that in intact microsomal membranes benzopyrene metabolism induced by different forms of cytochrome P-450, with the exception of P-448, is limited by reductase is not the limiting component; however, cytochrome P-448 reveals its maximum activity at the cytochrome to reductase optimal molar ratio of 5:1; above this level, the catalytic activity of cytochrome P-448 is lowered.

Animals↗

Comparative Fourier transform infrared studies of the secondary structure and the CO heme ligand environment in cytochrome P-450cam and cytochrome P-420cam.

For the first time, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has been applied to cytochrome P-450 to analyze the protein secondary structure. From Fourier self-deconvolution and fitting the infrared spectra in the amide I' region (1600-1700 cm-1), we estimate 44% alpha-helix, 31% beta-sheet, and 18% turns for substrate-free cytochrome P-450cam. In the presence of camphor, 54% alpha-helix and 310-helix, 21% beta-sheet, and 21% turns are obtained which agree with the crystallographic data of 53% alpha-helix, 19% beta-sheet, and 16% turns [Poulos, T. L., Finzel, B. C., & Howard, A. J. (1987) J. Mol. Biol. 195, 687-700]. Cytochrome P-420cam is produced from substrate-free cytochrome P-450cam in two ways: (i) by temperature elevation up to 60 degrees C and (ii) by exposure to KSCN up to 1.5 M. The secondary structure composition is determined for each temperature and KSCN concentration and compared with the changes observed in the iron ligand CO stretch vibration bands appearing between 1900 and 2000 cm-1. Thermally induced cytochrome P-420 has an alpha-helix content of 19%, a beta-sheet content of 53%, 14% turns, and 5% antiparallel beta-sheets from intermolecular hydrogen bonds within protein aggregates. The formation of cytochrome P-420 as a function of the KSCN concentration indicates two types of cytochrome P-420. Up to 1 M KSCN, the induced cytochrome P-420 displays only little modification of the secondary structure, whereas at 1.5 M KSCN, larger changes are observed, resulting in 85% cytochrome P-420 without protein precipitation and containing 30% alpha-helix, 48% beta-sheet, and 17% turns. Infrared spectra in the iron ligand CO stretch region show several subconformers for cytochrome P-420. During the cytochrome P-420 formation, the CO stretch modes are shifted to higher frequencies by 3-11 cm-1, with a main feature at about 1964 cm-1, compared to those of substrate-free cytochrome P-450cam-CO.

Binding Sites↗

Cytochrome oxidase genes from Thermus thermophilus. Nucleotide sequence and analysis of the deduced primary structure of subunit IIc of cytochrome caa3.

Cytochrome caa3, a cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus, is a two-subunit enzyme containing the four canonical metal centers of cytochrome c oxidases (cytochromes a and a3; copper centers CuA and CuB) and an additional cytochrome c. The smaller subunit contains heme C and was termed the C-protein. We have cloned the genes encoding the subunits of the oxidase and determined the nucleotide sequence of the C-protein gene. The gene and deduced primary amino acid sequences establish that both the gene and the protein are fusions with a typical subunit II sequence and a characteristic cytochrome c sequence; we now call this subunit IIc. The protein thus appears to represent a covalent joining of substrate (cytochrome c) to its enzyme (cytochrome c oxidase). In common with other subunits II, subunit IIc contains two hydrophobic segments of amino acids near the amino terminus that probably form transmembrane helices. Variability analysis of the Thermus and other subunit II sequences suggests that the two putative transmembrane helices in subunit II may be located on the surface of the hydrophobic portion of the intact cytochrome oxidase protein complex. Also in common with other subunits II is a relatively hydrophilic intermembrane domain containing a set of conserved amino acids (2 cysteines and 2 histidines) which have previously been proposed by others to serve as ligands to the CuA center. We compared the subunit IIc sequence with that of related proteins. N2O reductase of Pseudomonas stutzeri, a multi-copper protein that appears to contain a CuA site (Scott, R.A., Zumft, W.G., Coyle, C.L., and Dooley, D.M. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 4082-4086), contains a 59-residue sequence element that is homologous to the "CuA sequence motif" found in cytochrome oxidase subunits II, including all four putative copper ligands. By contrast, subunit II of the Escherichia coli quinol oxidase, cytochrome bo, also contains a region homologous to the CuA motif, but it lacks the proposed metal binding histidine and cysteine residues; this is consistent with the apparent absence of CuA from cytochrome bo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rapid redox equilibrium between the mitochondrial Q pool and cytochrome b during triphasic reduction of cytochrome b by succinate.

The reliability of monitoring the redox reactions of cytochrome b using the different wavelengths employed by different authors has been reexamined. It was found that 562-575 nm is suitable in succinate: cytochrome c reductase but not in mitochondria, in which case 562-540 nm is a better pair. Direct optical measurements of the redox reaction kinetics of the mitochondrial Q pool using a commercial dual-wavelength spectrophotometer are possible when succinate is used as the electron donor. Using the correct wavelength pair, and with malonate to slow down the electron input, the reduction course of cytochrome b was still triphasic but a plateau or a turn replaced the oxidation phase previously reported by several authors. At the same time, the reduction course of the Q pool was also triphasic, and in perfect match with that of cytochrome b. Destruction of the Rieske iron-sulfur cluster by British anti-Lewisite (BAL) + O2 treatment or prereduction of the high-potential components made the reduction of both Q and b monophasic. The plot of log (Q/QH2) against log (b3+/b2+) gave a straight line with an n value of 1.7 for cytochrome b at pH 7.4. This n value rose to 2.0 at pH 6.5 and dropped to 1.4 at pH 8.5. On the other hand, the mid-point potential of cytochrome b relative to that of the Q pool remained essentially unchanged between pH 6.5 and 8.4. BAL treatment had a small effect on the midpoint potential of cytochrome b relative to that of the Q pool and had no effect on the n value. Addition of quinone homologues and analogues extended the plateau phase in the reduction of cytochrome b, but exogenous quinones did not equilibrate rapidly with cytochrome b. It was concluded that the appearance of the plateau between the two reduction phases of Q and b is caused by the rapid delivery of electrons to the high-potential components of the respiratory chain as envisaged in the Q cycle; the unexpected n value for cytochrome b suggests a concerted reduction by QH2 of two species of cytochromes b-562.

Animals↗

Interaction between NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome P-450 in the membrane of phosphatidylcholine vesicles.

Cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 REDUctase, both purified from liver microsomes of phenobarbital-pretreated rabbits, have been incorporated into the membrane of phosphoaditylcholine vesicles by the cholate dialysis method. The reduction of cytochrome P-450 by NADPH in this system is biphasic, consisting of two first-order reactions. The rate constant of the fast phase, in which 80--90% of the total cytochrome is reduced, increases as the molar ratio of the reductase to the cytochrome is increased at a fixed ratio of the cytochrome to phosphatidylcholine, suggesting that the rate-limiting step of the fast phase is the interaction between the reductase and the cytochrome. The rate constant of the fast phase also increases when the amount of phosphatidylcholine, relative to those of the two proteins, is decreased. This latter observation suggests that the interaction between the two proteins is effected by their random collision caused by their lateral mobilities on the plane of the membrane of phosphatidylcholine vesicles. The rate constant of the slow phase as well as the fraction of cytochrome P-450 reducible in the slow phase, on the other hand, remains essentially constant even upon alteration in the ratio of the reductase to the cytochrome or in that of the two proteins to phosphatidylcholine. No satisfactory explanation is as yet available for the cause of the slow-phase reduction of cytochrome P-450. The overall activity of benzphetamine N-demethylation catalyzed by the reconstituted vesicles responds to changes in the composition of the sysTEM IN A SIMILAR WAY TO THE FAST-PHASE REDUCTION OF CYTOCHROME P-450, though the latter is not the rate-limiting step of the overall reaction.

Animals↗

Crystal structure of chloroplast cytochrome f reveals a novel cytochrome fold and unexpected heme ligation.

BACKGROUND: Cytochrome f is the high potential electron acceptor of the chloroplast cytochrome b6f complex, and is the electron donor to plastocyanin. The 285-residue cytochrome f subunit is anchored in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast by a single membrane-spanning segment near the carboxyl terminus. A soluble redox-active 252-residue lumen-side polypeptide with native spectroscopic and redox properties, missing the membrane anchor and carboxyl terminus, was purified from turnip chloroplasts for structural studies. RESULTS: The crystal structure of cytochrome f, determined to 2.3 A resolution, has several unexpected features. The 252-residue polypeptide is organized into one large and one small domain. The larger heme-binding domain is strikingly different from known structures of other c-type cytochromes and has the same fold as the type III domain of the animal protein, fibronectin. Cytochrome f binds heme with an unprecedented axial heme iron ligand: the amino terminus of the polypeptide. CONCLUSION: The first atomic structure of a subunit of either the cytochrome b6f complex or of the related cytochrome bc1 complex has been obtained. The structure of cytochrome f allows prediction of the approximate docking site of plastocyanin and should allow systematic studies of the mechanism of intra- and inter-protein electron transfer between the cytochrome heme and plastocyanin copper, which are approximately isopotential. The unprecedented axial heme iron ligand also provides information on the sequence of events (i.e. cleavage of signal peptide and ligation of heme) associated with translocation of the cytochrome across the membrane and its subsequent folding.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Proton linkage of complex formation between cytochrome c and cytochrome b5: electrostatic consequences of protein-protein interactions.

Two potentiometric methods have been used to study the pH-dependent changes in proton binding that accompany complex formation between cytochrome c and cytochrome b5. With one method, the number of protons bound or released upon addition of one cytochrome to the other has been measured as a function of pH. The results from these studies are correlated with the complexation-induced difference titration curve calculated from the titration curves of the preformed complex and of the individual proteins. Both methods demonstrate that complex formation at acid pH is accompanied by proton release, that complex formation at basic pH is accompanied by proton uptake, and that the change in proton binding at neutral pH, where stability of complex formation is maximal, is relatively small. Under all conditions studied, the stoichiometry of cytochrome c-cytochrome b5 complex formation is 1:1 with no evidence of higher order complex formation. Although the dependence of complex formation on pH for interaction between different species of cytochrome c and cytochrome b5 are qualitatively similar, they are quantitatively different. In particular, complex formation between yeast iso-1-cytochrome c and lipase-solubilized bovine cytochrome b5 occurs with a stability constant that is 10-fold greater than observed for the other two pairs of proteins under all conditions studied. Interaction between these two proteins is also significantly less dependent on ionic strength than observed for complexes formed by horse heart cytochrome c with either form of cytochrome b5.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cytochrome c Group↗

Interaction site for soluble cytochromes on the tetraheme cytochrome subunit bound to the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center mapped by site-directed mutagenesis.

The crystallographic structure of the Blastochloris (formerly called Rhodopseudomonas) viridis tetraheme cytochrome subunit bound to the photosynthetic reaction center (RC) suggests that all four hemes are located close enough to the surface of the protein to accept electrons from soluble cytochrome c2. To identify experimentally the site of this reaction we prepared site-directed mutants of Rubrivivax gelatinosus RCs with surface charge substitutions in the bound cytochrome subunit and studied the kinetics of their reduction by soluble cytochromes (mitochondrial horse cytochrome c, Blc. viridis cytochrome c2, and Rvi. gelatinosus cytochrome c8). In comparison with the wild-type, the mutants E79K (glutamate-79 substituted by lysine), E93K (glutamate-93 substituted by lysine), and E85K (glutamate-85 substituted by lysine) located near the solvent-exposed edge of low-potential heme 1, the fourth heme from the special pair of bacteriochlorophyll, exhibited decreased second-order rate constants for the reaction between the tetraheme subunit and the soluble cytochromes. Double charge substitutions in this region: E79K/E85K (glutamate-79 and -85 both replaced by lysine) and E93K/E85K (glutamate-93 and -85 both replaced by lysine) appeared to show an additive inhibitory effect. Mutations in other charged regions did not alter the kinetics of electron transfer between bound and soluble cytochromes. In light of the available structural information on Blc. viridis RC, these results indicate that the cluster of acidic residues immediately surrounding the distal heme 1 of the RC-bound tetraheme subunit forms an electrostatically favorable binding site for soluble cytochromes. Thus, all four hemes in the subunit seem to be directly involved in the electron transfer toward the photo-oxidized special pair of bacteriochlorophyll. On the basis of these findings, a model is proposed for the hypothetical cytochrome c2-RC transient complex for Blc. viridis.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Cytochrome P460 of Nitrosomonas europaea. Formation of the heme-lysine cross-link in a heterologous host and mutagenic conversion to a non-cross-linked cytochrome c'.

The heme of cytochrome P460 of Nitrosomonas europaea, which is covalently crosslinked to two cysteines of the polypeptide as with all c-type cytochromes, has an additional novel covalent crosslink to lysine 70 of the polypeptide [Arciero, D.M. & Hooper, A.B. (1997) FEBS Lett.410, 457-460]. The protein can catalyze the oxidation of hydroxylamine. The gene for this protein, cyp, was expressed in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO lacI, resulting in formation of a holo-cytochrome P460 which closely resembled native cytochrome P460 purified from N. europaea in its UV-visible spectroscopic, ligand binding and catalytic properties. Mutant versions of cytochrome P460 of N. europaea in which Lys70 70 was replaced by Arg, Ala, or Tyr, retained ligand-binding ability but lost catalytic ability and differed in optical spectra which, instead, closely resembled those of cytochromes c'. Tryptic fragments containing the c-heme joined only by two thioether linkages were observed by MALDI-TOF for the mutant cytochromes P460 K70R and K70A but not in wild-type cytochrome P460, consistent with the structural modification of the c-heme only in the wild-type cytochrome. The present observations support the hypothesized evolutionary relationship between cytochromes P460 and cytochromes c' in N. europaea and M. capsulatus[Bergmann, D.J., Zahn, J.A., & DiSpirito, A.A. (2000) Arch. Microbiol. 173, 29-34], confirm the importance of a heme-crosslink to the spectroscopic properties and catalysis and suggest that the crosslink might form auto-catalytically.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Modulation of the heme environment of neutrophil cytochrome b558 to a "cytochrome P450-like" structure by pyridine.

The effect of pyridine on the heme environment of cytochrome b558 was studied using ESR and optical absorption spectroscopy in relation to the O2(-)-generating activity in the NADPH oxidase system of stimulated pig neutrophils. As the concentration of pyridine increased, the absorption maxima of the alpha- and gamma-bands of cytochrome b558 shifted which correlated with a concomitant decrease in O2(-)-generating activity. In addition, the g = 3.2 signal of cytochrome b558 decreased with the concomitant appearance of a new ESR spectrum that strikingly resembled that of cytochrome P450. The results suggest that pyridine induces a structural modification in the heme environment of cytochrome b558 by shifting the 5th heme ligand (histidine) to a nearby thiolate group without direct binding of pyridine to the heme. The existence of a reactive thiolate near the heme iron was confirmed by pretreatment of blocked cytochrome b558 with p-chloromercuribenzoate, which completely inhibited the formation of the cytochrome P450-like ESR spectrum. The results provide further evidence that a low-spin heme iron of cytochrome b558 with a g-value of 3.2 is essential to the O2(-)-forming reaction of the NADPH oxidase system. From sequence alignments of cytochrome P450 with those of large and small subunits of cytochrome b558, the heme in cytochrome b558 appears to be specifically associated with the large subunit.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Chemical modification of Tyr34 and Tyr129 in rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome b5 affects interaction with cytochrome P-450 2B4.

Rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome b5 was allowed to react with tetranitromethane. Up to three tyrosine residues in each cytochrome b5 molecule were found to be accessible to the nitrating agent. Co-modification of tryptophan and histidine residues could be disregarded. CD-spectral measurements disproved gross changes in cytochrome b5 structure as a consequence of derivatization. Introduction of 1.6 nitro groups/polypeptide chain resulted in a fivefold increase in binding affinity for cytochrome P-450 2B4 (P-450 2B4), whereas spectral interaction with cytochrome c remained unaffected. Furthermore, the capacity of nitrated cytochrome b5 to shift the spin equilibrium to the high-spin conformer of P-4502B4 was diminished by 44% compared with the control. This corresponded with the partial disruption of NADH-dependent electron flow to ferric P-450 2B4. Changes in the redox potential of cytochrome b5 could be discounted as being responsible for this effect. The overall oxidative turnover of 4-nitroanisole did not respond to cytochrome b5 modification. MS analysis and sequencing of peptide fragments produced by tryptic digestion of modified cytochrome b5 permitted the detection of three nitrated tyrosine residues located at positions 11, 34 and 129. Derivatization of cytochrome b5 in the presence of a protective amount of P-450 2B4 provided evidence of the involvement of Tyr34 and Tyr129 in complexation of the two hemoproteins. It is proposed that Tyr129 might control docking of cytochrome b5 to P-450 2B4, whereas Tyr34 could be of functional importance in electron transfer.

Animals↗

Recombinant enzymes overexpressed in bacteria show broad catalytic specificity of human cytochrome P450 2W1 and limited activity of human cytochrome P450 2S1.

Human cytochromes P450 2S1 and 2W1 have received only limited attention with regard to characterization of function. Both cytochromes P450 have been reported to be overexpressed in human tumors, and cytochrome P450 2S1 is induced by carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons. We report methods for high-level expression and purification of both cytochromes P450 from Escherichia coli, with the goal of establishing function. The level of expression of human cytochrome P450 2W1 achieved using codon optimization for E. coli was 1800 nmol of cytochrome P450 per liter of culture, the highest level achieved in this laboratory to date. Assays with a number of the typical cytochrome P450 substrates showed no detectable activity, including some for which qualitative reports have appeared in the literature. Cytochrome P450 2W1 catalyzed benzphetamine N-demethylation (k(cat), 3.8/min) and arachidonic acid oxidation, albeit at a very low rate (approximately 0.05/min). In a umu genotoxicity screen, cytochrome P450 2W1 catalyzed the activation of several procarcinogens, particularly polycyclic hydrocarbon diols, but cytochrome P450 2S1 did not. The bioactivation of procarcinogens by cytochrome P450 2W1 may be of significance in the context of reports of preferential expression of the enzyme in tumors, in that activation of procarcinogens could lead to the accumulation of mutations and enhance the carcinogenic process.

Amino Acid Sequence↗