宽泛底物谱色氨酸脱羧酶体外合成卤代色胺衍生物和血清素（英文）

【背景】色氨酸脱羧酶在自然界有高度特异性,行使催化色氨酸为色胺的功能。一个色氨酸脱羧酶BaTDC参与南海海绵共生菌Bacillus atrophaeus C89次级代谢产物Bacillamides的生物合成过程。【目的】探究BaTDC酶学特征和底物谱,建立体外合成色胺衍生物的方法。【方法】通过构建系统发育树揭示BaTDC在进化中的地位。在温度梯度和pH梯度下进行酶反应,利用不同的色氨酸衍生物为底物,通过HPLC和UPLC-MS检测酶反应过程,表征BaTDC活性。【结果】系统发育分析显示BaTDC与肠道菌Ruminococcusgnavus亲缘关系相近。纯化重组BaTDC的最适温度为40-45°C,最适pH值为8.0。BaTDC可以催化羟代色氨酸和卤代色氨酸包括4-氟色氨酸和5,6,7-氯色氨酸及4-溴色氨酸,得到相应的卤代色胺衍生物和血清素。【结论】本研究分析了BaTDC的特性,发现BaTDC表现出宽泛的底物耐受性,可为前体喂养或定向生物合成新型药用色胺衍生物和下游复杂天然产物奠定基础。     

谷氨酸棒杆菌L-天冬氨酸α-脱羧酶在大肠杆菌中的表达及酶转化生产β-丙氨酸

【目的】克隆谷氨酸棒杆菌来源L-天冬氨酸α-脱羧酶基因, 实现其在大肠杆菌中的异源表达, 并进行酶转化L-天冬氨酸合成β-丙氨酸的研究。【方法】PCR扩增谷氨酸棒杆菌L-天冬氨酸α-脱羧酶基因pand, 构建表达载体pET24a(+)-Pand, 转化宿主菌大肠杆菌BL21(DE3), 对重组菌进行诱导表达, 表达产物经DEAE离子交换层析和G-75 分子筛层析纯化后进行酶学性质研究, 然后进行酶转化实验, 说明底物和产物对酶转化的影响。【结果】重组菌SDS-PAGE分析表明Pand表达量可达菌体总蛋白的50%以上, AccQ·Tag法检测酶活达到94.16 U/mL。该重组酶最适反应温度为55 °C, 在低于37 °C时保持较好的稳定性, 最适pH为6.0, 在pH 4.0?7.0范围内有较好的稳定性。酶转化实验说明: 底物L-天冬氨酸和产物β-丙氨酸对转化反应均有抑制作用; 实验建立了较优的酶转化反应方式, 在加酶量为每克天冬氨酸3 000 U时, 以分批加入固体底物L-天冬氨酸的形式, 使100 g/L底物转化率达到97.8%。【结论】重组L-天冬氨酸α-脱羧酶在大肠杆菌中获得高效表达, 研究了酶转化生产β-丙氨酸的影响因素, 为其工业应用奠定了基础。     

柴油食烷菌B-5及其卤代烷烃脱卤酶DadA对卤代化合物的降解

【目的】柴油食烷菌(Alcanivorax dieselolei)B-5是重要的石油降解菌。为研究其对卤代化合物的降解范围和降解机制,【方法】以不同的卤代化合物作为唯一碳源,观察菌株B-5在其中的生长情况;通过多重序列比对、系统发育分析和三维结构同源建模,分析该菌株基因组内一个假定的卤代烷烃脱卤酶(Haloalkane dehalogenase,HLD)DadA;利用大肠杆菌异源表达、纯化DadA,并测定了其对46个卤代底物的酶活。【结果】菌株B-5能够利用C3-C18链长范围的多种卤代化合物为唯一碳源生长;在系统进化树中,DadA相对独立于其他HLD-II亚家族成员,但具有典型的HLD-II亚家族的催化五联体残基;DadA确实具有脱卤活性,但该酶特异性高,底物范围明显小于其他已鉴定的HLDs,仅对1,2,3-三溴丙烷、1,2-二溴-3-氯丙烷和2,3-二氯-1-丙烯有脱卤酶活。【结论】因为DadA对很多B-5菌株可以利用做碳源的卤代底物没有脱卤酶活,所以推测B-5菌中可能还有其他脱卤酶参与了卤代烷烃的降解。菌株B-5及其卤代烷烃脱卤酶DadA在卤代烷烃污染物的生物降解方面具有应用潜力。     

白腐菌SQ01锰过氧化物酶对联苯中间代谢物的转化北大核心CSCD

【目的】在对白腐菌栓菌(Trametes sp.)SQ01锰过氧化物酶(MnP)纯化的基础上,通过MnP对HOPDAs的转化实验,了解白腐菌MnP对2-羟基-6-氧-6-苯基-2,4-己二烯酸(HOPDA)及其衍生物的作用,揭示MnP新的催化特性。【方法】利用紫外可见光谱法分析锰过氧化物酶对10种不同取代基的HOPDAs转化情况,并对锰过氧化物酶的稳态动力学参数进行了测定;红外光谱法分析了HOPDA及其产物的分子结构。【结果】锰过氧化物酶可以转化HOPDA及其卤代HOPDAs,特别是锰过氧化物酶可以催化3,8,11-3Cl HOPDA,而这一物质几乎不能被联苯水解酶(2-羟基-6-氧-6-苯基-2,4-己二烯酸水解酶)和红球菌(Rhodococcus sp.)R04转化。稳态动力学分析表明,在5种HOPDAs中,HOPDA是锰过氧化物酶的最适底物,3,10-2F HOPDA的转化效率(k_(cat)/K_m)是最高的。紫外可见光谱分析表明,锰过氧化物酶在转化HOPDA及其衍生物时最大吸收峰在可见光区均会发生蓝移。红外分析表明,锰过氧化物酶可以使HOPDA的共轭双烯转化为单烯,C_β上的羟基消失。【结论】锰过氧化物酶能够有效降解HOPDA及其衍生物,这为联苯及其中间代谢物的顺利降解提供了新的策略。     

定点突变改变近平滑假丝酵母SCRⅡ催化苯乙酮衍生物底物谱

【目的】通过定点突变技术,改变近平滑假丝酵母短链羰基还原酶Ⅱ(SCRⅡ)催化苯乙酮衍生物的功能,为数种手性芳香醇的生产提供一种高效、安全的新型制备方法。【方法】通过氨基酸序列和蛋白结构比对的方法,选择SCRⅡ的底物结合域中关键氨基酸位点E228实施突变,构建相应的突变株Escherichia coliBL21/pET28a-E228S;以苯乙酮衍生物为底物,对突变株的酶活和生物转化功能进行了分析。【结果】酶活测定结果表明:突变株E.coli BL21/pET28a-E228S催化原始底物2-羟基苯乙酮的酶活仅为原始酶活的25%左右;而催化苯乙酮、4’-甲基苯乙酮、4’-氯苯乙酮的酶活是突变前的7-20倍。突变株E.coli BL21/pET28a-E228S生物转化2-羟基苯乙酮,获得产物(S)-苯基乙二醇的得率不超过10%,而以苯乙酮、4’-甲基苯乙酮、4’-氯苯乙酮为底物时,生物转化产物光学纯度维持在99%,得率高达80%以上。【结论】对底物结合域中的关键氨基酸实施突变,提高了SCRⅡ催化苯乙酮衍生物的底物广谱性,拓展了该酶的生物功能,为理性改造短链羰基还原酶的不对称还原催化功能和手性芳香醇的制备提供了新型途径。     

一株β-葡萄糖苷酶产生菌株的分离鉴定及酶学性质研究

【目的】分离获得β-葡萄糖苷酶高产菌株,确定该菌分类地位,并对其所产β-葡萄糖苷酶的酶学性质进行初步研究。【方法】采用七叶灵显色法从土壤样品中筛选β-葡萄糖苷酶产生菌,再用对硝基苯基-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷(PNPG)显色法进行复筛;通过形态特征、生理生化特征及16S rDNA序列相似性分析等方法确定其分类学地位;利用超滤、疏水层析、阴离子层析、分子筛层析法对β-葡萄糖苷酶进行分离纯化;以PNPG为底物,测定β-葡萄糖苷酶的最适反应pH及最适反应温度,通过双倒数作图法确定β-葡萄糖苷酶催化不同底物水解的米氏常数Km值。【结果】从土壤样品中筛选得到一株β-葡萄糖苷酶高产菌株ZF-6C,初步鉴定为Bacillus korlensis;芽胞杆菌ZF-6C所产β-葡萄糖苷酶的分子量约为90 kD,最适反应pH和温度分别为7.0和40°C,该酶具有水解β(1,4)糖苷键的活性,最适底物为邻硝基苯-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷,Km值为0.73 mmol/L。金属离子Ca2+、Pb2+增强酶活,而Cu2+、Fe2+抑制酶活。【结论】首次报道从Bacillus korlensis中分离得到β-葡萄糖苷酶,Bacillus korlensis ZF-6C所产β-葡萄糖苷酶在分子量、最适反应条件及底物特异性等方面均不同于已知酶,可能为一结构新颖且催化效率较高的β-葡萄糖苷酶。     

源于解淀粉芽胞杆菌酚酸脱羧酶的克隆与表达

【背景】酚酸脱羧酶催化分解酚酸产生的4-乙烯基酚类物质可用于食品添加剂及香精香料行业,而酚酸脱羧酶的表达水平相对较低,因此,高水平的酚酸脱羧酶是工业规模生产4-乙烯基酚类物质的先决条件。【目的】克隆解淀粉芽胞杆菌的酚酸脱羧酶基因,实现在大肠杆菌中的高效异源表达,分析酚酸脱羧酶的底物特异性,并对其表达条件进行优化。【方法】通过PCR技术获得酚酸脱羧酶的基因,构建重组基因工程菌,将测序结果与其他酚酸脱羧酶序列进行比对,利用IPTG诱导方法高效表达蛋白。将重组酚酸脱羧酶与4种不同的底物进行反应,设计响应面试验对诱导条件进行优化。【结果】酚酸脱羧酶对对香豆酸、阿魏酸、咖啡酸、芥子酸的比酶活比率为:100:23.33:15.39:10.51。结合与其他酚酸脱羧酶比对结果发现酚酸脱羧酶家族的C末端区域氨基酸序列的变异率最高,这与酚酸脱羧酶的底物特异性和催化机制有关。通过单因素和响应面试验得到酚酸脱羧酶诱导表达的最佳条件为:2×YT培养基,诱导温度30°C,接种量1.78%,诱导时机3.8 h,IPTG1.25mmol/L,诱导时间18h,此时预测酶活和实际酶活分别为47.61IU/mL和47.55IU/mL。【结论】应用响应面法优化酚酸脱羧酶的诱导表达是可行的,本试验为以后生产稳定、高产的酚酸脱羧酶以及了解其催化机理提供了重要的理论基础。     

一株新型同型产乙酸菌Clostridium sp.的自养和异养生长特性

【背景】同型产乙酸菌是一类利用乙酰辅酶A途径固定CO_2合成自身细胞物质并生成乙酸、乙醇等代谢产物的厌氧菌群,其分布广泛、种类繁多且代谢多样。深入研究同型产乙酸菌菌株的代谢能力及特性,对探索该种群的生理生化特性及其环境作用至关重要。【目的】研究一株同型产乙酸菌Clostridium sp. BXX的最适培养条件及其自养与异养生长特性。【方法】设置BXX菌株培养温度10-55°C、初始pH 6.0-9.0、NaCl浓度0-2.0%、不同氮源,测定菌体细胞含量和产物生成浓度,确定菌株最适培养条件。研究BXX菌株分别以H_2/CO_2、合成气、CO、葡萄糖、1,2-丙二醇、甲酸钠、乙二醇甲醚、甘油、丙酮酸和乳酸为底物时的底物消耗、产物生成、菌体细胞含量和pH等,探究其自养和异养生长特性。【结果】BXX菌株的最适培养温度为30°C,初始pH为7.0,NaCl浓度为1.0%,氮源为酵母粉。BXX菌株能以H2/CO2、合成气、葡萄糖、1,2-丙二醇、甲酸钠、乙二醇甲醚和甘油为底物生长,不能以CO、丙酮酸或乳酸为底物生长。【结论】BXX菌株既能自养生长产乙酸,又能异养生长产乙醇。BXX菌株是乙酸发酵的优良菌种资源,有较好的工业应用潜力。     

双孢蘑菇酪氨酸酶基因在酿酒酵母中的异源表达及其酶学特性

【目的】在酿酒酵母中异源表达双孢蘑菇来源的酪氨酸酶基因PPO2,并研究酪氨酸酶在酿酒酵母胞内及胞外的酶学特性。【方法】提取双孢蘑菇总RNA,通过RT-PCR克隆酪氨酸酶基因PPO2,构建表达载体pSP-G1-PPO2,并转化至酿酒酵母进行表达,采用镍亲和层析纯化蛋白并研究其酶学性质。【结果】在酿酒酵母中正确表达了大小为65 kDa的酪氨酸酶蛋白。重组酶能催化底物酪氨酸产生黑色素。体外活性测定表明,酪氨酸酶催化最适温度为45°C,以酪氨酸和多巴为底物时最适pH分别为7.0和8.0。在酿酒酵母中测得底物酪氨酸浓度低于2.5 mg/mL时,黑色素的产量与底物浓度呈现正相关性。【结论】来源于双孢蘑菇的酪氨酸酶基因PPO2在酿酒酵母中成功表达,重组酶具有良好的酶学特性。利用酪氨酸酶产物黑色素的产量与底物浓度呈现正相关性这一特性,可将其作为细胞酪氨酸产量的传感器,为高通量筛选酪氨酸高产菌株提供了思路。     

Rhodococcus erythropolis 手性醇脱氢酶的克隆表达及其性质

【目的】探讨红串红球菌中一种醇脱氢酶的性质及其对酮酯类及酮类底物的催化能力。【方法】从红串红球菌(Rhodococcus erythropolis ATCC 4277)中获取一段长度为1047 bp的醇脱氢酶(adh)基因,插入载体pET-22b(+)后,在大肠杆菌中进行重组表达。15℃的低温下用自诱导培养基诱导24 h,以苯乙酮为底物测定醇脱氢酶酶活。【结果】测得该诱导条件下重组菌体细胞破碎上清中醇脱氢酶酶活力为2.6 U/mg。经温度、pH耐受性等分析,发现该酶最适pH在6.0-6.5之间,耐受温度可以达到60℃,并且在该温度下保持5 h后,酶活也能保留80%。对于β酮酯类底物的催化反应,以对乙酰乙酸乙酯的催化能力最高。用4-氯乙酰乙酸乙酯(COBE)为底物进行全细胞水相催化反应,经手性液相色谱分析,发现在催化产物以R型4-氯-3羟基丁酸乙酯(CHBE)为主。【结论】该酶在酮酯类的底物转化方面有良好的开发潜力及应用前景。     

Stimulation of bacterial arylsulfatase activity by arylamines: evidence for substrate activation.

A number of arylamines (including tyramine and tryptamine) increased the in vitro activity of arylsulfatase from Pseudomonas sp. strain C12B. Amino acid analogs of these amines (e.g., tyrosine and tryptophan) failed to exert an effect. Stimulation of activity by tyramine could not be accounted for in terms of sulfotransferase activity for this phenol, and no shift in the pH optimum for the enzyme occurred in the presence of tryptamine. Increased Vmax due to these amines was independent of enzyme concentration but varied significantly with substrate concentration. Evidence is presented which suggests that arylamines enhance arylsulfatase activity by forming a salt linkage with the substrate and rendering it more susceptible to enzymatic and acid-catalyzed hydrolyses. The recrystallized tryptamine salt of the substrate exhibited a reduced affinity for the enzyme but was hydrolyzed more rapidly than the potassium salt, which is normally employed as the assay substrate.     

THE FLUX OF RADIOACTIVE LABEL THROUGH COMPONENTS OF THE SEROTONERGIC SYSTEM FOLLOWING THE INJECTION OF [3H]TRYPTOPHAN: PRODUCT–PRECURSOR ANOMALIES PROVIDING EVIDENCE THAT SEROTONIN EXISTS IN MULTIPLE POOLS1

Abstract— Rats were given an intravenous injection of 100 μCi of l –[³H]tryptophan and were killed between 5 and 180 min post–injection. Brains were dissected into seven areas, and specific activities were determined for major components (tryptophan, 5–hydroxytryptophan. serotonin and 5–hydroxy–indoleacetic acid) and detectable minor components (tryptamine, 5–methoxytryptamine. 5–hydroxyindo–lepyruvic acid, and 5–hydroxytryptophol) of serotonergic metabolism. The minor components represented small amounts of the total radioactivity with respect to the four major components. Anomalies in the product–precursor relationships for 5–hydroxytryptophan and serotonin, as well as for serotonin and 5–hydroxyindoleactic acid, suggest intraneuronal compartmentation of serotonin.     

Characterization of tryptamine 5-hydroxylase and serotonin synthesis in rice plants

Serotonin is a well-known pineal hormone that in mammals plays a key role in mood. In plants, serotonin is implicated in several physiological roles such as flowering, morphogenesis, and adaptation to environmental changes. However, its biosynthetic enzyme in plants has not been characterized. Therefore, we measured the serotonin content and enzyme activity responsible for serotonin biosynthesis in rice seedlings. Tryptamine 5-hydroxylase (T5H), which converts tryptamine into serotonin, was found as a soluble enzyme that had maximal activity in the roots. The maximal activity of T5H was closely associated with the enriched synthesis of serotonin in roots. Tetrahydropterine-dependent T5H activity was inhibited by tyramine, tryptophan, 5-OH-tryptophan, and octopamine, but remained unaltered by dopamine in vitro. The tissues of rice seedlings grown in the presence of tryptamine exhibited a dose-dependent increase in serotonin in parallel with enhanced T5H enzyme activity. However, no significant increase in serotonin was observed in rice tissues grown in the presence of tryptophan, suggesting that tryptamine is a bottleneck intermediate substrate for serotonin synthesis.     

Metabolism of Tryptophan by Pseudomonas aureofaciens: III. Production of Substituted Pyrrolnitrins from Tryptophan Analogues 1

Exogenous tryptophan is metabolized by Pseudomonas aureofaciens to yield pyrrolnitrin [3-chloro-4-(2'-nitro-3'-chlorophenyl)-pyrrole], an antifungal agent. The ability of this culture to metabolize tryptophan analogues in a similar manner was investigated by addition of the appropriate compound to the fermentation. Tryptophan precursors and metabolites or nonphenyl-substituted tryptophans had little effect on pyrrolnitrin biosynthesis, but simple derivatives of indole inhibited the production of pyrrolnitrin. Tryptophans substituted at the 4 position decreased pyrrolnitrin production and were converted into the corresponding substituted indoles. Tryptophans substituted at the 5, 6, and 7 position with fluorine or at the 5 and 7 position with methyl yielded new pyrrolnitrin derivatives. Substitution of larger groups (such as chloro, bromo, trifluoromethyl, and methoxy) at these positions led to the formation of the intermediate, amino pyrrolnitrin [3-chloro-4-(2'-amino-3'-chlorophenyl)-pyrrole], with the appropriate new substituent. The trifluoromethyl group at the 6 position of tryptophan prevented chlorination at the 3 position of pyrrolnitrin.     

Tryptophan synthase: the workings of a channeling nanomachine

Substrate channeling between enzymes has an important role in cellular metabolism by compartmentalizing cytoplasmic synthetic processes. The bacterial tryptophan synthases are multienzyme nanomachines that catalyze the last two steps in L-tryptophan biosynthesis. The common metabolite indole is transferred from one enzyme to the other in each alphabeta-dimeric unit of the alpha2beta2 complex via an interconnecting 25-A-long tunnel. Recent solution studies of the Salmonella typhimurium alpha2beta2 complex coupled with X-ray crystal-structure determinations of complexes with substrates, intermediates and substrate analogs have driven important breakthroughs concerning the identification of the linkages between the bi-enzyme complex structure, catalysis at the alpha- and beta-active sites, and the allosteric regulation of substrate channeling.     

Biosynthesis of violacein: intact incorporation of the tryptophan molecule on the oxindole side, with intramolecular rearrangement of the indole ring on the 5-hydroxyindole side

Feeding experiments with a mixture of [2-13C]- and [indole-3-13C]tryptophans, of [3-13C]- and [indole-3-13 C]tryptophans (1:1 molar ratio) and of others have proved that the 1,2-shift of the indole ring occurred via an intramolecular process for formation of the left part (5-hydroxyindole side) of the violacein skeleton and demonstrated that the C-C bond from C2 of the indole ring to C2 of the side chain was completely retained for formation of the right part (oxindole side) during the entire biosynthetic process. Due to the involvement of transaminase, it has remained unresolved whether indolylpyruvic acid is the biosynthetic intermediate and/or from where the nitrogen atom of the pyrrolidone ring originates. An incorporation experiment with a mixture of [2-13C]- and [alpha-15N]tryptophans (1:1 molar ratio) verified that the nitrogen atom in the central ring was exclusively derived from the right-side tryptophan. Thus, all the carbon and nitrogen atoms in the right part of the violacein skeleton were constructed by intact incorporation of the tryptophan molecule, with decarboxylation probably occurring at a later biosynthetic stage.     

Naphthoindole-based analogues of tryptophan and tryptamine: synthesis and cytotoxic properties

The efficacy of anthracycline based anticancer drugs is limited by pleiotropic drug resistance of tumor cells. Aiming at the design of anthracyclinone congeners capable of circumventing drug resistance, we synthesized naphthoindole containing derivatives of tryptophan and tryptamine. In doing so we adapted the traditional, gramine based approach for tryptophan and tryptamine synthesis. The most potent new compound, 3-(2-aminoethyl)-4,11-dihydroxynaphtho[2,3-f]indole-5,10-dione (16), was equally cytotoxic (IC(50) within low micromolar concentrations) for human K562 leukemia and HCT116 colon carcinoma cell lines and their isogenic sublines with genetically defined determinants of altered drug response, that is, the expression of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein and loss of pro-apoptotic p53. Each of these mechanisms conferred resistance to the reference drug adriamycin. In contrast, naphthotryptamine 16, although less potent than adriamycin, was equally toxic for wild type cell lines and drug resistant counterparts. Moreover, at 3-5 microM 16 inhibited topoisomerase I in vitro. Thus, our novel naphthoindole based derivative of tryptamine gained new activities important for anticancer therapy, namely, suppression of topoisomerase I and the ability to overcome resistance mediated by P-glycoprotein expression and p53 dysfunction.     

Selection of cell lines resistant to tryptophan analogs

After prolonged cultivation in the presence of increasing amounts of carboxyl-substituted tryptophan analogs (tryptamine and tryptophanol), cell lines resistant to high concentrations of these compounds were obtained. The initial culture was the Madin-Darby line of spontaneously transformed bovine kidney cells. In the resistant lines the amount of tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (E. C. 6.1.1.2) is manyfold increased as shown by two criteria: (i) enzymatic activity (ATP-PPi isotopic exchange) per mg of protein, (ii) binding of in vivo 35S-labeled proteins to polyclonal antibodies against tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase. It was shown that tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase is phosphorylated in vivo, and the degree of phosphorylation of the enzyme in initial cells seems to be higher then in the resistant ones. The Km value for tryptophan is not significantly changed for the enzyme from resistant cells. The permeability for tryptophan and its analogs is reduced in the resistant cells. It is proposed that the acquisition of the resistance against tryptophan analogs are due to alterations at the genomic level (for example, gene amplification etc.).     

Actinomycin synthesis in Streptomyces antibioticus: enzymatic conversion of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid to 4-methyl-3-hydroxyanthranilic acid.

A methyltransferase which utilizes 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (HAA) as a substrate was identified in detergent-treated extracts of the bacterium Streptomyces antibioticus. The enzyme catalyzes the transfer of methyl groups from [14C]S-adenosylmethionine to HAA, but does not catalyze the methylation of 3-hydroxy-DL-kynurenine. Enzyme, substrate, time, and pH dependencies for the methyl transfer reaction were examined. Reaction products obtained from scaled-up reaction mixtures were fractionated by chromatography on Dowex 1, and the Dowex 1 fractions were examined by paper and thin-layer chromatography. One Dowex fraction was shown to contain a radioactive product with the chromatographic properties of 4-methyl-3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (MHA), a known intermediate in the biosynthesis of actinomycin. Available evidence indicates that the conversion of HAA to MHA is an early step in the biosynthesis of actinomycin by S. antibioticus and other actinomycin-producing streptomycetes.     

Tryptophan 334 oxidation in bovine cytochrome c oxidase subunit I involves free radical migration

A single tryptophan (W(334(I))) within the mitochondrial-encoded core subunits of cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) is selectively oxidized when hydrogen peroxide reacts with the binuclear center. W(334(I)) is converted to hydroxytryptophan as identified by reversed-phase HPLC-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry analysis of peptides derived from the three SDS-PAGE purified subunits. Total sequence coverage of subunits I, II and III was limited to 84%, 66% and 54%, respectively. W(334(I)) is located on the surface of CcO at the membrane interface. Two other surface tryptophans within nuclear-encoded subunits, W(48(IV)) and W(19(VIIc)), are also oxidized when hydrogen peroxide reacts with the binuclear center (Musatov et al. (2004) Biochemistry 43, 1003-1009). Two aromatic-rich networks of amino acids were identified that link the binuclear center to the three oxidized tryptophans. We propose the following mechanism to explain these results. Electron transfer through the aromatic networks moves the free radicals generated at the binuclear center to the surface-exposed tryptophans, where they produce hydroxytryptophan.