Pentacoordinate Heme Research Articles

Single-Atomic Site Catalyst with Heme Enzymes-Like Active Sites for Electrochemical Sensing of Hydrogen Peroxide.

Heme enzymes, with the pentacoordinate heme iron active sites, possess high catalytic activity and selectivity in biosensing applications. However, they are still subject to limited catalytic stability in the complex environment and high cost for broad applications in electrochemical sensing. It is meaningful to develop a novel substitute that has a similar structure to some heme enzymes and mimics their enzyme activities. One emerging strategy is to design the Fe-N-C based single-atomic site catalysts (SASCs). The obtained atomically dispersed Fe-Nx active sites can mimic the active sites of heme enzymes effectively. In this work, a SASC (Fe-SASC/NW) is synthesized by doping single iron atoms in polypyrrole (PPy) derived carbon nanowire via a zinc-atom-assisted method. The proposed Fe-SASC/NW shows high heme enzyme-like catalytic performance for hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) with a specific activity of 42.8Umg-1 . An electrochemical sensor based on Fe-SASC/NW is developed for the detection of H2 O2 . This sensor exhibits a wide detection concentration range from 5.0× 10-10 m to 0.5 m and an excellent limit of detection (LOD) of 46.35× 10-9 m. Such excellent catalytic activity and electrochemical sensing sensitivity are attributed to the isolated Fe-Nx active sites and their structural similarity with natural metalloproteases.

Comparison of the structural dynamic and mitochondrial electron-transfer properties of the proapoptotic human cytochrome c variants, G41S, Y48H and A51V

Mitochondrial cytochrome c is associated with electron transfer in the respiratory chain and in apoptosis. Four cytochrome c variants have been identified in families that suffer from mild autosomal dominant thrombocytopenia, a platelet disorder associated with increased apoptosis. Three out of the four substitutions, G41S, Y48H and A51V are located on the 40–57 Ω-loop. The G41S and Y48H variants perturb key physicochemical and dynamic properties that result in enhanced functional features associated with apoptotic activity. Herein we characterise the ferric A51V variant. We show by chemical denaturation that this variant causes the native state to be destabilized. Through azide binding kinetics, the population of a pentacoordinate heme form, whereby the Met80 axial ligand is dissociated, is estimated to be of equal magnitude to that found in the Y48H variant. This pentacoordinate form gives rise to peroxidase activity, which despite the similar pentacoordinate population of the A51V variant to that of the Y48H variant, the peroxidase activity of the A51V variant is suppressed. Far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy and pH jump studies, suggest that a combination of structural and dynamic features in addition to the population of the pentacoordinate form regulate peroxidase activity in these disease variants. Additionally, the steady-state ratio of ferric/ferrous cytochrome c when in turnover with cytochrome c oxidase has been investigated for all 40–57 Ω-loop variants. These studies show that the lower pKa of the alkaline transition for the disease causing variants increases the ferric to ferrous heme ratio, indicating a possible influence on respiration in vivo.

83 - Interrogating the cytoglobin binding pocket and thiol redox status with point mutations and chemical probes

Cytoglobin (Cygb) is a highly conserved, hexacoordinate heme protein expressed ubiquitously in mammalian tissues. Unlike other commonly found globins (i.e., hemoglobin and myoglobin), Cygb has a bound - but dissociable - proximal histidine that hinders ligand binding and, unlike the common globins, Cygb is not regarded to be closely associated with oxygen transport. The physiological functions of Cygb are still unclear but are thought to include ROS detoxification, lipid peroxidation, and vascular nitric oxide metabolism via hypoxic nitrite reduction and O2-dependent nitric oxide dioxygenation. All of these processes first require dissociation of the distal histidine to generate an active penta-coordinate heme. Further, these processes are likely further modulated by two conserved cysteine residues (Cys38 and Cys83), which can readily generate intermolecular dimeric and intramolecular monomeric disulfide bonds. For instance, formation of the intramolecular monomer greatly increases the nitrite reductase (NiR) activity, suggesting a change in pocket shape resulting in an increase in the rate and frequency the distal histidine dissociates. Predominantly using stopped-flow and kinetic techniques, we are assessing the effect of the redox states of these cysteines via small molecule binding/reaction characterization in both the ferrous and ferric form of the protein, elucidating differences in the binding pocket conformation in various redox environments. These methodologies consequently allow for the assessment of the thiol oxidation state, as different preparations of recombinant Cygbs vary and result in formation of differing cysteine redox states. Chemical modification and point mutations have been used to generate a number of modified cytoglobins to develop a more complete picture of the effect of the redox states of these cysteines.

Naturally Occurring Disease-Related Mutations in the 40-57 Ω-Loop of Human Cytochrome c Control Triggering of the Alkaline Isomerization.

Naturally occurring mutations found in one of the two Ω-loop substructures in human cytochrome c are associated with low blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia). Both Ω-loops participate in the formation of conformers associated with cytochrome c peroxidase activity and apoptotic function. At alkaline pH values, the Met80 ligand to the ferric heme iron dissociates, and a lysine residue in the 71-85 Ω-loop coordinates to the iron. The alkaline isomerization has been the focus of extensive kinetic studies, and it is established that a deprotonation triggers the release of the Met80 ligand (p Ktrigger). A second deprotonation stabilizes a pentacoordinate heme form (p Ka2). In this study, site-directed variants at the 41 and 48 positions in the 40-57 Ω-loop and at the 81 and 83 positions in the 71-85 Ω-loop reveal that conformational transitions in the 71-85 Ω-loop, leading to the alkaline or peroxidatic conformers, are controlled by the 40-57 Ω-loop. We find that the variants causing thrombocytopenia, G41S and Y48H, lower the p Ktrigger and increase p Ka2. Our results are presented in a mechanistic framework, depicted by a cube, that accounts for the pH dependencies of the equilibrium and kinetic parameters governing the alkaline transition of the native protein and Ω-loop variants. The data are most consistent with the trigger for Met80 replacement by a lysine being a deprotonation within a hydrogen bonded unit that links the two Ω-loops rather than an individual group. Such a proposal aligns with the entatic contribution made by the same unit in controlling the Met80-Fe(III) bond strength.

Heightened Dynamics of the Oxidized Y48H Variant of Human Cytochrome c Increases Its Peroxidatic Activity

Proteins performing multiple biochemical functions are called "moonlighting proteins" or extreme multifunctional (EMF) proteins. Mitochondrial cytochrome c is an EMF protein that binds multiple partner proteins to act as a signaling molecule, transfers electrons in the respiratory chain, and acts as a peroxidase in apoptosis. Mutations in the cytochrome c gene lead to the disease thrombocytopenia, which is accompanied by enhanced apoptotic activity. The Y48H variant arises from one such mutation and is found in the 40-57 Ω-loop, the lowest-unfolding free energy substructure of the cytochrome c fold. A 1.36 Å resolution X-ray structure of the Y48H variant reveals minimal structural changes compared to the wild-type structure, with the axial Met80 ligand coordinated to the heme iron. Despite this, the intrinsic peroxidase activity is enhanced, implying that a pentacoordinate heme state is more prevalent in the Y48H variant, corroborated through determination of a Met80 "off rate" of >125 s-1 compared to a rate of ∼6 s-1 for the wild-type protein. Heteronuclear nuclear magnetic resonance measurements with the oxidized Y48H variant reveal heightened dynamics in the 40-57 Ω-loop and the Met80-containing 71-85 Ω-loop relative to the wild-type protein, illustrating communication between these substructures. Placed into context with the G41S cytochrome c variant, also implicated in thrombocytopenia, a dynamic picture associated with this disease relative to cytochrome c is emerging whereby increasing dynamics in substructures of the cytochrome c fold serve to facilitate an increased population of the peroxidatic pentacoordinate heme state in the following order: wild type < G41S < Y48H.

Heterolytic O[sbnd]O bond cleavage: Functional role of Glu113 during bis-Fe(IV) formation in MauG

The diheme enzyme MauG utilizes H2O2 to perform oxidative posttranslational modification on a protein substrate. A bis-Fe(IV) species of MauG was previously identified as a key intermediate in this reaction. Heterolytic cleavage of the OO bond of H2O2 drives the formation of the bis-Fe(IV) intermediate. In this work, we tested a hypothesis that a glutamate residue, Glu113 in the distal pocket of the pentacoordinate heme of MauG, facilitates heterolytic OO bond cleavage, thereby leading to bis-Fe(IV) formation. This hypothesis was proposed based on sequence alignment and structural comparison with other H2O2-utilizing hemoenzymes, especially those from the diheme enzyme superfamily that MauG belongs to. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) characterization of the reaction between MauG and H2O2 revealed that mutation of Glu113 inhibited heterolytic OO bond cleavage, in agreement with our hypothesis. This result was further confirmed by the HPLC study in which an analog of H2O2, cumene hydroperoxide, was used to probe the pattern of OO bond cleavage. Together, our data suggest that Glu113 functions as an acid-base catalyst to assist heterolytic OO bond cleavage during the early stage of the catalytic reaction. This work advances our mechanistic understanding of the H2O2-activation process during bis-Fe(IV) formation in MauG.

Disruption of cytochrome c heme coordination is responsible for mitochondrial injury during ischemia

BackgroundIt was recently suggested that electron flow into cyt c, coupled with ROS generation, oxidizes cyt c Met80 to Met80 sulfoxide (Met-O) in isolated hearts after ischemia–reperfusion, and converts cyt c to a peroxidase. We hypothesize that ischemia disrupts Met80-Fe ligation of cyt c, forming pentacoordinated heme Fe2+, which inhibits electron transport (ET) and promotes oxygenase activity. MethodsSS-20 (Phe-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH2) was used to demonstrate the role of Met80-Fe ligation in ischemia. Mitochondria were isolated from ischemic rat kidneys to determine sites of respiratory inhibition. Mitochondrial cyt c and cyt c Met-O were quantified by western blot, and cristae architecture was examined by electron microscopy. ResultsBiochemical and structural studies showed that SS-20 selectively targets cardiolipin (CL) and protects Met80-Fe ligation in cyt c. Ischemic mitochondria showed 17-fold increase in Met-O cyt c, and dramatic cristaeolysis. Loss of cyt c was associated with proteolytic degradation of OPA1. Ischemia significantly inhibited ET initiated by direct reduction of cyt c and coupled respiration. All changes were prevented by SS-20. ConclusionOur results show that ischemia disrupts the Met80-Fe ligation of cyt c resulting in the formation of a globin-like pentacoordinated heme Fe2+ that inhibits ET, and converts cyt c into an oxygenase to cause CL peroxidation and proteolytic degradation of OPA1, resulting in cyt c release. General significanceCyt c heme structure represents a novel target for minimizing ischemic injury. SS-20, which we show to selectively target CL and protect the Met80-Fe ligation, minimizes ischemic injury and promotes ATP recovery.

Ferric microperoxidase-11 catalyzes peroxynitrite isomerization

Microperoxidase-11 (MP11) is an undecapeptide derived from horse heart cytochrome c offering the possibility to study the reactivity of the heme group relatively unshielded by the protein. Here, the peroxynitrite isomerization to NO3− catalyzed by ferric MP11 (MP11–Fe(III)) is reported. Data were obtained between pH3.6 and 8.1, at 20.0°C. The value of the second-order rate constant (kon) for peroxynitrite isomerization to NO3− by MP11–Fe(III) decreases from (1.1±0.1)×105M−1s−1, at pH3.6, to (6.1±0.6)×103M−1s−1, at pH8.1. The pH dependence of kon (pKa=6.9) suggests that peroxynitrous acid reacts preferentially with MP11–Fe(III). The MP11–Fe(III)-catalyzed isomerization of peroxynitrite to NO3− has been ascribed to the reactive penta-coordinated heme–Fe atom of MP11–Fe(III). In fact, cyanide binding to the sixth coordination position of the heme–Fe atom inhibits the MP11–Fe(III)-catalyzed isomerization of peroxynitrite to NO3−. The values of the first-order rate constant (k0) for isomerization of peroxynitrite to NO3− in the presence of the MP11–Fe(III)–CN complex are superimposable to those obtained in the absence of MP–Fe(III). Values of kon for peroxynitrite isomerization to NO3− by MP11–Fe(III) overlap those obtained for penta-coordinated cardiolipin–cytochrome c complex and for carboxymethylated cytochrome c in absence and presence of cardiolipin. Present results highlight the role of the heme–Fe(III) co-ordination state in the modulation of cytochrome c reactivity.

Structural Re-arrangement and Peroxidase Activation of Cytochrome c by Anionic Analogues of Vitamin E, Tocopherol Succinate and Tocopherol Phosphate

Cytochrome c is a multifunctional hemoprotein in the mitochondrial intermembrane space whereby its participation in electron shuttling between respiratory complexes III and IV is alternative to its role in apoptosis as a peroxidase activated by interaction with cardiolipin (CL), and resulting in selective CL peroxidation. The switch from electron transfer to peroxidase function requires partial unfolding of the protein upon binding of CL, whose specific features combine negative charges of the two phosphate groups with four hydrophobic fatty acid residues. Assuming that other endogenous small molecule ligands with a hydrophobic chain and a negatively charged functionality may activate cytochrome c into a peroxidase, we investigated two hydrophobic anionic analogues of vitamin E, α-tocopherol succinate (α-TOS) and α-tocopherol phosphate (α-TOP), as potential inducers of peroxidase activity of cytochrome c. NMR studies and computational modeling indicate that they interact with cytochrome c at similar sites previously proposed for CL. Absorption spectroscopy showed that both analogues effectively disrupt the Fe-S(Met(80)) bond associated with unfolding of cytochrome c. We found that α-TOS and α-TOP stimulate peroxidase activity of cytochrome c. Enhanced peroxidase activity was also observed in isolated rat liver mitochondria incubated with α-TOS and tBOOH. A mitochondria-targeted derivative of TOS, triphenylphosphonium-TOS (mito-VES), was more efficient in inducing H2O2-dependent apoptosis in mouse embryonic cytochrome c(+/+) cells than in cytochrome c(-/-) cells. Essential for execution of the apoptotic program peroxidase activation of cytochrome c by α-TOS may contribute to its known anti-cancer pharmacological activity.

Spin-State Energetics of Heme-Related Models from DFT and Coupled Cluster Calculations.

Spin-state energetics of metalloporphyrins and heme groups is elucidated by performing high-level coupled cluster calculations for their simplified mimics. An efficient computational protocol is proposed-based on the mix of extrapolation to complete basis set and explicitly correlated (F12) methodology-which retains the high accuracy of the CCSD(T) method at a cost that makes it applicable also to relatively large models, e.g., FeP and FeP(Cl) (P = porphin). Adequacy of CCSD(T) is supported by analysis of multireference character and comparison with the completely renormalized CR-CC(2,3) method. The high-level coupled cluster results are used for assessment of density functional theory (DFT) methods, for which an accurate description of the spin-state energetics is recognized as a major challenge. Although the DFT results are highly functional-dependent, it is shown that the spin-state energetics of a full heme model and its simplified mimic remain in a good linear correlation. This makes it possible to estimate the spin-state energetics of full heme models based on the accurate CCSD(T) results for their mimics, as illustrated for porphyrin complexes of Fe(II), Mn(II), and Co(II); pentacoordinate heme complexes of Fe(II) and Fe(III); and a ferryl heme model. Comparison with the available experimental data is also presented.

Importance of H-Abstraction in the Final Step of Nitrosoalkane Formation in the Mechanism-Based Inactivation of Cytochrome P450 by Amine-Containing Drugs

The metabolism of amine-containing drugs by cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) is prone to form a nitrosoalkane metabolic intermediate (MI), which subsequently coordinates to the heme iron of a P450, to produce a metabolic-intermediate complex (MIC). This type of P450 inhibition, referred to as mechanism-based inactivation (MBI), presents a serious concern in drug discovery processes. We applied density functional theory (DFT) to the reaction between N-methylhydroxylamine (NMH) and the compound I reactive species of P450, in an effort to elucidate the mechanism of the putative final step of the MI formation in the alkylamine metabolism. Our DFT calculations show that H-abstraction from the hydroxyl group of NMH is the most favorable pathway via which the nitrosoalkane intermediate is produced spontaneously. H-abstraction from the N–H bond was slightly less favorable. In contrast, N-oxidation and H-abstraction from the C–H bond of the methyl group had much higher energy barriers. Hence, if the conversion of NMH to nitrosoalkane is catalyzed by a P450, the reaction should proceed preferentially via H-abstraction, either from the O–H bond or from the N–H bond. Our theoretical analysis of the interaction between the MI and pentacoordinate heme moieties provided further insights into the coordination bond in the MIC.

Axial ligand replacement mechanism in heme transfer from streptococcal heme-binding protein Shp to HtsA of the HtsABC transporter.

The heme-binding protein Shp of Group A Streptococcus rapidly transfers its heme to HtsA, the lipoprotein component of the HtsABC transporter, in a concerted two-step process with one kinetic phase. Heme axial residue-to-alanine replacement mutant proteins of Shp and HtsA (Shp(M66A), Shp(M153A), HtsA(M79A), and HtsA(H229A)) were used to probe the axial displacement mechanism of this heme transfer reaction. Ferric Shp(M66A) at high pH and Shp(M153A) have a pentacoordinate heme iron complex with a methionine axial ligand. ApoHtsA(M79A) efficiently acquires heme from ferric Shp but alters the reaction mechanism to two kinetic phases from a single phase in the wild-type protein reactions. In contrast, apoHtsA(H229A) cannot assimilate heme from ferric Shp. The conversion of pentacoordinate holoShp(M66A) into pentacoordinate holoHtsA(H229A) involves an intermediate, whereas holoHtsA(H229A) is directly formed from pentacoordinate holoShp(M153A). Conversely, apoHtsA(M79A) reacts with holoShp(M66A) and holoShp(M153A) in mechanisms with one and two kinetic phases, respectively. These results imply that the Met79 and His229 residues of HtsA displace the Met66 and Met153 residues of Shp, respectively. Structural docking analysis supports this mechanism of the specific axial residue displacement. Furthermore, the rates of the cleavage of the axial bond in Shp in the presence of a replacing HtsA axial residue are greater than that in the absence of a replacing HtsA axial residue. These findings reveal a novel heme transfer mechanism of the specific displacement of the Shp axial residues with the HtsA axial residues and the involvement of the HtsA axial residues in the displacement.

Oxygen binding to partially nitrosylated hemoglobin

Reactions of nitric oxide (NO) with hemoglobin (Hb) are important elements in protection against nitrosative damage. NO in the vasculature is depleted by the oxidative reaction with oxy Hb or by binding to deoxy Hb to generate partially nitrosylated Hb (Hb–NO). Many aspects of the formation and persistence of Hb–NO are yet to be clarified. In this study, we used a combination of EPR and visible absorption spectroscopy to investigate the interactions of partially nitrosylated Hb with O2. Partially nitrosylated Hb samples had predominantly hexacoordinate NO–heme geometry and resisted oxidation when exposed to O2 in the absence of anionic allosteric effectors. Faster oxidation occurred in the presence of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) or inositol hexaphosphate (IHP), where the NO–heme derivatives had higher levels of pentacoordinate heme geometry. The anion-dependence of the NO–heme geometry also affected O2 binding equilibria. O2-binding curves of partially nitrosylated Hb in the absence of anions were left-shifted at low saturations, indicating destabilization of the low O2 affinity T-state of the Hb by increasing percentages of NO–heme, much as occurs with increasing levels of CO–heme. Samples containing IHP showed small decreases in O2 affinity, indicating shifts toward the low-affinity T-state and formation of inert α-NO/β-met tetramers. Most remarkably, O2-equilibria in the presence of the physiological effector DPG were essentially unchanged by up to 30% NO–heme in the samples. As will be discussed, under physiological conditions the interactions of Hb with NO provide protection against nitrosative damage without impairing O2 transport by Hb's unoccupied heme sites. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Oxygen Binding and Sensing Proteins.

Cytoglobin Interactions with Hydrophobic Probe 1,8-ANS

Cytoglobin (Cygb) is small heme protein that belongs to the hexa-coordinate hemoglobin family. Cygb is over-expressed in fibrosis and neurodegenerative disorders, whereas it is down-regulated in some types of cancer including head and neck cancer. A recent report indicates that Cygb binds sodium oleate, which promotes conformational transition from hexa to penta-coordinated heme iron suggesting a possible role of Cygb in lipid signaling. To understand the mechanism of Cygb-lipids interactions, we have characterized the interactions between the hydrophobic probe 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (1,8-ANS) and Cygb in the presence and absence of sodium oleate using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry. Cygb binds 1,8-ANS in the ferric, ferrous and exogenous ligand bound form. Addition of sodium oleate to Cygb-ANS complex leads to a decrease in the 1,8-ANS emission intensity indicating competition between the lipid and ANS for Cygb binding sites. Two binding sites were identified using ITC for ANS binding to Cygb, one with moderate affinity (Kd ∼ 50 μM) and a low affinity binding site (Kd ∼ 2 mM). Reduction of the internal disulfide bond in Cygb slightly decreases the affinity of 1,8-ANS to Cygb, whereas binding of cyanide results in a 1.5-fold decrease in affinity of Cygb for the hydrophobic probe (Kd=76 μM). Molecular docking studies of 1,8-ANS with Cygb were performed and the data suggest that 1,8-ANS binds to the extended termini in Cygb.

A Distal Pocket Leu Residue Inhibits the Binding of O2 and NO at the Distal Heme Site of Cytochrome c′

Cytochromes c' are pentacoordinate heme proteins with sterically hindered distal sites that bind NO and CO but do not form stable complexes with O(2). Removal of distal pocket steric hindrance via a Leu→Ala mutation yields favorable O(2) binding (K(d) ~49 nM) without apparent H-bond stabilization of the Fe-O(2) moiety, as well as an extremely high distal heme-NO affinity (K(d) ~70 fM). The native Leu residue inhibits distal coordination of diatomic ligands by decreasing k(on) as well as increasing k(off). The connection between distal steric constraints, k(off) values, and distal to proximal heme-NO conversion is discussed.

ChemInform Abstract: Recent Studies on Gas Sensors, CooA, FixL, and Dos

AbstractReview: 23 refs.

Recent Studies on Gas Sensors, CooA, FixL, and Dos

Heme-containing proteins, the heme proteins, are known to have physiologic functions in humans, mammalians, fish, plants, and bacteria. For example, hemoglobin and myoglobin, which belong to the globin family, have been studied in terms of their structures and functions with spectroscopic and mutagenic methods. Recently, a new class of heme proteins has been discovered, referred to as gas sensors. These are heme-based sensor proteins that play important roles in transcriptional activation, histidinekinase activities, phosphodiesterase activities, etc. CooA is a CO-sensing transcriptional activator derived from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum. FixL is a rhizobial oxygen sensor protein, and we have targeted Bj FixL derived from Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Dos from Escherichia coli is an oxygen sensor protein, which senses oxygen in the heme-containing domain and induces phosphodiesterase activity in other domains. In previous work, we studied the axial ligands and C-helix of CooA to clarify the activation mechanism. Moreover, FixL and Dos were investigated using time-resolved spectroscopic methods. Whereas FixL has a pentacoordinate heme in the ferrous deoxy form, there are a proximal histidine (His 77) and a distal methionine (Met 95) as axial ligands to coordinate to the heme iron in EcDos. However almost all gas sensors show mono-exponential rebinding (6-7 ps), while EcDosH and full-length Dos show biexponential rebinding (7 ps and 35 ps) on the internal ligand. The results were also supported by molecular dynamic simulation. Here we discuss recent work on gas sensors with implications provided by our research.

Conformational changes near the cytochrome P450 active site upon binding of two different ligands

It is shown that a stable nitroxyl radical, 4-cyano-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl, forms a complex with cytochrome P4502B4 by analogy with the second type substrates by joining directly to pentacoordinate heme iron. The bound radical is inaccessible to water-soluble paramagnetic ions, which confirms its localization in a hydrophobic pocket near the heme. Benzphetamine and N,N-dimethylaniline, the first-type nonpolar substrates, induce conformational changes of the spin-labeled hemoprotein which are evidently accompanied by an increase in the volume of the pocket resulting in emergence of contact with aqueous phase, and the heme-bound spin label becomes accessible to water-soluble paramagnetics. In this case potassium ferricyanide broadens the spin-labeled cytochrome signal and, as a result, lowers the amplitudes of the spectral components. Similar changes were registered at non-micellar concentrations of nonionic detergent Emulgen 913, whose activating effect on hydroxylation reactions is associated, as we showed previously, with its presence in the CYP2B4 active site simultaneously with substrates.

Substrate Binding to a Nitrite Reductase Induces a Spin Transition

The multiheme enzyme nitrite reductase catalyzes a 6-electron reduction of nitrite to ammonia. The reaction is initiated by substrate binding to the free axial position of the high spin penta-coordinated heme active site. The spin configuration of the resulting complex is crucial for discrimination between the heterolytic vs homolytic character of the cleavage of the N-O bond and, therefore, subsequent steps of the catalytic cycle. Here, we report the first experimental evidence, based on resonance Raman spectroscopy, that nitrite binding to the enzyme from D. vulgaris induces a transition from the high spin to the low spin configuration in the catalytic heme, thereby favoring the heterolytic route.

Spectroscopic Identification of Heme Axial Ligands in HtsA That Are Involved in Heme Acquisition by Streptococcus pyogenes

The heme-binding proteins Shp and HtsA of Streptococcus pyogenes are part of the heme acquisition machinery in which Shp directly transfers its heme to HtsA. Mutagenesis and spectroscopic analyses were performed to identify the heme axial ligands in HtsA and to characterize axial mutants of HtsA. Replacements of the M79 and H229 residues, not the other methionine and histidine residues, with alanine convert UV-vis spectra of HtsA with a low-spin, hexacoordinate heme iron into spectra of high-spin heme complexes. Ferrous M79A and H229A HtsA mutants possess magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra that are similar with those of proteins with pentacoordinate heme iron. Ferric M79A HtsA displays UV-vis, MCD, and resonance Raman (RR) spectra that are typical of a hexacoordinate heme iron with histidine and water ligands. In contrast, ferric H229A HtsA has UV-vis, MCD, and RR spectra that represent a pentacoordinate heme iron complex with a methionine axial ligand. Imidazole readily forms a low-spin hexacoordinate adduct with M79A HtsA with a K(d) of 40.9 muM but not with H229A HtsA, and cyanide binds to M79A and H229A with K(d) of 0.5 and 19.1 microM, respectively. The ferrous mutants rapidly bind CO and form simple CO complexes. These results establish the H229 and M79 residues as the axial ligands of the HtsA heme iron, indicate that the M79 side is more accessible to the solvent than the H229 side of the bound heme in HtsA, and provide unique spectral features for a protein with pentacoordinate, methionine-ligated heme iron. These findings will facilitate elucidation of the molecular mechanism and structural basis for rapid and direct heme transfer from Shp to HtsA.