Oxidation Of Tyrosine Research Articles

Hydroxyl Radical Induced Ultra-Weak Photon Emission from Tyrosine Solutions

This paper deals with ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) from aqueous tyrosine solutions induced by hydroxyl radical. The physical nature of this specific phenomenon is presented and the proposed mechanism of its origin during oxidation of tyrosine is described. The experimental part of the work is focused on the measurements of intensity of ultra-weak photon emission from different solutions of tyrosine. The emission from solutions with and without presence of hydroxyl radical is analyzed. The results confirm the assumption that the highest intensity is detected from the solution of tyrosine, hydrogen peroxide and ferrous sulphate heptahydrate, likely due the Fenton reaction originated hydroxyl radical, which causes oxidation of tyrosine, formation of high-energy intermediates and electron excited species. Since hydroxyl radical induced ultra-weak photon emission from tyrosine has not been analyzed before in the available literature, our results could be the beneficial contribution to this field of research.

Enzymatic-induced upconversion photoinduced electron transfer for sensing tyrosine in human serum

This paper reports a novel nanosensor for tyrosine based on photoinduced electron-transfer (PET) between NaYF4:Yb, Tm upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and melanin-like polymers. Melanin-like films were obtained from catalytic oxidation of tyrosine by tyrosinase, and deposited on the surface of UCNPs, and then quenched the fluorescence of UCNPs. Under the optimized conditions, the fluorescence quenching of UCNPs showed a good linear response to tyrosine concentration in the range of 0.8–100μΜ with a detection limit of 1.1μΜ. Meanwhile, it showed good sensitivity, stability and has been successfully applied to the detection of tyrosine in human serum.

Sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase. A critical target in chlorine inhalation-induced cardiotoxicity.

Autopsy specimens from human victims or experimental animals that die due to acute chlorine gas exposure present features of cardiovascular pathology. We demonstrate acute chlorine inhalation-induced reduction in heart rate and oxygen saturation in rats. Chlorine inhalation elevated chlorine reactants, such as chlorotyrosine and chloramine, in blood plasma. Using heart tissue and primary cardiomyocytes, we demonstrated that acute high-concentration chlorine exposure in vivo (500 ppm for 30 min) caused decreased total ATP content and loss of sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) activity. Loss of SERCA activity was attributed to chlorination of tyrosine residues and oxidation of an important cysteine residue, cysteine-674, in SERCA, as demonstrated by immunoblots and mass spectrometry. Using cardiomyocytes, we found that chlorine-induced cell death and damage to SERCA could be decreased by thiocyanate, an important biological antioxidant, and by genetic SERCA2 overexpression. We also investigated a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drug, ranolazine, used in treatment of cardiac diseases, and previously shown to stabilize SERCA in animal models of ischemia-reperfusion. Pretreatment with ranolazine or istaroxime, another SERCA activator, prevented chlorine-induced cardiomyocyte death. Further investigation of responsible mechanisms showed that ranolazine- and istaroxime-treated cells preserved mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP after chlorine exposure. Thus, these studies demonstrate a novel critical target for chlorine in the heart and identify potentially useful therapies to mitigate toxicity of acute chlorine exposure.

Single-step immobilization of cell adhesive peptides on a variety of biomaterial substrates via tyrosine oxidation with copper catalyst and hydrogen peroxide.

Immobilization of biologically active peptides which were isolated from extracellular matrix proteins is a powerful strategy for the design and functionalization of biomaterial substrates. However, the method of peptide immobilization was restricted, that is, peptide is often immobilized through the reactive groups inherent in substrates with multistep reactions. Here, we report a single-step immobilization of fibronectin-derived cell adhesive peptide (Arg-Glu-Asp-Val; REDV) onto polymer materials by use of tyrosine oxidation with copper catalyst and hydrogen peroxide. REDV peptide was successfully immobilized on tissue culture polystyrene, poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(vinyl chloride), expanded-poly(tetrafluoroethylene), and poly(l-lactic acid), resulting in enhanced adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. This method is a single-step reaction under very mild conditions and is available for the biological functionalization of various medical devices.

Oxidation of Hypotaurine and Cysteine Sulfinic Acid by Peroxidase-generated Reactive Species.

AbstractHypotaurine (HTAU) and cysteine sulfinic acid (CSA) are the metabolic intermediates in the mammalian pathway leading from cysteine to taurine. Strong evidence has been presented that the formation of taurine (TAU) and cysteic acid (CA) is the result of the interaction of both sulfinates with various oxidizing agents that may be present in biological systems. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the oxidation of sulfinates, HTAU and CSA, by peroxidase-generated reactive species. Reactive nitrogen and oxygen species can be produced during the process of nitrite oxidation catalyzed by heme peroxidases, such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or myeloperoxidase, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Nitrite is the major end product of nitric oxide (NO) metabolism. Oxidation of nitrite by such mechanisms could be important at sites of inflammatory processes. The formation of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) via peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of nitrite could represent an additional mechanism of the formation of taurine. The oxidation of the sulfinates, HTAU and CSA, by HRP/H2O2/nitrite system has been evaluated by monitoring the oxygen consumption and the production of the corresponding sulfonates, TAU and CA. Moreover, the effect of HTAU and CSA, on nitrotyrosine formation by HRP/H2O2/nitrite system has been studied. During the HRP/H2O2-dependent oxidation of tyrosine, tyrosyl radicals are formed. The results provide evidence that sulfinates inhibit nitrotyrosine formation not only by scavenging RNS but also by reducing the peroxidase-generated tyrosyl radical.KeywordsCysteic acidCysteine sulfinic acidHypotaurineNitrogen dioxidePeroxidaseReactive nitrogen speciesSulfinateSulfonyl radicalTaurineTyrosyl radical

Bacterial melanin in rat models of Parkinson's disease: a potential neuroprotective strategy.

Melanins are widely used in medicine, pharmacology and cosmetics. Different technologies have been used to obtain melanin including: chemical synthesis based on oxidation of tyrosine and its derivatives; extraction from animal materials; alkaline extraction from plant material; and microbiological synthesis. A few number of works have been published that were focused on purification of water insoluble 3,4-dihydroxy-phenylalanine-melanins (Kukulianskaia et al., 2002). The majority of synthetic and natural melanins are insoluble in water that significantly complicates preparation of pharmacological and cosmetic preparations. Obtaining of low-cost soluble biotechnological melanin can speed up application of melanin in medicine and other fields. For the first time, melanin-synthesizing strain with high level of pigment synthesis – Bacillus thuringiensis was obtained. The ecologically safe technology of biosynthesis, isolation and purification of the bacterial melanin has been elaborated.

A multi-walled carbon nanotube/poly-2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol film modified carbon paste electrode for the amperometric determination of l-tyrosine

An electrochemically induced oxa-Michael addition reaction for electro-polymerization of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol at CPE/MWCNT for the electro-catalytic oxidation of tyrosine.

Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in Tyrosine and a β-Hairpin Maquette: Reaction Dynamics on the Picosecond Time Scale

In proteins, proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) can involve the transient oxidation and reduction of the aromatic amino acid tyrosine. Due to the short life time of tyrosyl radical intermediates, transient absorption spectroscopy provides an important tool in deciphering electron-transfer mechanisms. In this report, the photoionization of solution tyrosine and tyrosinate was investigated using transient, picosecond absorption spectroscopy. The results were compared to data acquired from a tyrosine-containing β-hairpin peptide. This maquette, peptide A, is an 18-mer that exhibits π-π interaction between tyrosine (Y5) and histidine (H14). Y5 and H14 carry out an orthogonal PCET reaction when Y5 is oxidized in the mid-pH range. Photolysis of all samples (280 nm, instrument response: 360 fs) generated a solvated electron signal within 3 ps. A signal from the S1 state and a 410 nm signal from the neutral tyrosyl radical were also formed in 3 ps. Fits to S1 and tyrosyl radical decay profiles revealed biphasic kinetics with time constants of 10-50 and 400-1300 ps. The PCET reaction at pH 9 was associated with a significant decrease in the rate of tyrosyl radical and S1 decay compared to electron transfer (ET) alone (pH 11). This pH dependence was observed both in solution and peptide samples. The pH 9 reaction may occur with a sequential electron-transfer, proton-transfer (ETPT) mechanism. Alternatively, the pH 9 reaction may occur by coupled proton and electron transfer (CPET). CPET would be associated with a reorganization energy larger than that of the pH 11 reaction. Significantly, the decay kinetics of S1 and the tyrosyl radical were accelerated in peptide A compared to solution samples at both pH values. These data suggest either an increase in electronic coupling or a specific, sequence-dependent interaction, which facilitates ET and PCET in the β hairpin.

Redox Biology Poster Prize Winner P68 - Detection and quantification of protein oxidation in sarcopenic models: a mass spectrometry study

Oxidised biomolecules in aged tissue could potentially be used as biomarkers for age-related diseases; however, it is still unclear whether they causatively contribute to ageing or are consequences of the ageing process. To assess the potential of using protein oxidation as markers of ageing, mass spectrometry (MS) was employed for the identification and quantification of oxidative modifications in obese (ob/ob) mice. Lean muscle mass and strength is reduced in obesity, representing a sarcopenic model in which the levels of oxidation can be evaluated for different muscular systems including calcium homeostasis, metabolism and contractility. Several oxidised residues were identified by tandem MS (MS/MS) in both muscle homogenate and isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), an organelle that regulates intracellular calcium levels in muscle. These modifications include oxidation of methionine, cysteine, tyrosine, and tryptophan in several proteins such as sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), glycogen phosphorylase, and myosin. Once modifications had been identified, multiple reaction monitoring MS (MRM) was used to quantify the percentage modification of oxidised residues within the samples. Preliminary data suggests proteins in ob/ob mice are more oxidised than the controls. For example SERCA, which constitutes 60-70% of the SR, had approximately a 2-fold increase in cysteine trioxidation of Cys561 in the obese model when compared to the control. Other obese muscle proteins have also shown a similar increase in oxidation for various residues. Further analysis with complex protein mixtures will determine the potential diagnostic use of MRM experiments for analysing protein oxidation in small biological samples such as muscle needle biopsies.

Photochemical tyrosine oxidation in the structurally well-defined α3Y protein: proton-coupled electron transfer and a long-lived tyrosine radical.

Tyrosine oxidation–reduction involves proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) and a reactive radical state. These properties are effectively controlled in enzymes that use tyrosine as a high-potential, one-electron redox cofactor. The α3Y model protein contains Y32, which can be reversibly oxidized and reduced in voltammetry measurements. Structural and kinetic properties of α3Y are presented. A solution NMR structural analysis reveals that Y32 is the most deeply buried residue in α3Y. Time-resolved spectroscopy using a soluble flash-quench generated [Ru(2,2′-bipyridine)3]3+ oxidant provides high-quality Y32–O• absorption spectra. The rate constant of Y32 oxidation (kPCET) is pH dependent: 1.4 × 104 M–1 s–1 (pH 5.5), 1.8 × 105 M–1 s–1 (pH 8.5), 5.4 × 103 M–1 s–1 (pD 5.5), and 4.0 × 104 M–1 s–1 (pD 8.5). kH/kD of Y32 oxidation is 2.5 ± 0.5 and 4.5 ± 0.9 at pH(D) 5.5 and 8.5, respectively. These pH and isotope characteristics suggest a concerted or stepwise, proton-first Y32 oxidation mechanism. The photochemical yield of Y32–O• is 28–58% versus the concentration of [Ru(2,2′-bipyridine)3]3+. Y32–O• decays slowly, t1/2 in the range of 2–10 s, at both pH 5.5 and 8.5, via radical–radical dimerization as shown by second-order kinetics and fluorescence data. The high stability of Y32–O• is discussed relative to the structural properties of the Y32 site. Finally, the static α3Y NMR structure cannot explain (i) how the phenolic proton released upon oxidation is removed or (ii) how two Y32–O• come together to form dityrosine. These observations suggest that the dynamic properties of the protein ensemble may play an essential role in controlling the PCET and radical decay characteristics of α3Y.

Photo-oxidation of tyrosine in a bio-engineered bacterioferritin ‘reaction centre’—A protein model for artificial photosynthesis

The photosynthetic reaction centre (RC) is central to the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy and is a model for bio-mimetic engineering approaches to this end. We describe bio-engineering of a Photosystem II (PSII) RC inspired peptide model, building on our earlier studies. A non-photosynthetic haem containing bacterioferritin (BFR) from Escherichia coli that expresses as a homodimer was used as a protein scaffold, incorporating redox-active cofactors mimicking those of PSII. Desirable properties include: a di-nuclear metal binding site which provides ligands for bivalent metals, a hydrophobic pocket at the dimer interface which can bind a photosensitive porphyrin and presence of tyrosine residues proximal to the bound cofactors, which can be utilised as efficient electron-tunnelling intermediates.Light-induced electron transfer from proximal tyrosine residues to the photo-oxidised ZnCe6•+, in the modified BFR reconstituted with both ZnCe6 and MnII, is presented. Three site-specific tyrosine variants (Y25F, Y58F and Y45F) were made to localise the redox-active tyrosine in the engineered system. The results indicate that: presence of bound MnII is necessary to observe tyrosine oxidation in all BFR variants; Y45 the most important tyrosine as an immediate electron donor to the oxidised ZnCe6•+ and that Y25 and Y58 are both redox-active in this system, but appear to function interchangebaly. High-resolution (2.1Å) crystal structures of the tyrosine variants show that there are no mutation-induced effects on the overall 3-D structure of the protein. Small effects are observed in the Y45F variant. Here, the BFR-RC represents a protein model for artificial photosynthesis.

Tyrosine oxidation in heme oxygenase: examination of long-range proton-coupled electron transfer.

Heme oxygenase is responsible for the degradation of a histidine-ligated ferric protoporphyrin IX (Por) to biliverdin, CO, and the free ferrous ion. Described here are studies of tyrosyl radical formation reactions that occur after oxidizing Fe(III)(Por) to Fe(IV)=O(Por(·+)) in human heme oxygenase isoform-1 (hHO-1) and the structurally homologous protein from Corynebacterium diphtheriae (cdHO). Site-directed mutagenesis on hHO-1 probes the reduction of Fe(IV)=O(Por(·+)) by tyrosine residues within 11 Å of the prosthetic group. In hHO-1, Y58· is implicated as the most likely site of oxidation, based on the pH and pD dependent kinetics. The absence of solvent deuterium isotope effects in basic solutions of hHO-1 and cdHO contrasts with the behavior of these proteins in the acidic solution, suggesting that long-range proton-coupled electron transfer predominates over electron transfer.

Efficient vibrational analysis for unrestricted Hartree–Fock based on the fragment molecular orbital method

We developed the analytic second derivative of the energy for unrestricted Hartree–Fock based on the fragment molecular orbital (FMO) method. We formulated the second order derivative for the separated dimer approximation in both restricted and unrestricted methods, which accelerated the calculations by the factor of 9 for a radical system containing 704 atoms. The accuracy was evaluated for organic radicals in explicit solvent, in comparison to full ab initio results. The method was applied to study the change of IR absorption spectra in the tyrosine oxidation reaction for a polypeptide representing the active part of the photosynthetic reaction center.

Oxidation and Nitration of Tyrosine by Ozone and Nitrogen Dioxide: Reaction Mechanisms and Biological and Atmospheric Implications

The nitration of tyrosine by atmospheric oxidants, O3 and NO2, is an important cause for the spread of allergenic diseases. In the present study, the mechanism and pathways for the reaction of tyrosine with the atmospheric oxidants O3 and NO2 are studied using DFT-M06-2X, B3LYP, and B3LYP-D methods with the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set. The energy barrier for the initial oxidation reactions is also calculated at the CCSD(T)/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. The reaction is studied in gas, aqueous, and lipid media. The initial oxidation of tyrosine by O3 proceeds by H atom abstraction and addition reactions and leads to the formation of six different intermediates. The subsequent nitration reaction is studied for all the intermediates, and the results show that the nitration affects both the side chain and the aromatic ring of tyrosine. The rate constant of the favorable oxidation and nitration reaction is calculated using variational transition state theory over the temperature range of 278-350 K. The spectral properties of the oxidation and nitration products are calculated at the TD-M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. The fate of the tyrosine radical intermediate is studied by its reaction with glutathione antioxidant. This study provides an enhanced understanding of the oxidation and nitration of tyrosine by O3 and NO2 in the context of improving the air quality and reducing the allergic diseases.

Direct electrochemistry of native and denatured alpha-2-Macroglobulin by solid electrodes

Alpha-2-Macroglobulin (α2M) is the largest major nonimmunoglobulin protein in plasma. A common variant (29.5%) of α2M leads to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Electrochemical methods were advanced for the detection of changes in protein structures based on the anodic response of tyrosine or tryptophan and histidine using different solid electrodes. A direct electrochemical method employing the α2M adsorbed on glassy carbon (GC), boron doped diamond (BDD), edge-plane pyrolytic graphite (EPPG), and a gold electrode has been studied over the pH range 4.2–8.0 by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The α2M oxidation mechanism occurs in two consecutive steps on boron doped diamond electrode, which is pH dependent, corresponding to the oxidation of tyrosine or tryptophan and histidine amino acid residues. For α2M denaturation studies, the glassy carbon electrode was chosen due to the fact that the largest differences were observed in peak currents of native and denatured α2M. The α2M and urea concentrations were optimized by adsorptive stripping square wave voltammetry (SWAdSV) for denaturation in the solution phase. The developed adsorptive stripping method with GCE showed sensitive detection for native and denatured α2M. The limit of detection was found as 9.85μgmL−1 and 1.69μgmL−1 for native and denatured α2M, respectively. The possible oxidation mechanism of α2M is also discussed in detail.

Voltammetric Monitoring of Protein Aggregation from Solution Using Tris-(2,2′-Bipyridine) Osmium(II) Chloride Complex as an Electrocatalytic Mediator

The present work evaluates the feasibility of tracking protein aggregation voltammetrically by taking advantage of the intrinsic electroactivity of tyrosine residues. The electrocatalytic current due to the oxidation of tyrosine, mediated by tris-(2,2′-bipyridine)osmium(II) chloride, is used to report changes in protein aggregation state. We demonstrate, by the use of square wave voltammetry, that this system is able to differentiate between peptides containing equimolar tyrosine concentrations, and even detect tyrosine within large entities such as antibodies and insoluble amyloid fibrils. We also determine the aggregation time course of a model peptide, amyloid beta, detecting species with sizes from monomeric to insoluble aggregate. The method offers the prospect of monitoring biopharmaceutical aggregation and has potential to establish itself as a technique that is orthogonal to existing methods of aggregation detection.

Age-Related Surface Oxidases Shed into Body Fluids as Targets to Prevent Skin Aging and Reduce Cardiovascular Risk

Age-related Ecto-Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Oxidase Disulfide Thiol Exchangers 3 (ENOX3) or age-related NADH oxidases (arNOX) are expressed at the cell surface as five members of the TM-9 superfamily, initially membrane anchored, all functionally similar, with the N-termini exposed at the cell’s exterior. ECTO-NOXes are cell surface proteins with both time-keeping CoQH2 [NAD(P)H] oxidase and protein disulfidethiol interchange activities. They are designated as ECTO-NOX proteins because of their localization on the outer surface of the plasma membrane and to distinguish them from the phox-NOXes of host defense. A ca. 30 kDa N-terminal fragment is cleaved and accumulates in body fluids (serum, saliva, urine, perspiration). arNOXes appear around age 30 and increase steadily thereafter. Reduced quinones, i.e., reduced coenzyme Q, of the plasma membrane are natural substrates. NAD(P)H is oxidized as an artificial substrate. In one phase of the arNOX cycle electrons are transferred to oxygen to generate superoxide. Substrates for the shed forms of arNOX appear to be proteins of body fluids. Circulating lipoproteins and skin matrix proteins emerge as potentially important health-related targets. Through oxidation of collagen, elastin and other proteins of the skin matrix, arNOXes are major contributors to skin aging through tyrosine and thiol oxidation and subsequent cross linking. The main destructive action of arNOX, however, may be to directly oxidize circulating lipoproteins. arNOX in the blood is structured as an integral component of the LDL particle through site-specific binding. As such, arNOXes are implicated as major risk factors for cardiovascular disease due to specific oxidation of LDLs. The superoxide produced and its conversion to hydrogen peroxide would be one part of the potentially destructive properties by contribution to lipid oxidation. Inhibition of arNOX proteins provides a rational basis for anti-aging interventions and their elimination as a major risk factor of atherogenesis.

The first tyrosyl radical intermediate formed in the S2-S3 transition of photosystem II.

The EPR "split signals" represent key intermediates of the S-state cycle where the redox active D1-Tyr161 (YZ) has been oxidized by the reaction center of the photosystem II enzyme to its tyrosyl radical form, but the successive oxidation of the Mn4CaO5 cluster has not yet occurred (SiYZ˙). Here we focus on the S2YZ˙ state, which is formed en route to the final metastable state of the catalyst, the S3 state, the state which immediately precedes O-O bond formation. Quantum chemical calculations demonstrate that both isomeric forms of the S2 state, the open and closed cubane isomers, can form states with an oxidized YZ˙ residue without prior deprotonation of the Mn4CaO5 cluster. The two forms are expected to lie close in energy and retain the electronic structure and magnetic topology of the corresponding S2 state of the inorganic core. As expected, tyrosine oxidation results in a proton shift towards His190. Analysis of the electronic rearrangements that occur upon formation of the tyrosyl radical suggests that a likely next step in the catalytic cycle is the deprotonation of a terminal water ligand (W1) of the Mn4CaO5 cluster. Diamagnetic metal ion substitution is used in our calculations to obtain the molecular g-tensor of YZ˙. It is known that the gx value is a sensitive probe not only of the extent of the proton shift between the tyrosine-histidine pair, but also of the polarization environment of the tyrosine, especially about the phenolic oxygen. It is shown for PSII that this environment is determined by the Ca(2+) ion, which locates two water molecules about the phenoxyl oxygen, indirectly modulating the oxidation potential of YZ.

Tyrosine residues play an important role in heme detoxification by serum albumin

BackgroundSerum albumin binds avidly to heme to form heme–serum albumin complex, also called methemalbumin, and this binding is thought to protect against the potentially toxic effects of heme. However, the mechanism of detoxification has not been fully elucidated. MethodsSDS-PAGE and Western blot were used to determine the efficiency of methemalbumin on catalyzing protein carbonylation and nitration. HPLC was used to test the formation of heme to protein cross-linked methemalbumin. ResultsThe peroxidase activity of heme increased upon human serum albumin (HSA) binding. Methemalbumin showed higher efficiency in catalyzing tyrosine oxidation than free heme in the presence of H2O2. Methemalbumin catalyzed self-nitration and significantly promoted the nitration of tyrosine in coexistent protein, but decreased the carbonylation of coexistent protein compared with heme. The heme to protein cross-linked form of methemalbumin suggested that HSA trapped the free radical accompanied by the formation of ferryl heme. When tyrosine residues in HSA were modified by iodination, HSA lost of protection effect on protein carbonylation. The low concentration of glutathione could effectively inhibit tyrosine nitration, but had no effect on protein carbonylation. ConclusionHSA protects against the toxic effect of heme by transferring the free radical to tyrosine residues in HSA, therefore protecting surrounding proteins from irreversible oxidation, rather than by direct inhibiting the peroxidase activity. The increased tyrosine radicals can be reduced by endogenic antioxidants such as GSH. General significanceThis investigation indicated the important role of tyrosine residues in heme detoxification by HSA and suggested a possible novel mechanism.

PSS110 - Residue-Specific Investigation of the Relationship between Oxidation and Activity of a Dual Specificity Phosphatase by Mass Spectrometry

Redox regulation of signalling pathways is critical in proliferation and apoptosis; redox imbalance can lead to pathologies such as inflammation and cancer. Vaccinia H1-related protein (VHR; DUSP3) is a dual-specificity phosphatase important in controlling MAP kinase activity during cell cycle. the active-site motif contains a cysteine that acts as a nucleophile during catalysis. We used VHR to investigate the effect of oxidation in vitro on phosphatase activity, with the aim of determining how the profile of site-specific modification related to catalytic activity. Recombinant human VHR was expressed in E. coli and purified using a GST-tag. Protein was subjected to oxidation with various concentrations of SIN-1 or tetranitromethane (TNM) as nitrating agents, or HOCl. the activity was assayed using either 3-O-methylfluorescein phosphate with fluorescence detection or PIP3 by phosphate release with malachite green. the sites of oxidation were mapped using HPLC coupled to tandem mass spectrometry on an ABSciex 5600TripleTOF following in-gel digestion. More than 25 different concentration-dependent oxidative modifications to the protein were detected, including oxidations of methionine, cysteine, histidine, lysine, proline and tyrosine, and the % oxidized peptide (versus unmodified peptide) was determined from the extracted ion chromatograms. Unsurprisingly, methionine residues were very susceptible to oxidation, but there was a significant different in the extent of their oxidation. Similarly, tyrosine residues varied greatly in their modifications: Y85 and Y138 were readily nitrated, whereas Y38, Y78 and Y101 showed little modification. Y138 must be phosphorylated for MAPK phosphatase activity, so this susceptibility impacts on signalling pathways. Di- and tri- oxidations of cysteine residues were observed, but did not correlate directly with loss of activity. Overall, the catalytic activity did not correlate with redox state of any individual residue, but the total oxidative load correlated with treatment concentration and activity. This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of oxidation modifications of VHR, and demonstrates both heterogenous oxidant effects and differential residue susceptibility in a signalling phosphatase.