Stimulation of cytochrome P450 reactions by apo-cytochrome b5: evidence against transfer of heme from cytochrome P450 3A4 to apo-cytochrome b5 or heme oxygenase.

Many cytochrome P450 (P450)-dependent reactions have been shown to be stimulated by another microsomal protein, cytochrome b(5) (b(5)). Two major explanations are (i) direct electron transfer from b(5) and (ii) a conformational effect in the absence of electron transfer. Some P450s (e.g. 3A4, 2C9, 17A, and 4A7) are stimulated by either b(5) or b(5) devoid of heme (apo-b(5)), indicating a lack of electron transfer, whereas other P450s (e.g. 2E1) are stimulated by b(5) but not by apo-b(5). Recently, a proposal has been made by Guryev et al. (Biochemistry 40, 5018-5031, 2001) that the stimulation by apo-b(5) can be explained only by transfer of heme from P450 preparations to apo-b(5), enabling electron transfer. We have repeated earlier findings of stimulation of catalytic activity of testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation activities with four P450 preparations, in which nearly all of the heme was accounted for as P450. Spectral analysis of mixtures indicated that only approximately 5% of the heme can be transferred to apo-b(5), which cannot account for the observed stimulation. The presence of the heme scavenger apomyoglobin did not inhibit the stimulation of P450 3A4-dependent testosterone or nifedipine oxidation activity. Further evidence against the presence of loosely bound P450 3A4 heme was provided in experiments with apo-heme oxygenase, in which only 3% of the P450 heme was converted to biliverdin. Finally, b(5) supported NADH-b(5) reductase/P450 3A4-dependent testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation, but apo-b(5) did not. Thus, apo-b(5) can stimulate P450 3A4 reactions as well as b(5) in the absence of electron transfer, and heme transfer from P450 3A4 to apo-b(5) cannot be used to explain the catalytic stimulation.     

Coexpression of genetically engineered fused enzyme between yeast NADPH-P450 reductase and human cytochrome P450 3A4 and human cytochrome b5 in yeast

Human hepatic cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) was expressed in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. While the expression level was high as compared with other human hepatic cytochrome P450s, CYP3A4 showed almost no catalytic activity toward testosterone. Coexpression of CYP3A4 with yeast NADPH-P450 reductase did not give a full activity. Low monooxygenase activity of CYP3A4 was attributed to the insufficient reduction of heme iron of CYP3A4 by NADPH-P450 reductase. To enhance the efficiency of electron transfer from NADPH-P450 reductase to CYP3A4, a fused enzyme was constructed between CYP3A4 and yeast NADPH-P450 reductase. The rapid reduction of the heme iron of the fused enzyme by NADPH was observed. The fused enzyme showed a high testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation activity with a sigmoidal velocity saturation curve. However, the coupling efficiency between NADPH utilization and testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation was only 10%. Finally, coexpression of the fused enzyme and human cytochrome b5 was examined. A significant decrease in the Km value and a remarkable increase in the coupling efficiency were observed. Substrate-induced spectra revealed that the dissociation constant of the fused enzyme for testosterone significantly decreased with coexpression of human cytochrome b5. These results strongly suggest that human cytochrome b5 directly interacts with the CYP3A4 domain of the fused enzyme and modifies the tertiary structure of substrate binding pocket, resulting in tight binding of the substrate and high coupling efficiency.     

Interactions of mammalian cytochrome P450, NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, and cytochrome b(5) enzymes

An immobilized system was developed to detect interactions of human cytochromes P450 (P450) with the accessory proteins NADPH-P450 reductase and cytochrome b(5) (b(5)) using an enzyme-linked affinity approach. Purified enzymes were first bound to wells of a polystyrene plate, and biotinylated partner enzymes were added and bound. A streptavidin-peroxidase complex was added, and protein-protein binding was monitored by measuring peroxidase activity of the bound biotinylated proteins. In a model study, we examined protein-protein interactions of Pseudomonas putida putidaredoxin (Pdx) and putidaredoxin reductase (PdR). A linear relationship (r(2)=0.96) was observed for binding of PdR-biotin to immobilized Pdx compared with binding of Pdx-biotin to immobilized PdR (the estimated K(d) value for the Pdx.PdR complex was 0.054muM). Human P450 2A6 interacted strongly with NADPH-P450 reductase; the K(d) values (with the reductase) ranged between 0.005 and 0.1muM for P450s 2C19, 2D6, and 3A4. Relatively weak interaction was found between holo-b(5) or apo-b(5) (devoid of heme) with NADPH-P450 reductase. Among the rat, rabbit, and human P450 1A2 enzymes, the rat enzyme showed the tightest interaction with b(5), although no increases in 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation activities were observed with any of the P450 1A2 enzymes. Human P450s 2A6, 2D6, 2E1, and 3A4 interacted well with b(5), with P450 3A4 yielding the lowest K(d) values followed by P450s 2A6 and 2D6. No appreciable increases in interaction between human P450s with b(5) or NADPH-P450 reductase were observed when typical substrates for the P450s were included. We also found that NADPH-P450 reductase did not cause changes in the P450.substrate K(d) values estimated from substrate-induced UV-visible spectral changes with rabbit P450 1A2 or human P450 2A6, 2D6, or 3A4. Collectively, the results show direct and tight interactions between P450 enzymes and the accessory proteins NADPH-P450 reductase and b(5), with different affinities, and that ligand binding to mammalian P450s did not lead to increased interaction between P450s and the reductase.     

Molecular characterization of specifically active recombinant fused enzymes consisting of CYP3A4, NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase, and cytochrome b5

Microsomal cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) catalyzes monooxygenase reactions toward a diverse group of exogenous and endogenous substrates and requires cytochrome b5 (b5) in the oxidation of the typical substrate testosterone. To analyze the molecular interaction among CYP3A4, NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (P450 reductase), and b5, we constructed several fused enzyme genes and expressed them in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The recombinant fused enzymes CYP3A4-truncated (t)-P450 reductase-t-b5 (3RB) and CYP3A4-t-b5-t-P450 reductase (3BR) in yeast microsomes showed a higher specific activity in 6beta-hydroxylation of testosterone than did the reconstitution premixes of CYP3A4, P450 reductase, and b5. The purified fused enzymes exhibited lower Km values and substantially increased Vmax values in 6beta-hydroxylation of testosterone and oxidation of nifedipine. Moreover, the fused enzymes showed significantly higher activities in cytochrome c reduction than the reconstitution premixes. Although the affinity of 3RB toward cytochrome c was twice as high as that of 3BR, 3BR and 3RB showed nearly the same affinity toward NADPH/NADH. In addition, the heme of the CYP3A4 moiety of 3RB was reduced preferentially and more rapidly than that of 3BR, whereas the heme of the b5 moiety of 3BR was selectively reduced compared with that of 3RB. These results suggest that the conformation of the 3RB molecule was the most suitable for high activity because of appropriate ordering of the CYP3A4, P450 reductase, and b5 moieties for efficient electron flow. Thus, we believe that the b5 moiety plays an important role in the efficient transfer of the second electron in the vicinity of the CYP3A4 moiety.     

An enzymatically active chimeric protein containing the hydrophilic form of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase fused to the membrane-binding domain of cytochrome b5.

The microsomal flavoprotein NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) contains an N-terminal hydrophobic membrane-binding domain required for reconstitution of hydroxylation activities with cytochrome P450s. In contrast, cytochrome b5 (b5) contains a C-terminal hydrophobic membrane-binding domain required for interaction with P450s. We have constructed, expressed and purified a chimeric flavoprotein (hdb5-CPR) where the C-terminal 45 amino acid residues of b5 have replaced the N-terminal 56 amino acid domain of CPR. This hybrid flavoprotein retains the catalytic properties of the native CPR and is able to reconstitute fatty acid and steroid hydroxylation activities with CYP4A1 and CYP17A. However hdb5-CPR is much less effective than CPR for reconstituting activity with CYP3A4. We conclude that differences on the surface of the P450s reflect unique and specific information essential for the recognition needed to establish reactions of intermolecular electron transfer from the flavoprotein CPR.     

Roles of NADPH-P450 reductase and apo- and holo-cytochrome b5 on xenobiotic oxidations catalyzed by 12 recombinant human cytochrome P450s expressed in membranes of Escherichia coli

Drug oxidation activities of 12 recombinant human cytochrome P450s (P450) coexpressed with human NADPH-P450 reductase (NPR) in bacterial membranes (P450/NPR membranes) were determined and compared with those of other recombinant systems and those of human liver microsomes. Addition of exogenous membrane-bound NPR to the P450/NPR membranes enhanced the catalytic activities of CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5. Enhancement of activities of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, CYP2A6, CYP2B6, CYP2D6, and CYP2E1 in membranes was not observed after the addition of NPR (4 molar excess to each P450). Exogenous purified human cytochrome b5 (b5) further enhanced catalytic activities of CYP2A6, CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5/NPR membranes. Catalytic activities of CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 were enhanced by addition of b5 in reconstituted systems but not in the P450/NPR membranes. Apo b5 (devoid of heme) enhanced catalytic activities when added to both membrane and reconstituted systems, except for CYP2E1/NPR membranes and the reconstituted system containing purified CYP2E1 and NPR. Catalytic activities in P450/NPR membranes fortified with b5 were roughly similar to those measured with microsomes of insect cells coexpressing P450 with NPR (and b5) and/or human liver microsomes, based on equivalent P450 contents. These results suggest that interactions of P450 and NPR coexpressed in membranes or mixed in reconstituted systems appear to be different in some human CYP2 family enzymes, possibly due to a conformational role of b5. P450/NPR membrane systems containing b5 are useful models for prediction of the rates for liver microsomal P450-dependent drug oxidations.     

Optimization of yeast-expressed human liver cytochrome P450 3A4 catalytic activities by coexpressing NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome b5.

Human liver P450 NF25 (CYP3A4) had been previously expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using the inducible GAL10-CYC1 promoter and the phosphoglycerate kinase gene terminator [Renaud, J. P., Cullin, C., Pompon, D., Beaune, P. and Mansuy, D. (1990) Eur. J. Biochem. 194, 889-896]. The use of an improved expression vector [Urban, P., Cullin, C. and Pompon, D. (1990) Biochimie 72, 463-472] increased the amounts of P450 NF25 produced/culture medium by a factor of five, yielding up to 10 nmol/l. The availability of recently developed host cells that simultaneously overexpress yeast NADPH-P450 reductase and/or express human liver cytochrome b5, obtained through stable integration of the corresponding coding sequences into the yeast genome, led to biotechnological systems with much higher activities of yeast-expressed P450 NF25 and with much better ability to form P450 NF25-iron-metabolite complexes. 9-fold, 8-fold, and 30-fold rate increases were found respectively for nifedipine 1,4-oxidation, lidocaine N-deethylation and testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylation between P450 NF25-containing yeast microsomes from the basic strain and from the strain that both overexpresses yeast NADPH-P450 reductase and expresses human cytochrome b5. Even higher turnovers (15-fold, 20-fold and 50-fold rate increases) were obtained using P450 NF25-containing microsomes from the yeast just overexpressing yeast NADPH-P450 reductase in the presence of externally added, purified rabbit liver cytochrome b5. This is explained by the fact that the latter strain contained the highest level of NADPH-P450 reductase activity. It is noteworthy that for the three tested substrates, the presence of human or rabbit cytochrome b5 always showed a stimulating effect on the catalytic activities and this effect was saturable. Indeed, addition of rabbit cytochrome b5 to microsomes from a strain expressing human cytochrome b5 did not further enhance the catalytic rates. The yeast expression system was also used to study the formation of a P450-NF25-iron-metabolite complex. A P450 Fe(II)-(RNO) complex was obtained upon oxidation of N-hydroxyamphetamine, catalyzed by P450-NF25-containing yeast microsomes. In microsomes from the basic strain expressing P450 NF25, 10% of the starting P450 NF25 was transformed into this metabolite complex, whereas more than 80% of the starting P450 NF25 led to complex formation in microsomes from the strain overexpressing yeast NADPH-P450 reductase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Construction and engineering of a thermostable self-sufficient cytochrome P450

CYP175A1 is a thermophilic cytochrome P450 and hydroxylates β-carotene. We previously identified a native electron transport system for CYP175A1. In this report, we constructed two fusion proteins consisting of CYP175A1, ferredoxin (Fdx), and ferredoxin-NADP⁺ reductase (FNR): H₂N-CYP175A1-Fdx-FNR-COOH (175FR) and H₂N-CYP175A1-FNR-Fdx-COOH (175RF). Both 175FR and 175RF were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The V_max value for β-carotene hydroxylation was 25 times higher with 175RF than 175FR and 9 times higher with 175RF than CYP175A1 (non-fused protein), although the k_m values of these enzymes were similar. 175RF retained 50% residual activity even at 80 °C. Furthermore, several mutants of the CYP175A1 domain of 175RF were prepared and one mutant (Q67G/Y68I) catalyzed the hydroxylation of an unnatural substrate, testosterone. Thus, this is the first report of a thermostable self-sufficient cytochrome P450 and the engineering of a thermophilic cytochrome P450 for the oxidation of an unnatural substrate.     

Cytochrome P450 IIIA1 (P450p) requires cytochrome b5 and phospholipid with unsaturated fatty acids.

In contrast to other P450 enzymes purified from rat liver microsomes, purified P450 IIIA1 (P450p) is catalytically inactive when reconstituted with NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and the synthetic lipid, dilauroylphosphatidylcholine. However, purified P450 IIIA1 catalyzes the oxidation of testosterone when reconstituted with NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, cytochrome b5, an extract of microsomal lipid, and detergent (Emulgen 911). The present study demonstrates that the microsomal lipid extract can be replaced with one of several naturally occurring phospholipids, but not with cholesterol, sphingosine, sphingomyelin, ceramide, cerebroside, or cardiolipin. The ratio of the testosterone metabolites formed by purified P450 IIIA1 (i.e., 2 beta-, 6 beta-, and 15 beta-hydroxytestosterone) was influenced by the type of phospholipid added to the reconstitution system. The ability to replace microsomal lipid extract with several different phospholipids suggests that the nature of the polar group (i.e., choline, serine, ethanolamine, or inositol) is not critical for P450 IIIA1 activity, which implies that P450 IIIA1 activity is highly dependent on the fatty acid component of these lipids. To test this possibility, P450 IIIA1 was reconstituted with a series of synthetic phosphatidylcholines. Those phosphatidylcholines containing saturated fatty acids were unable to support testosterone oxidation by purified P450 IIIA1, regardless of the acyl chain length (C6 to C18). In contrast, several unsaturated phosphatidylcholines supported testosterone oxidation by purified P450 IIIA1, and in this regard dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (PC(18:1)2) was as effective as microsomal lipid extract and naturally occurring phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylserine. These results confirmed that P450 IIIA1 activity is highly dependent on the fatty acid component of phospholipids. A second series of experiments was undertaken to determine whether microsomal P450 IIIA1, like the purified enzyme, is dependent on cytochrome b5. A polyclonal antibody against purified cytochrome b5 was raised in rabbits and was purified by affinity chromatography. Anti-cytochrome b5 caused a approximately 60% inhibition of testosterone 2 beta-, 6 beta-, and 15 beta-hydroxylation by purified P450 IIIA1 and inhibited these same reactions by approximately 70% when added to liver microsomes from dexamethasone-induced female rats. Overall, these results suggest that testosterone oxidation by microsomal cytochrome P450 IIIA1 requires cytochrome b5 and phospholipid containing unsaturated fatty acids.     

Role of cytochrome b5 in catalysis by cytochrome P450 2B4

Cytochrome b5 has been shown to stimulate, inhibit or have no effect on catalysis by P450 cytochromes. Its action is known to depend on the isozyme of cytochrome P450, the substrate, and experimental conditions. Cytochrome P450 2B4 (CYP 2B4) has been used in our laboratory as a model isozyme to study the role of cytochrome b5 in cytochrome P450 catalysis using two substrates, methoxyflurane and benzphetamine. One substrate is the volatile anesthetic, methoxyflurane, whose metabolism is consistently markedly stimulated by cytochrome b5. The other is benzphetamine, whose metabolism is minimally modified by cytochrome b5. Determination of the stoichiometry of the metabolism of both substrates showed that the amount of product formed is the net result of the simultaneous stimulatory and inhibitory actions of cytochrome b5 on catalysis. Site-directed mutagenesis studies revealed that both cytochrome b5 and cytochrome P450 reductase interact with cytochrome P450 on its proximal surface on overlapping but non-identical binding sites. Comparison of the rate of reduction of oxyferrous CYP 2B4 and the rate of substrate oxidation by cyt b5 and reductase with stopped-flow spectrophotometric and rapid chemical quench experiments has demonstrated that although cytochrome b5 and reductase reduce oxyferrous CYP 2B4 at the same rate, substrate oxidation proceeds more slowly in the presence of the reductase.     

Heterologous expression and mechanistic investigation of a fungal cytochrome P450 (CYP5150A2): involvement of alternative redox partners

A fungal cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP5150A2) from the white-rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and purified as an active form. The purified CYP5150A2 was capable of hydroxylating 4-propylbenzoic acid (PBA) with NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CPR) as the single redox partner; the reaction efficiency was improved by the addition of electron transfer protein cytochrome b5 (Cyt-b5). Furthermore, CYP5150A2 exhibited substantial activity with redox partners Cyt-b5 and NADH-dependent Cyt-b5 reductase (CB5R) even in the absence of CPR. These results indicated that a combination of CB5R and Cyt-b5 may be capable of donating both the first and the second electrons required for the monooxygenation reaction. Under reaction conditions in which the redox system was associated with the CB5R-dependent Cyt-b5 reduction system, the exogenous addition of CPR and NADPH had no effect on the PBA hydroxylation rate or on coupling efficiency, indicating that the transfer of the second electron from Cyt-b5 was the rate-limiting step in the monooxygenase system. In addition, the rate of PBA hydroxylation was significantly dependent on Cyt-b5 concentration, exhibiting Michaelis-Menten kinetics. This study provides indubitable evidence that the combination of CB5R and Cyt-b5 is an alternative redox partner facilitating the monooxygenase reaction catalyzed by CYP5150A2.     

Biodiversity of the P450 catalytic cycle: yeast cytochrome b5/NADH cytochrome b5 reductase complex efficiently drives the entire sterol 14-demethylation (CYP51) reaction

The widely accepted catalytic cycle of cytochromes P450 (CYP) involves the electron transfer from NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR), with a potential for second electron donation from the microsomal cytochrome b5/NADH cytochrome b5 reductase system. The latter system only supported CYP reactions inefficiently. Using purified proteins including Candida albicans CYP51 and yeast NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase, cytochrome b5 and NADH cytochrome b5 reductase, we show here that fungal CYP51 mediated sterol 14alpha-demethylation can be wholly and efficiently supported by the cytochrome b5/NADH cytochrome b5 reductase electron transport system. This alternative catalytic cycle, where both the first and second electrons were donated via the NADH cytochrome b5 electron transport system, can account for the continued ergosterol production seen in yeast strains containing a disruption of the gene encoding CPR.     

Cytochrome P450 alkane hydroxylases of the CYP153 family are common in alkane-degrading eubacteria lacking integral membrane alkane hydroxylases

Several strains that grow on medium-chain-length alkanes and catalyze interesting hydroxylation and epoxidation reactions do not possess integral membrane nonheme iron alkane hydroxylases. Using PCR, we show that most of these strains possess enzymes related to CYP153A1 and CYP153A6, cytochrome P450 enzymes that were characterized as alkane hydroxylases. A vector for the polycistronic coexpression of individual CYP153 genes with a ferredoxin gene and a ferredoxin reductase gene was constructed. Seven of the 11 CYP153 genes tested allowed Pseudomonas putida GPo12 recombinants to grow well on alkanes, providing evidence that the newly cloned P450s are indeed alkane hydroxylases.     

Co-incorporation of heterologously expressed Arabidopsis cytochrome P450 and P450 reductase into soluble nanoscale lipid bilayers

Heterologous expression of CYP73A5, an Arabidopsis cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, in baculovirus-infected insect cells yields correctly configured P450 detectable by reduced CO spectral analysis in microsomes and cell lysates. Co-expression of a housefly NADPH P450 reductase substantially increases the ability of this P450 to hydroxylate trans-cinnamic acid, its natural phenylpropanoid substrate. For development of high-throughput P450 substrate profiling procedures, membrane proteins derived from cells overexpressing CYP73A5 and/or NADPH P450 reductase were incorporated into soluble His(6)-tagged nanoscale lipid bilayers (Nanodiscs) using a simple self-assembly process. Biochemical characterizations of nickel affinity-purified and size-fractionated Nanodiscs indicate that CYP73A5 protein assembled into Nanodiscs in the absence of NADPH P450 reductase maintains its ability to bind its t-cinnamic acid substrate. CYP73A5 protein co-assembled with P450 reductase into Nanodiscs hydroxylates t-cinnamic acid using reduced pyridine nucleotide as an electron source. These data indicate that baculovirus-expressed P450s assembled in Nanodiscs can be used to define the chemical binding profiles and enzymatic activities of these monooxygenases.     

Reconstitution of testosterone oxidation by purified rat cytochrome P450p (IIIA1)

Cytochrome P450p (IIIA1) has been purified from rat liver microsomes by several investigators, but in all cases the purified protein, in contrast to other P450 enzymes, has not been catalytically active when reconstituted with NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and dilauroylphosphatidylcholine. We now report the successful reconstitution of testosterone oxidation by cytochrome P450p, which was purified from liver microsomes from troleandomycin-treated rats. The rate of testosterone oxidation was greatest when purified cytochrome P450p (50 pmol/ml) was reconstituted with a fivefold molar excess of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, an equimolar amount of cytochrome b5, 200 micrograms/ml of a chloroform/methanol extract of microsomal lipid (which could not be substituted with dilauroylphosphatidylcholine), and the nonionic detergent, Emulgen 911 (50 micrograms/ml). Testosterone oxidation by cytochrome P450p was optimal at 200 mM potassium phosphate, pH 7.25. In addition to their final concentration, the order of addition of these components was found to influence the catalytic activity of cytochrome P450p. Under these experimental conditions, purified cytochrome P450p converted testosterone to four major and four minor metabolites at an overall rate of 18 nmol/nmol P450p/min (which is comparable to the rate of testosterone oxidation catalyzed by other purified forms of rat liver cytochrome P450). The four major metabolites were 6 beta-hydroxytestosterone (51%), 2 beta-hydroxytestosterone (18%), 15 beta-hydroxytestosterone (11%) and 6-dehydrotestosterone (10%). The four minor metabolites were 18-hydroxytestosterone (3%), 1 beta-hydroxytestosterone (3%), 16 beta-hydroxytestosterone (2%), and androstenedione (2%). With the exception of 16 beta-hydroxytestosterone and androstenedione, the conversion of testosterone to each of these metabolites was inhibited greater than 85% when liver microsomes from various sources were incubated with rabbit polyclonal antibody against cytochrome P450p. This antibody, which recognized two electrophoretically distinct proteins in liver microsomes from troleandomycin-treated rats, did not inhibit testosterone oxidation by cytochromes P450a, P450b, P450h, or P450m. The catalytic turnover of microsomal cytochrome P450p was estimated from the increase in testosterone oxidation and the apparent increase in cytochrome P450 concentration following treatment of liver microsomes from troleandomycin- or erythromycin-induced rats with potassium ferricyanide (which dissociates the cytochrome P450p-inducer complex). Based on this estimate, the catalytic turnover values for purified, reconstituted cytochrome P450p were 4.2 to 4.6 times greater than the rate catalyzed by microsomal cytochrome P450p.     

Interaction of apo-cytochrome b5 with cytochromes P4503A4 and P45017A: relevance of heme transfer reactions

Maximal activity of CYP3A4 is obtained using a reconstitution system consisting of NADPH-P450 reductase (CPR), dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC), an ionic detergent, and cytochrome b(5) (b(5)). The mechanism by which b(5) stimulates the catalytic activity of CYP3A4 is controversial. Recent data report that apo-cytochrome b(5) (apo-b(5)) can substitute for holo-b(5) by serving as an allosteric effector. These authors concluded that b(5) is not directly involved in electron transfer reactions to CYP3A4. We have studied the effect of apo-b(5) on the ability of purified CYP3A4 to catalyze the 6beta-hydroxylation of testosterone and horse CYP17A to catalyze the 17,20-lyase reaction. The high molecular weight form of holo-b(5) (HMW-holo-b(5)) stimulates the 6beta-hydroxylation of testosterone while the low molecular weight (truncated) form of holo-b(5) (LMW-holo-b(5)) does not. When added to the reconstituted system, HMW-apo-b(5) stimulates the activity of CYP3A4 to a level 50-60% of that obtained with HMW-holo-b(5). A similar stimulation of 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone metabolism is seen when studying the CYP17A-catalyzed reaction. Neither LMW-holo-b(5) nor LMW-apo-b(5) stimulates the activity of CYP3A4 or CYP17A. CYP3A4 forms a complex during affinity chromatography with immobilized HMW-holo-b(5) but not with immobilized HMW-apo-b(5). Incubation of apo-b(5) with CYP3A4, using conditions required for reconstitution of enzymatic activities, results in the transfer of heme from the CYP3A4 preparation to apo-b(5), thereby forming holo-b(5). The separation of heme proteins by thiol-disulfide exchange chromatography confirms the formation of holo-b(5). A His67Ala mutant of HMW-b(5) as well as the Zn-substituted protoporphyrin derivative of HMW-b(5) do not stimulate the activity of either CYP3A4 or CYP17A. These data show that the mechanism of stimulation of CYP3A4 and CYP17A activities by apo-b(5) results from the formation of holo-b(5) by a heme transfer reaction.     

The N-terminus of the Qcr7 protein of the cytochrome bc(1) complex in S. cerevisiae may be involved in facilitating stability of the subcomplex with the Qcr8 protein and cytochrome b

The role of the hydrophobic membrane-binding segments of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) and cytochrome b(5) remain undefined. We have expressed four different recombinant flavocytochromes containing b(5) linked to CPR with different hydrophobic segments as linkers. These fusion proteins have been expressed in Escherichia coli and purified and some of their physical properties and electron transfer activities described in the accompanying paper. Of interest is the presence of internal "membrane-binding" hydrophobic segments in these flavocytochromes. This paper describes the ability of these flavocytochromes to reconstitute in vitro two P450 activities that have been reported to be stimulated by the addition of b(5) (the 17,20-lyase activity of CYP17A and the 6 beta hydroxylation of testosterone catalyzed by CYP3A4) and two P450 reactions that do not respond to the presence of b(5) (the 17 alpha-hydroxylation of progesterone catalyzed by CYP17A and the omega hydroxylation of lauric acid catalyzed by CYP4A1). The present study shows that a hydrophobic "membrane-binding" segment must be present in the artificial flavocytochromes in order to successfully reconstitute in vitro hydroxylation activities with P450s. Differences in the effectiveness of the different flavocytochromes to reconstitute enzymatic activities depends on the P450 tested and the nature of the hydrophobic linker segment present in the purified recombinant flavocytochromes. The hypothesis is proposed that differences in the surface topology of a P450 may dictate differences in their docking with the CPR or b(5) component of a fusion protein, resulting in differences in the rates of electron transfer to the P450.     

Cytochrome P450 Alkane Hydroxylases of the CYP153 Family Are Common in Alkane-Degrading Eubacteria Lacking Integral Membrane Alkane Hydroxylases

Several strains that grow on medium-chain-length alkanes and catalyze interesting hydroxylation and epoxidation reactions do not possess integral membrane nonheme iron alkane hydroxylases. Using PCR, we show that most of these strains possess enzymes related to CYP153A1 and CYP153A6, cytochrome P450 enzymes that were characterized as alkane hydroxylases. A vector for the polycistronic coexpression of individual CYP153 genes with a ferredoxin gene and a ferredoxin reductase gene was constructed. Seven of the 11 CYP153 genes tested allowed Pseudomonas putida GPo12 recombinants to grow well on alkanes, providing evidence that the newly cloned P450s are indeed alkane hydroxylases.     

Testosterone metabolism by microsomal cytochrome P-450 in liver of rats treated with some inducers

1. The stereoselective hydroxylation of testosterone by microsomal cytochrome P-450 and the changes in level of components participated in the microsomal electron transport system were observed in the microsomes induced unique P-450 isozymes. 2. Flavone- and hesperetin-inducible P-450 catalyzed the hydroxylation of testosterone more effectively than other chemicals-inducible ones. 3. The P-450 in all the microsomal preparations tested most rapidly oxidized testosterone to 6 beta-monohydroxy form. 4. Particularly, MC- and BNF-inducible P-450 showed high stereoselectivity on C6-position of testosterone, and PB-, flavone- and hesperetin-inducible one showed that on C2-position of this compound, respectively. 5. This specificity of two flavonoid-inducible P-450 for the formation of 2 alpha- and 2 beta-epimer of monohydroxytestosterone was opposite to each other. 6. The content of P-450 and the activity of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase were high in PB-, MC- and BNF-microsomes, whereas NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activity was high in two flavonoid-microsomes and the content of cytochrome b5 was not changed except the PB-treated rats. 7. It is suggested that the increasing activities of testosterone hydroxylases in flavonoid-microsomes seems to be closely related to NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase.     

Screening of bacterial cytochrome P450s responsible for regiospecific hydroxylation of (iso)flavonoids

Screening of cytochrome P450 monoxygenases responsible for the regiospecific hydroxylation of flavones, isoflavones and chalcones was attempted using a P450 library constructed from Streptomyces avermitilis MA4680, Bacillus and Nocardia farcinica IFM10152 strains. As electron transfer redox partners with the P450s in Escherichia coli system, putidaredoxin reductase (PdR) and putidaredoxin (Pdx) from Pseudomonas putida were used. Among the 50 soluble P450s in the library screened, three cytochrome P450s, i.e. CYP107Y1, CYP125A2 and CYP107P2 from S. avermitilis MA4680 showed good hydroxylation activities towards flavones and isoflavones. However, low product yields prevented us from identifying complete structure of the products. By using S. avermitilis MA4680 as their expression host, further analysis identified that CYP107Y1(SAV2377), CYP125A2(SAV5841) and CYP107P2(SAV4539) showed good regiospecific hydroxylation activities towards genistein (4',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone), chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyisoflavone) and apigenin (4',5,7-dihydroxyisoflavone) to produce 3',4',5,7,-tetrahydroxyisoflavone, B-ring hydroxylated 5,7-dihydroxyflavone and 3',4',5,7,-tetrahydroxyflavone, respectively. Analyses of the reaction products were performed using HPLC, ESI-MS-MS and GC-MS and 1H NMR.