Laser flash photolysis studies of the reduction kinetics of NADPH:cytochrome P-450 reductase

The reduction kinetics of NADPH:cytochrome P-450 reductase have been investigated by the laser flash photolysis technique, using the semiquinone of 5-deazariboflavin (5-dRfH.) as the reductant. Transients observed at 470 nm at neutral pH indicated that the oxidized reductase was reduced via second-order kinetics with a rate constant of 6.8 X 10(7) M-1 s-1. The second-order rate constant corresponding to the formation of the protein-bound semiquinone (measured at 585 nm) was essentially the same as that obtained at 470 nm (7.1 X 10(7) M-1 s-1). Subsequent to this rapid formation of protein-bound semiquinone, a partial exponential decay was observed at 585 nm. The rate of this decay remained invariant with protein concentration between pH 5.0 and 7.0, and a first-order rate constant of 70 s-1 was obtained for this process. This is assigned to intramolecular electron transfer from FADH. to FMN. Prior reduction of the enzyme to the one-electron level led to a decrease in both the second-order rate constant for reduction (2 X 10(7) M-1 s-1) and the first-order intraflavin electron transfer rate constant (15 s-1). The protein-bound FAD moiety of FMN-depleted reductase was reduced by 5-dRfH. with a second-order rate constant that was identical with that observed with the native enzyme (6.9 X 10(7) M-1 s-1). However, with this species no significant decay of the FAD semiquinone was observed at 585 nm following its rapid formation, consistent with the above assignment of this kinetic process.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Chromatium vinosum cytochrome c-552. Reduction by photoreduced flavins and intramolecular electron transfer

Cytochrome c-552 from Chromatium vinosum is an unusual heme protein in that it contains two hemes and one flavin per molecule. To investigate whether intramolecular electron transfer occurs in this protein, we have studied its reduction by external photoreduced flavin by using pulsed-laser excitation. This approach allows us to measure reduction kinetics on the mirosecond time scale. Both fully reduced lumiflavin and lumiflavin semiquinone radical reduce cytochrome c-552 with second-order rate constants of approximately 1.4 x 10(6) M-1s-1 and 1.9 x 10(8) M-1 s-1, respectively. Kinetic and spectral data and the results of similar studies with riboflavin indicate that both the flavin and heme moieties of cytochrome c-552 are reduced simultaneously on a millisecond time scale, with the transient formation of a protein-bound flavin anion radical. This is suggested to be due to rapid intramolecular electron transfer. Further, steric restrictions play an important role in the reduction reaction. Studies were conducted on the redox processes following photolysis of CO-ferrocytochrome c-552 in which the flavin was partly oxidized to resolve the kinetics of electron transfer between the heme and flavin of cytochrome c-552. Based on these results, we conclude that intramolecular electron transfer from ferrous heme to oxidized flavin occurs with a first-order rate constant of greater than 1.4 x 10(6) s-1.     

The kinetics of electron transfer between pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c-551 and its oxidase.

The redox reaction between cytochrome c-551 and its oxidase from the respiratory chain of pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied by rapid-mixing techniques at both pH7 and 9.1. The electron transfer in the direction of cytochrome c-551 reduction, starting with the oxidase in the reduced and CO-bound form, is monophasic, and the governing bimolecular rate constants are 1.3(+/- 0.2) x 10(7) M-1 . s-1 at pH 9.1 and 4 (+/- 1) x 10(6) M-1 . s-1 at pH 7.0. In the opposite direction, i.e. mixing the oxidized oxidase with the reduced cytochrome c-551 in the absence of O2, both a lower absorbance change and a more complex kinetic pattern were observed. With oxidized azurin instead of oxidized cytochrome c-551 the oxidation of the c haem in the CO-bound oxidase is also monophasic, and the second-order rate constant is 2 (+/- 0.7) x 10(6) M-1 . s-1 at pH 9.1. The redox potential of the c haem in the oxidase, as obtained from kinetic titrations of the completely oxidized enzyme with reduced azurin as the variable substrate, is 288 mV at pH 7.0 and 255 mV at pH 9.1. This is in contrast with the very high affinity observed in similar titrations performed with both oxidized azurin and oxidized cytochrome c-551 starting from the CO derivative of the reduced oxidase. It is concluded that: (i) azurin and cytochrome c-551 are not equally efficient in vitro as reducing substrates of the oxidase in the respiratory chain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; (ii) CO ligation to the d1 haem in the oxidase induces a large decrease (at least 80 mV) in the redox potential of the c-haem moiety.     

Laser-flash-photolysis studies of p-cresol methylhydroxylase. Electron-transfer properties of the flavin and haem components.

p-Cresol methylhydroxylase, a heterodimer consisting of one flavoprotein subunit and one cytochrome c subunit, may be resolved into its subunits, and the holoenzyme may then be fully reconstituted from the pure subunits. In the present study we have characterized the reduction kinetics of the intact enzyme and its subunits, by using exogenous 5-deazariboflavin semiquinone radical generated in the presence of EDTA by the laser-flash-photolysis technique. Under anaerobic conditions the 5-deazariboflavin semiquinone radical reacts rapidly with the native enzyme with a rate constant approaching that of a diffusion-controlled reaction (k = 2.8 X 10(9) M-1 X s-1). Time-resolved difference spectra at pH 7.6 indicate that both flavin and haem are reduced initially by the deazariboflavin semiquinone radical, followed by an additional slower intramolecular electron transfer (k = 220 s-1) from the endogenous neutral flavin semiquinone radical to the oxidized haem moiety of the native enzyme. During the steady-state photochemical titration of the native enzyme at pH 7.6 with deazariboflavin semiquinone radical generated by light-irradiation the haem appeared to be reduced before the protein-bound flavin and was followed by the formation of the protein-bound anionic flavin radical. This result suggests that the redox potential of the haem is higher than that of the flavin, and that deprotonation of the flavin neutral radical occurred during the photochemical titration. Reduction kinetics of the flavoprotein and cytochrome subunits were also investigated by laser-flash photolysis. The protein-bound flavin of the isolated flavin subunit was reduced rapidly by the deazariboflavin semiquinone radical (k = 2.2 X 10(9) M-1 X s-1), as was the haem of the pure cytochrome c subunit (k = 3.7 X 10(9) M-1 X s-1). Flash-induced difference spectra obtained for the flavoprotein and cytochrome subunits at pH 7.6 were consistent with the formation of neutral flavin semiquinone radical and reduced haem, respectively. Investigation of the kinetic properties of the neutral flavin semiquinone radical of the flavoprotein subunit at pH 7.6 and at longer times (up to 5s) were consistent with a slow first-order deprotonation reaction (k = 1 s-1) of the neutral radical to its anionic form.     

Cytochrome c peroxidase activity of a protease-modified form of cytochrome c-552 from the denitrifying bacterium Pseudomonas perfectomarina

Protease activity present in aerobically grown cells of Pseudomonas perfectomarina, protease apparently copurified with cytochrome c-552, and trypsin achieved a limited proteolysis of the diheme cytochrome c-552. That partial lysis conferred cytochrome c peroxidase activity upon cytochrome c-552. The removal of a 4000-Da peptide explains the structural changes in the cytochrome c-552 molecule that resulted in the appearance of both cytochrome c peroxidase activity (with optimum activity at pH 8.6) and a high-spin heme iron. The oxidized form of the modified cytochrome c-552 bound cyanide to the high-spin ferric heme with a rate constant of (2.1 +/- 0.1) X 10(3) M-1 s-1. The dissociation constant was 11.2 microM. Whereas the intact cytochrome c-552 molecule can be half-reduced by ascorbate, the cytochrome c peroxidase was not reducible by ascorbate, NADH, ferrocyanide, or reduced azurin. Dithionite reduced the intact protein completely but only half-reduced the modified form. The apparent second-order rate constant for dithionite reduction was (7.1 +/- 0.1) X 10(2) M-1 s-1 for the intact protein and (2.2 +/- 0.1) X 10(3) M-1 s-1 for the modified form. In contrast with other diheme cytochrome c peroxidases, reduction of the low-spin heme was not necessary to permit ligand binding by the high-spin heme iron.     

Reduction kinetics of the ferredoxin-ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase complex: a laser flash photolysis study

The kinetics of reduction of spinach ferredoxin (Fd), ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase (FNR), and the Fd-FNR complex have been investigated by the laser flash photolysis technique. 5-Deazariboflavin semiquinone (5-dRf), generated in situ by laser flash photolysis under anaerobic conditions, rapidly reduced both oxidized Fd (Fdox) (k = 2 X 10(8) M-1 s-1) and oxidized FNR (FNRox) (K = 6.3 X 10(8) M-1 s-1) at low ionic strength (10 mM) at pH 7.0, leading to the formation of reduced Fd (Fdred) and FNR semiquinone (FNR.), respectively. At higher ionic strengths (310 and 460 mM), the rate constant for the reduction of the free Fdox increased about 3-fold (k = 6.7 X 10(8) M-1 s-1 at 310 mM and 6.4 X 10(8) M-1 s-1 at 460 mM). No change in the second-order rate constant for reduction of the free FNRox was observed at high ionic strength. At low ionic strength (10 mM), 5-dRf. reacted only with the FAD center of the preformed 1:1 Fdox-FNRox complex (k = 5.6 X 10(8) M-1 s-1), leading to the formation of FNR.. No direct reduction of Fdox in the complex was observed. No change in the kinetics occurred in the presence of excess NADP+. The second-order rate constant for reduction of Fdox by 5-dRf. in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of fully reduced FNR at low ionic strength was 7 X 10(6) M-1 s-1, i.e., about one-thirtieth the rate constant for reduction of free Fdox.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Electron-transfer reactions of cytochrome f with flavin semiquinones and with plastocyanin. Importance of protein-protein electrostatic interactions and of donor-acceptor coupling.

Reduction of turnip ferricytochrome f by flavin semiquinones and oxidation of this ferrocytochrome f by French bean cupriplastocyanin are studied by laser flash photolysis over a wide range of ionic strengths. Second-order rate constants (+/- 15%) at extreme values of ionic strength, all at pH 7.0 and 22 degrees C, are as follows: with FMN semiquinone at 1.00 and 0.0040 M, 5.0 x 10(7) and 3.9 x 10(8) M-1 s-1; with riboflavin semiquinone at 1.00 and 0.0040 m, 1.7 x 10(8) and 1.9 x 10(8) M-1 s-1; with lumiflavin semiquinone at 1.00 and 0.0045 M, 1.8 x 10(8) and 4.5 x 10(8) M-1 s-1; with cupriplastocyanin at 1.00 and 0.100 M, 1.4 x 10(6) and 2.0 x 10(8) M-1 s-1. These reactions of cytochrome f are governed by the local positive charge of the interaction domain (the exposed heme edge), not by the overall negative charge of the protein. Lumiflavin semiquinone behaves as if it carried a small negative charge, probably because partial localization of the odd electron gives this electroneutral molecule some polarity; local charge seems to be more important than overall charge even for relatively small redox agents. The dependence of the rate constants on ionic strength was fitted to the equation of Watkins; this model recognizes the importance of local charges of the domains through which redox partners interact. There is kinetic evidence that a noncovalent complex between cytochrome f and plastocyanin exists at low ionic strength.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Chicken liver sulfite oxidase. Kinetics of reduction by laser-photoreduced flavins and intramolecular electron transfer

Laser flash photolysis was used to study the reaction of photoproduced 5-deazariboflavin (dRFH.), lumiflavin (LFH.), and riboflavin (RFH.) semiquinone radicals with the redox centers of purified chicken liver sulfite oxidase. Kinetic studies of the native enzyme with dRFH. yielded a second-order rate constant of 4.0 X 10(8) M-1 s-1 for direct reduction of the heme and a first-order rate constant of 310 s-1 for intramolecular electron transfer from the Mo center to the heme. The reaction with LFH. gave a second-order rate constant of 2.9 X 10(7) M-1 s-1 for heme reduction. Reoxidation of the reduced heme due to intramolecular electron transfer to the Mo center gave a first-order rate constant of 155 s-1. The direction of intramolecular electron transfer using dRFH. and LFH. was independent of the buffer used for the experiment. The different first-order rate constants observed for intramolecular electron transfer using dRFH. and LFH. are proposed to result from chemical differences at the Mo site. Flash photolysis studies with cyanide-inactivated sulfite oxidase using dRFH. and LFH. resulted in second-order reduction of the heme center with rate constants identical with those obtained with the native enzyme, whereas the first-order intramolecular electron-transfer processes seen with the native enzyme were absent. The isolated heme peptide of sulfite oxidase gave only second-order kinetics upon laser photolysis and confirmed that the first-order processes observed with the native enzyme involve the Mo site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

In vitro kinetics of reduction of cytochrome c554 isolated from the reaction center of the green phototrophic bacterium, Chloroflexus aurantiacus

The photochemical reaction center in the green bacterium Chloroflexus aurantiacus is similar to that found in purple phototrophic bacteria and interacts with a multiheme membrane-bound cytochrome. We have examined the kinetics of reduction of the pure solubilized reaction center cytochrome by laser flash photolysis of solutions containing lumiflavin or FMN. Reduction by lumiflavin semiquinone followed single exponential kinetics and the observed rate constant (kobs) was linearly dependent on protein concentration (k = 1.8 X 10(7) M-1s-1 heme-1). This result suggests either that the four hemes have similar reduction rate constants which cannot be resolved or that there are large differences in rate constant and only the most reactive heme (or hemes) was observed under these conditions. To determine the relative reactivities of the four hemes, we varied the extent of heme reduction at a single total protein concentration. As the hemes were progressively reduced by steady-state illumination prior to laser flash photolysis, kobs for the reaction with fully reduced lumiflavin decreased nonlinearly. Second-order rate constants for the four hemes were assigned by nonlinear least-squares analysis of kobs vs oxidized heme concentration data. The second-order rate constants obtained in this way for the highest and lowest potential hemes differed by a factor of about 20, which is larger than expected for c-type cytochromes based on redox potential alone (a factor of about 3 would be expected). This is interpreted as being due to differences in steric accessibility. Relative to the highest potential heme, which is as reactive as a typical c-type cytochrome, we estimated a steric effect of approximately twofold for heme 2, and steric effects of approximately fivefold for hemes 3 and 4. Using fully reduced FMN as reductant of oxidized cytochrome, ionic strength effects indicate a minus-minus interaction, with approximately a -2 charge near the site of reduction of the highest potential heme.     

Kinetic behavior of the monodehydroascorbate radical studied by pulse radiolysis

The reactions of the monodehydroascorbate radical (As.-) with various biological molecules were investigated by pulse radiolysis. As.- reacted with both fully reduced and semiquinone forms of hepatic NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase with second-order rate constants of 4.3 x 10(6) and 3.7 x 10(5) M-1 s-1, respectively, at pH 7.0. In contrast, no reaction of As.- with ferrous cytochrome b5 could be detected by pulse radiolysis, whereas the oxidation of cytochrome b5 by As.- was observed by ascorbate-ascorbate oxidase method. This suggests that the rate constant of As.- with the ferrous cytochrome b5 must be several orders in magnitude smaller than that of the disproportionation of As.-. On the other hand, As.- reduced Fe3+EDTA with a second-order rate constant of 4.0 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 but did not reduce ferric hemoproteins such as metmyoglobin, methemoglobin, and cytochrome b5 by either the pulse radiolysis or the ascorbate-ascorbate oxidase method.     

Physicochemical properties of flavodoxin from Desulfovibrio vulgaris.

Reductive titration curves of flavodoxin from Desulfovibrio vulgaris displayed two one-electron steps. The redox potential E-2 for the couple oxidized flavodoxin/flavodoxin semiquinone was determined by direct titration with dithionite. E-2 was -149 plus or minus 3 mV (pH 7.78, 25 degrees C). The redox potential E-1 for the couple flavodoxin semiquinone/fully reduced flavodoxin was deduced from the equilibrium concentration of these species in the presence of hydrogenase and H-2. E-1 was -438 plus or minus 8 mV (pH 7.78, 25 degrees C). Light-absorption and fluorescence spectra of flavodoxin in its three redox states have been recorded. Both the rate and extent of reduction of flavodoxin semiguinone with dithionite were found to depend on pH. An equilibrium between the semiquinone and hydroquinone forms occurred at pH values close to the neutrality, even in the presence of a large excess of dithionite, suggesting an ionization in fully reduced flavodoxin with a pK-a = 6.6. The association constants K for the three FMN redox forms with the apoprotein were deduced from the value of K (K = 8 times 10-7 M-1) measured with oxidized EMN at pH 7.0. Oxidized flavodoxin was found to comproportionate with the fully reduced protein (k-comp = 4.3 times 10-3 M-1 times s-1, pH 9.0, 22 degrees C) and with reduced free FMN (K-comp = 44 M-1 times s-1, pH 8.1, 20 degrees C). Fast oxidation of reduced flavodoxin occurred in the presence of O-2. Slower oxidation of semiquinone was dependent on pH in a drastic way.     

Laser flash photolysis study of intermolecular and intramolecular electron transfer in trimethylamine dehydrogenase

Laser flash photolysis has been used to investigate the kinetics of reduction of trimethylamine dehydrogenase by substoichiometric amounts of 5-deazariboflavin semiquinone, and the subsequent intramolecular electron transfer from the FMN cofactor to the Fe4S4 center. The initial reduction event followed second-order kinetics (k = 1.0 x 10(8) M-1 s-1 at pH 7.0 and 6.4 x 10(7) M-1 s-1 at pH 8.5) and resulted in the formation of the neutral FMN semiquinone and the reduced iron-sulfur cluster (in a ratio of approximately 1:3). Following this, a slower, protein concentration independent (and thus intramolecular) electron transfer was observed corresponding to FMN semiquinone oxidation and iron-sulfur cluster reduction (k = 62 s-1 at pH 7.0 and 30 s-1 at pH 8.5). The addition of the inhibitor tetramethylammonium chloride to the reaction mixture had no effect on these kinetic properties, suggesting that this compound exerts its effect on the reduced form of the enzyme. Treatment of the enzyme with phenylhydrazine, which introduces a phenyl group at the 4a-position of the FMN cofactor, decreased both the rate constant for reduction of the protein and the extent of FMN semiquinone production, while increasing the amount of iron-sulfur center reduction, consistent with the results obtained with the native enzyme. Experiments in which the kinetics of reduction of the enzyme were determined during various stages of partial reduction were also consistent with these results, and further indicated that the FMN semiquinone form of the enzyme is more reactive toward the deazariboflavin reductant than is the oxidized FMN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Chromatium flavocytochrome c: kinetics of reduction of the heme subunit, and the flavocytochrome c-mitochondrial cytochrome c complex

The kinetics of reduction of Chromatium vinosum flavocytochrome c heme subunit by exogenous flavin neutral semiquinones generated by laser flash photolysis have been investigated. Unlike the holoprotein, the isolated heme subunit was appreciably reactive with lumiflavin neutral semiquinone. The measured rate constant for the reaction (2.7 X 10(7) M-1 S-1) was comparable to those of c-type cytochromes having similar redox potentials. The ionic strength dependence of the reaction with FMN neutral radical indicated that the heme subunit had a small negative charge at the site of reduction. Taken together, these results suggest that the active site of the heme subunit is buried on complexation with the flavin subunit in the holoprotein. Horse cytochrome c formed a strong complex with Chromatium, but not Chlorobium, flavocytochrome c. Possible physiological electron acceptors such as HiPIP, cytochrome c', and cytochrome c-555 apparently did not bind to the flavocytochromes c. The rate constant for reduction by lumiflavin radical of horse cytochrome c complexed to flavocytochrome c was about twofold smaller than for reduction of horse cytochrome c alone. Flavocytochrome c was itself unreactive with exogenous flavin semiquinones. The ionic strength dependence of the reduction of the complex by FMN radical was also smaller than for horse cytochrome c in the absence of flavocytochrome c. Sulfite, which forms an adduct with the protein-bound FAD (FAD is bound in an 8-alpha-S-cysteinyl linkage), did not affect the reduction of horse cytochrome c in its complex with flavocytochrome c. We conclude that horse cytochrome c is reduced directly by exogenous flavins in its complex with flavocytochrome c, although the kinetics are slightly modified. These results are not unlike observations made with complexes of mitochondrial cytochrome c with cytochrome oxidase or cytochrome b5.     

The oxidation of Pseudomonas cytochrome c-551 oxidase by potassium ferricyanide.

Stopped-flow kinetics were made of the reaction between ascorbate-reduced Pseudomonas cytochrome oxidase and potassium ferricyanide under both N2 and CO atmospheres. Under N2 three kinetic processes were observed, two being dependent on ferricyanide concentration, with second-order rate constants of 9.6 X 10(4)M-1.s-1 and 1.5 X 10(4)M-1.s-1, whereas the other was concentration-independent, with a first-order rate constant of 0.17 +/- 0.03s-1. Measurements of their kinetic difference spectra have allowed the fastest and second-fastest phases of the reaction to be assigned to direct bimolecular reactions of ferricyanide with the haem c and haem d, moieties of the enzyme respectively. Under CO, the second-order rate constant for the reaction of the haem c was, at 1.3 X 10(5)M-1.s-1, slightly enhanced over the rate in a N2 atmosphere, but the reaction velocity of the haem d1 component was greatly decreased, being apparently limited to that of the rates of CO dissociation from the molecule (0.15s-1 and 0.03s-1). The results are compared with those obtained during a previous study of the reaction of reduced Pseudomonas cytochrome oxidase with oxidized azurin.     

Conformational change accompanies redox reactions of the tetraheme cytochrome c-554 of Nitrosomonas europaea

Cytochrome c-554 of the ammonia-oxidizing chemolithoautotropic bacteria is thought to mediate electron transfer from hydroxylamine oxidoreductase to a terminal oxidase and/or to ammonia monooxygenase. The cytochrome has four c hemes which interact magnetically and have the same redox potential. We report that the kinetics of reduction of ferric cytochrome c-554 by dithionite or the oxidation of ferrous cytochrome c-554 by O2 or H2O2 are complex and multiphasic. Transient rapid-scan difference spectra indicate discrete maxima at approximately 418 nm, 425 nm and 432 nm. Absorbance changes at all three difference maxima appear to occur in all kinetic phases, although not in equal amounts for each wavelength. Reduction by 20 mM dithionite was biphasic. At pH 7.5 the first phase, which involved approximately 50% of the total absorbance change, had a rate constant (20 degrees C) of 140 s-1 and energy of activation of 20 kJ X mol-1. The slow phase had a rate constant 0.43 s-1 and a relatively high energy of activation, 87 kJ X mol-1, suggesting that a change in protein configuration accompanied the reaction. As the pH of the solution increased, the rate constant for both phases decreased and the fraction of absorbance change in the rapid phase increased. Oxidation of ferrous cytochrome c-554 by O2 involved a discrete rapid phase with a rate constant of 14 s-1, accounting for 6% of the absorbance. The remainder of the reaction was multiphasic with rate constants in the range 0.1-0.01 s-1. With H2O2 as the oxidant, the rapid phase involved 39% of the change in absorbance with a rate constant of 19 s-1. The remainder of the reoxidation was multiphasic with rate constants ranging over 0.4-0.01 s-1.     

Comparison of the kinetics of reduction and intramolecular electron transfer in electrostatic and covalent complexes of ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase and flavodoxin from Anabaena PCC 7119

The kinetics of reduction and intracomplex electron transfer in electrostatically stabilized and covalently crosslinked complexes between ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase (FNR) and flavodoxin (Fld) from the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7119 were compared using laser flash photolysis. The second-order rate constant for reduction by 5-deazariboflavin semiquinone (dRfH) of FNR within the electrostatically stabilized complex at 10 mM ionic strength (4.0 X 10(8) M-1 s-1) was identical to that for free FNR. This suggests that the FAD cofactor of FNR is not sterically hindered upon complex formation. A lower limit of approximately 7000 s-1 was estimated for the first-order rate constant for intracomplex electron transfer from FNRred to Fldox under these conditions. In contrast, for the covalently crosslinked complex, a smaller second-order rate constant (2.1 X 10(8) M-1 s-1) was obtained for the reduction of FNR by dRfH within the complex, suggesting that some steric hindrance of the FAD cofactor of FNR occurs due to crosslinking. A limiting rate constant of 1000 s-1 for the intracomplex electron transfer reaction was obtained for the covalent complex, which was unaffected by changes in ionic strength. The substantially diminished limiting rate constant, relative to that of the electrostatic complex, may reflect either a suboptimal orientation of the redox cofactors within the covalent complex or a required structural reorganization preceding electron transfer which is not allowed once the proteins have been covalently linked. Thus, although the covalent complex is biochemically competent, it is not a quantitatively precise model for the catalytically relevant intermediate along the reaction pathway.     

1H NMR investigation of cytochrome cd1: complexes with electron-donor proteins

Mixtures of the dissimilatory nitrite reductase cytochrome cd1 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and potential electron-donating proteins were prepared in both fully oxidized and fully reduced states and examined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The relatively narrower lines of the donor proteins enabled them to be clearly observed in spectra in the presence of significant amounts of the high molecular weight cd1. Mixtures of the physiological donor (Pseudomonas ferrocytochrome c-551) and ferrocytochrome cd1 showed specific line-broadening effects on the resonances of c-551 that depended on the mole ratio of c-551 to cd1. The experimental broadening fit a model in which c-551 is in intermediate or fast exchange between free solution and a complex with cd1, with an association constant for the complex in excess of 10(4) M-1. The model yields a minimum estimate for the forward bimolecular rate constant of 5 X 10(7) M-1 s-1 and suggests that the actual value may be much larger. The complexation was independent of pH in the range of 6-8, was independent of ionic strength over a salt concentration range of 20-1000 mM, and possessed a low thermal activation barrier. Mixtures of ferricytochrome c-551 and ferricytochrome cd1 showed no observable NMR perturbations, indicating that any hypothetical complex involving the oxidized forms must follow different dynamical and/or equilibrium conditions. No observable NMR perturbations existed in spectra of mixtures of cd1 and mammalian cytochrome c or Pseudomonas azurin in either oxidation state.     

The reactions of Pseudomonas cytochrome c-551 oxidase with potassium cyanide.

The binding of cyanide to both oxidized and ascorbate-reduced forms of Pseudomonas cytochrome c-551 oxidase was investigated. Spectral studies on the oxidized enzyme and its apoprotein showed that the ligand can bind to both the c and d, haem components of the molecule, and kinetic observations indicated that both chromophores reacted, under a variety of conditions, with very similar rates. Cyanide combination velocities were dependent on ligand concentration, and increasing the pH also accelerated the reaction; the second-order rate constant was estimated as approx. 0.2M-1 . s-1 at pH 7.0. The binding of cyanide to the protein was observed to have a considerable influence on reduction of the enzyme by ascorbate. Spectral and kinetic observations have revealed that the species haem d13+-cyanide and any unbound haem c may react relatively rapidly with the reductant, but the behaviour of cyanide-bound haem c indicates that it may not be reduced without prior dissociation of the ligand, which occurs relatively slowly. The reaction of reduced Pseudomonas cytochrome oxidase with cyanide is radically different from that of the oxidized protein. In this case the ligand only binds to the haem d1 component and reacts much more rapidly. Stopped-flow kinetic measurements showed the binding to be biphasic in form. Both the rates of these processes were dependent on cyanide concentration, with the fast phase having a second-order rate constant of 9.3 X 10(5) M-1 . s-1 and the slow phase one of 2.3 X 10(5) M-1 . s-1. The relative proportions of the two phases also showed a dependency on cyanide concentration, the slower phase increasing as the cyanide concentration decreased. Computer simulations indicate that a reaction scheme originally proposed for the reaction of the enzyme with CO is capable of providing a reasonable explanation of the experimental results. Static-titration data of the reduced enzyme with with cyanide indicated that the binding was non-stoicheiometric, the ligand-binding curve being sigmoidal in shape. A Hill plot of the results yielded a Hill coefficient of 2.6.     

Cytochrome b2, an electron carrier between flavocytochrome b2 and cytochrome c. Rapid kinetic characterization of the electron-transfer parameters with ionic-strength-dependence.

The oxidation-reduction properties of free cytochrome b2 isolated by controlled proteolysis from flavocytochrome b2, i.e. the flavodehydrogenase-bound cytochrome b2, were investigated by using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. The rapid kinetics of the reduction of cytochrome b2 by flavocytochrome b2 in the presence of L-lactate are reported. The self-exchange rate constant between reduced cytochrome b2 bound to the flavodehydrogenase and free cytochrome b2 was determined to be 10(5) M-1 X S-1 at 5 degrees C, I 0.2 and pH 7.0. The specific electron-transfer reaction between reduced cytochrome b2 and cytochrome c was also studied, giving an apparent second-order rate constant of 10(7) M-1 X S-1 at 5 degrees C, I 0.2 and pH 7.0. This electron-exchange rate is slightly modulated by ionic strength, following the Debye-Hückel relationship with a charge factor Z1Z2 = -1.9. Comparison of these data with those for the reduction of cytochrome c by flavodehydrogenase-bound cytochrome b2 [Capeillère-Blandin (1982) Eur. J. Biochem. 128, 533-542] leads to the conclusion that the intramolecular electron exchange between haem b2 and haem c within the reaction complex occurs at a rate very similar to that determined experimentally in presence of the flavodehydrogenase domain. The low reaction rate observed with free cytochrome b2 is ascribed to the low stability of the reaction complex formed between free cytochrome b2 and cytochrome c.     

Kinetic comparison of reduction and intramolecular electron transfer in milk xanthine oxidase and chicken liver xanthine dehydrogenase by laser flash photolysis

A comparative study using laser flash photolysis of the kinetics of reduction and intramolecular electron transfer among the redox centers of chicken liver xanthine dehydrogenase and of bovine milk xanthine oxidase is described. The photogenerated reductant, 5-deazariboflavin semiquinone, reacts with the dehydrogenase (presumably at the Mo center) in a second-order manner, with a rate constant (k = 6 x 10(7) M-1 s-1) similar to that observed with the oxidase [k = 3 x 10(7) M-1 s-1; Bhattacharyya et al. (1983) Biochemistry 22, 5270-5279]. In the case of the dehydrogenase, neutral FAD radical formation is found to occur by intramolecular electron transfer (kobs = 1600 s-1), presumably from the Mo center, whereas with the oxidase the flavin radical forms via a bimolecular process involving direct reduction by the deazaflavin semiquinone (k = 2 x 10(8) M-1 s-1). Biphasic rates of Fe/S center reduction are observed with both enzymes, which are due to intramolecular electron transfer (kobs approximately 100 s-1 and kobs = 8-11 s-1). Intramolecular oxidation of the FAD radical in each enzyme occurs with a rate constant comparable to that of the rapid phase of Fe/S center reduction. The methylviologen radical, generated by the reaction of the oxidized viologen with 5-deazariboflavin semiquinone, reacts with both the dehydrogenase and the oxidase in a second-order manner (k = 7 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 and 4 x 10(6) M-1 s-1, respectively). Alkylation of the FAD centers results in substantial alterations in the kinetics of the reaction of the viologen radical with the oxidase but not with the dehydrogenase. These results suggest that the viologen radical reacts directly with the FAD center in the oxidase but not in the dehydrogenase, as is the case with the deazaflavin radical. The data support the conclusion that the environments of the FAD centers differ in the two enzymes, which is in accord with other studies addressing this problem from a different perspective [Massey et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 10567-10573]. In contrast, the rate constants for intramolecular electron transfer among the Mo, FAD, and Fe/S centers in the two enzymes (where they can be determined) are quite similar.