EPR detection of sulfanyl radical during sulfhemoglobin formation – Influence of catalase

Abstract

Hemoglobin in its ferryl form oxidizes hydrogen sulfide and is transformed to sulfhemoglobin, where the sulfur is inserted covalently at the heme edge. Shown here is evidence that—as previously proposed by others—this process involves oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to a sulfanyl radical detectable by spin-trapping in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The yields and rates of formation of sulfhemoglobin as well as of the sulfanyl radical are affected by the same factors that affect the reactivity of hemoglobin ferryl, in bovine hemoglobin and in phytoglobins as well. A freely-diffusing sulfanyl radical is thus proposed to be involved in sulfhemoglobin formation. Catalase is shown to accelerate this process due to a previously described hydrogen sulfide oxidase activity, within which EPR evidence for sulfanyl generation is shown here for the first time. The reaction of preformed ferryl with hydrogen sulfide—in absence of hydrogen peroxide—is studied by stopped-flow at several pH values and explained in light of reactivity and redox potential control.