Study of ceruloplasmin oxidase activity. The effect of pH

To find out the mechanism of ceruloplasmin (CP) oxidase activity CP interaction with organic substrates adrenaline (AD), catechol, p-phenylenediamine) and Fe2+ was investigated. CP was shown to interact with the above substrates according to the Theorell-Chance mechanism to form a kinetically insignificant ternary complex. The oxygen molecule binds first to CP followed by the molecule of electron donor: the inhibition of enzymatic oxidation by the reaction product is competitive. The effects of pH on kinetic parameters (Ksm, Vs) of oxidation reactions of AD and Fe2+ in the presence of CP were examined. AD was shown to be able to bind both to the protonated and to the non-protonated form of CP whereas Fe2+ interacts only with the protonated form: the rate of catalytic event (Vs) is influenced by pH in the presence of AD whereas in the presence of Fe2+ only binding to CP (Ksm) is affected by pH. Kinetic schemes describing the order of binding of hydrogen ions in the course of above reactions are proposed.     

The multifunctional oxidase activity of ceruloplasmin as revealed by anion binding studies.

The effect of multiple binding of azide, N3-, on the structural and functional properties of ceruloplasmin (CP) has been reinvestigated by means of both spectroscopic and enzymatic techniques. High affinity binding of the anion to human CP resulted in a dramatic increase of the absorbance at 610 nm and in a concomitant decrease of the optical density at 330 nm. The oxidase activity toward Fe(II) was essentially unaffected, while turnover parameters versus nonferrous substrates dramatically changed, with an approximately 100-fold enhancement of the kcat/Km parameter. Chloride at physiological concentration proved to behave very similarly to N3- bound with high affinity, in that it not only induced the spectroscopic changes previously interpreted in terms of an intramolecular electron transfer from reduced type 1 to type 3 copper ions [Musci, G., Bonaccorsi di Patti, M.C. & Calabrese, L. (1995) J. Protein Chem. 14, 611-617], but it also enhanced some 60-fold the kcat/Km value. A different behavior was observed with chicken CP, where a decrease at 330 nm occurred without a concomitant modification at 603 nm. The chicken enzyme was less sensitive also in terms of enzymatic activity, which was nearly unchanged in the presence of either high affinity N3- or Cl-. At higher N3- concentrations, optical changes of both human and chicken CP were mainly focussed on the appearance of ligand-to-metal charge transfer bands below 500 nm, and the anion behaved as an inhibitor of the oxidase activity versus Fe(II) as well as noniron substrates. The well known bleaching of the blue chromophore could be observed, at neutral pH, only at very high N3-/CP ratios. The data presented in this paper are consistent with a mechanism of structural and functional modulation of CP by anions, that would be able to dictate the substrate specificity of the cuproprotein, and suggest the possibility that CP may act in vivo as a multifunctional oxidase.     

The blue oxidases, ascorbate oxidase, laccase and ceruloplasmin. Modelling and structural relationships

On the basis of the spatial structure of ascorbate oxidase [Messerschmidt, A., Rossi, A., Ladenstein, R., Huber, R., Bolognesi, M., Gatti, G., Marchesini, A., Petruzzelli, R. & Finazzi-Agro, A. (1989) J. Mol. Biol. 206, 513-529], an alignment of the amino acid sequence of the related blue oxidases, laccase and ceruloplasmin is proposed. This strongly suggests a three-domain structure for laccase closely related to ascorbate oxidase and a six-domain structure of ceruloplasmin. These domains demonstrate homology with the small blue copper proteins. The relationships suggest that laccase, like ascorbate oxidase, has a mononuclear blue copper in domain 3 and a trinuclear copper between domain 1 and 3 and ceruloplasmin has mononuclear copper ions in domains 2, 4 and 6 and a trinuclear copper between domains 1 and 6.     

Homocysteine promotes the LDL oxidase activity of ceruloplasmin

Ceruloplasmin (CP) oxidises low density lipoprotein (LDL). The oxidising potential depends on the formation of Cu(+)-CP which is redox-cycled during oxidation. Homocysteine (HCY) reduces free Cu(2+), potentiating its cell-damaging property. We show that HCY enhanced LDL oxidation by CP, but did not activate the LDL oxidising potential of Cu(2+)-diamine oxidase. Selective removal of the redox-active Cu(2+) abolished the LDL oxidase activity of CP. However, HCY partially restored the LDL oxidase activity of redox-copper depleted CP, indicating that the remaining six copper atoms in CP may also be involved in the process. Spectroscopic and oxidation inhibition studies using the Cu(+)-reagent bathocuproine revealed that HCY induced Cu(+)-CP formation, thus promoting its LDL oxidase activity.     

The effect of 110mAg on ceruloplasmin oxidase activity in rats

The effect of single i.v. injection of 110mAgNO3 (0.183 mg Ag+ X kg-1 b.wt.) in rats on the ceruloplasmin oxidase activity (Cp) and copper serum concentration was studied. It was found that Cp activity in the serum decreased to 70% of the control value and simultaneously serum copper concentration decrease to 30% of the control level. In both cases the decrease was independent on the time elapsed after silver administration. Comparing these results with those reported recently in mice Cu deficit in the rat serum was approximately twice higher. This fact is considered to be an inter-species difference. The concentration of copper in the hepatic supernatant significantly decreased (to eight times from control value) after silver injection. Only less than 10% of the total amount of Ag found in whole liver was taken up to hepatic supernatant. GPC analysis of the supernatant (Sephadex G-75) revealed that no Ag-metallothionein fraction is present. On the basis of the results obtained it was concluded that the mechanism of silver inhibition of Cp oxidase activity remains still in question.     

Effect of pH on the oxidase activity of ceruloplasmin

The effect of pH on the kinetic parameters (Kms, Vs) of the reaction of adrenaline and Fe(II) (More's salt) oxidation by ceruloplasmin isolated from human donor blood was investigated. It was assumed that the imidazole group of histidine is functionally important for the above reactions. For Fe(II) the effect of the ionizeable group was observed during substrate binding to the ceruloplasmin molecule, whereas in the course of the adrenaline oxidation reaction it manifests itself during catalytic interaction of the substrate with the enzyme. The organic substrate can bind both to the protonated and to the non-protonated form of the enzyme. Fe(II) interacts only with the protonated form of the protein. In both cases, the rate-limiting step of the oxidase reaction is preceded by a single step, i.e., proton binding. The schemes describing the order of proton attachment in the course of the above reactions are proposed.     

Spectral characteristics of the mechanism of oxidase activity of ceruloplasmin

The absorbance and EPR spectra of type 1 and 2 copper-binding centres which are present in ceruloplasmin (Cp) molecule were shown to disappear upon the reduction of the enzyme by ascorbate under anaerobic conditions. The fluorescence band attributed to type 3 Cu was altered concomitantly. The electron-accepting nitroxyl radical added to reduced Cp restored the absorbance, EPR and fluorescence spectra of the oxidase. Only type 1 and 3 copper ions, as judged by spectral changes, can be reduced by ascorbate and then reoxidized by the nitroxyl radical in the azide-treated Cp. The spectral properties of Cp provided by copper ions of different types change simultaneously and concordantly upon oxidation/reduction. This seems to be caused by cooperative interaction of these ions involved in the electron transfer from the donating substrate to the accepting molecule of the nitroxyl radical (in model studies of oxidase reaction) or oxygen (under natural conditions). The copper ions in the active centre of Cp constitute an intramolecular electron transport chain, which may, at least in vitro, function without one of its links.     

The inhibition of bovine ceruloplasmin oxidase activity by thiomolybdates in vivo and in vitro: a reversible interaction

The administration of pharmacological doses (greater than 100 mg Mo) of trithiomolybdate or tretrathiomolydbate to ruminants causes a transient apparent decrease in the ceruloplasmin oxidase activity of plasma and a more persistent increase in copper bound to plasma albumin. Sephadex gel-filtration and/or dilution of "inhibited" samples taken from an infused animal or of plasma treated with thiomolybdate in vitro restores activity back to pretreatment levels. The increase in albumin bound copper does not appear to be related to ceruloplasmin breakdown. It is concluded that, contrary to a recent report, the inhibition of ceruloplasmin oxidase activity is reversible and thus unlikely to be of pathological relevance, since circulatory thiomolybdate concentrations in molybdenotic animals are likely to be very low. It is recommended that thiomolybdate preparations used for in vitro and in vivo studies should be carefully purified by Sephadex chromatography.     

Oxidation of orcinol by ceruloplasmin and mixed-ligand copper complexes

Unable to oxidize orcinol (3,5-dihydroxytoluene) under conventional conditions, ceruloplasmin (Cp) catalyzes its oxidation when superoxide radicals are injected into the solution with the aid of a high-voltage generator. The O2-. to oxidized orcinol ratio in solution is close to 2:1. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide, which is the product of the Cp-catalyzed dismutase reaction, is about half that of O2-. No slower than by the native enzyme, orcinol in the presence of O2-. is oxidized by Cp depleted of all its type 2 coppers and partly of type 1 Cu2+. Copper complexes with oxalate and pyrophosphate are able to oxidize orcinol under aerobic conditions, one molecule of oxygen being consumed per each oxidized molecule of orcinol. Both the oxidation of orcinol by Cp and by copper complexes are inhibited by cyanide. Orcinol oxidation seems to be caused by singlet oxygen produced in the Cp-catalyzed dismutase reaction.     

Oxidation of Se-Carboxymethyl-selenocysteine by L-aminoacid oxidase and by D-aspartate oxidase

Summary Se-Carboxymethyl-DL-selenocysteine (CMSeC) has been prepared in a pure crystalline form from selenocysteine and monochloroacetic acid. It has been shown that CMSeC is a substrate for the L-aminoacid oxidase from snake venom and for the D-aspartate oxidase from beef kidney. Oxygen consumption and ammonia production indicate that only the L or the D form of CMSeC are acted upon respectively by one or the other of the above enzymes. No noticeable differences were shown in the oxidation rate of CMSeC and S-carboxymethylcysteine, an indication that the substitution of a selenium for a sulfur atom in the molecule does not greatly affect the substrate specificity of the two enzymes. Data have been obtained suggesting that the product of the oxidative deamination of CMSeC is Se-carboxymethyl-selenopyruvic acid.     

Dimethoxyphenol oxidase activity of different microbial blue multicopper proteins

2,6-Dimethoxyphenol is a versatile substrate for Pyricularia oryzae laccase, PpoA from Marinomonas mediterranea, phenoxazinone synthase from Streptomyces antibioticus and mammalian ceruloplasmin. In addition, in cellular extracts of microorganisms expressing other blue multicopper proteins with no enzymatic activity previously described, such as Escherichia coli (copper resistance CueO), Pseudomonas syringae and Xanthomonas campestris (copper resistance CopA), Bacillus subtilis (sporulation protein CotA) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (iron transporter Fet3p), laccase activity is detected under appropriate conditions. This oxidase activity can be spectrophotometrically followed by the oxidation of 2,6-dimethoxyphenol. Specific staining after SDS-PAGE is also possible for some of these proteins. This detection assay can facilitate the study of the multiple functions that such proteins seem to carry out in a variety of microorganisms.     

Cuprous oxidase activity of yeast Fet3p and human ceruloplasmin: implication for function

The Fet3 protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and mammalian ceruloplasmin are multicopper oxidases (MCO) that are required for iron homeostasis via their catalysis of the ferroxidase reaction, 4Fe(2+)+O(2)+4H(+)-->4Fe(3+)+2H(2)O. The enzymes may play an essential role in copper homeostasis since they exhibit a strikingly similar kinetic activity towards Cu(1+) as substrate. In contrast, laccase, an MCO that exhibits weak activity towards Fe(2+), exhibits a similarly weak activity towards Cu(1+). Kinetic analyses of the Fet3p reaction demonstrate that the ferroxidase and cuprous oxidase activities are due to the same electron transfer site on the enzyme. These two ferroxidases are fully competent kinetically to play a major role in maintaining the cuprous-cupric redox balance in aerobic organisms.     

Oxidation of formaldehyde by alcohol oxidase of Candida boidinii.

A fromaldehyde oxidase activity was found in cellfree extracts of methanol-grown yeast Candida boidinii. Loss of alcohol oxidase activity in a mutant, 48, led to loss of the formaldehyde oxidase activity, indicating that the same enzyme is probably responsible for both activities. This could be demonstrated with the purified alcohol oxidase which oxidizes, besides lower primary alcohols, formaldehyde to formate. The Km value for formaldehyde is 5.7 mM. It seems that alcohol oxidase is not implicated in formaldehyde oxidation in vivo.