Purification and catalytic properties of a cross-linked complex between adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin

A stable covalent complex was prepared by cross-linking adrenodoxin reductase with adrenodoxin using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide. The covalent complex was purified extensively until free components were removed completely. The major component of the complex had a molecular weight of 63 kDa, which corresponds to a 1:1 stoichiometric complex between adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin. NADPH-cytochrome c reduction activity of the covalent complex was comparable to that of an equimolar mixture of adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin (native complex), and the NADPH-ferricyanide reduction activity of the complex was equal to that of the native one. In contrast to the native complex, the covalent complex produced much less superoxide upon NADPH-oxidation, and the covalent complex was found to be more stable than the native complex, suggesting that the complex state is more favorable for catalysis. From these results, we conclude that the adrenodoxin molecule does not need to dissociate from the complex during electron transfer from NADPH to cytochrome c.     

Modification of histidine 56 in adrenodoxin with diethyl pyrocarbonate inhibited the interaction with cytochrome P-450scc and adrenodoxin reductase

Three histidine residues of bovine adrenodoxin, His-10, His-56, and His-62, were modified with diethyl pyrocarbonate. The order of the modification among the three histidines were monitored by measuring the proton NMR spectra. The modified adrenodoxin exhibited reduced affinity for adrenodoxin reductase as determined in cytochrome c reductase activity. In the presence of cholesterol, the modified adrenodoxin induced a high spin form of cytochrome P-450scc on complex formation in the same manner as native adrenodoxin. The spectral titration showed that adrenodoxin modified with diethyl pyrocarbonate exhibited a 5-fold higher Kd value than that of native adrenodoxin. These effects of the modification of adrenodoxin on the affinities for the redox partners were not proportional to the number of modified histidines determined by the optical absorbance change at 240 nm. Modification of adrenodoxin up to 2 histidine residues did not affect the affinity for the redox partners, but further modification on the third one resulted in an increase of apparent Km in cytochrome c reductase activity by 2-fold and of Kd for cytochrome P-450scc by 5-fold. The 1H NMR spectra of the modified adrenodoxin unequivocally demonstrated that histidine residues at His-10 and His-62 reacted more readily with diethyl pyrocarbonate than His-56 did, indicating that modification of His-56 was responsible for the reduction of binding affinities of adrenodoxin for redox partners. These results are consistent with the proposal that the residue of His-56 in adrenodoxin has an essential role in the electron transfer mechanism where adrenodoxin functions as a mobile shuttle.     

Inhibition of electron transfer from adrenodoxin to cytochrome P-450scc by chemical modification with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate: identification of adrenodoxin-binding site of cytochrome P-450scc

Covalent modification of cytochrome P-450scc (purified from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria) with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) was found to cause inhibition of the electron-accepting ability of this enzyme from its physiological electron donor, adrenodoxin, without conversion to the "P-420" form. Reaction conditions leading to the modification level of 0.82 and 2.85 PLP-Lys residues per cytochrome P-450scc molecule resulted in 60% and 98% inhibition, respectively, of electron-transfer rate from adrenodoxin to cytochrome P-450scc (with beta-NADPH as an electron donor via NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase and with phenyl isocyanide as the exogenous heme ligand of the cytochrome). It was found that covalent PLP modification caused a drastic decrease of cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity when the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme system was reconstituted with native (or PLP-modified) cytochrome P-450scc, adrenodoxin, and NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase. Approximately 60% of the original enzymatic activity of cytochrome P-450scc was protected against inactivation by covalent PLP modification when 20% mole excess adrenodoxin was included during incubation with PLP. Binding affinity of substrate (cholesterol) to cytochrome P-450scc was found to be increased slightly upon covalent modification with PLP by analyzing a substrate-induced spectral change. The interaction of adrenodoxin with cytochrome P-450scc in the absence of substrate (cholesterol) was analyzed by difference absorption spectroscopy with a four-cuvette assembly, and the apparent dissociation constant (Ks) for adrenodoxin binding was found to be increased from 0.38 microM (native) to 33 microM (covalently PLP modified).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The use of a specific fluorescence probe to study the interaction of adrenodoxin with adrenodoxin reductase and cytochrome P-450scc

The single free cysteine at residue 95 of bovine adrenodoxin was labeled with the fluorescent reagent N-iodoacetylamidoethyl-1-aminonaphthalene-5-sulfonate (1,5-I-AEDANS). The modification had no effect on the interaction with adrenodoxin reductase or cytochrome P-450scc, suggesting that the AEDANS group at Cys-95 was not located at the binding site for these molecules. Addition of adrenodoxin reductase, cytochrome P-450scc, or cytochrome c to AEDANS-adrenodoxin was found to quench the fluorescence of the AEDANS in a manner consistent with the formation of 1:1 binary complexes. F?rster energy transfer calculations indicated that the AEDANS label on adrenodoxin was 42 A from the heme group in cytochrome c, 36 A from the FAD group in adrenodoxin reductase, and 58 A from the heme group in cytochrome P-450scc in the respective binary complexes. These studies suggest that the FAD group in adrenodoxin reductase is located close to the binding domain for adrenodoxin but that the heme group in cytochrome P-450scc is deeply buried at least 26 A from the binding domain for adrenodoxin. Modification of all the lysines on adrenodoxin with maleic anhydride had no effect on the interaction with either adrenodoxin reductase or cytochrome P-450scc, suggesting that the lysines are not located at the binding site for either protein. Modification of all the arginine residues with p-hydroxyphenylglyoxal also had no effect on the interaction with adrenodoxin reductase or cytochrome P-450scc. These studies are consistent with the proposal that the binding sites on adrenodoxin for adrenodoxin reductase and cytochrome P-450scc overlap, and that adrenodoxin functions as a mobile electron carrier.     

Stimulation of the NADPH:adrenodoxin reductase diaphorase reaction by adrenodoxin

The diaphorase activity of NADPH: adrenodoxin reductase (EC 1.18.1.2) is stimulated by adrenodoxin. The latter prevents the reductase inhibition by NADPH; the Line-weaver-Burk plots are characterized by a biphasic dependence of the reaction rate on the oxidizer concentration. At pH 7.0 the maximal rate of the first phase is 20s-1; that for the second phase at saturating concentrations of adrenodoxin is 5 s-1. Since the second phase rate is equal to that of the adrenodoxin-linked cytochrome c reduction by reductase it is concluded that this phase reflects the reduction of the oxidizers via reduced adrenodoxin. Quinones are reduced by adrenodoxin in an one-electron way; the logarithms of their rate constants depend hyperbolically on their single-electron reduction potentials (E7(1]. The oxidizers interact with a negatively charged domain of adrenodoxin. The depth of the adrenodoxin active center calculated from the Fe(EDTA)- reduction data is 5.9 A.     

Chemical modification of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. Presence of a lysine residue in the rat hepatic enzyme as the recognition site of 2'-phosphate moiety of the cofactor

Chemical modification of rat hepatic NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase by sodium 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonate (TNBS) resulted in a time-dependent loss of the reducing activity for cytochrome c. The inactivation exhibited pseudo-first-order kinetics with a reaction order approximately one, and a second-order constant of 4.8 min-1 X M-1. The reducing activities for 2,6-dichloroindophenol and K3Fe(CN)6 were also decreased by TNBS. Almost complete protection of the NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase from inactivation by TNBS was achieved by NADP(H), while partial protection was obtained with a high concentration of NADH. NAD, FAD and FMN showed no effect against the inactivation. 3-Acetylpyridine-adenine dinucleotide phosphate, adenosine 2',5'-bisphosphate and 2'AMP protected the enzyme against the chemical modification. Stoichiometric studies showed that the complete inactivation was caused by modification of three lysine residues per molecule of the enzyme. But, under the conditions where the inactivation was almost protected by NADPH, two lysine residues were modified. From those results, we propose that one residue of lysine is located at the binding site of the 2'-phosphate group on the adenosine ribose of NADP(H), and plays an essential role in the catalytic function of the NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase.     

Cross-linking studies of steroidogenic electron transfer: covalent complex of adrenodoxin reductase with adrenodoxin

Bifunctional reagents 3,3'-dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate), 1-ethyl 3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide and N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate have been used in an attempt to study molecular organization and covalent cross-linking of adrenodoxin reductase with adrenodoxin, the components of steroidogenic electron transfer system in bovine adrenocortical mitochondria. There was no cross-linking of individual proteins by the bifunctional reagents used, except for adrenodoxin cross-linking with water-soluble carbodiimide. Substantial cross-linking of adrenodoxin reductase with adrenodoxin was observed when water-soluble carbodiimide was used as cross-linking reagent. However, the cross-linked complex failed to transfer electrons. Significant amounts of the functional cross-linked complex (up to 42%) were observed when the proteins were cross-linked with N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate. Using gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography on adrenodoxin-Sepharose, the complex was obtained in a highly purified form. In the presence of cytochrome P-450scc or cytochrome c, the cross-linked complex of adrenodoxin reductase with adrenodoxin was active in electron transfer from NADPH to heme proteins. The data obtained indicate that there are distinct binding sites on the adrenodoxin molecule responsible for the adrenodoxin reductase and cytochrome P-450scc binding, which suggests that steroidogenic electron transfer may be realized in an organized complex.     

The formation of binary and ternary complexes of cytochrome P-450scc with adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase.adrenodoxin complex. The implication in ACTH function.

Binary and ternary complexes of bovine adrenocortical mitochondrial cytochrome P-450scc with adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase.adrenodoxin complex are formed in the presence of cholesterol and Emulgen 913. Both cholesterol and Emulgen 913 are required for the binding of cytochrome P-450scc with adrenodoxin. Since phospholipids are able to replace Emulgen 913 in this reaction, in vivo phospholipids of the mitochondrial inner membrane appear to play the function of the detergent. The dissociation constants of the cytochrome.adrenodoxin complex are 0.3 to 0.4 microM at 130 microM dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and 0.9 microM at 120 microM Emulgen 913, whereas the dissociation constant for the ternary complex of cytochrome P-450scc with adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin is 4.0 microM at 150 microM Emulgen 913. The stoichiometry of binary and ternary complexes reveals the 1:1 and 1:1:1 molar ratios, respectively, judging from chemical analyses after the fractionation of the complexes by gel filtration. Emulgen 913, Tween 20, ethylene glycol, myristoyllysophosphatidylcholine, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine show the enhanced activity of cholesterol side chain cleavage reaction with cytochrome P-450scc, adrenodoxin, adrenodoxin reductase, and NADPH. These results, in conjunction with earlier experiments, lead us to the proposal on the structure of the hydroxylase complex in the membrane and to the hypothesis on the regulation of the enzymatic activity by the availability of substrate cholesterol to the cytochrome. Hence, we propose a mobile P-450scc hypothesis for the response of the mitochondrion to adrenocorticotropic hormone stimuli.     

Preparation and crystallization of a cross-linked complex of bovine adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase

Bovine adrenodoxin was cross-linked to adrenodoxin reductase with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl-aminopropyl) carbodiimide. Mass spectrometry showed the reaction product to be a 1:1 complex of the two proteins with M_r = 64,790 ± 50. The cross-linked complex showed cytochrome c reductase activity and could be crystallized by hanging-drop vapor diffusion. Crystals of the adrenodoxin-adrenodoxin reductase complex are hexagonal, space group P6₁22 or P6₅22, with a = 93.26 Å and c= 612.20 Å and diffract to 2.9 Å resolution at 100 K. Assuming two cross-linked complexes per asymmetric unit yields a reasonable V_M of 2.97 ų/Da. Proteins 28:289–292, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss Inc.     

Adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin. Mechanisms of reduction of ferricyanide and cytochrome c.

Adrenodoxin reductase, the flavoprotein moiety of the adrenal cortex mitochondrial steroid hydroxylating system, participates in adrenodoxin-dependent cytochrome c and adrenodoxin-independent ferricyanide reduction, with NADPH as electron donor for both of these 1-electron reductions. For ferricyanide reduction, adrenodoxin reductase cycles between oxidized and 2-electron-reduced forms, reoxidation proceeding via the neutral flavin (FAD) semiquinone form (Fig. 9). Addition of adrenodoxin has no effect upon the kinetic parameters of flavoprotein-catalyzed ferricyanide reduction. For cytochrome c reduction, the adrenodoxin reductase-adrenodoxin 1:1 complex has been shown to be the catalytically active species (Lambeth, J. D., McCaslin, D. R., and Kamin, H. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 7545-7550). Present studies, using stopped flow techniques, have shown that the 2-electron-reduced form of the complex (produced by reaction with 1 eq of NADPH) reacts rapidly with 1 eq of cytochrome c (k approximately or equal to 4.6 s-1), but only slowly with a second cytochrome c (k = 0.1 to 0.3 s-1). However, when a second NADPH is included, two more equivalents of cytochrome are reduced rapidly. Thus, the adrenodoxin reductase-adrenodoxin complex appears to cycle between 1- and 3-electron reduced states, via an intermediate 2-electron-containing form produced by reoxidation by cytochrome (Fig. 10). For ferricyanide reduction by adrenodoxin reductase, the fully reduced and semiquinone forms of flavin each transfer 1 electron at oxidation-reduction potentials which differ by approximately 130 mV. However, adrenodoxin in a complex with adrenodoxin reductase allows electrons of constant potential to be delivered from flavin to cytochrome c via the iron sulfur center...     

Inactivation of rat testicular NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonate

Rat testicular NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was inactivated by treatment with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS) or with 2',3'-dialdehyde derivatives of 5'-ATP and NADP+. The inactivation rates were dependent on reaction time and followed pseudo-first order kinetics. The rate of inactivation of cytochrome c reducing activity by TNBS was faster than that of reducing activities for K3Fe(CN)6 and for dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP). Cytochrome c and DCPIP prevented NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase from inactivation by TNBS, but NADP(H) protected to a lesser extent. Stoichiometry indicated that two residues of amino acid modified with TNBS were essential for the enzyme activity. The 2',3'-dialdehyde derivatives of 5'-ATP and NADP+ were specific ligands for the modification of lysine residues, whereas TNBS would possibly modify residues of lysine and/or cysteine. By differential and sequential modification by 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), TNBS and dithiothreitol, the residues of lysine and cysteine were identified in the active site of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. These results suggest that lysyl and cysteinyl residues are located at or near the active region of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase from the rat testicular microsomal fraction.     

Studies on nitrotyrosine-82 and aminotyrosine-82 derivatives of adrenodoxin. Effects of chemical modification on the complex formation with adrenodoxin reductase.

The coordination structure of the iron-sulfur center of the nitrotyrosine and the aminotyrosine derivates of bovine adrenodoxin was investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The reduced form of both modified samples exhibited signals identical with those for the native protein at g= 1.94 and g=2.01. From these results together with optical absorption and chemical analyses, it was concluded that the coordination structure of the iron-sulfur chromophore for both the derivatives was identical with the binuclear tetrahedral structure of native adrenodoxin. The configuration of the iron-binding area in nitro- and amino-adrenodoxin was studied by ovserving the circular dichroism spectra between 350 and 600 nm. The maxima for the nitro or amino derivatives were all identical with those for the native protein but different in the magnitude of their molar ellipticity. The molar ellipticities at 440 nm were 45.8 X 10(3), 14.5 X 10(3), and 9.5 X 10(6) deg cm2 per mol of iron for native adrenodoxin, nitro or amino derivative, respectively. These results suggest that the chemical modification of the tyrosine residue causes a conformational change in the iron-binding area. We have previously reported that the enzymatic activities of these reconstituted nitro and amino derivatives toware cytochrome c reduction in the presence of adrenodoxin reductase and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate were 19 and 7% of native adrenodoxin, respectively. The cytochrome c reductase activities of nitro- and aminoadrenodixin were drastically affected by the ionic strength of the assay medium, as found in native adrenodoxin. Fluorometric titration of the reductase with aminoadrenodoxin revealed that aminoadrenodoxin forms a 1:1 molar complex with the reductase. These results suggest that both the nitro and amino derivatives form a complex with the reductase. The dissociation constants of nitro- and aminoadrenodoxin for the reductase were 6.1 X 10(-7)M and 3.3 X 10(-7) M at mu = 0.04 and 1.9 X 10(-6) M and 2.0 X 10(-6) M at mu = 0.20, respectively. Comparison of these values with those of native adrenodoxin (approximately 10(-9) M at mu = 0.04 and 2.2 X 10(-7) M at mu = 0.20) suggests that an increase in the dissociation constant for the reductase is responsible for the decreased electron transferring activity of the modified adrenodoxins.     

The cosubstrate NADP(H) protects lysine 601 in the porcine NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase against pyridoxylation

Lys⁶⁰¹ in NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase is modified by reductive alkylation with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (pyridoxylation). Lys⁶⁰¹ is protected against modification by the cosubstrate NADP(H).     

The participation of a second molecule of adrenodoxin in cytochrome P-450-catalyzed 11beta hydroxylation.

We have utilized 11beta-hydroxylase activity and visible absorption spectrophotometry to detect possible complex formation among adrenodoxin reductase, adrenodoxin, and cytochrome P-450(11)beta. At low ionic strength, a 1:1 complex between adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin occurs but does not support maximal rates of 11beta hydroxylation; at least 1 additional molecule of adrenodoxin in excess of the 1:1 complex is required for full hydroxylase activity. Spectrophotometric titration of a mixture of adrenodoxin reductase and cytochrome P-450(11)beta with adrenodoxin indicates sequential formation of 1:1 complexes between adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin and then between a second adrenodoxin and cytochrome P-450(11beta; the adrenodoxin-cytochrome P-450(11)beta complex is only detectable when the concentration of adrenodoxin exceeds that of adrenodoxin reductase.     

Studies on NO2-Tyr82and NH2-Tyr82 derivatives of adrenodoxin. Effects of chemical modification on electron transferring activity.

Bovine apoadrenodoxin was treated with tetranitromethane to introduce a nitro group into the tyrosyl residue at position 82 of this protein. The degrees of nitration under the best conditions were estimated to be 90% and nearly 100% on the basis of amino acid analysis and the spectrophotometric method, respectively. An amino derivative was prepared by reducing the nitro group with sodium dithionite. The apoadrenodoxin derivatives could be reconstituted to have an iron-sulfur chromophore similar to the native adrenodoxin which contains a 1:1 molar ratio of labile sulfur to iron content and displays absorption peaks at 414 and 450 nm. The enzymatic acitivies of these reconstituted nitro and amino derivatives toward cytochrome c reduction in the presence of adrenodoxin reductase and NADPH were 19 and 7% of native adrenodoxin, respectively. We studied the kinetics of the direct reduction of the reconstituted amino derivative in the presence of NADPH and adrenodoxin reductase under anaerobic conditons. The initial rate of reduction for the amino derivative was 7% of the native adrenodoxin, which is in good agreement with its activity toward cytochrome c reduction. From these results, it is concluded that by modifying the tyrosyl residue at position 82 of the adrenodoxin polypeptide, the electron-transferring activity of the molecule is largely diminished.     

Oxidized adrenodoxin acts as a competitive inhibitor of cytochrome P450scc in mitochondria from the human placenta.

The conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone by cytochrome P450scc is the rate-determining step in placental progesterone synthesis. The limiting component for placental cytochrome P450scc activity is the concentration of adrenodoxin reductase in the mitochondria, where it permits cytochrome P450scc to work at only 16% of maximum velocity. Adrenodoxin reductase serves to reduce adrenodoxin as part of the electron transfer from NADPH to cytochrome P450scc. We therefore measured the proportion of adrenodoxin in the reduced form in intact mitochondria from the human placenta during active pregnenolone synthesis, using EPR. We found that the adrenodoxin pool was only 30% reduced, indicating that the adrenodoxin reductase concentration was insufficient to maintain the adrenodoxin in the fully reduced state. As both oxidized and reduced adrenodoxin can bind to cytochrome P450scc we tested the ability of oxidized adrenodoxin to act as a competitive inhibitor of pregnenolone synthesis. This was done in a fully reconstituted system comprising 0.3% Tween 20 and purified proteins, and in a partially reconstituted system comprising submitochondrial particles, purified adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase. We found that oxidized adrenodoxin is an effective competitive inhibitor of placental cytochrome P450scc with a Ki value half that of the Km for reduced adrenodoxin. We conclude that the limiting concentration of adrenodoxin reductase present in placental mitochondria has a two-fold effect on cytochrome P450scc activity. It limits the amount of reduced adrenodoxin that is available to donate electrons to cytochrome P450scc and the oxidized adrenodoxin that remains, competitively inhibits the cytochrome.     

Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase. A study of the essential lysine residue.

1. The inactivation of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate in phosphate buffer, pH8, at 10 degrees C was investigated. Activity declines to a minimum value determined by the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate concentration. The maximum inactivation in a single treatment is 75%. This limit appears to be set by the ratio of the first-order rate constants for interconversion of inactive covalently modified enzyme and a readily dissociable non-covalent enzyme-modifier complex. 2. Reactivation was virtually complete on 150-fold dilution: first-order analysis yielded an estimate of the rate constant (0.164min-1), which was then used in the kinetic analysis of the forward inactivation reaction. This provided estimates for the rate constant for conversion of non-covalent complex into inactive enzyme (0.465 min-1) and the dissociation constant of the non-covalent complex (2.8 mM). From the two first-order constants, the minimum attainable activity in a single cycle of treatment may be calculated as 24.5%, very close to the observed value. 3. Successive cycles of modification followed by reduction with NaBH4 each decreased activity by the same fraction, so that three cycles with 3.6 mM-pyridoxal 5'-phosphate decreased specific activity to about 1% of the original value. The absorption spectrum of the enzyme thus treated indicated incorporation of 2-3 mol of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate per mol of subunit, covalently bonded to lysine residues. 4. NAD+ and NADH protected the enzyme completely against inactivation by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, but ethanol and acetaldehyde were without effect. 5. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate used as an inhibitor in steady-state experiments, rather than as an inactivator, was non-competitive with respect to both NADH and acetaldehyde. 6. The partially modified enzyme (74% inactive) showed unaltered apparent Km values for NAD+ and ethanol, indicating that modified enzyme is completely inactive, and that the residual activity is due to enzyme that has not been covalently modified. 7. Activation by methylation with formaldehyde was confirmed, but this treatment does not prevent subsequent inactivation with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. Presumably different lysine residues are involved. 8. It is likely that the essential lysine residue modified by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate is involved either in binding the coenzymes or in the catalytic step. 9. Less detailed studies of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase suggest that this enzyme also possesses an essential lysine residue.     

Covalently crosslinked complexes of bovine adrenodoxin with adrenodoxin reductase and cytochrome P450scc. Mass spectrometry and Edman degradation of complexes of the steroidogenic hydroxylase system.

NADPH-dependent adrenodoxin reductase, adrenodoxin and several diverse cytochromes P450 constitute the mitochondrial steroid hydroxylase system of vertebrates. During the reaction cycle, adrenodoxin transfers electrons from the FAD of adrenodoxin reductase to the heme iron of the catalytically active cytochrome P450 (P450scc). A shuttle model for adrenodoxin or an organized cluster model of all three components has been discussed to explain electron transfer from adrenodoxin reductase to P450. Here, we characterize new covalent, zero-length crosslinks mediated by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide between bovine adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase, and between adrenodoxin and P450scc, respectively, which allow to discriminate between the electron transfer models. Using Edman degradation, mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography a crosslink between adrenodoxin reductase Lys27 and adrenodoxin Asp39 was detected, establishing a secondary polar interaction site between both molecules. No crosslink exists in the primary polar interaction site around the acidic residues Asp76 to Asp79 of adrenodoxin. However, in a covalent complex of adrenodoxin and P450scc, adrenodoxin Asp79 is involved in a crosslink to Lys403 of P450scc. No steroidogenic hydroxylase activity could be detected in an adrenodoxin -P450scc complex/adrenodoxin reductase test system. Because the acidic residues Asp76 and Asp79 belong to the binding site of adrenodoxin to adrenodoxin reductase, as well as to the P450scc, the covalent bond within the adrenodoxin-P450scc complex prevents electron transfer by a putative shuttle mechanism. Thus, chemical crosslinking provides evidence favoring the shuttle model over the cluster model for the steroid hydroxylase system.     

Expression of bovine adrenodoxin and NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase cDNAs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Expression of both bovine adrenodoxin (ADX) and NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase (ADR) were examined in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three ADX and two ADR expression plasmids were constructed by inserting each of the corresponding cDNA fragments between the yeast alcohol dehydrogenase I promoter and terminator of the expression vector pAAH5N. Plasmids pAX and pMX contained the coding region for the precursor and mature ADX, respectively, while pCMX carried the mature ADX preceded by the mitochondrial signal of yeast cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV (COX IV). Similarly, pMR and pCMR coded for mature ADR without and with the mitochondrial signal of yeast COX IV, respectively. Transformed S. cerevisiae AH22[rho 0]/pAX cells produced the ADX precursor, while AH22[rho 0]/pMX and AH22[rho 0]/pCMX cells produced mature ADX (mat-ADX) and modified ADX (mat-COX/ADX), respectively. Mat-ADX and mat-COX/ADX were found mainly in the cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions, respectively, and showed cytochrome c reductase activity. AH22[rho+]/pMR and AH22[rho+]/pCMR cells produced mature ADR (mat-ADR) and modified ADR (mat-COX/ADR), respectively. Mat-ADR lacking the mitochondrial signal was found in the cytosolic fraction and exhibited cytochrome c reductase activity, while mat-COX/ADR was localized in the mitochondrial fraction, but showed no reductase activity. In an in vitro reconstituted system consisting of both mat-COX/ADX- and mat-ADR-containing fractions, bovine P450scc converted cholesterol into pregnenolone. Thus mat-COX/ADX and mat-ADR produced in the yeast can transfer electrons from NADPH to P450scc.     

Structural and functional characterization of bovine adrenodoxin reductase by limited proteolysis

Previously, we have proposed that bovine adrenocortical mitochondrial adrenodoxin reductase may possess a domain structure, based upon the generation of two major peptide fragments from limited tryptic proteolysis. In the present study, kinetic characterization of the NADPH-dependent ferricyanide reductase activity of the partially proteolyzed enzyme demonstrates that Km(NADPH) increases (from 1.2 μM to 2.7 μM), whereas 1 V_max remains unaltered at 2100 min⁻¹ The two proteolytic fragments have been purified to homogeneity by reverse-phase HPLC, and amino acid sequence analysis unambiguously demonstrates that the 30.6 kDa fragment corresponds to the amino terminal portion of the intact protein, whereas the 22.8 kDa fragment is derived from the carboxyl terminus of the reductase. Trypsin cleavage occurs at either Arg-264 or Arg-265. Covalent crosslinking experiments using a water-soluble carbodiimide show that adrenodoxin crosslinks exclusively to the 30.6 kDa fragment, thus implicating the N-terminal region of adrenodoxin reductase in binding to the iron-sulfur protein. Our inability to detect covalent carbohydrate on either intact or proteolyzed adrenodoxin reductase prompted a re-examination of the previously reported requirement of an oligosaccharide moiety for efficient electron transfer from the reductase to adrenodoxin. Treatment of adrenodoxin reductase with a highly purified preparation of neuraminidase demonstrates that neither the adrenodoxin-independent ferric yanide reductase activity nor the adrenodoxin-dependent cytochrome c reductase activity of the enzyme is affected by neuraminidase treatment.