Active site dynamics of toluene hydroxylation by cytochrome P-450

Abstract

Rat liver cytochrome P-450 hydroxylates toluene to benzyl alcohol plus o-, m-, and p-cresol. Deuterated toluenes were incubated under saturating conditions with liver microsomes from phenobarbital-pretreated rats, and product yields and ratios were measured. Stepwise deuteration of the methyl leads to stepwise decreases in the alcohol/cresol ratio without changing the cresol isomer ratios. Extensive deuterium retention in the benzyl alcohols from PhCH{sub 2}D and PhCHD{sub 2} suggests there is a large intrinsic isotope effect for benzylic hydroxylation. After replacement of the third benzylic H by D, the drop in the alcohol/cresol ratio was particularly acute, suggsting that metabolic switching from D to H within the methyl group was easier than switching from the methyl to the ring. Comparison of the alcohol/cresol ratio for PhCH{sub 3} vs PhCD{sub 3} indicated a net isotope effect of 6.9 for benzylic hydroxylation. From product yield data for PhCH{sub 3} and PhCD{sub 3}, {sup D}V for benzyl alcohol formation is only 1.92, whereas {sup D}V for total product formation is 0.67 (i.e., inverse). From competitive incubations of PhCH{sub 3}/PhCD{sub 3} mixtures {sup D}(V/K) isotope effects on benzyl alcohol formation and total product formation (3.6 and 1.23, respectively) are greatly reduced, implying strong commitment to catalysis.more » In contrast, {sup D}(V/K) for the alcohol/cresol ratio is 6.3, indicating that the majority of the intrinsic isotope effect is expressed through metabolic switching. Overall, these data are consistent with reversible formation of a complex between toluene and the active oxygen form of cytochrome P-450, which rearranges internally and reacts to form products faster than it dissociates back to release substrate.« less