Involvement of a flavosemiquinone in the enzymatic oxidation of nitroalkanes catalyzed by 2-nitropropane dioxygenase

2-Nitropropane dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.32) catalyzes the oxidation of nitroalkanes into their corresponding carbonyl compounds and nitrite. In this study, the ncd-2 gene encoding for the enzyme in Neurospora crassa was cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli, and the resulting enzyme was purified. Size exclusion chromatography, heat denaturation, and mass spectroscopic analyses showed that 2-nitropropane dioxygenase is a homodimer of 80 kDa, containing a mole of non-covalently bound FMN per mole of subunit, and is devoid of iron. With neutral nitroalkanes and anionic nitronates other than propyl-1- and propyl-2-nitronate, for which a non-enzymatic free radical reaction involving superoxide was established using superoxide dismutase, substrate oxidation occurs within the enzyme active site. The enzyme was more specific for nitronates than nitroalkanes, as suggested by the second order rate constant k(cat)/K(m) determined with 2-nitropropane and primary nitroalkanes with alkyl chain lengths between 2 and 6 carbons. The steady state kinetic mechanism with 2-nitropropane, nitroethane, nitrobutane, and nitrohexane, in either the neutral or anionic form, was determined to be sequential, consistent with oxygen reacting with a reduced form of enzyme before release of the carbonyl product. Enzyme-monitored turnover with ethyl nitronate as substrate indicated that the catalytically relevant reduced form of enzyme is an anionic flavin semiquinone, whose formation requires the substrate, but not molecular oxygen, as suggested by anaerobic substrate reduction with nitroethane or ethyl nitronate. Substrate deuterium kinetic isotope effects with 1,2-[(2)H(4)]nitroethane and 1,1,2-[(2)H(3) ethyl nitronate at pH 8 yielded normal and inverse effects on the k(cat)/K(m) value, respectively, and were negligible on the k(cat) value. The k(cat)/K(m) and k(cat) pH profiles with anionic nitronates showed the requirement of an acid, whereas those for neutral nitroalkanes were consistent with the involvement of both an acid and a base in catalysis. The kinetic data reported herein are consistent with an oxidasestyle catalytic mechanism for 2-nitropropane dioxygenase, in which the flavin-mediated oxidation of the anionic nitronates or neutral nitroalkanes and the subsequent oxidation of the enzyme-bound flavin occur in two independent steps.     

Oxidation of anionic nitroalkanes by flavoenzymes,and participation of superoxide anion in the catalysis

The reactivities of anionic nitroalkanes with 2-nitropropane dioxygenase of Hansenula mrakii, glucose oxidase of Aspergillus niger, and mammalian d-amino acid oxidase have been compared kinetically. 2-Nitropropane dioxygenase is 1200 and 4800 times more active with anionic 2-nitropropane than d-amino acid oxidase and glucose oxidase, respectively. The apparent K_m values for anionic 2-nitropropane are as follows: 2-nitropropane dioxygenase, 1.61 mm; glucose oxidase, 16.7 mm; and d-amino acid oxidase, 11.1 mm. Anionic 2-nitropropane undergoes an oxygenase reaction with 2-nitropropane dioxygenase and glucose oxidase, and an oxidase reaction with d-amino acid oxidase. In contrast, anionic nitroethane is oxidized through an oxygenase reaction by 2-nitropropane dioxygenase, and through an oxidase reaction by glucose oxidase. All nitroalkane oxidations by these three flavoenzymes are inhibited by Cu and Zn-superoxide dismutase of bovine blood, Mn-superoxide dismutases of bacilli, Fe-superoxide dismutase of Serratia marcescens, and other $\text{O}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ scavengers such as cytochrome c and NADH, but are not affected by hydroxyl radical scavengers such as mannitol. None of the $\text{O}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ scavengers tested affected the inherent substrate oxidation by glucose oxidase and d-amino acid oxidase. Furthermore, the generation of $\text{O}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ in the oxidation of anionic 2-nitropropane by 2-nitropropane dioxygenase was revealed by ESR spectroscoy. The ESR spectrum of anionic 2-nitropropane plus 2-nitropropane dioxygenase shows signals at g₁ = 2.007 and g₁₁ = 2.051, which are characteristic of $\text{O}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{?}}$. The $\text{O}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ generated is a catalytically essential intermediate in the oxidation of anionic nitroalkanes by the enzymes.     

Properties of 2-nitropropane dioxygenase of Hansenula mrakii. Formation and participation of superoxide.

2-Nitropropane dioxygenase, purified to homogeneity from a yeast, Hansenula mrakii, is significantly inhibited by superoxide dismutase and various scavengers for superoxide anion such as cytochrome c, epinephrine, NADH, thiols, and polyhydric phenols. The reduction of cytochrome c and the oxidation of epinephrine and NADH are concomitant with the inhibition of enzymatic oxygenation. Neither the oxidation nor the reduction occursin the presence of superoxide dismutase or in the absence of 2-nitropropane or oxygen. Superoxide anion added externally induces the oxygenation. These findings indicate the generation of superoxide anion and its participation in the oxygenation of 2-nitropropane. The difference spectrum of the binding of NADH to 2-nitropropane dioxygenase exhibits a negative peak at 353 nm. One mole of NADH is bound to 1 mol of the enzyme and the pro-R hydrogen of the nicotinamide moiety of bound NADH predominantly is transferred to superoxide anion formed enzymatically or given externally. Thus, the diastereotopic hydrogen of NADH is discriminated by the enzyme, although not completely.     

Nitronate monooxygenase, a model for anionic flavin semiquinone intermediates in oxidative catalysis

Nitronate monooxygenase (NMO), formerly referred to as 2-nitropropane dioxygenase, is an FMN-dependent enzyme that uses molecular oxygen to oxidize (anionic) alkyl nitronates and, in the case of the enzyme from Neurospora crassa, (neutral) nitroalkanes to the corresponding carbonyl compounds and nitrite. Over the past 5 years, a resurgence of interest on the enzymology of NMO has driven several studies aimed at the elucidation of the mechanistic and structural properties of the enzyme. This review article summarizes the knowledge gained from these studies on NMO, which has been emerging as a model system for the investigation of anionic flavosemiquinone intermediates in the oxidative catalysis of organic molecules, and for the effect that branching of reaction intermediates has on both the kinetic parameters and isotope effects associated with enzymatic reactions. A comparison of the catalytic mechanism of NMO with other flavin-dependent enzymes that oxidize nitroalkane and nitronates is also presented.     

Purification, Characterization, and Mechanism of a Flavin Mononucleotide-Dependent 2-Nitropropane Dioxygenase from Neurospora crassa

A nitroalkane-oxidizing enzyme was purified to homogeneity from Neurospora crassa. The enzyme is composed of two subunits; the molecular weight of each subunit is approximately 40,000. The enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of nitroalkanes to produce the corresponding carbonyl compounds. It acts on 2-nitropropane better than on nitroethane and 1-nitropropane, and anionic forms of nitroalkanes are much better substrates than are neutral forms. The enzyme does not act on aromatic compounds. When the enzyme reaction was conducted in an ¹⁸O₂ atmosphere with the anionic form of 2-nitropropane as the substrate, acetone (with a molecular mass of 60 Da) was produced. This indicates that the oxygen atom of acetone was derived from molecular oxygen, not from water; hence, the enzyme is an oxygenase. The reaction stoichiometry was 2CH₃CH(NO₂)-CH₃ + O₂→2CH₃COCH₃ + 2HNO₂, which is identical to that of the reaction of 2-nitropropane dioxygenase from Hansenula mrakii. The reaction of the Neurospora enzyme was inhibited by superoxide anion scavengers in the same manner as that of the Hansenula enzyme. Both of these enzymes are flavoenzymes; however, the Neurospora enzyme contains flavin mononucleotide as a prosthetic group, whereas the Hansenula enzyme contains flavin adenine dinucleotide.     

Oxidation of alkyl nitronates catalyzed by 2-nitropropane dioxygenase from Hansenula mrakii

2-Nitropropane dioxygenase from Hansenula mrakii was expressed in Escherichia coli cells and purified in active and stable form using 60% saturation of ammonium sulfate and a single chromatographic step onto a DEAE column. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric and spectrophotometric analyses of the flavin extracted by heat or acid denaturation of the enzyme indicated that FMN, and not FAD as erroneously reported previously, is present in a 1:1 stoichiometry with the protein. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric analysis of the enzyme established that H. mrakii 2-nitropropane dioxygenase contains negligible amounts of iron, manganese, zinc, and copper ions, which are not catalytically relevant. Anaerobic substrate reduction and kinetic data using a Clark oxygen electrode to measure rates of oxygen consumption indicated that the enzyme is active on a broad range of alkyl nitronates, with a marked preference for unbranched substrates over propyl-2-nitronate. Interestingly, the enzyme reacts poorly, if at all, with nitroalkanes, as suggested by lack of both anaerobic reduction of the enzyme-bound flavin and consumption of oxygen with nitroethane, nitrobutane, and 2-nitropropane. Finally, both the tight binding of sulfite (K_d = 90 μM, at pH 8 and 15 °C) to the enzyme and the formation of the anionic flavosemiquinone upon anaerobic incubation with alkyl nitronates are consistent with the presence of a positively charged group in proximity of the N(1)C(2)O atoms of the FMN cofactor.     

Crystal structure of enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabK) from Streptococcus pneumoniae reveals the binding mode of an inhibitor

Enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductases are critical for bacterial type II fatty acid biosynthesis and thus are attractive targets for developing novel antibiotics. We determined the crystal structure of enoyl-ACP reductase (FabK) from Streptococcus pneumoniae at 1.7 A resolution. There was one dimer per asymmetric unit. Each subunit formed a triose phosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel structure, and flavin mononucleotide (FMN) was bound as a cofactor in the active site. The overall structure was similar to the enoyl-ACP reductase (ER) of fungal fatty acid synthase and to 2-nitropropane dioxygenase (2-ND) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, although there were some differences among these structures. We determined the crystal structure of FabK in complex with a phenylimidazole derivative inhibitor to envision the binding site interactions. The crystal structure reveals that the inhibitor binds to a hydrophobic pocket in the active site of FabK, and this is accompanied by induced-fit movements of two loop regions. The thiazole ring and part of the ureido moiety of the inhibitor are involved in a face-to-face pi-pi stacking interaction with the isoalloxazine ring of FMN. The side-chain conformation of the proposed catalytic residue, His144, changes upon complex formation. Lineweaver-Burk plots indicate that the inhibitor binds competitively with respect to NADH, and uncompetitively with respect to crotonoyl coenzyme A. We propose that the primary basis of the inhibitory activity is competition with NADH for binding to FabK, which is the first step of the two-step ping-pong catalytic mechanism.     

Crystal structure and site-directed mutagenesis of a nitroalkane oxidase from Streptomyces ansochromogenes

Nitroalkane oxidase (NAO) catalyzes neutral nitroalkanes to their corresponding aldehydes or ketones, hydrogen peroxide and nitrite. The crystal structure of NAO from Streptomyces ansochromogenes was determined; it consists of two domains, a TIM barrel domain bound to FMN and C-terminal domain with a novel folding pattern. Site-directed mutagenesis of His¹⁷⁹, which is spatially adjacent to FMN, resulted in the loss of enzyme activity, demonstrating that this amino acid residue is important for catalysis. The crystal structure of mutant H179D-nitroethane was also analyzed. Interestingly, Sa-NAO shows the typical function as nitroalkane oxidase but its structure is similar to that of 2-nitropropane dioxygenase. Overall, these results suggest that Sa-NAO is a novel nitroalkane oxidase with TIM barrel structure.     

Probing the chemical steps of nitroalkane oxidation catalyzed by 2-nitropropane dioxygenase with solvent viscosity, pH, and substrate kinetic isotope effects

Among the enzymes that catalyze the oxidative denitrification of nitroalkanes to carbonyl compounds, 2-nitropropane dioxygenase is the only one known to effectively utilize both the neutral and anionic (nitronate) forms of the substrate. A recent study has established that the catalytic pathway is common to both types of substrates, except for the initial removal of a proton from the carbon of the neutral substrates [Francis, K., Russell, B., and Gadda, G. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 5195-5204]. In the present study, the mechanistic properties of the enzyme have been investigated with solvent viscosity, pH, and kinetic isotope effects. With nitroethane or ethylnitronate, the kcat/Km and kcat values were independent of solvent viscosity, consistent with the substrate and product binding to the enzyme in rapid equilibrium. The abstraction of the proton from the alpha carbon of neutral substrates was investigated by measuring the pH dependence of the D(kcat/KNE) value with 1,1-[2H2]-nitroethane. The formation of the enzyme-bound flavosemiquinone formed during catalysis was examined by determining the pH dependence of the kcat/Km values with ethylnitronate and nitroethane and the inhibition by m-nitrobenzoate. Finally, alpha-secondary kinetic isotope effects with 1-[2H]-ethylnitronate were used to propose a non-oxidative tautomerization pathway, in which the enzyme catalyzes the interconversion of nitroalkanes between their anionic and neutral forms. The data presented suggest that enzymatic turnover of 2-nitropropane dioxygenase with neutral substrates is limited by the cleavage of the substrate CH bond at low pH, whereas that with anionic substrates is limited by the non-oxidative tautomerization of ethylnitroante to nitroethane at high pH.     

Comparisons of wild-type and mutant flavodoxins from Anacystis nidulans. Structural determinants of the redox potentials

The long-chain flavodoxins, with 169-176 residues, display oxidation-reduction potentials at pH 7 that vary from -50 to -260 mV for the oxidized/semiquinone (ox/sq) equilibrium and are -400 mV or lower for the semiquinone/hydroquinone (sq/hq) equilibrium. To examine the effects of protein interactions and conformation changes on FMN potentials in the long-chain flavodoxin from Anacystis nidulans (Synechococcus PCC 7942), we have determined crystal structures for the semiquinone and hydroquinone forms of the wild-type protein and for the mutant Asn58Gly, and have measured redox potentials and FMN association constants. A peptide near the flavin ring, Asn58-Val59, reorients when the FMN is reduced to the semiquinone form and adopts a conformation ("O-up") in which O 58 hydrogen bonds to the flavin N(5)H; this rearrangement is analogous to changes observed in the flavodoxins from Clostridium beijerinckii and Desulfovibrio vulgaris. On further reduction to the hydroquinone state, the Asn58-Val59 peptide in crystalline wild-type A. nidulans flavodoxin rotates away from the flavin to the "O-down" position characteristic of the oxidized structure. This reversion to the conformation found in the oxidized state is unusual and has not been observed in other flavodoxins. The Asn58Gly mutation, at the site which undergoes conformation changes when FMN is reduced, was expected to stabilize the O-up conformation found in the semiquinone oxidation state. This mutation raises the ox/sq potential by 46 mV to -175 mV and lowers the sq/hq potential by 26 mV to -468 mV. In the hydroquinone form of the Asn58Gly mutant the C-O 58 remains up and hydrogen bonded to N(5)H, as in the fully reduced flavodoxins from C. beijerinckii and D. vulgaris. The redox and structural properties of A. nidulans flavodoxin and the Asn58Gly mutant confirm the importance of interactions made by N(5) or N(5)H in determining potentials, and are consistent with earlier conclusions that conformational energies contribute to the observed potentials.The mutations Asp90Asn and Asp100Asn were designed to probe the effects of electrostatic interactions on the potentials of protein-bound flavin. Replacement of acidic by neutral residues at positions 90 and 100 does not perturb the structure, but has a substantial effect on the sq/hq equilibrium. This potential is increased by 25-41 mV, showing that electrostatic interaction between acidic residues and the flavin decreases the potential for conversion of the neutral semiquinone to the anionic hydroquinone. The potentials and the effects of mutations in A. nidulans flavodoxin are rationalized using a thermodynamic scheme developed for C. beijerinckii flavodoxin.     

Free-radical chain oxidation of 2-nitropropane initiated and propagated by superoxide.

The superoxide radical O2.-, whether produced by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase reaction or infused as KO2, solubilized by a crown ether in dry dimethyl sulphoxide, initiated a free-radical chain oxidation of anionic 2-nitropropane. Superoxide dismutase, but not catalase, inhibited oxidation of the nitroalkane. Xanthine oxidase suffered a syncatalytic inactivation, during the co-oxidation of 2-nitropropane, which was reversed by dialysis. Cyanide exacerbated this syncatalytic inactivation and rendered it irreversible. The frequently observed oxidations of nitroalkanes by flavoenzymes now need to be re-examined to clarify the extent to which O2.--initiated free-radical chain oxidation contributed to the overall nitroalkane oxidation.     

Molecular modeling of 2-nitropropane dioxygenase domain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and docking of herbal ligands

The 3D structure of enoyl reductase (ER) domain generated by the SWISS MODEL server contains the 2-nitropropane dioxygenase (2NPD) structure displaying the TIM barrel fold. Though TIM barrel fold is made up of both main and inserted domains, in our study, we could only predict the structure of the main domain, which had central barrel of eight beta-strands surrounded by eight alpha-helices. Superimposition of the 2NPD region of ER domain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv on to the corresponding region of 2UVA_G revealed a good structural alignment between the two, suggesting this template to be a good structural homologue. Among various herbal ligands that were screened as inhibitors, daucosterol was found to bind in closest proximity to the flavin mono nucleotide (FMN) binding site with the lowest docking energy.     

A 31P-nuclear-magnetic-resonance study of NADPH-cytochrome-P-450 reductase and of the Azotobacter flavodoxin/ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase complex

31P-nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectroscopy has been employed to probe the structure of the detergent-solubilized form of liver microsomal NADPH--cytochrome-P-450 reductase. In addition to the resonances due to the FMN and FAD coenzymes, additional phosphorus resonances are observed and are assigned to the tightly bound adenosine 2'-phosphate (2'-AMP) and to phospholipids. The phospholipid content was found to vary with the preparation; however, the 2'-AMP resonance was observed in all preparations tested. In agreement with published results [Otvos et al. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 7220-7228] for the protease-solubilized enzyme, the addition of Mn(II) to the oxidized enzyme did not result in any observable line-broadening of the FMN and FAD phosphorus resonances. The phospholipid resonances, however, were extensively broadened and the line width of the phosphorus resonance assigned to the bound 2'-AMP was broadened by approximately 70 Hz. The data show that only the phosphorus moieties of the phospholipids and the 2'-AMP, but not the flavin coenzymes are exposed to the bulk solvent. Removal of the FMN moiety from the enzyme substantially alters the 31P-NMR spectrum as compared with the native enzyme. The 2'-AMP is removed from the enzyme during the FMN-depletion procedure and the pyrophosphate resonances of the bound FAD are significantly altered. Reconstitution of the FMN-depleted protein with FMN results in the restoration of the coenzyme spectral properties. Reduction of FMN to its air-stable paramagnetic semiquinone form results in broadening of the FMN and 2'-AMP resonances in the detergent-solubilized enzyme. In agreement with previous results. FMN semiquinone formation had little or no effect on the line width of the FMN phosphorus resonance for the proteolytically solubilized enzyme. 31P-NMR experiments with Azotobacter flavodoxin semiquinone, both in its free form and in a complex with spinach ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase, mimic the differential paramagnetic effects of the flavin semiquinone on the line width of the FMN phosphorus resonance, observed by comparison of the detergent-solubilized and protease-solubilized forms of the reductase. The data demonstrate that assignment of the site of flavin semiquinone formation to a particular flavin coenzyme may not always be possible by 31P-NMR experiments in multi-flavin containing enzymes.     

A second FMN binding site in yeast NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase suggests a mechanism of electron transfer by diflavin reductases

NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase transfers two reducing equivalents derived from a hydride ion of NADPH via FAD and FMN to the large family of microsomal cytochrome P450 monooxygenases in one-electron transfer steps. The mechanism of electron transfer by diflavin reductases remains elusive and controversial. Here, we determined the crystal structure of truncated yeast NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, which is functionally active toward its physiological substrate cytochrome P450, and discovered a second FMN binding site at the interface of the connecting and FMN binding domains. The two FMN binding sites have different accessibilities to the bulk solvent and different amino acid environments, suggesting stabilization of different electronic structures of the reduced flavin. Since only one FMN cofactor is required for function, a hypothetical mechanism of electron transfer is discussed that proposes shuttling of a single FMN between these two sites coupled with the transition between two semiquinone forms, neutral (blue) and anionic (red).     

Studies with substrate and cofactor analogues provide evidence for a radical mechanism in the chorismate synthase reaction

Chorismate synthase catalyzes the conversion of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate (EPSP) to chorismate. The strict requirement for a reduced FMN cofactor and a trans-1,4-elimination are unusual. (6R)-6-Fluoro-EPSP was shown to be converted to chorismate stoichiometrically with enzyme-active sites in the presence of dithionite. This conversion was associated with the oxidation of FMN to give a stable flavin semiquinone. The IC(50) of the fluorinated substrate analogue was 0.5 and 250 microm with the Escherichia coli enzyme, depending on whether it was preincubated with the enzyme or not. The lack of dissociation of the flavin semiquinone and chorismate from the enzyme appears to be the basis of the essentially irreversible inhibition by this analogue. A dithionite-dependent transient formation of flavin semiquinone during turnover of (6S)-6-fluoro-EPSP has been observed. These reactions are best rationalized by radical chemistry that is strongly supportive of a radical mechanism occurring during normal turnover. The lack of activity with 5-deaza-FMN provides additional evidence for the role of flavin in catalysis by the E. coli enzyme.     

Identification and properties of 8-hydroxyflavin--adenine dinucleotide in electron-transferring flavoprotein from Peptostreptococcus elsdenii.

1. A new flavin prosthetic group has been isolated in pure form from the electron-transferring flavoprotein of Peptostreptococcus elsdenni. Its structure has been established as the FAD derivative of 7-methyl-8-hydroxyisoalloxazine: (see article). Proof of this structure has been obtained by chemical syntehsis of 7-methyl-8-hydroxyisoalloxazine models, and by stepwise degradation of the native compound to 7-methy-8-hydroxyalloxazine. The orange chromophore is characterized by a strong absorption band with a maximum at 472 nm (xi = 41 000 M-1 CM-1) and a pK at 4.8 due to the ionisation of the C(8)-OH group. 2. The properties of a series of functionally substituted derivatives of 8-hydroxy flavins and lumichromes have been investigated to provide a basis for interpreting the effects of pH on the spectroscopic properties of the 8-hydroxy derivatives of FAD and FMN. 3. The 8-hydroxy derivative of FAD is bound by apo-D-amino acid oxidase; the complex shows no catalytic activity. The 8-hydroxy derivative of FMN is bound by apoflavodoxin to give a complex which has catalytic activity similar to that of native flavodoxin. The complex is reversibly reduced by dithionite, first to a relatively stable semiquinone and further to the dihydroflavin form.     

ArsH from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is an efficient NADPH-dependent quinone reductase

The cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 possesses an arsenic resistance operon that encodes, among others, an ArsH protein. ArsH is a flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-containing protein of unknown function and a member of the family of NADPH-dependent FMN reductases. The nature of its final electron acceptor and the role of ArsH in the resistance to arsenic remained to be clarified. Here we have expressed and purified Synechocystis ArsH and conducted an intensive biochemical study. We present kinetic evidence supporting a quinone reductase activity for ArsH, with a preference for quinones with hydrophobic substituents. By using steady-state activity measurements, as well as stopped-flow and laser-flash photolysis kinetic analyses, it has been possible to establish the mechanism of the process and estimate the values of the kinetic constants. Although the enzyme is able to stabilize the anionic semiquinone form of the FMN, reduction of quinones involves the hydroquinone form of the flavin cofactor, and the enzymatic reaction occurs through a ping-pong-type mechanism. ArsH is able to catalyze one-electron reactions (oxygen and cytocrome c reduction), involving the FMN semiquinone form, but with lower efficiency. In addition, arsH mutants are sensitive to the oxidizing agent menadione, suggesting that ArsH plays a role in the response to oxidative stress caused by arsenite.     

Redox properties of the isolated flavin mononucleotide- and flavin adenine dinucleotide-binding domains of neuronal nitric oxide synthase

Electron transfer through neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is regulated by the reversible binding of calmodulin (CaM) to the reductase domain of the enzyme, the conformation of which has been shown to be dependent on the presence of substrate, NADPH. Here we report the preparation of the isolated flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-binding domain of nNOS with bound CaM and the electrochemical analysis of this and the isolated flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-binding domain in the presence and absence of NADP(+) and ADP (an inhibitor). The FMN-binding domain was found to be stable only in the presence of bound CaM/Ca(2+), removal of which resulted in precipitation of the protein. The FMN formed a kinetically stabilized blue semiquinone with an oxidized/semiquinone reduction potential of -179 mV. This is 80 mV more negative than the potential of the FMN in the isolated reductase domain, that is, in the presence of the FAD-binding domain. The FMN semiquinone/hydroquinone redox couple was found to be similar in both constructs. The isolated FAD-binding domain, generated by controlled proteolysis of the reductase domain, was found to have similar FAD reduction potentials to the isolated reductase domain. Both formed a FAD-hydroquinone/NADP(+) charge-transfer complex with a long-wavelength absorption band centered at 780 nm. Formation of this complex resulted in thermodynamic destabilization of the FAD semiquinone relative to the hydroquinone and a 30 mV increase in the FAD semiquinone/hydroquinone reduction potential. Binding of ADP, however, had little effect. The possible role of the nicotinamide/FADH(2) stacking interaction in controlling electron transfer and its likely dependence on protein conformation are discussed.     

Transient kinetics of redox reactions of flavodoxin: effects of chemical modification of the flavin mononucleotide prosthetic group on the dynamics of intermediate complex formation and electron transfer

The effects of structural modifications of the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) prosthetic group of Clostridium pasteurianum flavodoxin on the kinetics of electron transfer to the oxidized form (from 5-deazariboflavin semiquinone produced by laser flash photolysis) and from the semiquinone form (to horse heart cytochrome c by using stopped-flow spectrophotometry) have been investigated. The analogues used were 7,8-dichloro-FMN, 8-chloro-FMN, 7-chloro-FMN, and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-FMN. The ionic strength dependence of cytochrome c reduction was not affected by chlorine substitution, although the specific rate constants for complex formation and decay were appreciably smaller. On the other hand, all of the chlorine analogues had the same rate constant for deazariboflavin semiquinone oxidation. The rate constants for tetrahydro-FMN flavodoxin semiquinone reduction of cytochrome c were considerably smaller than those for the native protein. The implications of these results for the electron-transfer mechanism of flavodoxin are discussed.     

2-Nitropropane Dioxygenase from Hansenula mrakii: Re-characterization of the Enzyme and Oxidation of Anionic Nitroalkanes

2-Nitropropane dioxygenase, purified to homogeneity by an improved method from a yeast, Hansenula mrakii, has a molecular weight of 42,000, and consists of a single polypeptide. The enzyme contains 1 mol of FAD per mol of enzyme. The iron protein associated with previous preparations was removed by the present purification procedures. The enzyme catalyzes the oxygenative denitrification of anionic nitroalkanes much more effectively than that of the neutral ones with the optimum pH of 6.5. The Michaelis constants for the anionic substrates are as follows: 2-nitropropane, 1.61 mM; 1-nitropropane, 3.23 mM; nitroethane, 3.13 mM, and 3-nitro-2-butanol, 0.59 mM.