The catalase activity of diiron adenine deaminase

Adenine deaminase (ADE) from the amidohydrolase superfamily (AHS) of enzymes catalyzes the conversion of adenine to hypoxanthine and ammonia. Enzyme isolated from Escherichia coli was largely inactive toward the deamination of adenine. Molecular weight determinations by mass spectrometry provided evidence that multiple histidine and methionine residues were oxygenated. When iron was sequestered with a metal chelator and the growth medium supplemented with Mn²⁺ before induction, the post-translational modifications disappeared. Enzyme expressed and purified under these conditions was substantially more active for adenine deamination. Apo-enzyme was prepared and reconstituted with two equivalents of FeSO₄. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and Mössbauer spectroscopy demonstrated that this protein contained two high-spin ferrous ions per monomer of ADE. In addition to the adenine deaminase activity, [Fe^II/Fe^II]-ADE catalyzed the conversion of H₂O₂ to O₂ and H₂O. The values of k_cat and k_cat/K_m for the catalase activity are 200 s⁻¹ and 2.4 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. [Fe^II/Fe^II]-ADE underwent more than 100 turnovers with H₂O₂ before the enzyme was inactivated due to oxygenation of histidine residues critical for metal binding. The iron in the inactive enzyme was high-spin ferric with g_ave = 4.3 EPR signal and no evidence of anti-ferromagnetic spin-coupling. A model is proposed for the disproportionation of H₂O₂ by [Fe^II/Fe^II]-ADE that involves the cycling of the binuclear metal center between the di-ferric and di-ferrous oxidation states. Oxygenation of active site residues occurs via release of hydroxyl radicals. These findings represent the first report of redox reaction catalysis by any member of the AHS.     

The catalase activity of Nalpha-acetyl-microperoxidase-8.

Nalpha-Acetylated microperoxidase-8 (Ac-MP-8) is a water soluble, ferric heme model for peroxidases. We report here that Ac-MP-8 catalyzes catalase-type reaction in addition to peroxidase-type and cytochrome P450-type reactions. The catalase activity of Ac-MP-8 was determined by the Clark oxygen electrode, which measures the production of oxygen in solution. The Km and kcat of the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) catalyzed by Ac-MP-8 are 40.9 mm and 4.1 per s, respectively. The specificity constant (kcat/Km) of Ac-MP-8 in catalase-type reaction of H2O2 is 100.2,/m/s, which is 5- to 12- and 50- to 100-fold less than those of MPs in cytochrome P450-type reaction of aniline/H2O2 and peroxidase-type reaction of o-methoxyphenol/H2O2, respectively. These results indicate that Ac-MP-8 can catalyze three different types of reactions, and the relative catalytic specificities of Ac-MP-8 with a histidyl ligand exhibit the following orders: peroxidase-type > cytochrome P450-type > catalase-type reactions. Comparisons of the enzyme activities of Ac-MP-8 suggest that the fifth ligands of hemoproteins influence the ratio of the three types of reactions.     

Peroxidase activity of succinylated catalase

The catalase succinylation by succinic anhydride excess results in an almost complete dissociation of the enzyme into subunits possessing no catalase activity. The catalase subunits show the peroxidatic activity on o-dianisidine oxidation. The oxidation kinetics of this substrate by the succinylated enzyme was studied at various temperatures. The activation energy for this process is 10.1 kcal/mole. Within the temperature range of 31-65.5 degrees, the succinylated enzyme thermostability was studied by monitoring the peroxidatic activity decrease upon o-dianisidine oxidation. The activation energy for the succinylated catalase thermoinactivation equals to 15.5 kcal/mole. The peroxidatic activity of catalase subunits obtained by enzyme succinylation and acidic solution treatment was compared to that of horseradish peroxidase in the oxidation of the same substrate, i.e., o-dianisidine.     

Mechanisms of catalase activity of heme peroxidases

In the absence of exogenous electron donors monofunctional heme peroxidases can slowly degrade hydrogen peroxide following a mechanism different from monofunctional catalases. This pseudo-catalase cycle involves several redox intermediates including Compounds I, II and III, hydrogen peroxide reduction and oxidation reactions as well as release of both dioxygen and superoxide. The rate of decay of oxyferrous complex determines the rate-limiting step and the enzymes’ resistance to inactivation. Homologous bifunctional catalase-peroxidases (KatGs) are unique in having both a peroxidase and high hydrogen dismutation activity without inhibition reactions. It is demonstrated that KatGs follow a similar reaction pathway as monofunctional peroxidases, but use a unique post-translational distal modification (Met⁺-Tyr-Trp adduct) in close vicinity to the heme as radical site that enhances turnover of oxyferrous heme and avoids release of superoxide. Similarities and differences between monofunctional peroxidases and bifunctional KatGs are discussed and mechanisms of pseudo-catalase activity are proposed.