Mechanisms of acetaminophen oxidation to N-acetyl-P-benzoquinone imine by horseradish peroxidase and cytochrome P-450

Horseradish peroxidase rapidly catalyzed the H2O2-dependent polymerization of acetaminophen. Acetaminophen polymerization was decreased and formation of GSSG and minor amounts of GSH-acetaminophen conjugates were detected in reaction mixtures containing GSH. These data suggest that horseradish peroxidase catalyzed the 1-electron oxidation of acetaminophen and that GSH decreased polymerization by reducing the product, N-acetyl-p-benzosemiquinone imine, back to acetaminophen. Analyses of reaction mixtures that did not contain GSH showed N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine formation shortly after initiation of reactions. When GSH was added to similar reaction mixtures at various times, 3-(glutathion-S-yl)-acetaminophen was formed. The formation and disappearance of this product were very similar to N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine formation and were consistent with the disproportionation of 2 mol of N-acetyl-p-benzosemiquinone imine to 1 mol of N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine and 1 mol of acetaminophen followed by the rapid reaction of N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine with GSH to form 3-(glutathion-S-yl)acetaminophen. When acetaminophen was incubated with NADPH, oxygen and hepatic microsomes from phenobarbital-pretreated rats, 1.2 nmol 3-(glutathion-S-yl)acetaminophen/nmol cytochrome P-450/10 min was formed. Formation of polymers was not observed indicating that N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine was formed via an overall 2-electron oxidation rather than a disproportionation reaction. However, when cumene hydroperoxide was replaced by NADPH in microsomal incubations, polymerization was observed suggesting that cytochrome P-450 might also catalyze the 1-electron oxidation of acetaminophen.     

The 1- and 2-electron oxidation of acetaminophen catalyzed by prostaglandin H synthase

Purified and microsomal preparations of prostaglandin H synthase catalyzed the arachidonic acid-dependent polymerization of acetaminophen and, in the presence of GSH, catalyzed the formation of 3-(glutathion-S-yl)acetaminophen. The formation of these products was inhibited by indomethacin and by purging reaction mixtures with argon. When H2O2 replaced arachidonic acid, neither indomethacin nor argon purging inhibited product formation. These results suggest that the peroxidase activity of prostaglandin H synthase catalyzed the oxidation of acetaminophen. Addition of GSH to reaction mixtures decreased acetaminophen polymerization; however, 3-(glutathion-S-yl)acetaminophen formation was maximal with 40 microM GSH, and higher concentrations of GSH did not substantially alter its formation. In the presence of GSH, either ascorbic acid or NADPH decreased polymerization by greater than 97% while 3-(glutathion-S-yl)acetaminophen formation was still observed. These data suggest that polymers and conjugates were formed by two different pathways. Since polymerization of acetaminophen involves radical termination of N-acetyl-p-benzosemiquinone imine whereas 3-(glutathion-S-yl)acetaminophen is formed by conjugation of N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine with GSH, the data suggest that prostaglandin H synthase catalyzed both the overall 1- and 2-electron oxidation of acetaminophen.     

Initial steps of ferulic acid polymerization by lignin peroxidase

The major products of the initial steps of ferulic acid polymerization by lignin peroxidase included three dehydrodimers resulting from beta-5' and beta-beta'coupling and two trimers resulting from the addition of ferulic acid moieties to decarboxylated derivatives of beta-O-4'- and beta-5'-coupled dehydrodimers. This is the first time that trimers have been identified from peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of ferulic acid, and their formation appears to be favored by decarboxylation of dehydrodimer intermediates. After initial oxidation, the coupling reactions appear to be determined by the chemistry of ferulic acid phenoxy radicals, regardless of the enzyme and of whether the reaction is performed in vitro or in vivo. This claim is supported by our finding that horseradish peroxidase provides a similar product profile. Furthermore, two of the dehydrodimers were the two products obtained from laccase-catalyzed oxidation (Tatsumi, K. S., Freyer, A., Minard, R. D., and Bollag, J.-M. (1994) Environ. Sci. Technol. 28, 210-215), and the most abundant dehydrodimer is the most prominent in grass cell walls (Ralph, J., Quideau, S., Grabber, J. H., and Hatfield, R. D. (1994) J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 1, 3485-3498). Our results also indicate that the dehydrodimers and trimers are further oxidized by lignin peroxidase, suggesting that they are only intermediates in the polymerization of ferulic acid. The extent of polymerization appears to be dependent on the ionization potential of formed intermediates, H(2)O(2) concentration, and, probably, enzyme stability.     

Spectral studies with lactoperoxidase and thyroid peroxidase: interconversions between native enzyme, compound II, and compound III

Spectral scans in both the visible (650-450 nm) and the Soret (450-380 nm) regions were recorded for the native enzyme, Compound II, and Compound III of lactoperoxidase and thyroid peroxidase. Compound II for each enzyme (1.7 microM) was prepared by adding a slight excess of H2O2 (6 microM), whereas Compound III was prepared by adding a large excess of H2O2 (200 microM). After these compounds had been formed it was observed that they were slowly reconverted to the native enzyme in the absence of exogenous donors. The pathway of Compound III back to the native enzyme involved Compound II as an intermediate. Reconversion of Compound III to native enzyme was accompanied by the disappearance of H2O2 and generation of O2, with approximately 1 mol of O2 formed for each 2 mol of H2O2 that disappeared. A scheme is proposed to explain these observations, involving intermediate formation of the ferrous enzyme. According to the scheme, Compound III participates in a reaction cycle that effectively converts H2O2 to O2. Iodide markedly affected the interconversions between native enzyme, Compound II, and Compound III for lactoperoxidase and thyroid peroxidase. A low concentration of iodide (4 microM) completely blocked the formation of Compound II when lactoperoxidase or thyroid peroxidase was treated with 6 microM H2O2. When the enzymes were treated with 200 microM H2O2, the same low concentration of iodide completely blocked the formation of Compound III and largely prevented the enzyme degradation that otherwise occurred in the absence of iodide. These effects of iodide are readily explained by (i) the two-electron oxidation of iodide to hypoiodite by Compound I, which bypasses Compound II as an intermediate, and (ii) the rapid oxidation of H2O2 to O2 by the hypoiodite formed in the reaction between Compound I and iodide.     

Facile synthesis of acid-labile polymers with pendent ortho esters

This work presents a facile approach for preparation of acid-labile and biocompatible polymers with pendent cyclic ortho esters, which is based on the efficient and mild reactions between cyclic ketene acetal (CKA) and hydroxyl groups. Three CKAs, 2-ethylidene-1,3-dioxane (EDO), 2-ethylidene-1,3-dioxolane (EDL), and 2-ethylidene-4- methyl-1,3-dioxolane (EMD) were prepared from the corresponding cyclic vinyl acetals by catalytic isomerization of the double bond. The reaction of CKAs with different alcohols and diols was examined using trace of p-toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. For the monohydroxyl alcohols, cyclic ortho esters were formed by simple addition of the hydroxyl group toward CKAs with ethanol showing a much greater reactivity than iso-propanol. When 1,2- or 1,3-diols were used to react with the CKAs, we observed the isomerized cyclic ortho esters besides the simple addition products. Biocompatible polyols, that is, poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) (PHEA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were then modified with CKAs, and the degree of substitution of the pendent ortho esters can be easily tuned by changing feed ratio. Both the small molecule ortho esters and the CKA-modified polymers demonstrate the pH-dependent hydrolysis profiles, which depend also on the chemical structure of the ortho esters as well as the polymer hydrophobicity.     

Photooxidation of porphyrin in Mg-substituted horseradish peroxidase

Upon photoirradiation under aerobic conditions, the porphyrin prosthetic group in Mg-substituted horseradish peroxidase was oxidized to a mixture of its pi-cation radical and an oxidized product with an absorption band at 448 nm. The 448 nm compound was then converted to a 489 nm compound in the dark and the activation energy for the conversion was 19.3 kcal/mol. About 1 mol of O2 was consumed per mol of the 448 nm compound formed and no O2 consumption was seen in the dark reaction. The substitution of ethyl groups (meso) and hydroxyethyl groups (hemato) for the vinyl groups in protoporphyrin IX did not have an effect on the result. Under anaerobic conditions and in the presence of a suitable electron acceptor, the only photooxidation product of porphyrin was its pi-cation radical. The formation of hydroxyl radicals during irradiation under aerobic conditions was confirmed by the spin-trapping method. The formation of the above two radicals could be followed by ESR spectroscopy separately at a fixed magnetic field which was set to maximize each ESR signal. The rate of hydroxyl radical formation depended linearly on the concentration of Mg peroxidase. The photooxidation of porphyrin was slow and gave nonspecific product(s) when Mg protoporphyrin IX was present in the heme crevice of apomyoglobin or free in solution.     

Analysis and computer simulation of aerobic oxidation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase.

Under suitable experimental conditions the aerobic oxidation of NADH catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase occurred in four characteristic phases: initial burst, induction phase, steady state, and termination. A trace amount of H2O2 present in the NADH solution brought about initial burst in the formation of oxyperoxidase. About 2 mol of oxyperoxidase was formed per mol of H2O2. When a considerable amount of the ferric enzyme still remained, the initial burst was followed by an induction phase. In this phase the rate of oxyperoxidase formation from the ferric enzyme increased with the decrease of the ferric enzyme and an approximately exponential increase of oxyperoxidase was observed. A rapid oxidation of NADH suddenly began at the end of the induction phase and the oxidation continued at a relatively constant rate. In the steady state, oxygen was consumed and H2O2 accumulated. A drastic terminating reaction suddenly set in when the oxygen concentration decreased under a certain level. During the reaction, H2O2 disappeared accompanying an accelerated oxidation of NADH and the enzyme returned to the ferric form after a transient increase of peroxidase compound II. Time courses of NADH oxidation, O2 consumption, H2O2 accumulation, and formation of enzyme intermediates could be simulated with an electronic computer using 11 elementary reactions and 9 rate equations. The results were also discussed in relation to the mechanism for oscillatory responses of the reaction that appeared in an open system with a continuous supply of oxygen.     

The mechanism of oxyperoxidase formation from ferryl peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide

Formation of oxyperoxidase from the reaction of ferryl horseradish peroxidase with H2O2 is inhibited by a small amount of tetranitromethane (TNM), a powerful scavenger of superoxide anion radical. The inhibition by TNM, however, does not exceed 35% as the TNM concentration is increased above 5 microM. The stoichiometry of the reaction in the presence of TNM suggests the following equation for TNM-sensitive formation of oxyperoxidase. Ferryl peroxidase + H2O2----(ferric peroxidase + O2- + H+)----oxyperoxidase The kinetic study on the TNM-resistant formation of oxyperoxidase suggests that the displacement of the oxygen with H2O2 takes place at the sixth coordination position at maximal rates of 0.048 and 0.054 s-1 for peroxidases A and C, respectively, at 5 degrees C. The TNM-sensitive and -resistant reactions are concluded to occur in parallel, and both yield oxyperoxidase. In either mechanism, the protonated form of ferryl peroxidase is active and the pK alpha value is 7.1 for peroxidase A and 8.6 for peroxidase C. Oxyperoxidase decomposes spontaneously with a large activation energy (23.0 kcal/mol), and the reaction of ferryl peroxidase with H2O2 reaches a steady level of oxyperoxidase, which depends on pH and the concentration of H2O2.     

Peroxidase-catalyzed formation of quercetin quinone methide-glutathione adducts

The oxidation of quercetin by horseradish peroxidase/H(2)O(2) was studied in the absence but especially also in the presence of glutathione (GSH). HPLC analysis of the reaction products formed in the absence of GSH revealed formation of at least 20 different products, a result in line with other studies reporting the peroxidase-mediated oxidation of flavonoids. In the presence of GSH, however, these products were no longer observed and formation of two major new products was detected. (1)H NMR identified these two products as 6-glutathionylquercetin and 8-glutathionylquercetin, representing glutathione adducts originating from glutathione conjugation at the A ring instead of at the B ring of quercetin. Glutathione addition at positions 6 and 8 of the A ring can best be explained by taking into consideration a further oxidation of the quercetin semiquinone, initially formed by the HRP-mediated one-electron oxidation, to give the o-quinone, followed by the isomerization of the o-quinone to its p-quinone methide isomer. All together, the results of the present study provide evidence for a reaction chemistry of quercetin semiquinones with horseradish peroxidase/H(2)O(2) and GSH ultimately leading to adduct formation instead of to preferential GSH-mediated chemical reduction to regenerate the parent flavonoid.     

Cross linking of proteins in vitro by peroxidase

The enzyme peroxidase, a substrate (hydrogen donor), and hydrogen peroxide aggregated and polymerized soluble proteins included in the reaction mixture. Gel filtration and acrylamide disk gel electrophoresis revealed newly formed dimers, trimers, and higher protein polymers. Some of the protein polymers withstood the denaturing conditions of dodecyl sulfate disk gel electrophoresis; thus the formation of some covalent cross links was indicated. It is suggested that peroxidase catalyzes the oxidation of hydrogen donors to form free radicals or quinones, which subsequently interact with, cross link, and alter the soluble proteins.     

A mechanistic study of the formation of hydroxyl radicals induced by horseradish peroxidase with NADH

During the oxidation of NADH by horseradish peroxidase (HRP-Fe(3+)), superoxide (O(-)(2)) is produced, and HRP-Fe(3+) is converted to compound III. Superoxide dismutase inhibited both the generation of O(-)(2) and the formation of compound III. In contrast, catalase inhibited only the generation of O(-)(2). Under anaerobic conditions, the formation of compound III did not occur in the presence of NADH, thus indicating that compound III is produced via formation of a ternary complex consisting of HRP-Fe(3+), NADH and oxygen. The generation of hydroxyl radicals was dependent upon O(-)(2) and H(2)O(2) produced by HRP-Fe(3+)-NADH. The reaction of compound III with H(2)O(2) caused the formation of compound II without generation of hydroxyl radicals. Only HRP-Fe(3+)-NADH (but not K(+)O(-)(2) and xanthine oxidase-hypoxanthine) was able to induce the conversion of metmyoglobin to oxymyoglobin, thus suggesting the participation of a ternary complex made up of HRP-Fe(2+…)O(2)(…)NAD(.) (but not free O(-)(2) or H(2)O(2)) in the conversion of metmyoglobin to oxymyoglobin. It appears that a cyclic pathway is formed between HRP-Fe(3+), compound III and compound II in the presence of NADH under aerobic conditions, and a ternary complex plays the central roles in the generation of O(-)(2) and hydroxyl radicals.     

铜锌超氧物歧化酶对几种羟自由基产生系统的影响

应用脱氧核糖降解法研究了ＣｕＺｎ－ＳＯＤ对几种·ＯＨ产生系统的作用机理．结果证明：ＳＯＤ对Ｆｅ（３＋）·Ｏ·Ｈ２Ｏ２系统中·ＯＨ的产生有明显的抑制作用,而失活ＳＯＤ或ＢＳＡ对它的抑制作用不大;在Ｆｅ（２＋）·Ｈ２Ｏ２和ＣＵ（２＋）·Ｈ２Ｏ２系统中,ＳＯＤ、失活ＳＯＤ和ＢＡＳ均能抑制·ＯＨ的产生;在Ｆｅ（２＋）·Ｏ系统中,ＳＯＤ对·ＯＨ产生作用不大,而失活ＳＯＤ或ＢＳＡ对它有明显的抑制作用．由此推测ＳＯＤ对·ＯＨ形成可能有三方面的影响：１．对Ｏ的清除作用,阻断Ｈａｂｅｒ－Ｗｅｉｓｓ反应;２．对金属离子的络合作用,降低·ＯＨ的产额;３．促进Ｈ２Ｏ２的积累,加快Ｆｅｎｔｏｎ反应．     

Heme and apoprotein modification of cytochrome P450 2B4 during its oxidative inactivation in monooxygenase reconstituted system

The mechanism of the cytochrome P450 2B4 modification by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) formed as a result of partial coupling of NADPH-dependent monooxygenase reactions has been studied in the monooxygenase system reconstituted from the highly purified microsomal proteins: cytochrome P450 2B4 (P450) and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase in the presence of detergent Emulgen 913. It was found, that H2O2-mediated P450 self-inactivation during benzphetamine oxidation is accompanied by heme degradation and apoenzyme modification. The P450 heme modification involves the heme release from the enzyme under the action of H2O2 formed within P450s active center via the peroxycomplex decay. Additionally, the heme lost is destroyed by H2O2 localized outside of enzyme's active center. The modification of P450 apoenzyme includes protein aggregation that may be due to the change in the physico-chemical properties of the inactivated enzyme. The modified P450 changes the surface charge that is confirmed by the increasing retention time on the DEAE column. Oxidation of amino acid residues (at least cysteine) may lead to the alteration into the protein hydrophobicity. The appearance of the additional ionic and hydrophobic attractions may lead to the increase of the protein aggregation. Hydrogen peroxide can initiate formation of crosslinked P450 dimers, trimers, and even polymers, but the main role in this process plays nonspecific radical reactions. Evidence for the involvement of hydroxyl radical into the P450 crosslinking is carbonyl groups formation.     

Inactivation of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) by ferryl derivatives of human hemoglobin

In this paper, inactivation of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) by products of reactions of H2O2 with metHb has been studied. Inactivation of the enzyme was studied in two systems corresponding to two kinetic stages of the reaction. In the first system H2O2 was added to the mixture of metHb and ADH [the (metHb+ADH)+H2O2] system (ADH was present in the system since the moment of addition of H2O2 i. e. since the very beginning of the reaction of metHb with H2O2). In the second system ADH was added to the system 5 min after the initiation of the reaction of H2O2 with metHb [the (metHb+H2O2)5 min+ADH] system. In the first case all the products of reaction of H2O2 with metHb (non-peroxyl and peroxyl radicals and non-radical products, viz. hydroperoxides and *HbFe(IV)=O) could react with the enzyme causing its inactivation. In the second system, enzyme reacted almost exclusively with non-radical products (though a small contribution of reactions with peroxyl radicals cannot be excluded). ADH inactivation was observed in both system. Hydrogen peroxide alone did not inactivate ADH at the concentrations employed evidencing that enzyme inactivation was due exclusively to products of reaction of H2O2 with metHb. The rate and extent of ADH inactivation were much higher in the first than in the second system. The dependence of ADH activity on the time of incubation with ferryl derivatives of Hb can be described by a sum of three exponentials in the first system and two exponentials in the second system. Reactions of appropriate forms of the ferryl derivatives of hemoglobin have been tentatively ascribed to these exponentials. The extent of the enzyme inactivation in the second system was dependent on the proton concentration, being at the highest at pH 7.4 and negligible at pH 6.0. The reaction of H2O2 with metHb resulted in the formation of cross-links of Hb subunits (dimers and trimers). The amount of the dimers formed was much lower in the first system i. e. when the radical forms dominated the reaction of inactivation.     

Proteolytic and peroxidatic reactions of commercial horseradish peroxidase with myelin basic protein

Degradation of myelin basic protein during incubations with high concentrations of horseradish peroxidase has been demonstrated [Johnson & Cammer (1977) J. Histochem. Cytochem.25, 329-336]. Possible mechanisms for the interaction of the basic protein with peroxidase were investigated in the present study. Because the peroxidase samples previously observed to degrade basic protein were mixtures of isoenzymes, commercial preparations of the separated isoenzymes were tested, and all three degraded basic protein, but to various extents. Three other basic proteins, P(2) protein from peripheral nerve myelin, lysozyme and cytochrome c, were not degraded by horseradish peroxidase under the same conditions. Inhibitor studies suggested a minor peroxidatic component in the reaction. Therefore the peroxidatic reaction with basic protein was studied by using low concentrations of peroxidase along with H(2)O(2). Horseradish peroxidase plus H(2)O(2) caused the destruction of basic protein, a reaction inhibited by cyanide, azide, ferrocyanide, tyrosine, di-iodotyrosine and catalase. Lactoperoxidase plus H(2)O(2) and myoglobin plus H(2)O(2) were also effective in destroying the myelin basic protein. Low concentrations of horseradish peroxidase plus H(2)O(2) were not active against other basic proteins, but did destroy casein and fibrinogen. Although high concentrations of peroxidase alone degraded basic protein to low-molecular-weight products, suggesting the operation of a proteolytic enzyme contaminant in the absence of H(2)O(2), incubations with catalytic concentrations of peroxidase in the presence of H(2)O(2) converted basic protein into products with high molecular weights. Our data suggest a mechanism for the latter, peroxidatic, reaction where polymers would form by linking the tyrosine side chains in basic-protein molecules. These data show that the myelin basic protein is unusually susceptible to peroxidatic reactions.     

Production of hydroxyl radical by lignin peroxidase from Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

The mechanism for the production of hydroxyl radical by lignin peroxidase from the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was investigated. Ferric iron reduction was demonstrated in reaction mixtures containing lignin peroxidase isozyme H2 (LiPH2), H2O2, veratryl alcohol, oxalate, ferric chloride, and 1,10-phenanthroline. The rate of iron reduction was dependent on the concentration of oxalate and was inhibited by the addition of superoxide dismutase. The addition of ferric iron inhibited oxygen consumption in reaction mixtures containing LiPH2, H2O2, veratryl alcohol, and oxalate. Thus, the reduction of ferric iron was thought to be dependent on the LiPH2-catalyzed production of superoxide in which veratryl alcohol and oxalate serve as electron mediators. Oxalate production and degradation in nutrient nitrogen-limited cultures of P. chrysosporium was also studied. The concentration of oxalate in these cultures decreased during the period in which maximum lignin peroxidase activity (veratryl alcohol oxidation) was detected. Electron spin resonance studies using the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide were used to obtain evidence for the production of the hydroxyl radical in reaction mixtures containing LiPH2, H2O2, veratryl alcohol, EDTA, and ferric chloride. It was concluded that the white rot fungus might produce hydroxyl radical via a mechanism that includes the secondary metabolites veratryl alcohol and oxalate. Such a mechanism may contribute to the ability of this fungus to degrade environmental pollutants.     

Peroxidase as an alternative to tyrosinase in the oxidative polymerization of 5,6-dihydroxyindoles to melanin(s).

The ability of the peroxidase/H2O2 system to promote the oxidative polymerization of 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DI) and 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DICA) to melanin pigments was investigated in comparison with tyrosinase. commonly regarded as the sole enzyme involved in melanogenesis. In 0.025 M phosphate buffer at pH 6.8, tyrosinase (2.7 x 10(-3) U/ml) induced a smooth oxidation of 3.0 x 10(-5) M DI (initial rate = 4.4 x 10(-5) M/s) to give a complex mixture of products with the 2,4'-dimer I as the main component, whereas, under the same conditions, peroxidase (0.44 U/ml) and 1.2 x 10(-4) M H2O2 caused the instantaneous conversion of the substrate to a well-defined pattern of products, comprising the 2,4'-and 2,7'-DI dimers I and II, and the related trimers III and IV. When 3.0 x 10(-5) M DICA was used as the substrate, the difference in the effectiveness of the enzymes was much more pronounced. Thus, while peroxidase accomplished the fast oxidation of the indole, yielding the dimer V and the trimer VI as the main products, tyrosinase proved unable to induce more than a poor and sluggish reaction with an initial rate of 5.6.10(-6) M/s. These results raise the possibility that peroxidase, rather than, or in addition to, tyrosinase, may play a critical role in the later stages of the biosynthesis of melanins.     

The kinetics of formation of horseradish peroxidase compound I by reaction with peroxobenzoic acids. pH and peroxo acid substituent effects.

1. The kinetics of formation of horseradish peroxidase Compound I were studied by using peroxobenzoic acid and ten substituted peroxobenzoic acids as substrates. Kinetic data for the formation of Compound I with H2O2 and for the reaction of deuteroferrihaem with H2O2 and peroxobenzoic acids, to form a peroxidatically active intermediate, are included for comparison. 2. The observed second-order rate constants for the formation of Compound I with peroxobenzoic acids decrease with increasing pH, in the range pH 5-10, in contrast with pH-independence of the reaction with H2O2. The results imply that the formation of Compound I involves a reaction between the enzyme and un-ionized hydroperoxide molecules. 3. The maximal rate constants for Compound I formation with unhindered peroxobenzoic acids exceed that for H2O2. Peroxobenzoic acids with bulky ortho substituents show marked adverse steric effects. The pattern of substituent effects does not agree with expectations for an electrophilic oxidation of the enzyme by peroxoacid molecules in aqueous solution, but is in agreement with that expected for a reaction involving nucleophilic attack by peroxo anions. 4. Possible reaction mechanisms are considered by which the apparent conflict between the pH-effect and substituent-effect data may be resolved. A model in which it is postulated that a negatively charged 'electrostatic gate' controls access of substrate to the active site and may also activate substrate within the active site, provides the most satisfactory explanation for both the present results and data from the literature.     

Molecular weight distribution and structural characteristics of polymers obtained from acid soluble lignin treated by oxidative enzymes

Brown precipitates were obtained by polymerization of low molecular weight lignin fragments contained in a model effluent. Polymerization reactions were initiated by potato-polyphenoloxidase (PPO) or horseradish peroxidase/H(2)O(2) system (HRP/H(2)O(2)). The insolubilization processes occurred after a molecular weight increase of the lignin, as shown by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The effect of reaction time, pH and amount of soluble lignin per unit of enzyme activity on the molecular weight distribution was evaluated for PPO-initiated reactions. For HRP-initiated system the amount of H(2)O(2) per unit of enzyme activity was also evaluated. Chemical characterization of the macromolecules obtained under optimized conditions and the soluble lignin fragments present in the effluent suggests that the polymerization reactions occur by oxidative cleavage of alpha-beta unsaturated bonds of the soluble lignin fragments. Methoxyl group analysis showed that p-hydroxycoumaryl units were preferentially oxidized by PPO. In contrast, HRP oxidized preferentially guaiacyl and siringyl units giving more condensed polymers.     

Mechanism of peroxidase actions for salicylic acid-induced generation of active oxygen species and an increase in cytosolic calcium in tobacco cell suspension culture

Extracellularly secreted peroxidases in cell suspension culture of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Bright Yellow-2, cell line BY-2) catalyse the salicylic acid (SA)-dependent formation of active oxygen species (AOS) which, in turn, triggers an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Addition of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to tobacco cell suspension culture enhanced the SA-induced increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, suggesting that HRP enhanced the production of AOS. The mechanism of peroxidase-catalysed generation of AOS in SA signalling was investigated with chemiluminescence sensitive to AOS and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, using the cell suspension culture of tobacco, and HRP as a model system of peroxidase reaction. The results showed that SA induced the peroxidase inhibitor-sensitive production of superoxide and H2O2 in tobacco suspension culture, but no production of hydroxy radicals was detected. Similar results were obtained using HRP. It was also observed that SA suppressed the H2O2-dependent formation of hydroxy radicals in vitro. The results suggest that SA protect the cells from highly reactive hydroxy radicals, while producing the less reactive superoxide and H2O2 through peroxidase-catalysed reaction, as the intermediate signals. The formation of superoxide was followed by that of H2O2, suggesting that superoxide was converted to H2O2. In addition, it was observed that superoxide dismutase-insensitive ESR signal of monodehydroascorbate radical was induced by SA both in the tobacco suspension culture and HRP reaction mixture, suggesting that SA free radicals, highly reactive against ascorbate, were formed by peroxidase-catalysed reactions. The formation of SA free radicals may lead to subsequent monovalent reduction of O2 to superoxide.