Oxidation of p-cresol by horseradish peroxidase compound I.

Rate constants for the reaction between horseradish peroxidase compound I and p-cresol have been determined at several values of pH between 2.98 and 10.81. These rate constants were used to construct a log (rate) versus pH profile from which it is readily seen that the most reactive form of the enzyme is its most basic form within this pH range so that base catalysis is occurring. At the maximum rate a second order rate constant of (5.1 +/- 0.3) x 10(-7) M-1 s-1 at 25 degrees is obtained. The activation energy of the reaction at the maximum rate was determined from an Arrhenius plot to be 5.0 +/- 0.5 kcal/mol. Evidence for an exception to the generally accepted enzymatic cycle of horseradish peroxidase is presented. One-half molar equivalent of p-cresol can convert compound I quantitatively to compound II at high pH, whereas usually this step requires 1 molar equivalent of reductant. The stoichiometry of this reaction is pH-dependent.     

EPR studies on compound I of horseradish peroxidase.

Compound I of horseradish peroxidase (donor: hydrogen-peroxide oxidoreductase EC 1.11.1.7) was studied by EPR at low temperatures. An asymmetric signal was found, about 15 Gauss wide and with a g-value of 1.995, which could be detected only at temperatures below 20 K and which had an intensity corresponding to about 1% of the heme content. In a titration with H2O2, the signal intensity was proportional to the concentration of Compound I, reaching a maximum when equivalent amounts of H2O2 were added. This indicates that the signal is not due to an impurity, and it is suggested that a free radical is formed, relaxed by a near-by fast-relaxing iron.     

Kinetic evidence of horseradish peroxidase oxidation by compound I.

The kinetics of compound II formation, obtained upon mixing a highly purified horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide, was spectrophotometrically studied at three wavelengths in the absence of an added reducing agent. Our experiments confirm George's finding that more than one mole of compound II is formed per mole of hydrogen peroxide added. The new mechanism that we propose, contrary to the mechanism of George, is only valid when compound II is obtained in the absence of an added donor. Moreover, it is not inconsistent with the classical Chance mechanism of oxidation of an added donor by the system peroxidase -- hydrogen peroxide. According to this new mechanism, in the absence of an added donor, compound II formation involved two pathways. The first pathway is the monomolecular reduction of compound I by the endogenous donor, and the second pathway is the formation of two moles of compound II through the oxidoreduction reaction between one mole of peroxidase and one mole of compound I.     

Oxidation of phenols by horseradish peroxidase and lactoperoxidase compound II--kinetic considerations.

Oxidation of para substituted phenols by horseradish peroxidase compound II (HRP-II) and lactoperoxidase compound II (LPO-II) were studied using stopped flow technique. Apparent second order rate constants (kapp) of the reactions were determined. The kinetics of oxidation of phenols by HRP-II and LPO-II have been compared with the oxidation potentials of the substrates. Reorganization energies of electron-transfer of phenols to the enzymes were estimated from the variation of second order rate constants with the thermodynamic driving force.     

Horseradish peroxidase. XXXIV. Oxidation of compound II to I by periodate and inorganic anion radicals.

The one-electron oxidation of horseradish peroxidase compound II to compound I by sodium periodate was observed. The bimolecular rate constant for the NaIO4--compound II interaction is equal to 9.5 +/- 1 x 10(-3) M-1s-1 at room temperature. Irradiation, using ultraviolet light, of the solution containing compound II and persulfate in the presence of bicarbonate, chloride, or bromide, leads ot the fast accumulation of compound I due to the oxidative action of SO4, CO3, Cl2, and Br2 anion radicals, which are products of the photolysis.     

Resonance Raman spectra of bovine liver catalase compound II. Similarity of the heme environment to horseradish peroxidase compound II

Resonance Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate the structure and environment of the heme group in bovine liver catalase compound II. Both Soret- and Q-band excitation have been employed to observe and assign the skeletal stretching frequencies of the porphyrin ring. The oxidation state marker band v4 increases in frequency from 1373 cm-1 in ferricatalase to 1375 cm-1 in compound II, consistent with oxidation of the iron atom to the Fe(IV) state. Oxidation of five-coordinate, high-spin ferricatalase to compound II is accompanied by a marked increase of the porphyrin core marker frequencies that is consistent with a six-coordinate low-spin state with a contracted core. An Fe(IV) = O stretching band is observed at 775 cm-1 for compound II at neutral pH, indicating that there is an oxo ligand at the sixth site. At alkaline pH, the Fe(IV) = O stretching band shifts to 786 cm-1 in response to a heme-linked ionization that is attributed to the distal His-74 residue. Experiments carried out in H218O show that the oxo ligand of compound II exchanges with bulk water at neutral pH, but not at alkaline pH. This is essentially the same behavior exhibited by horseradish peroxidase compound II and the exchange reaction at neutral pH for both enzymes is attributed to acid/base catalysis by a distal His residue that is believed to be hydrogen-bonded to the oxo ligand. Thus, the structure and environment of the heme group of the compound II species of catalase and horseradish peroxidase are very similar. This indicates that the marked differences in their reactivities as oxidants are probably due to the manner in which the protein controls access of substrates to the heme group.     

Oxidation of NAD dimers by horseradish peroxidase.

Horseradish peroxidase catalyses the oxidation of NAD dimers, (NAD)2, to NAD+ in accordance with a reaction that is pH-dependent and requires 1 mol of O2 per 2 mol of (NAD)2. Horseradish peroxidase also catalyses the peroxidation of (NAD)2 to NAD+. In contrast, bacterial NADH peroxidase does not catalyse the peroxidation or the oxidation of (NAD)2. A free-radical mechanism is proposed for both horseradish-peroxidase-catalysed oxidation and peroxidation of (NAD)2.     

Electron-paramagnetic-resonance studies on a photochemically produced species of horseradish peroxidase compound I.

Strong electron-paramagnetic-resonance signals in the g = 2.00 region were detected after irradiation of horseradish peroxidase Compound I at temperatures of 10 and 100 K. These signals establish the presence of new free-radical species in the peroxidase system. The new species are interpreted in terms of a haem-photosensitized oxidation of the protein's peptide groups close to the Compound I radical site. On warming to room temperature, the radicals decayed irreversibly to a species having a weak asymmetric electron-paramagnetic-resonance signal at 100 K, which could still be observed after incubation at room temperature for more than 1 h.     

Theoretical study of model compound I complexes of horseradish peroxidase and catalase.

Theoretical studies of the electronic structure and spectra of models for the ferric resting state and Compound I intermediates of horseradish peroxidase (HRP-I) and catalase (CAT-I) have been performed using the INDO-RHF/CI method. The goals of these studies were twofold: i) to determine whether the axial ligand of HRP is best described as imidazole or imidazolate, and ii) to address the long-standing question of whether HRP-I and CAT-I are a1u and a2u tau cation radicals. Only the imidazolate HRP-I model led to a calculated electronic spectra consistent with the experimentally observed significant reduction in the intensity of the Soret band compared with the ferric resting state. These results provide compelling evidence for significant proton transfer to the conserved Asp residue by the proximal histidine. The origin of the observed reduction of the Soret band intensity in HRP-I and CAT-I spectra has been examined and found to be caused by the mixing of charge transfer transitions into the predominantly porphyrin tau-tau transitions. For both HRP-I and CAT-I, the a1u porphyrin tau cation state is the lowest energy, and it is further stabilized by both the anionic form of the ligand and the porphyrin ring substituents of protoporphyrin-IX. The calculated values of quadrupole-splitting observed in the Mossbauer resonance of HRP-I and CAT-I are similar for the a1u and a2u tau cation radicals. Electronic spectrum of the a1u tau cation radical of HRP-I are more similar to the observed spectra, whereas the spectra of both a1u tau and a2u tau cation radicals of CAT-I resemble the observed spectra. These results also indicate the limitations of using any one observable property to try to distinguish between these states. Taken together, comparison of calculated and observed properties indicate that there is no compelling reason to invoke the higher energy a2u tau cation radical as the favored state in HRP-I and CAT-I. Both ground-state properties and electronic spectra are consistent with the a1u tau cation radical.     

Thermodynamics of the two step formation of horseradish peroxidase compound I

The effects of temperature (20 to -38 degrees C), pressure (normal pressures to 1.2 kbar) and solvent (water, 60% DMSO and 50% methanol) on the reaction of hydrogen peroxide or ethyl peroxide with horseradish peroxidase were studied. The formation of compound I was followed at 403 nm in a stopped flow apparatus adapted for high pressure and low temperature work. As with the alkaline form (Job and Dunford 1978), the neutral form of the peroxidase binds peroxide substrates in two steps. It was the combined use of organic solvents and low temperatures which revealed saturation kinetics: (Formula: see text) compound I, where E = horseradish peroxidase and S peroxide substrate. In water and organic solvents at temperatures above -10 degrees C, K1 was too small and k2 too large to be measured, here K1 X k2 was obtained. k-2 was too small for measurement under all conditions. Whereas K1 was insensitive to the peroxide substrate and solvent composition, k2 was very sensitive. The thermodynamic parameters delta H, delta S and delta V for K1 and k2 were obtained under different experimental conditions and the data are interpreted within the available thermodynamic theories.     

The temperature dependence of the MCD spectrum of horseradish peroxidase compound I

The magnetic circular dichroism spectrum of the compound I species of horseradish peroxidase, which contains an iron (IV) porphyrin pi-cation radical complex, has been measured between 273 K and 4.2 K. The spectrum is temperature independent between 273 K and 30 K. However, very strong temperature dependence is observed below 30 K. These data do not appear to fit the temperature dependence expected for the presence of a simple MCD C term, or combination of C terms, but suggest that an increase in the coupling between the S = 1 iron (IV), and the S = 1/2 porphyrin pi-cation radical occurs forming a degenerate ground state. This increase in coupling below 30 K may be the result of a phase change in the protein which in turn affects the electronic structure of the heme group.     

A comparison by magnetic circular dichroism of compound X and compound II of horseradish peroxidase

The chlorite product of horseradish peroxidase, compound X, is shown by magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy in the temperature range 1.6-50 K to have a very similar haem structure to compound II under the same conditions (pH 10.7). Both are concluded to contain the Fe(IV) = 0 group. The MCD spectrum also detects an unusual species, absorbing at wavelengths between 600 and 750 nm, that has magnetic properties different from those of the ferryl haem group. It is suggested that this is a species at the same oxidation level as ferryl haem but with the porphyrin ring having suffered a one-electron oxidation, i.e. [Fe(III) P.+].     

Cytochrome c peroxidase compound ES is identical with horseradish peroxide compound I in iron-ligand distances

X-ray absorption studies of compound ES of cytochrome c peroxidase show a short iron-oxygen distance of 1.67 +/- 0.04 A, an iron-histamine distance of 1.91 +/- 0.03 A, and an iron-pyrrole nitrogen average distance of 2.02 +/- 0.02 A. This is identical within the error with the reported structure of horseradish peroxidase compound I [Chance, B., Powers, L., Ching, Y., Poulos, T., Yamazaki, I., & Paul, K. G. (1984) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 235, 596-611]. Comparisons of the structures of myoglobin peroxide [Chance, M., Powers, L., Kumar, C., & Chance, B. (1986) Biochemistry (preceding paper in this issue)], compound ES, and the intermediates of horseradish peroxidase reveal the possible mechanisms for the stabilization of the free radical species generated during catalysis. The proximal histidine regulates the structure and function of the pyrrole nitrogens and the heme, allowing for the formation and maintenance of the characteristic intermediates.     

Zero-field splitting of Fe3+ in horseradish peroxidase and of Fe4+ in horseradish peroxidase compound I from electron spin relaxation data.

From the temperature dependence of the Orbach relaxation rate of the paramagnetic center in horseradish peroxidase (HRP), we deduce an excited-state energy of 40.9 +/- 1.1 K. Similar studies on the broad EPR signal of HRP compound I indicate a much weaker Orbach relaxation process involving an excited state at 36.8 +/- 2.5 K. The strength of the Orbach process in HRP-I is weaker than one would normally estimate by 2-4 orders of magnitude. This fact lends support to the model of HRP-I involving a spin 1/2 free radical coupled to a spin 1 Fe4+ heme iron via a weak exchange interaction. Such a system should exhibit an Orbach relaxation process involving delta E, the excited state of the Fe4+ ion, but reduced in strength by (Jyy/delta E)2, where Jyy is related to the strength of the exchange interaction between the two spin systems.     

Low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism studies of the photoreaction of horseradish peroxidase compound I

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) compound I is photolabile at all temperatures between room temperature and 4 K. The photoredox reaction has been studied in frozen glassy solutions by using optical absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra following photolysis of HRP compound I with visible-wavelength light at 4.2 and 77 K. The photochemical process is characterized as a concerted two-electron transfer reaction which results in the conversion of the Fe(IV) heme pi-cation radical species of HRP compound I into a low-spin Fe(III) heme species. This reaction occurs even when photolysis is carried out at 4.2 K. Spectra recorded between 4.2 and 80 K for the low-spin ferric hydroxide complex of HRP closely resemble the data measured for the photochemical product. The proposed mechanism for the photoreaction is (formula; see text) No evidence is found for the formation of an Fe(II) heme at these temperatures.     

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance studies of compounds I and II of horseradish peroxidase.

Ter-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH) induced microsomal lipid peroxidation has been measured by oxygen consumption and malonaldehyde (MDA) formation. It has been found that the singlet oxygen (¹O₂) trap 2,5 diphenylfuran depressed both oxygen consumption and MDA formation. In contrast, histidine, another ¹O₂ trap does not effect neither oxygen consumption, nor MDA production. On the other hand, β-carotene, a ¹O₂ quencher strongly depresses oxygen consumption but slightly affects MDA production. Such results are consistent with the generation of ¹O₂ as transient by product of peroxidative microsomal lipid decomposition.     

Chemical nature of the porphyrin pi cation radical in horseradish peroxidase compound I

The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and M?ssbauer properties of native horseradish peroxidase have been compared with those of a synthetic derivative of the enzyme in which a mesohemin residue replaces the natural iron protoporphyrin IX heme prosthetic group. The oxyferryl pi cation radical intermediate, compound I, has been formed from both the native and synthetic enzyme, and the magnetic properties of both intermediates have been examined. The optical absorption characteristics of compound I prepared from mesoheme-substituted horseradish peroxidase are different from those of the compound I prepared from native enzyme [DiNello, R. K., & Dolphin, D. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 6903-6912]. By analogy to model-compound studies, it has been suggested that these optical absorption differences are due to the formation of an A2u and an A1u pi cation radical species, respectively. However, the EPR and M?ssbauer properties of the native and synthetic enzyme and of their oxidized intermediates are quite similar, if not identical, and the data favor an A2u radical for both compounds I.