Cross-link formation of the cysteine 228-tyrosine 272 catalytic cofactor of galactose oxidase does not require dioxygen

Galactose oxidase (GO) belongs to a class of proteins that self-catalyze assembly of their redox-active cofactors from active site amino acids. Generation of enzymatically active GO appears to require at least four sequential post-translational modifications: cleavage of a secretion signal sequence, copper-dependent cleavage of an N-terminal pro sequence, copper-dependent formation of a C228-Y272 thioether bond, and generation of the Y272 radical. The last two processes were investigated using a truncated protein (termed premat-GO) lacking the pro sequence and purified under copper-free conditions. Reactions of premat-GO with Cu(II) were investigated using optical, EPR, and resonance Raman spectroscopy, SDS-PAGE, and X-ray crystallography. Premat-GO reacted anaerobically with excess Cu(II) to efficiently form the thioether bond but not the Y272 radical. A potential C228-copper coordinated intermediate (lambda max = 406 nm) in the processing reaction, which had not yet formed the C228-Y272 cross-link, was identified from the absorption spectrum. A copper-thiolate protein complex, with copper coordinated to C228, H496, and H581, was also observed in a 3 min anaerobic soak by X-ray crystallography, whereas a 24 h soak revealed the C228-Y272 thioether bond. In solution, addition of oxygenated buffer to premat-GO preincubated with excess Cu(II) generated the Y272 radical state. On the basis of these data, a mechanism for the formation of the C228-Y272 bond and tyrosyl radical generation is proposed. The 406 nm complex is demonstrated to be a catalytically competent processing intermediate under anaerobic conditions. We propose a potential mechanism which is in common with aerobic processing by Cu(II) until the step at which the second electron acceptor is required.     

Computational studies of Cu(II)[peptide] binding motifs: Cu[HGGG] and Cu[HG] as models for Cu(II) binding to the prion protein octarepeat region

The binding of Cu(II) to the prion protein is investigated by computations at the B3LYP level of theory on models of the octarepeat domain of the prion protein. The models incorporate the functionality of the glycine (G) and histidine (H) residues which occur in the octarepeat domain, PHGGGWGQ. The copper complexes are designated Cu[HG] and Cu[HGGG]. Coordination to the metal via the imidazole ring of the histidine, the amide carbonyl groups, and the backbone nitrogen atom of the amide groups were examined, as well as several protonation/deprotonation states of each structure. EPR and CD titration experiments suggest that the octarepeat segments of the unstructured N-terminal domain of prion protein can bind Cu(II) in a 1:1 Cu-to-octarepeat ratio. The results identify the extent to which the Cu(II) facilitates peptide backbone deprotonation, and the propensity of binding in the forward (toward the C-terminus) direction from the anchoring histidine residue. A plausible mechanism is suggested for changing from amide O-atom to deprotonated amide N-atom coordination, and for assembly of the observed species in solutions of Cu[PrP] and truncated models of it. A structure is proposed which has the N2O2 coordination pattern for the minor component observed experimentally by EPR spectroscopy for the Cu[HGGG] model. The most stable neutral Cu[HGGG] structure found, with coordination environment N3O1, corresponds to that observed for Cu[HGGGW] and Cu[HGGG] both in the solid state and as the major component in solution at neutral pH.     

Stellacyanin. Studies of the metal-binding site using x-ray absorption spectroscopy.

Stellacyanin is a mucoprotein of molecular weight approximately 20,000 containing one copper atom in a blue or type I site. The metal ion can exist in both the Cu(II) and Cu(I) redox states. The metal binding site in plastocyanin, another blue copper protein, contains one cysteinyl, one methionyl, and two imidazoyl residues (Colman et al. 1978. Nature [Lond.]. 272:319-324.), but an exactly analogous site cannot exist in stellacyanin as it lacks methionine. The copper coordination in stellacyanin has been studied by x-ray edge absorption and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis. A new, very conservative data analysis procedure has been introduced, which suggests that the there are two nitrogen atoms in the first coordination shell of the oxidized [Cu(II)] protein and one in the reduced [Cu(I)] protein; these N atoms have normal Cu--N distances: 1.95-2.05 A. In both redox states there are either one or two sulfur atoms coordinating the copper, the exact number being indeterminable from the present data. In the oxidized state the Cu--S distance is intermediate between the short bond found in plastocyanin and those found in near tetragonal copper model compounds. Above -140 degree C, radiation damage of the protein occurs. At room temperature the oxidized proteins is modified in the x-ray beam at a rate of 0.25%/s.     

1H NMR assignment and secondary structural elements of human transforming growth factor alpha

The 1H NMR spectrum of human transforming growth factor alpha (hTGF-alpha) has been completely assigned, and secondary structural elements have been identified as a preliminary step in determining the structure of this protein by distance geometry methods. Many of these structural elements closely correspond to those previously found in a truncated human EGF [Cooke et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327, 339-341] and murine EGF [Montelione et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 5226-5230]. These include the presence of an antiparallel beta-sheet between residues G19 and C34 with a type I beta-turn at V25-D28, a type II beta-turn at H35-Y38, and another short beta-sheet between residues Y38-V39 and H45-A46.     

Kinetic and crystallographic studies of the role of tyrosine 7 in the active site of human carbonic anhydrase II

The rate limiting step in catalysis of bicarbonate dehydration by human carbonic anhydrase II (HCA II) is an intramolecular proton transfer from His64 to the zinc-bound hydroxide. We have examined the role of Tyr7 using site-specific mutagenesis and measuring catalysis by the ¹⁸O exchange method using membrane inlet mass spectrometry. The side chain of Tyr7 in HCA II extends into the active-site cavity about 7 Å from the catalytic zinc atom. Replacement of Tyr7 with eight other amino acids had no effect on the interconversion of bicarbonate and CO₂, but in some cases caused enhancements in the rate constant of proton transfer by nearly 10-fold. The variant Y7I HCA II enhanced intramolecular proton transfer approximately twofold; its structure was determined by X-ray crystallography at 1.5 Å resolution. No changes were observed in the ordered solvent structure in the active-site cavity or in the conformation of the side chain of the proton shuttle His64. However, the first 11 residues of the amino-terminal chain in Y7I HCA II assumed an alternate conformation compared with the wild type. Differential scanning calorimetry showed variants at position 7 had a melting temperature approximately 8 °C lower than that of the wild type.     

Nonenzymatic reduction of nitro derivative of a heterocyclic amine IQ by NADH and Cu(II) leads to oxidative DNA damage.

Nitro derivative (nitro-IQ) of a carcinogenic heterocyclic amine 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) is known to be a potent mutagen as well as IQ, and nitro-IQ is believed to be activated enzymatically by nitroreductase. We investigated nonenzymatic reduction of nitro-IQ by an endogenous reductant NADH and the ability of inducing DNA damage by nitro-IQ. Nitro-IQ caused DNA damage including 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine in the presence of NADH and Cu(II). Catalase and bathocuproine, a Cu(I)-specific chelator, inhibited the DNA damage, suggesting the involvement of H2O2 and Cu(I). Nitro-IQ induced DNA cleavage frequently at thymine and cytosine residues in the presence of NADH and Cu(II). UV-vis spectroscopic study showed that no spectral change of Nitro-IQ and NADH was observed in the absence of Cu(II), while rapid spectral change was observed in the presence of Cu(II), suggesting that Cu(II) mediated redox reaction of nitro-IQ and NADH. These results suggest that nitro-IQ can be reduced nonenzymatically by NADH in the presence of Cu(II), and the redox reaction resulted in oxidative DNA damage due to the copper-oxygen complex, derived from the reaction of Cu(I) with H2O2. We conclude that nonenzymatic reduction of nitro-IQ and resulting in oxidative DNA damage can play a role in carcinogenesis of IQ.     

Effects of metal ions on the activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase VHR: highly potent and reversible oxidative inactivation by Cu2+ ion

The posttranslational regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) has been suggested to have a crucial role in maintaining the phosphotyrosine level in cells. Here we examined the regulatory effects of metal ions on human dual-specificity vaccinia H1-related protein tyrosine phosphatase (VHR) in vitro. Among various metal ions examined, Fe3+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ exerted their inactivational effects on VHR, and Cu2+ is the most potent inactivator. The VHR activity inactivated by the metal ions except Cu2+ was significantly restored by EDTA. The efficacy of Cu2+ for the VHR inactivation was about 200-fold more potent than that of H2O2. Cu2+ also inactivated other PTPs including PTP1B and SHP-1. The Cu2+-mediated inactivation at the submicromolar range was eradicated by dithiothreitol treatment. The loss of VHR activity correlated with the decreased [14C]iodoacetate labeling of active-site cysteine, suggesting that Cu2+ brought about the oxidation of the active-site cysteine. On the contrary, Zn2+ that exerted an inactivational effect at millimolar concentrations appeared not directly linked to the active-site cysteine, as indicated by the fact that [14C]iodoacetate labeling was unaffected and that the effect of Zn2+ on the Y78F mutant was increased. The reduction potential of VHR was estimated to be -331 mV by utilizing the reversibility of the redox state of VHR. Thus, we conclude that the highly potent Cu2+ inactivation of VHR is a consequence of the oxidation of the active-site cysteine and the mode of Zn2+ inactivation is distinct from that of Cu2+.     

Copper complexes of 1,10-phenanthroline and related compounds as superoxide dismutase mimetics

In a preliminary study we tested CuSO4.5H2O, (Cu(II]2[3,5-diisopropylsalicylate]4.2H2O and a number of copper complexes of substituted 1,10-phenanthrolines for superoxide anion dismutase activity. It appeared that this activity depends on the ligands involved and might be governed by the redox potential of the Cu(I) complex/Cu(II) complex couple. The strong superoxide anion dismutase activity of Cu(II)[DMP]2 complex can be expected considering its high redox potential. Rather surprisingly is the superoxide anion dismutase activity of the Cu(I)[DMP]2 complex since it involves oxidation to Cu(II)[DMP]2 complex. From regression analysis it was established that steric and field effects of the substituents of the investigated phenanthrolines play an important role in SOD activity and therefore it is concluded that complex formation is important for the superoxide dismutase-like activity.     

A theoretical study of spin states in Ni-S<Subscript>4</Subscript> complexes and models of the [NiFe] hydrogenase active site

We have applied density functional theory, using both pure (BP86) and hybrid (B3LYP and B3LYP*) functionals, to investigate structural parameters and reaction energies for nickel(II)-sulfur coordination compounds, as well as for small cluster models of the Ni-SI and Ni-R redox state of [NiFe] hydrogenases. Results obtained investigating experimentally well-characterized complexes show that BP86 is well suited to describe the structural features of this class of compounds. However, the singlet-triplet energy splitting and even the computed ground state are strongly dependent on the applied functional. Results for the cluster models of [NiFe] hydrogenases lead to the conclusion that in the reduced protein structures characterized by X-ray diffraction a hydride bridges the two metal centres. The energy splitting of the singlet and triplet states in Ni-R and Ni-SI models is calculated to be very small and may be overcome at room temperature to allow a spin crossover. Moreover, the relative stability of the Ni-SI and Ni-R structures adopted in the present investigation is fully compatible with their involvement in the reversible heterolytic cleavage of H(2).     

Binding characteristics of aromatase inhibitors and phytoestrogens to human aromatase

We have evaluated the binding characteristics of three steroidal inhibitors [4-hydroxyandrostene-dione (4-OHA), 7-(4′-amino)phenylthio-1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione (7-APTADD), and bridge (2,19-methyleneoxy) androstene-3,17-dione (MDL 101,003)], four nonsteroidal inhibitors [aminoglutethimide (AG), CGS 20267, ICI D1033, and vorozole (R83842)], and two flavone phytoestrogens (chrysin, and 7,8-dihydroxyflavone) to aromatase through a combination of computer modeling and inhibitory profile studies on the wild-type and six aromatase mutants (I133Y, P308F, D309A, T310S, I395F, and I474Y). We have generated two aromatase models based on the x-ray structures of cytochrome P450-cam and cytochrome P450bm3, respectively. A major difference between the cytochrome P450cam-based and cytochrome P450bm3-based models is in the predicted lengths of helices F and G. In the cytochrome P450cam-based model, helices F and G lie antiparallel and extend across the active-site face of the molecule from one edge to the center, so that the carboxyl-terminal residues of helix F and the N-terminal residues of helix G make a major contribution to the structure of the active site. In the cytochrome P450bm3-based model, both helices are longer and so extend almost all the way across the active-site face of the molecule. Considering the size of the androgen substrate, we evaluated our results mainly based on the cytochrome P450cam model. The mutations involved in this study are thought to be at or near the proposed active site pocket. The inhibitory profile analysis has produced very interesting results and provided a molecular basis as to how seven aromatase inhibitors with different structures bind to the active site of aromatase. Furthermore, the investigation reveals that phytoestrogens bind to the active site of aromatase in a different orientation from that in the estrogen receptor.     

Copper binding traps the folded state of the SCO protein from Bacillus subtilis

The SCO protein from the aerobic bacterium Bacillus subtilis (BsSCO) is involved in the assembly of the cytochrome c oxidase complex, and specifically with the Cu(A) center. BsSCO has been proposed to play various roles in Cu(A) assembly including, the direct delivery of copper ions to the Cu(A) site, and/or maintaining the appropriate redox state of the cysteine ligands during formation of Cu(A). BsSCO binds copper in both Cu(II) and Cu(I) redox states, but has a million-fold higher affinity for Cu(II). As a prerequisite to kinetic studies, we measured equilibrium stability of oxidized, reduced and Cu(II)-bound BsSCO by chemical and thermal induced denaturation. Oxidized and reduced apo-BsSCO exhibit two-state behavior in both chemical- and thermal-induced unfolding. However, the Cu(II) complex of BsSCO is stable in up to nine molar urea. Thermal or guanidinium-induced unfolding of BsSCO-Cu(II) ensues only as the Cu(II) species is lost. The effect of copper (II) on the folding of BsSCO is complicated by a rapid redox reaction between copper and reduced, denatured BsSCO. When denatured apo-BsSCO is refolded in the presence of copper (II) some of the population is recovered as the BsSCO-Cu(II) complex and some is oxidized indicating that refolding and oxidation are competing processes. The proposed functional roles for BsSCO in vivo require that its cysteine residues are reduced and the presence of copper during folding may be detrimental to BsSCO attaining its functional state.     

Atomic resolution crystal structures, EXAFS, and quantum chemical studies of rusticyanin and its two mutants provide insight into its unusual properties

Rusticyanin from the extremophile Thiobacillus ferrooxidans is a blue copper protein with unusually high redox potential and acid stability. We present the crystal structures of native rusticyanin and of its Cu site mutant His143Met at 1.27 and 1.10 A, respectively. The very high resolution of these structures allows a direct comparison with EXAFS data and with quantum chemical models of the oxidized and reduced forms of the proteins, based upon both isolated and embedded clusters and density functional theory (DFT) methods. We further predict the structure of the Cu(II) form of the His143Met mutant which has been experimentally inaccessible due to its very high redox potential. We also present metrical EXAFS data and quantum chemical calculations for the oxidized and reduced states of the Met148Gln mutant, this protein having the lowest redox potential of all currently characterized mutants of rusticyanin. These data offer new insights into the structural factors which affect the redox potential in this important class of proteins. Calculations successfully predict the structure and the order of redox potentials for the three proteins. The calculated redox potential of H143M ( approximately 400 mV greater than native rusticyanin) is consistent with the failure of readily available chemical oxidants to restore a Cu(II) species of this mutant. The structural and energetic effects of mutating the equatorial cysteine to serine, yet to be studied experimentally, are predicted to be considerable by our calculations.     

Metal-catalyzed oxidation of phenylalanine-sensitive 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase from Escherichia coli: inactivation and destabilization by oxidation of active-site cysteines

The in vitro instability of the phenylalanine-sensitive 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase [DAHPS(Phe)] from Escherichia coli has been found to be due to a metal-catalyzed oxidation mechanism. DAHPS(Phe) is one of three differentially feedback-regulated isoforms of the enzyme which catalyzes the first step of aromatic biosynthesis, the formation of DAHP from phosphoenolpyruvate and D-erythrose-4-phosphate. The activity of the apoenzyme decayed exponentially, with a half-life of about 1 day at room temperature, and the heterotetramer slowly dissociated to the monomeric state. The enzyme was stabilized by the presence of phosphoenolpyruvate or EDTA, indicating that in the absence of substrate, a trace metal(s) was the inactivating agent. Cu2+ and Fe2+, but none of the other divalent metals that activate the enzyme, greatly accelerated the rate of inactivation and subunit dissociation. Both anaerobiosis and the addition of catalase significantly reduced Cu2+-catalyzed inactivation. In the spontaneously inactivated enzyme, there was a net loss of two of the seven thiols per subunit; this value increased with increasing concentrations of added Cu2+. Dithiothreitol completely restored the enzymatic activity and the two lost thiols in the spontaneously inactivated enzyme but was only partially effective in reactivation of the Cu2+-inactivated enzyme. Mutant enzymes with conservative replacements at either of the two active-site cysteines, Cys61 or Cys328, were insensitive to the metal attack. Peptide mapping of the Cu2+-inactivated enzyme revealed a disulfide linkage between these two cysteine residues. All results indicate that DAHPS(Phe) is a metal-catalyzed oxidation system wherein bound substrate protects active-site residues from oxidative attack catalyzed by bound redox metal cofactor. A mechanism of inactivation of DAHPS is proposed that features a metal redox cycle that requires the sequential oxidation of its two active-site cysteines.     

A theoretical study of the dioxygen activation by glucose oxidase and copper amine oxidase

Glucose oxidase (GO) and copper amine oxidase (CAO) catalyze the reduction of molecular oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. If a closed-shell cofactor (like FADH(2) in GO and topaquinone (TPQ) in CAO) is electron donor in dioxygen reduction, the formation of a closed-shell species (H(2)O(2)) is a spin forbidden process. Both in GO and CAO, formation of a superoxide ion that leads to the creation of a radical pair is experimentally suggested to be the rate-limiting step in the dioxygen reduction process. The present density functional theory (DFT) studies suggest that in GO, the creation of the radical pair induces a spin transition by spin orbit coupling (SOC) in O(2)(-)(rad), whereas in CAO, it is induced by exchange interaction with the paramagnetic metal ion (Cu(II)). In the rate-limiting step, this spin-transition is suggested to transform the O(2)(-)(rad)-FADH(2)(+)(rad) radical pair in GO and the Cu(II)-TPQ (triplet) species in CAO, from a triplet (T) to a singlet (S) state. For CAO, a mechanism for the O[bond]O cleavage step in the biogenesis of TPQ is also suggested.     

Copper binding traps the folded state of the SCO protein from Bacillus subtilis

The SCO protein from the aerobic bacterium Bacillus subtilis (BsSCO) is involved in the assembly of the cytochrome c oxidase complex, and specifically with the Cu_A center. BsSCO has been proposed to play various roles in Cu_A assembly including, the direct delivery of copper ions to the Cu_A site, and/or maintaining the appropriate redox state of the cysteine ligands during formation of Cu_A. BsSCO binds copper in both Cu(II) and Cu(I) redox states, but has a million-fold higher affinity for Cu(II). As a prerequisite to kinetic studies, we measured equilibrium stability of oxidized, reduced and Cu(II)-bound BsSCO by chemical and thermal induced denaturation. Oxidized and reduced apo-BsSCO exhibit two-state behavior in both chemical- and thermal-induced unfolding. However, the Cu(II) complex of BsSCO is stable in up to nine molar urea. Thermal or guanidinium-induced unfolding of BsSCO-Cu(II) ensues only as the Cu(II) species is lost. The effect of copper (II) on the folding of BsSCO is complicated by a rapid redox reaction between copper and reduced, denatured BsSCO. When denatured apo-BsSCO is refolded in the presence of copper (II) some of the population is recovered as the BsSCO-Cu(II) complex and some is oxidized indicating that refolding and oxidation are competing processes. The proposed functional roles for BsSCO in vivo require that its cysteine residues are reduced and the presence of copper during folding may be detrimental to BsSCO attaining its functional state.     

Copper(II) complexes of 1,10-phenanthroline-derived ligands: studies on DNA binding properties and nuclease activity

A series of copper(II) complexes of the type [Cu(L)]2+, where L = N,N'-dialkyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dimethanamine and R = methyl (L1), n-propyl (L2), isopropyl (L3), sec-butyl (L4), or tert-butyl (L5) group, have been synthesized. The interaction of the complexes with DNA has been studied by DNA fiber electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, emission, viscosity and electrochemical measurements and agarose gel electrophoresis. In the X-ray crystal structure of [Cu(HL2)Cl2]NO3, copper(II) is coordinated to two ring nitrogens and one of the two secondary amine nitrogens of the side chains and two chloride ions as well and the coordination geometry is best described as trigonal bipyramidal distorted square based pyramidal (TBDSBP). Electronic and EPR spectral studies reveal that all the complexes in aqueous solution around pH 7 possess CuN3O2 rather than CuN4O chromophore with one of the alkylamino side chain not involved in coordination. The structures of the complexes in aqueous solution around pH 7 change from distorted tetragonal to trigonal bipyramidal as the size of the alkyl group is increased. The observed changes in the physicochemical features of the complexes on binding to DNA suggest that the complexes, except [Cu(L5)]2+, bind to DNA with partial intercalation of the derivatised phen ring in between the DNA base pairs. Electrochemical studies reveal that the complexes prefer to bind to DNA in Cu(II) rather than Cu(I) oxidation state. Interestingly, [Cu(L5)]2+ shows the highest DNA cleavage activity among all the present copper(II) complexes suggesting that the bulky N-tert-butyl group plays an important role in modifying the coordination environment around the copper(II) center, the Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox potential and hence the formation of activated oxidant responsible for the cleavage. These results were compared with those for bis(1,10-phenanthroline)copper(II), [Cu(phen)2]2+.     

Generation of superoxide radicals by copper–glutathione complexes: Redox-consequences associated with their interaction with reduced glutathione

The interaction between Cu²⁺ ions and GSH molecules leads to the swift formation of the physiologically occurring Cu(I)–[GSH]₂ complex. Recently, we reported that this complex is able to reduce molecular oxygen into superoxide in a reversible reaction. In the present study, by means of fluorescence, luminescence, EPR and NMR techniques, we investigated the superoxide-generating capacity of the Cu(I)–[GSH]₂ complex, demonstrated the occurrence and characterized the chemical nature of the oxidized complex which is formed upon removing of superoxide radicals from the former reaction, and addressed some of the redox consequences associated with the interaction between the Cu(I)–[GSH]₂ complex, its oxidized complex form, and an in-excess of GSH molecules. The interaction between Cu(I)–[GSH]₂ and added GSH molecules led to an substantial exacerbation of the ability of the former to generate superoxide anions. Removal of superoxide from a solution containing the Cu(I)–[GSH]₂ complex, by addition of Tempol, led to the formation and accumulation of Cu(II)–GSSG. Interaction between the latter complex and GSH molecules permitted the re-generation of the Cu(I)–[GSH]₂ complex and led to a concomitant recovery of its superoxide-generating capacity. Some of the potential redox and biological implications arising from these interactions are discussed.     

Tyrosinase: The four oxidation states of the active site and their relevance to enzymatic activation,oxidation and inactivation

Tyrosinase is an enzyme widely distributed in the biosphere. It is one of a group of proteins with a strongly conserved bicopper active centre able to bind molecular oxygen. Tyrosinase manifests two catalytic properties; monooxygenase and oxidase activity. These actions reflect the oxidation states of the active centre. Tyrosinase has four possible oxidation states and the details of their interaction are shown to give rise to the unusual kinetic behaviour of the enzyme. The resting state of the enzyme is met-tyrosinase [Cu(II)₂] and activation, associated with a ‘lag period’, involves reduction to deoxy-tyrosinase [Cu(I)₂] which is capable of binding dioxygen to form oxy-tyrosinase [Cu(II)₂·O₂]. Initially the conversion of met- to deoxy-tyrosinase is brought about by a catechol that is indirectly formed from an ortho-quinone product of tyrosinase action. The primary function of the enzyme is monooxygenation of phenols to ortho-quinones by oxy-tyrosinase. Inactivation of the enzyme results from monooxygenase processing of catechols which can lead to reductive elimination of one of the active-site copper ions and conversion of oxy-tyrosinase to the inactive deact-tyrosinase [Cu(II)Cu(0)]. This review describes the tyrosinase pathways and the role of each oxidation state in the enzyme’s oxidative transformations of phenols and catechols.     

Oxidative DNA damage by a metabolite of carcinogenic and reproductive toxic nitrobenzene in the presence of NADH and Cu(II)

The mechanism of DNA damage induced by metabolites of nitrobenzene was investigated in relation to the carcinogenicity and reproductive toxicity of nitrobenzene. Nitrosobenzene, a nitrobenzene metabolite, induced NADH plus Cu(II)-mediated DNA cleavage frequently at thymine and cytosine residues. Catalase and bathocuproine inhibited the DNA damage, suggesting the involvement of H2O2 and Cu(I). Typical free hydroxyl radical scavengers showed no inhibitory effects on DNA damage. Nitrosobenzene caused the formation of 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine in calf thymus DNA in the presence of NADH and Cu(II). ESR spectroscopic study has confirmed that nitrosobenzene is reduced by NADH to the phenylhydronitroxide radical even in the absence of Cu(II). These results suggest that nitrosobenzene can be reduced non-enzymatically by NADH, and the redox cycle reaction resulted in oxidative DNA damage due to the copper-oxygen complex, derived from the reaction of Cu(I) with H2O2.     

Amino acid residues within conserved domain VI of the vesicular stomatitis virus large polymerase protein essential for mRNA cap methyltransferase activity

During mRNA synthesis, the polymerase of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) copies the genomic RNA to produce five capped and polyadenylated mRNAs with the 5'-terminal structure 7mGpppA(m)pApCpApGpNpNpApUpCp. The 5' mRNA processing events are poorly understood but presumably require triphosphatase, guanylyltransferase, [guanine-N-7]- and [ribose-2'-O]-methyltransferase (MTase) activities. Consistent with a role in mRNA methylation, conserved domain VI of the 241-kDa large (L) polymerase protein shares sequence homology with a bacterial [ribose-2'-O]-MTase, FtsJ/RrmJ. In this report, we generated six L gene mutations to test this homology. Individual substitutions to the predicted MTase active-site residues K1651, D1762, K1795, and E1833 yielded viruses with pinpoint plaque morphologies and 10- to 1,000-fold replication defects in single-step growth assays. Consistent with these defects, viral RNA and protein synthesis was diminished. In contrast, alteration of residue G1674 predicted to bind the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine did not significantly perturb viral growth and gene expression. Analysis of the mRNA cap structure revealed that alterations to the predicted active site residues decreased [guanine-N-7]- and [ribose-2'-O]-MTase activity below the limit of detection of our assay. In contrast, the alanine substitution at G1674 had no apparent consequence. These data show that the predicted MTase active-site residues K1651, D1762, K1795, and E1833 within domain VI of the VSV L protein are essential for mRNA cap methylation. A model of mRNA processing consistent with these data is presented.