Proximal Axial Ligand Research Articles

Molecular conductance versus inductive effects of axial ligands on the electrocatalytic activity of self-assembled iron phthalocyanines: The oxygen reduction reaction

The construction of self-assembled iron phthalocyanine (FePc) systems on gold electrodes modified by self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) is becoming an interesting strategy for obtaining electrocatalytic molecular building blocks for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In this work, we have measured the conductance of pyridiniums axial ligands at the single molecule level using the scanning tunneling microscope-based break-junction method (STM-Break Junction) to study the role of the axial ligand on the activity of the self-assembled FePc systems on a gold electrode surface. The electron-pulling effect of pyridinium axial ligands is known to increase the electrocatalytic activity of FePc for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). We have used these systems as a platform for carrying out a comparative study for understanding the real influence of the proximal axial ligands. Further, these ligands act as molecular wires between the gold electrode surface and the FePc molecule. The pyridinium molecules were synthesized following a series of structural variations using a basic molecular backbone. From conductance measurements obtained for each pyridinium molecule, it was possible to establish that electron transport through each pyridinium does not influence the activity of FePc for ORR in alkaline media. In addition, the DFT calculations shows that the axial ligand in FePc modifies its catalytic activity by decreasing the binding energy of O2 to the Fe site.

Crystal structure and biochemical features of dye-decolorizing peroxidase YfeX from Escherichia coli O157 Asp143 and Arg232 play divergent roles toward different substrates

YfeX from Escherichia coli O157 is a bacterial dye-decolorizing peroxidase that represents both dye-decoloring activity and typical peroxidase activity. We reported the crystal structure of YfeX bound to heme at 2.09 Å resolution. The YfeX monomer resembles a ferredoxin-like fold and contains two domains. The three conserved residues surrounding the heme group are His215, Asp143 and Arg232. His215 functions as the proximal axial ligand of the heme iron atom. Biochemical data show that the catalytic significance of the conserved Asp143 and Arg232 depends on the substrate types and that YfeX may adopt various catalytic mechanisms toward divergent substrates. In addition, it is observed that an access tunnel spans from the protein molecular surface to the heme distal region, it serves as the passageway for the entrance and binding of the H2O2.

Oxidation of DNA by high‐valent metal‐oxo porphyrins Mn‐TMPyP and Fe‐TMPyP (768.12)

The goal of this project is to regulate the reactivity of high‐valent metal‐oxo porphyrins by the control of the axial ligand trans to the oxo group. This work will allow a better understanding of the mechanism of metalloporphyrins oxidation. The chosen substrate is a DNA model. The oxidation products are analyzed by HPLC and LC/ESI‐MS. Meso‐tetrakis(4‐N‐methylpyridiniumyl)porphyrinatomanganese(III) (Mn‐TMPyP) and its iron analogue (Fe‐TMPyP) mimic the reaction mechanism of natural heme enzymes namely peroxidases and cytochrome P450. Mn‐TMPyP and Fe‐TMPyP become high‐valent metal‐oxo species when activated by dissymmetric peroxide such as KHSO5 and are able to oxidize DNA. Previous work has shown that Mn‐TMPyP/ KHSO5 was sensitive to pH and produced variable oxidation products of the DNA duplex model 5’‐d(CAGCTG) by electron transfer (ET) and oxygen atom transfer (OAT). At pH 8, the main products observed were those of OAT, whereas at pH 6 the dominant products were obtained from ET. Fe‐TMPyP as Mn‐TMPyP is a powerful oxidizing agent; however, its reactivity towards DNA is unknown. What is known is that it exists as a µ‐oxo species in basic and neutral medium. The µ‐oxo characteristic of Fe‐TMPyP should make it insensitive to pH. We showed that its oxidation products did not vary between pH 6 and pH 8. The present work has shown that the oxidation reactivity of manganese and iron porphyrins can be directed based on their proximal axial ligand (L‐ or X‐type). The proximal ligand can be controlled by simple modulation of the pH of the reaction in the case of manganese porphyrin or by the nature of the metal (iron porphyrins form iron µ‐oxo dimers). The control of metalloporphyrins reactivity may also prove useful in fine chemistry where these compounds are used as oxidation catalysts.Grant Funding Source: Supported by NSF‐CHM 1156907

Enhanced Reactivities of Iron(IV)‐Oxo Porphyrin π‐Cation Radicals in Oxygenation Reactions by Electron‐Donating Axial Ligands

The proximal axial ligand in heme iron enzymes plays an important role in tuning the reactivities of iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin pi-cation radicals in oxidation reactions. The present study reports the effects of axial ligands in olefin epoxidation, aromatic hydroxylation, alcohol oxidation, and alkane hydroxylation, by [(tmp)(+*) Fe(IV)(O)(p-Y-PyO)](+) (1-Y) (tmp = meso-tetramesitylporphyrin, p-Y-PyO = para-substituted pyridine N-oxides, and Y = OCH(3), CH(3), H, Cl). In all of the oxidation reactions, the reactivities of 1-Y are found to follow the order 1-OCH(3) > 1-CH(3) > 1-H > 1-Cl; negative Hammett rho values of -1.4 to -2.7 were obtained by plotting the reaction rates against the sigma(p) values of the substituents of p-Y-PyO. These results, as well as previous ones on the effect of anionic nucleophiles, show that iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin pi-cation radicals bearing electron-donating axial ligands are more reactive in oxo-transfer and hydrogen-atom abstraction reactions. These results are counterintuitive since iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin pi-cation radicals are electrophilic species. Theoretical calculations of anionic and neutral ligands reproduced the counterintuitive experimental findings and elucidated the root cause of the axial ligand effects. Thus, in the case of anionic ligands, as the ligand becomes a better electron donor, it strengthens the FeO-H bond and thereby enhances its H-abstraction activity. In addition, it weakens the Fe=O bond and encourages oxo-transfer reactivity. Both are Bell-Evans-Polanyi effects, however, in a series of neutral ligands like p-Y-PyO, there is a relatively weak trend that appears to originate in two-state reactivity (TSR). This combination of experiment and theory enabled us to elucidate the factors that control the reactivity patterns of iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin pi-cation radicals in oxidation reactions and to resolve an enigmatic and fundamental problem.

Protein Conformation Changes of HemAT-Bs upon Ligand Binding Probed by Ultraviolet Resonance Raman Spectroscopy

HemAT from Bacillus subtilis (HemAT-Bs) is a heme-based O2 sensor protein that acts as a signal transducer responsible for aerotaxis. HemAT-Bs discriminates its physiological effector (O2) from other gas molecules (CO and NO), although all of them bind to a heme. To monitor the conformational changes in the protein moiety upon binding of different ligands, we have investigated ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectra of the ligand-free and O2-, CO-, and NO-bound forms of full-length HemAT-Bs and several mutants (Y70F, H86A, T95A, and Y133F) and found that Tyr70 in the heme distal side and Tyr133 and Trp132 from the G-helix in the heme proximal side undergo environmental changes upon ligand binding. In addition, the UVRR results confirmed our previous model, which suggested that Thr95 forms a hydrogen bond with heme-bound O2, but Tyr70 does not. It is deduced from this study that hydrogen bonds between Thr95 and heme-bound O2 and between His86 and heme 6-propionate communicate the heme structural changes to the protein moiety upon O2 binding but not upon CO and NO binding. Accordingly, the present UVRR results suggest that O2 binding to heme causes displacement of the G-helix, which would be important for transduction of the conformational changes from the sensor domain to the signaling domain.

Arg410 near the Heme Proximal Ligand of Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Is Critical for Both Substrate Recognition and Electron Transfer

Abstract Mutations at a well-conserved Arg410 located near the heme proximal axial ligand in the oxygenase domain of neuronal NOS (nNOS) abolished both substrate recognition and electron transfer to the heme, suggesting that this residue plays an important role in the architecture of the substrate recognition site and the electron transfer process.

Crystal Structure of OxyC, a Cytochrome P450 Implicated in an Oxidative C–C Coupling Reaction during Vancomycin Biosynthesis

Gene inactivation studies point to the involvement of OxyC in catalyzing the last oxidative phenol coupling reaction during glycopeptide antibiotic biosynthesis. Presently, the substrate and exact timing of the OxyC reaction are unknown. The substrate might be the bicyclic heptapeptide or a thioester derivative bound to a protein carrier domain. OxyC from the vancomycin producer Amycolatopsis orientalis was produced in Escherichia coli and crystallized, and its structure was determined to 1.9 A resolution. OxyC gave UV-visible spectra characteristic of a P450-like hemoprotein in the low spin ferric state. After reduction to the ferrous state by dithionite the CO-ligated form gave a 450-nm peak in a UV-difference spectrum. The addition of vancomycin aglycone to OxyC produced type I changes to the UV spectrum. OxyC exhibits the typical P450-fold, with the Cys ligand loop containing the signature sequence FGHGX-HXCLG and Cys-356 being the proximal axial thiolate ligand of the heme iron. The observation of a water molecule bound to the heme iron is consistent with the UV-visible spectra of OxyC indicating a low spin heme. A polyethylene glycol molecule occupying the active site might mimic the bicyclic heptapeptide substrate. Analysis of the structure of Oxy-proteins and other P450s indicates regions that might be involved in binding of the redox partner and possibly the protein carrier domain.

Crystal Structure of OxyB, a Cytochrome P450 Implicated in an Oxidative Phenol Coupling Reaction during Vancomycin Biosynthesis

Gene-inactivation studies point to the involvement of OxyB in catalyzing the first oxidative phenol coupling reaction during glycopeptide antibiotic biosynthesis. The oxyB gene has been cloned and sequenced from the vancomycin producer Amycolatopsis orientalis, and the hemoprotein has been produced in Escherichia coli, crystallized, and its structure determined to 1.7-A resolution. OxyB gave UV-visible spectra characteristic of a P450-like hemoprotein in the low spin ferric state. After reduction to the ferrous state by dithionite or by spinach ferredoxin and ferredoxin reductase, the CO-ligated form gave a 450-nm peak in a UV-difference spectrum. Addition of putative heptapeptide substrates to resting OxyB produced type I changes to the UV spectrum, but no turnover was observed in the presence of ferredoxin and ferredoxin reductase, showing that either the peptides or the reduction system, or both, are insufficient to support a full catalytic cycle. OxyB exhibits the typical P450-fold, with helix L containing the signature sequence FGHGXHXCLG and Cys(347) being the proximal axial thiolate ligand of the heme iron. The structural similarity of OxyB is highest to P450nor, P450terp, CYP119, and P450eryF. In OxyB, the F and G helices are rotated out of the active site compared with P450nor, resulting in a much more open active site, consistent with the larger size of the presumed heptapeptide substrate.

Characterization of a catalase-peroxidase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus.

A putative perA gene from Archaeoglobus fulgidus was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), and the recombinant catalase-peroxidase was purified to homogeneity. The enzyme is a homodimer with a subunit molecular mass of 85 kDa. UV-visible spectroscopic analysis indicated the presence of protoheme IX as a prosthetic group (ferric heme), in a stoichiometry of 0.25 heme per subunit. Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis confirmed the presence of ferric heme and identified the proximal axial ligand as a histidine. The enzyme showed both catalase and peroxidase activity with pH optima of 6.0 and 4.5, respectively. Optimal temperatures of 70 degrees C and 80 degrees C were found for the catalase and peroxidase activity, respectively. The catalase activity strongly exceeded the peroxidase activity, with Vmax values of 9600 and 36 U mg(-1), respectively. Km values for H2O2 of 8.6 and 0.85 mM were found for catalase and peroxidase, respectively. Common heme inhibitors such as cyanide, azide, and hydroxylamine inhibited peroxidase activity. However, unlike all other catalase-peroxidases, the enzyme was also inhibited by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole. Although the enzyme exhibited a high thermostability, rapid inactivation occurred in the presence of H2O2, with half-life values of less than 1 min. This is the first catalase-peroxidase characterized from a hyperthermophilic microorganism.

Proximal ligand effects on electronic structure and spectra of compound I of peroxidases

Computational studies exploring the extent to which differences in proximal axial ligands modulate structure, spectra, and function of peroxidases have been performed. To this end, three heme models of compound I were characterized differing only in the axial ligand. The axial ligands considered were L = ImH , Im-, that are alternative protonation models for a typical peroxidase with an imidazole ligand such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP-I), and L = SCH - that is a model for an unsual peroxidase, chloroperoxidase (CPO-I). Density functional calculations (DFTs) were performed to determine the optimized geometries and electronic structure of each of these three species. Their electronic spectra were also calculated at the DFT optimized geometries, using the INDO/S/CI method. The results of these studies led to the following conclusions: (1) the presence of the nearby Asp in a typical peroxidase does indeed decrease the energy required to deprotonate the imidazole making the two forms essentially degenerate, (2) neither the state of protonation of the imidazole ligand nor the change in axial ligand from an imidazole in typical peroxidases such as HRP to a mercaptide in CPO significantly alters the characteristics of the lowest energy spin state or the electronic structure of compound I in a way that can obviously affect function, (3) both the Im-and ImH forms of the peroxidase compound I (HRP-I) lead to the same dramatic reduction in intensity relative to the ferric resting form observed experimentally. However, only in the ImH form of HRP-I does the calculated relative shift of one component of the Soret bands relative to CPO-I agree with that observed in the transient spectra of HRP-I compared to CPO-I. These results taken together strongly indicate that factors other than the nature of the proximal axial ligand are the main determinants of function.

Substrate binding-induced changes in the EPR spectra of the ferrous nitric oxide complexes of neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

A versatile diatomic physiological messenger, nitric oxide (NO), is biosynthesized by a group of flavo-heme enzymes, the nitric oxide synthases. We have examined the active site of the neuronal isoform by EPR spectroscopy of the ferrous nitric oxide complex. The nitric oxide complex of the substrate-free enzyme exhibits a cytochrome P450-type EPR spectrum typical of a hexacoordinate NO-heme complex with a non-nitrogenous proximal axial heme ligand. The NO complex of the substrate-free enzyme is rather unstable and spontaneously converts to a cytochrome P420 type pentacoordinate denatured form. Binding of L-arginine (l-Arg) enhances the stability of the hexacoordinate NO form. The EPR spectrum of the NO adduct of the enzyme-substrate complex has an increased g-anisotropy and well-resolved hyperfine couplings due to the 14N of nitric oxide. Significant perturbations in the NO EPR spectrum were observed upon Nomega-monomethyl-L-Arg and Nomega-hydroxy-L-Arg binding. The perturbations in the EPR spectrum indicate that L-Arg and its derivatives bind on the distal site of the heme in very close proximity to the bound NO to cause alterations in the heme-NO coordination structure. Interactions between the bound NO and the substrate or its analogues appear to affect the Fe-NO geometry, resulting in the observed spectral changes. We infer that analogous interactions with oxygen might be involved in the hydroxylation events during enzyme catalysis of nitric oxide synthase.

Prostacyclin Synthase Active Sites: IDENTIFICATION BY MOLECULAR MODELING-GUIDED SITE-DIRECTED MUTAGENESIS

Prostacyclin synthase (PGIS), a cytochrome P450 enzyme, catalyzes the biosynthesis of a physiologically important molecule, prostacyclin. In this study we have used a molecular modeling-guided site-directed mutagenesis to predict the active sites in substrate binding pocket and heme environment of PGIS. A three-dimensional model of PGIS was constructed using P450BM-3 crystal structure as the template. Our results indicate that residues Ile67, Val76, Leu384, Pro355, Glu360, and Asp364, which were suggested to be located at one side of lining of the substrate binding pocket, are essential for catalytic activity. This region containing beta1-1, beta1-2, beta1-3, and beta1-4 strands is predicted well by the model. At the heme region, Cys441 was confirmed to be the proximal axial ligand of heme iron. The conserved Phe and Arg in P450BM-3 were substituted by Leu112 and Asp439, respectively in PGIS. Alteration of Leu112 to Phe retained the activity, indicating that Leu112 is a functional substitution for Phe. In contrast, mutant Asp439 --> Ala exhibited a slight increase in activity. This result implies a difference in the heme region between P450BM-3 and PGIS. Our results also indicate that stability of PGIS expression is not affected by heme site or active site mutations.

Delocalization over the heme and the axial ligands of one of the two oxidizing equivalents stored above the ferric state in the peroxidase and catalase Compound-I intermediates: indirect participation of the proximal axial ligand of iron in the oxidation reactions catalyzed by heme-based peroxidases and catalases?

A comparison of the exchange interactions arising in the peroxidase and catalase Compound I intermediates and their iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin π-cation radical models, both of which are two oxidizing equivalents above the ferric state, suggests that in the models the oxidizing equivalent is localized on the porphyrin ring, while in the proteins it is partly delocalized onto the proximal ligand. Thus, the proximal axial ligand of iron participates indirectly in the oxidation reactions catalyzed by the enzymes. Possible roles of the axial ligand in the catalytic mechanism of these heme-based enzymes are discussed.

EPR Study of NO Complex of bd-type Ubiquinol Oxidase from Escherichia coli: THE PROXIMAL AXIAL LIGAND OF HEME d IS A NITROGENOUS AMINO ACID RESIDUE

The heme axial ligands of bd-type ubiquinol oxidase of Escherichia coli were studied by EPR and optical spectroscopies using nitric oxide (NO) as a monitoring probe. We found that NO bound to ferrous heme d of the air-oxidized and fully reduced enzymes with very high affinity and to ferrous heme b595 of the fully reduced enzyme with low affinity. EPR spectrum of the 14NO complex of the reduced enzyme exhibited an axially symmetric signal with g-values at g = 2.041 and g = 1.993 and a clear triplet of triplet (or a triplet of doublet for the 15NO complex) superhyperfine structure originating from a nitrogenous proximal ligand trans to NO was observed. This EPR species was assigned to the ferrous heme d-NO complex. This suggests that the proximal axial ligand of heme d is a histidine residue in an anomalous condition or other nitrogenous amino acid residue. Furthermore, the EPR line shape of the ferrous heme d-NO was slightly influenced by the oxidation state of the heme b595. This indicates that heme d exists in close proximity to heme b595 forming a binuclear center. Another axially symmetric EPR signal with g-values at g(parallel) = 2.108 and g(perpendicular) = 2.020 appeared after prolonged incubation of the reduced enzyme with NO and was attributed to the ferrous heme b595-NO complex.

Demonstration That Histidine-25, But Not Histidine-132, Is the Axial Heme Ligand in Rat Heme Oxygenase-1

A truncated, soluble rat heme oxygenase-1 lacking its C-terminal, membrane-anchoring segment, and its His25 → Ala and His132 → Ala mutants have been prepared by site-directed mutagenesis and expression in Escherichia coli. We found that wild-type enzyme can degrade heme to biliverdin, but its specific activity was about one-fifth that of the native, full-length enzyme, suggesting that the C-terminal segment is important for accepting electrons from NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase. His132 → Ala mutant had an enzyme activity comparable to that of the wild-type enzyme; hence, the highly conserved His132 is not essential for the display of the heme oxygenase activity. In contrast, His25 → Ala mutation completely abolished the enzyme′s catalytic activity. A five-coordinate type ferrous NO EPR spectrum was observed for the heme-heme oxygenase H25A complex. Hence, we conclude that His25 is the proximal axial ligand of the heme iron and is essential for the heme degradation activity of the enzyme.

Activation volume and energetic properties of the binding of CO to hemoproteins

We have investigated the CO binding to various reduced hemoproteins by stopped-flow rapid mixing as a function of pressure (from 0.1 to 200 MPa) and temperature (from 4 to 35 degrees C). In particular, we studied several varieties of cytochrome P-450: CYP11A1 (scc), CYP2B4 (LM2), CYP3A6 (LM3c), and Cyp2a (7 alpha), as well as chloroperoxidase and lactoperoxidase, and compared the results to data reported for other hemoproteins. Whereas the CO binding activation enthalpy delta H++ and entropy delta S++ (correlated through a compensation effect) varied greatly between the hemoproteins, with no apparent relation to structural features, the pressure effect depended on the nature of the proximal axial heme ligand: the activation volume was very small for cysteine (S-) ligand hemoproteins (delta V++ = +1 to +6 ml mol-1), and markedly negative for histidine (N) ligand hemoproteins (delta V++ = -3 to -36 ml mol-1). Furthermore, the transition state volume of the histidine ligand class enzymes, but not that of the cysteine ligand enzymes, depended on the solvent composition. These results suggest that the CO-binding transition state of the S-ligand class has a molecular conformation similar to the ground state. In the histidine class, however, the transition state appears to involve protein conformational changes and/or solvation processes.

Heme-heme oxygenase complex. Structure of the catalytic site and its implication for oxygen activation.

Heme oxygenase, a central monooxygenase enzyme of the heme catabolism and the associated generation of carbon monoxide, forms a 1:1 stoichiometric complex with iron protoporphyrin IX, which is a prosthetic active center and at the same time the substrate of the enzyme. By using EPR, resonance Raman, and optical absorption spectroscopic techniques, we have determined the axial ligand coordination of the enzyme-heme complex. The ferric heme iron in the heme-enzyme complex at neutral pH is six-coordinate high spin, while at alkaline pH (pKa 7.6), the complex becomes low spin. Spectra of ferrous forms of the complex indicate that histidine serves as the iron proximal axial ligand and that the residue is in its neutral imidazole rather than its imidazolate protonation state. Thus, the active site of the heme-heme oxygenase complex has a myoglobin-like structure rather than an active site similar to the large cytochrome P-450 class of monooxygenases. As a consequence, the activated form of the heme-heme oxygenase complex, a peroxo intermediate, is different from that of the cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases, in which the activated form is an oxo intermediate. The overall catalytic mechanism is probably more closely related to that of other monooxygenases with myoglobin-like active sites, such as secondary amine monooxygenase.

EPR and ENDOR detection of compound I from Micrococcus lysodeikticus catalase.

We present the first EPR and ENDOR examination of a catalase compound I (Cat I), the one formed by peracetic acid treatment of Micrococcus lysodeikticus catalase. The Cat I rapid-passage EPR signal (g perpendicular eff = 3.32; g parallel eff approximately 2) appears quite different from those reported previously for the compounds I from horseradish peroxidase (HRP I) and chloroperoxidase. Nonetheless, all three signals can be explained by the same model for exchange coupling between an S = 1 oxoferryl [Fe = O]2+ moiety and a porphyrin pi-cation radical (S' = 1/2) (Schulz, C. E., et al. (1979) FEBS Lett. 103, 102-105). The signal for Cat I is unlike those for the two peroxidases in that it reflects a ferromagnetic rather than antiferromagnetic exchange. Preliminary 1H ENDOR spectra for Cat I appear to differ from the proton (1H) ENDOR spectra of HRP I; the latter, along with the 14N ENDOR spectra, indicate that the porphyrin radical in HRP I exhibits a predominantly A2u-like state having large spin densities on porphyrin N and C(beta). The proton ENDOR spectrum of Cat I is insensitive to H/D exchange, which indicates that the [Fe = O]2+ moiety is not protonated. Consideration of the EPR results for a series of compounds I suggests that the sign and magnitude of the exchange parameter (J) is correlated with the nature of the proximal axial ligand.

Spectral characterization of brain and macrophage nitric oxide synthases. Cytochrome P-450-like hemeproteins that contain a flavin semiquinone radical.

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized in mammals where it acts as a signal molecule for neurotransmission, vasorelaxation, and cytotoxicity. The NO synthases isolated from brain and cytokine-activated macrophages are FAD- and FMN-containing flavoproteins that display considerable sequence homology to NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. However, the nature of their catalytic centers is unknown. We have found that both isoenzymes contain 2 mol of iron-protoporphyrin IX/mol of enzyme homodimer. The optical and EPR spectroscopic properties of the heme groups were found to be remarkably similar to those of high-spin cytochrome P-450. The heme iron in the resting NO synthase is ferric and five-coordinate with a cysteine thiolate as the proximal axial ligand. In addition, the EPR spectra of the resting NO synthases contained a free radical signal attributable to a bound flavin semiquinone that appeared to interact magnetically with the ferric heme iron. NO production was inhibited by carbon monoxide, implying a role for the heme groups in catalysis.

Axial ligand coordination in intestinal peroxidase

EPR spectra of intestinal peroxidase are reported for the first time. The resting state of intestinal peroxidase exhibits only a high spin EPR spectrum with pH-dependent rhombicity. Addition of chloride shifts the equilibrium between an acidic and a neutral form of the enzyme. In contrast, resting lactoperoxidase shows EPR spectra of both low spin and high spin species, indicating a different heme environment between these two peroxidases. The high spin signal of lactoperoxidase consists of multiple components; the major component exhibits pH-dependent rhombicity similar to intestinal peroxidase and the equilibrium between the acidic and the neutral forms is also shifted by chloride ion. EPR features of the low spin cyanide complex of intestinal peroxidase and lactoperoxidase are compared with those of other hemeproteins, whose proximal axial ligands are known to be histidine residues. The g-values of the cyanide adducts of the mammalian peroxidases are similar. The relationship between the g-value anisotropy and imidazolate character of the proximal histidine is discussed.