Magnetic circular dichroism studies on the heme and tryptophan components of cytochrome c peroxidase

We have measured the magnetic circular dichroism of cytochrome c peroxidase and some of its derivatives from 250-350 nm. Comparison of the changes observed on conversion to the catalytic intermediate (cytochrome c peroxidase-I) with spectra obtained from horseradish peroxidase and its derivatives and model compounds of protoheme leads us to the conclusion that the observed changes in the magnetic circular dichroism spectra reflect conversion of the heme to the ferryl state. No evidence was found for modification of tryptophan in cytochrome c peroxidase-I.     

Magnetic circular dichroism studies of the active site structure of hemoprotein H-450: comparison to cytochrome P-450 and sensitivity to pH effects

Ferric, ferrous and ferrous-CO hemoprotein H-450 from rat liver have been examined with magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy under alkaline (pH 8.0) and acidic (pH 6.0) conditions. The spectral properties of these species require that one of the axial heme iron ligands in the alkaline ferric and ferrous states must be a thiolate sulfur, presumably from cysteine. The data are most consistent with the ligand trans to thiolate being either histidine or methionine. The reversible pH effects on the spectral properties of the ferrous protein, but not of the ferric protein, appear to involve protonation or displacement of the thiolate. As treatment of the ferrous protein with CO does not yield a thiolate-ligated ferrous-CO adduct, CO either displaces the thiolate or its addition is accompanied by protonation of the thiolate.     

Circular dichroism studies on cytochrome c peroxidase from baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).

Circular dichroism spectra of cytochrome c peroxidase from baker's yeast, those of the reduced enzyme, the carbonyl, cyanide and fluoride derivatives and the hydrogen peroxide compound, Compound I, have been recorded in the wavelength range 200 to 660 nm. All derivatives show negative Soret Cotton effects. The results suggest that the heme group is surrounded by tightly packed amino acid sidechains and that there is a histidine residue bound to the fifth coordination site of the heme iron. The native ferric enzyme is probably pentacoordinated. The circular dichroism spectra of the ligand compounds indicate that the ligands form a nonlinear bond to the heme iron as a result of steric hindrance in the vicinity of the heme. The spectrum of Compound I shows no perturbation of the porphyrin symmetry. The dichroic spectrum of the native enzyme in the far-ultraviolet wave-length region suggests that the secondary structure consists of roughly equal amounts of alpha-helical, beta-structure and unordered structure. After the removal of the heme group no great changes in the secondary structure can be observed.     

Role of threonine 101 on the stability of the heme active site of cytochrome P450cam: multiwavelength circular dichroism studies

The role of the threonine 101 residue that resides close to the heme propionic acid side chain of cytochrome P450cam on the conformational properties of the active site of the enzyme has been investigated by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Site-specific mutation of the threonine by valine has been carried out that does not affect the size of the residue but significantly alters the hydropathy index. The T101V mutant of cytochrome P450cam showed distinct differences in the CD spectra near the heme region, indicating a subtle effect of the mutation on the properties of the heme active site. Thermal stabilities of the mutant and wild-type enzyme have been studied by temperature dependence of the ellipticity (intensity of the CD band) in the far-UV region for the secondary structure and at different wavelengths in the visible region that arise from the heme moiety for the tertiary structure around the prosthetic group. The thermal unfolding data from variations of the CD intensity at different wavelengths were analyzed using a generalized multistep unfolding model, and two distinct equilibrium intermediate conformational states of the enzyme were identified. The mutation of the T101 residue by valine was found to decrease the thermal stability of both the intermediates in the presence of the substrate. On the other hand, this mutation had no apparent effect on the thermal stability of the enzyme in the absence of the substrate. These results suggested that the threonine residue stabilizes the protein cavity around the heme center in the case of the substrate-bound species, possibly by hydrogen bonding with one of the propionate side chains of the heme moiety. Such hydrogen bonding of the heme propionate with threonine is absent in the substrate-free form of the enzyme.     

Characterization of a covalently linked yeast cytochrome c-cytochrome c peroxidase complex: evidence for a single, catalytically active cytochrome c binding site on cytochrome c peroxidase

A covalent complex between recombinant yeast iso-1-cytochrome c and recombinant yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (rCcP), in which the crystallographically defined cytochrome c binding site [Pelletier, H., and Kraut, J. (1992) Science 258, 1748-1755] is blocked, was synthesized via disulfide bond formation using specifically engineered cysteine residues in both yeast iso-1-cytochrome c and yeast cytochrome c peroxidase [Papa, H. S., and Poulos, T. L. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 6573-6580]. Previous studies on similar covalent complexes, those that block the Pelletier-Kraut crystallographic site, have demonstrated that samples of the covalent complexes have detectable activities that are significantly lower than those of wild-type yCcP, usually in the range of approximately 1-7% of that of the wild-type enzyme. Using gradient elution procedures in the purification of the engineered peroxidase, cytochrome c, and covalent complex, along with activity measurements during the purification steps, we demonstrate that the residual activity associated with the purified covalent complex is due to unreacted CcP that copurifies with the covalent complex. Within experimental error, the covalent complex that blocks the Pelletier-Kraut site has zero catalytic activity in the steady-state oxidation of exogenous yeast iso-1-ferrocytochrome c by hydrogen peroxide, demonstrating that only ferrocytochrome c bound at the Pelletier-Kraut site is oxidized during catalytic turnover.     

Cyanide binding to the cytochrome c ferric heme octapeptide. A model for anion binding to the active site of high spin ferric heme proteins

Equilibrium constants for the binding of cyanide to the ferric heme c octapeptide in 20% ethylene glycol, 50% buffer were measured spectrophotometrically. The equilibrium constant for cyanide binding at 20 degrees C and pH 7.4 is 3.47 X 10(7), which is approximately 15-fold lower than that observed for cyanide binding to methemoglobin or metmyoglobin. Equilibrium constants at several temperatures exhibited an apparent van't Hoff relationship, yielding thermodynamic values of delta H degrees = -79,000 J/mol (-18,900 cal/mol) and delta S degrees = J/degrees K mol (-30.1 e.u.). Comparison of the ratio of equilibrium constants for cyanide ligation to methemoglobin the heme octapeptide with the ratio of equilibrium constants for azide ligation to methemoglobin and the heme octapeptide suggests that cyanide binding to the methemoproteins is much smaller than expected by comparison to azide binding. The differences in the ratios, the thermodynamic values, and the preferred binding geometries suggest that CN- ligation, like CO ligation, is sterically hindered. A comparison of these ratios to similar ratios for CO, O2, and NO binding suggests that the Fe-CN bond angle is less subject to distortion than the Fe-CO bond and/or additional binding interactions contribute to N3- but not to CN-binding to the protein.     

Proton NMR investigation of the heme active site structure of an engineered cytochrome c peroxidase that mimics manganese peroxidase.

The heme active site structure of an engineered cytochrome c peroxidase [MnCcP; see Yeung, B. K., et al. (1997) Chem. Biol. 4, 215-221] that closely mimics manganese peroxidase (MnP) has been characterized by both one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. All hyperfine-shifted resonances from the heme pocket as well as resonances from catalytically relevant amino acid residues in the congested diamagnetic envelope have been assigned. From the NMR spectral assignment and the line broadening pattern of specific protons in NOESY spectra of MnCcP, the location of the engineered Mn(II) center is firmly identified. Furthermore, we found that the creation of the Mn(II)-binding site in CcP resulted in no detectable structural changes on the distal heme pocket of the protein. However, notable structural changes are observed at the proximal side of the heme cavity. Both CepsilonH shift of the proximal histidine and (15)N shift of the bound C(15)N(-) suggest a weaker heme Fe(III)-N(His) bond in MnCcP compared to WtCcP. Our results indicate that the engineered Mn(II)-binding site in CcP resulted in not only a similar Mn(II)-binding affinity and improved MnP activity, but also weakened the Fe(III)-N(His) bond strength of the template protein CcP so that its bond strength is similar to that of the target protein MnP. The results presented here help elucidate the impact of designing a metal-binding site on both the local and global structure of the enzyme, and provide a structural basis for engineering the next generation of MnCcP that mimics MnP more closely.     

Azide binding to the cytochrome c ferric heme octapeptide. A model for anion binding to the active site of high spin ferric heme proteins.

Equilibrium constants for the binding of azide to the ferric heme c octapeptide in 50% ethylene glycol 50% buffer were measured spectrophotometrically. The equilibrium constant for azide binding at 20 degrees C and pH* 7.4 is 29.2, which is approximately 3 to 4 orders of magnitude lower than that observed for azide binding to various ferric hemeproteins. The equilibrium constant was indepent of pH* in the range from 7 to 8. Equilibrium constants at several temperatures exhibited an apparent van't Hoff relationship yielding thermodynamic values of delta H0 = -26,100 J/mol (-6240 cal/mol) and delta S0 = -61.5 J/0K mol (-14.7 e.u.). Comparison of these values to the values for the heme proteins enables one to explain the differences in equiliberium constants in terms of differences in the polarity of the heme environments. The results are consistent with the concept that the oxygen affinity of heme complexes increases with the polarity of the heme environment. The data also suggest that an increase in the polarity of the heme environment should result in a corresponding increase in the susceptibility of ferrous heme dioxygen complexes toward oxidation by the dioxygen.     

Magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy as a probe of axial heme ligand replacement in semisynthetic mutants of cytochrome c.

Horse heart cytochrome c with either histidine or cysteine replacing the endogenous axial methionine ligand at position 80 has been characterized with magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy in the UV-visible region. Comparison of the MCD spectra of the mutant proteins in the ferric state to those of authentic bis-imidazole- and imidazole/thiolate-ligated ferric heme proteins clearly shows that the histidine-imidazole and cysteine-thiolate groups of the replacement amino acids at position 80 are coordinated to the heme iron in the mutant proteins. This study demonstrates the power of MCD spectroscopy in identifying axial ligands in mutant heme proteins. Accurate axial ligand assignment is essential for proper interpretation of the altered properties of such novel proteins.     

Magnetic resonance spectral characterization of the heme active site of Coprinus cinereus peroxidase

Examination of the peroxidase isolated from the inkcap Basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus shows that the 42,000-dalton enzyme contains a protoheme IX prosthetic group. Reactivity assays and the electronic absorption spectra of native Coprinus peroxidase and several of its ligand complexes indicate that this enzyme has characteristics similar to those reported for horseradish peroxidase. In this paper, we characterize the H2O2-oxidized forms of Coprinus peroxidase compounds I, II, and III by electronic absorption and magnetic resonance spectroscopies. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of this Coprinus peroxidase indicate the presence of high-spin Fe(III) in the native protein and a number of differences between the heme site of Coprinus peroxidase and horseradish peroxidase. Carbon-13 (of the ferrous CO adduct) and nitrogen-15 (of the cyanide complex) NMR studies together with proton NMR studies of the native and cyanide-complexed Coprinus peroxidase are consistent with coordination of a proximal histidine ligand. The EPR spectrum of the ferrous NO complex is also reported. Protein reconstitution with deuterated hemin has facilitated the assignment of the heme methyl resonances in the proton NMR spectrum.     

Preparation and kinetic studies of immobilised yeast cytochrome c peroxidase.

Yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) was purified from baker's yeast and immobilised onto a nylon membrane. The kinetics of the soluble and immobilised forms of the enzyme were investigated for the catalysed oxidation of potassium ferrocyanide in the presence of H2O2 and m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. The pH dependence of the two forms of the enzyme differed. Although both the soluble and the immobilised enzymes showed optimal activity at pH 6.2, a different kinetic behaviour was demonstrated. Both forms of the enzyme showed similar activity toward H2O2, although when m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid was replaced as the electron acceptor, the immobilised form of the enzyme had a reduced turnover number and an increased Km. The activation energy of immobilised CcP was greater in the presence of both H2O2 [16.6 kJ mol-1] and m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid [37.9 kJ mol-1] than for soluble CcP [11.4 and 23.4 kJ mol-1, respectively]. The activities of both soluble and immobilised CcP were greatly reduced above 45 degrees C, although at higher temperatures the immobilised enzyme retained a relatively greater percentage of its maximum activity.     

Magnetic circular dichroism studies on acid and alkaline forms of horseradish peroxidase.

The heme vicinities of the acid and alkaline forms of native (Fd(III)) horseradish peroxidase were investigated in terms of the magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy. The MCD spectrum of the acid form of native horseradish peroxidase was characteristic of a ferric high spin heme group. The resemblance in the MCD spectrum between the acid form and acetato-iron (III)protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester suggests that the heme iron of the acid form has the electronic structure similar to that in a pentocoordinated heme complex. The MCD spectra of native horseradish peroxidase did not shown any substantial pH dependence in the pH range from 5.20 to 9.00. The MCD spectral change indicated the pK value for the equilibrium between the acid and alkaline forms to be 11.0 which agrees with the results from other methods. The alkaline form of native horseradish peroxidase at pH 12.01 exhibited the MCD spectrum of a low spin complex. The near infrared MCD spectrum suggests that the alkaline form of native horseradish peroxidase has a 6th ligand somehow different from a normal nitrogen ligand such as histidine or lysine. It implicates that the alkaline form has an overall ligand field strength of between the low spin component of metmyoglobin hydroxide and metmyoglobin azide.     

Solution NMR study of the yeast cytochrome c peroxidase: cytochrome c interaction

Here we present a solution NMR study of the complex between yeast cytochrome c (Cc) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP), a paradigm for understanding the biological electron transfer. Performed for the first time, the CcP-observed heteronuclear NMR experiments were used to probe the Cc binding in solution. Combining the Cc- and CcP-detected experiments, the binding interface on both proteins was mapped out, confirming that the X-ray structure of the complex is maintained in solution. Using NMR titrations and chemical shift perturbation analysis, we show that the interaction is independent of the CcP spin-state and is only weakly affected by the Cc redox state. Based on these findings, we argue that the complex of the ferrous Cc and the cyanide-bound CcP is a good mimic of the catalytically-active Cc–CcP compound I species. Finally, no chemical shift perturbations due to the Cc binding at the low-affinity CcP site were observed at low ionic strength. We discuss possible reasons for the absence of the effects and outline future research directions.     

The heme iron coordination of unfolded ferric and ferrous cytochrome c in neutral and acidic urea solutions. Spectroscopic and electrochemical studies

The heme iron coordination of unfolded ferric and ferrous cytochrome c in the presence of 7-9 M urea at different pH values has been probed by several spectroscopic techniques including magnetic and natural circular dichroism (CD), electrochemistry, UV-visible (UV-vis) absorption and resonance Raman (RR). In 7-9 M urea at neutral pH, ferric cytochrome c is found to be predominantly a low spin bis-His-ligated heme center. In acidic 9 M urea solutions the UV-vis and near-infrared (NIR) magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) measurements have for the first time revealed the formation of a high spin His/H(2)O complex. The pK(a) for the neutral to acidic conversion is 5.2. In 9 M urea, ferrous cytochrome c is shown to retain its native ligation structure at pH 7. Formation of a five-coordinate high spin complex in equilibrium with the native form of ferrous cytochrome c takes place below the pK(a) 4.8. The formal redox potential of the His/H(2)O complex of cytochrome c in 9 M urea at pH 3 was estimated to be -0.13 V, ca. 100 mV more positive than E degrees ' estimated for the bis-His complex of cytochrome c in urea solution at pH 7.     

Studies on the heme environment of horse heart ferric cytochrome c. Azide and imidazole complexes of ferric cytochrome c.

Horse heart ferric cytochrome c was investigated by the following three methods: (I) Light absorption spectrophotometry at 23 degrees C and 77 degrees K; (II) Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy at 20 degrees K; (III) Precise equilibrium measurements of ferric cytochrome c with azide and imidazole between 14.43 and 30.90 degrees C. I and II have demonstrated that: (1) Ferric cytochrome c azide and imidazole complexes were in the purely low spin state between 20 degrees K and 23 degrees C; (2) The energy for the three t2g orbitals calculated in one hole formalism shows that azide or imidazole bind to the heme iron in a similar manner to met-hemoglobin azide or imidazole complexes, respectively. III has demonstrated that: (1) The change of standard enthalpy and that of standard entropy were -2.3 kcal/mol and -1.6 cal/mol per degree for the azide complex formation, and -1.4 kcal/mol and 2.9 cal/mol per degree for the imidazole complex formation. (2) A linear relationship between the change of entropy and that of enthalpy was observed for the above data for the cyanide complex formation. The complex formation of ferric cytochrome c was discussed based on the results of X-ray crystallographic studies compared with hemoglobin and myoglobin.     

The axial ligands of heme in cytochromes: a near-infrared magnetic circular dichroism study of yeast cytochromes c, c1, and b and spinach cytochrome f

Room temperature near-infrared magnetic circular dichroism and low-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance measurements have been used to characterize the ligands of the heme iron in mitochondrial cytochromes c, c1, and b and in cytochrome f of the photosynthetic electron transport chain. The MCD data show that methionine is the sixth ligand of the heme of oxidized yeast cytochrome c1; the identify of this residue is inferred to be the single conserved methionine identified from a partial alignment of the available cytochrome c1 amino acid sequences. A different residue, which is most likely lysine, is the sixth heme ligand in oxidized spinach cytochrome f. The data for oxidized yeast cytochrome b are consistent with bis-histidine coordination of both hemes although the possibility that one of the hemes is ligated by histidine and lysine cannot be rigorously excluded. The neutral and alkaline forms of oxidized yeast cytochrome c have spectroscopic properties very similar to those of the horse heart proteins, and thus, by analogy, the sixth ligands are methionine and lysine, respectively.     

Reduction potential of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase and three distal histidine mutants: dependence on pH

The pH dependence of the Fe(III) reduction potential, E⁰′, for yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (yCcP) and three distal pocket mutants, CcP(H52L), CcP(H52Q), and CcP(R48L/W51L/H52L), has been determined between pH 4 and 8. E⁰′ values at pH 7.0 for the yCcP, CcP(H52L), CcP(H52Q), and CcP(R48L/W51L/H52L) are − 189, − 170, − 224, and − 146 mV, respectively. A heme-linked ionization in the reduced enzyme affects the reduction potential for yCcP and all three mutants. Apparent pK_A values for the heme-linked ionization are 7.5 ± 0.2, 6.5 ± 0.3, 6.4 ± 0.2, and 7.0 ± 0.3 for yCcP and the H52L, H52Q, and R48L/W51L/H52L mutants, respectively. A cooperative, two-proton ionization causing a spectroscopically-detectable transition was observed in the ferrous states of yCcP, CcP(H52L) and CcP(H52Q), with apparent pK_A values of 7.7 ± 0.2, 7.4 ± 0.1 and 7.8 ± 0.1, respectively. These data indicate that: (1) the distal histidine in CcP is not the site of proton binding upon reduction of the ferric CcP, (2) the distal histidine is not one of the two groups involved in the cooperative, two-proton ionization observed in ferrous CcP, and (3) the proton-binding site is not involved in the cooperative, two-proton ionization observed in the reduced enzyme.     

Effect of single-site charge-reversal mutations on the catalytic properties of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase: mutations near the high-affinity cytochrome c binding site

Fifteen single-site charge-reversal mutations of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) have been constructed to determine the effect of localized charge on the catalytic properties of the enzyme. The mutations are located on the front face of CcP, near the cytochrome c binding site identified in the crystallographic structure of the yeast cytochrome c-CcP complex [Pelletier, H., and Kraut, J. (1992) Science 258, 1748-1755]. The mutants are characterized by absorption spectroscopy and hydrogen peroxide reactivity at both pH 6.0 and 7.5 and by steady-state kinetic studies using recombinant yeast iso-1-ferrocytochrome c(C102T) as a substrate at pH 7.5. Some of the charge-reversal mutations cause detectable changes in the absorption spectrum, especially at pH 7.5, reflecting changes in the equilibrium between penta- and hexacoordinate heme species in the enzyme. An increase in the amount of hexacoordinate heme in the mutant enzymes correlates with an increase in the fraction of enzyme that does not react with hydrogen peroxide. Steady-state velocity measurements indicate that five of the 15 mutations cause large increases in the Michaelis constant (R31E, D34K, D37K, E118K, and E290K). These data support the hypothesis that the cytochrome c-CcP complex observed in the crystal is the dominant catalytically active complex in solution.