A spin label study of horseradish peroxidase.

The topography of the active sites of native horseradish peroxidase and manganic horseradish peroxidase has been studied with the aid of a spin-labeled analog of benzhydroxamic acid (N-(1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrroline-3-carboxy)-p-aminobenzhydroxamic acid). The optical spectra of complexes between the spin-labeled analog of benzhydroxamic acid and Fe3+ or Mn3+ horseradish peroxidase resembled the spectra of the corresponding enzyme complexes with benzhydroxamic acid. Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement indicated that at pH 7 the nitroxide moiety of the spin-labeled analog of benzhydroxamic acid became strongly immobilized when this label bound to either ferric or manganic horseradish peroxidase. The titration of horseradish peroxidase with the spin-labeled analog of benzhydroxamic acid revealed a single binding site with association constant Ka approximately 4.7 . 10(5) M-1. Since the interaction of ligands (e.g. F-, CN-) and H2O2 with horseradish peroxidase was found to displace the spin label, it was concluded that the spin label did not indeed bind to the active site of horseradish peroxidase. At alkaline pH values, the high spin iron of native horseradish peroxidase is converted to the low spin form and the binding of the spin-labeled analog of benzhydroxamic acid to horseradish peroxidase is completely inhibited. From the changes in the concentration of both bound and free spin label with pH, the pK value of the acid-alkali transition of horseradish peroxidase was found to be 10.5. The 2Tm value of the bound spin label varied inversely with temperature, reaching a value of 68.25 G at 0 degree C and 46.5 G at 52 degrees C. The dipolar interaction between the iron atom and the free radical accounted for a 12% decrease in the ESR signal intensity of the spin label bound to horseradish peroxidase. From this finding, the minimum distance between the iron atom and nitroxide group and hence a lower limit to the depth of the heme pocket of horseradish peroxidase was estimated to be 22 A.     

Activation and inactivation of horseradish peroxidase by cobalt ions

The effect of cobalt ions (Co2+) on horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was studied in vitro by enzymatic activity assay, electronic absorption spectra, intrinsic fluorescence spectra and 8-anilo-1-naphthalenesulfonate(ANS)-binding fluorescence spectra. Co2+ at concentrations below 0.1 mM mildly increased the HRP activity, whereas higher concentrations of Co2+ significantly inactivated HRP in a time and concentration-dependent manner. Steady-state kinetic studies show that Co2+ was a noncompetitive inhibitor of o-dianisidine oxidation by HRP. The Ki value dropped as the incubation time increased. Furthermore, Co2+ was found to be an uncompetitive inhibitor of H2O2. These results suggested that Co2+ would slowly bind to the enzyme and progressively induce conformational changes. Spectroscopic analysis showed that even for high Co2+ concentrations, the structure of HRP as a whole only changed slightly; however, there were significant conformational changes near or in the active site of HRP. Based on the above results, we suggest that Co2+ may bind with some amino acids near or in the active site of HRP and the conformational changes of HRP induced by such binding should be the main reason for activation and inactivation effect of Co2+. The potential binding sites of Co2+ were also proposed.     

Contribution of protein conformation to stereochemistry and reactivity of the active center of heme proteins and enzymes. The existence of horseradish peroxidase conformations and their possible role in the catalysis mechanism

In the spectral region 350-800 nm at 4.2 K we measured magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of the pentacoordinated complex of protcheme with 2-methylimidazole, deoxyleghemoglobin, neutral and alkaline forms of reduced horseradish peroxidase in the equilibrium states, as well as in non-equilibrium states produced by low-temperature photolysis of their carbon monoxide derivatives. Earlier the corresponding results have been obtained for myoglobin, hemoglobin and cytochromes P-450 and P-420. The energies of Fe-N (proximal His) and Fe-N(pyrroles) bonds and their changes upon ligand binding in heme proteins and enzymes were compared with those in the model heme complex thus providing conformational contribution into stereochemistry of the active site. The examples of weak and strong conformational "pressure" on stereochemistry were analysed and observed. If conformational energy contribution into stereochemistry prevails the electronic one the heme stereochemistry remains unchanged on ligand binding as it was observed for leghemoglobin and alkaline horseradish peroxidase. The change of bond energies in myoglobin and hemoglobin on ligand binding are comparable with those in protein free pentacoordinated protoheme, giving an example of weak conformational contribution to heme stereochemistry. The role of protein conformation energy in the modulation of ligand binding properties of heme in leghemoglobin relative to those in myoglobins is discussed. The most striking result were obtained in the study of reduced horseradish peroxidase in the pH region of 6.0-10.2. It was found that such different perturbations as ligand binding and heme-linked ionization of the distal amino acid residue induce identical changes in heme stereochemistry. Neither heme-linked ionization in the carbon monoxide complex nor the geometry of Fe-Co bond affect the heme local structure of photoproducts. These and other findings suggest a very low conformation mobility of horseradish peroxidase whose protein constraints appear to allow only two preferable geometries of specific amino acid residues that form the heme pocket. The role of the two tertiary structure constraints on the heme in the mechanism of horseradish peroxidase function is discussed. It is supposed that one conformation produces a heme environment suitable for two-electron oxidation of the native enzyme to compound I by hydrogen peroxide while another conformation changes the heme stereochemistry in the direction favourable for back reduction of compound I by the substrate to the resting enzyme through two one-electron steps. The switch from one tertiary structure to another is expected to be induced by substrate bind     

Nanosecond transient resonance Raman spectra of the FeII-CO and FeIII-NO photolysis products of horseradish peroxidase

Resonance Raman spectra, obtained with 7 ns pulsed laser excitation, are reported for the photoproducts of the FeII-CO and FeIII-NO adducts of horseradish peroxidase. The porphyrin skeletal frequencies are the same as those observed for unligated FeII and FeIII (native) horseradish peroxidase, respectively. The absence of unrelaxed spectra is discussed in relation to the photoproduct frequency shifts and relaxations observed previously for hemoglobin. It is proposed that protein conformational changes which are likely to be associated with the hydrogen-bonding interactions in the horseradish peroxidase heme pocket may not produce detectable changes in the porphyrin skeletal mode frequencies.     

Flavonoid oxidation kinetics in aqueous and aqueous organic media in the presence of peroxidase,tyrosynase, and hemoglobin

The kinetics of oxidation reactions of flavonoids, quercetin, dihydroquercetin, and epicatechin has been studied in the presence of biocatalysts of different natures: horseradish peroxidase, mushroom tyrosinase, and hemoglobin from bull blood. Comparison of the kinetic parameters of the oxidation reaction showed that peroxidase appeared to be the most effective biocatalyst in these processes. The specificity of the enzyme for quercetin increased with increasing the polarity of the solvent in a series of ethanol–acetonitrile–dimethyl sulfoxide.     

Preliminary studies on quinoprotein glucose dehydrogenase under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure.

The kinetics of the reduction of the quinoprotein glucose dehydrogenase by substrate were studied as a function of 3 parameters: pressure (1-1000 bar), temperature (down to -25 degrees C) and solvent (water and 40% dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO) using a high-pressure low-temperature stopped-flow apparatus. A 2-step formation of the reduced enzyme by its substrate (xylose), was observed. A rapid equilibrium described by the constant K1 was followed by a slower process described by the constants k2 and k-2. By using the transition state theory, the thermodynamic quantities delta V (activation volumes) were determined for these various kinetics constants under different experimental conditions. The results are discussed in terms of conformational change and solvation effect on the protein shell, and compared with results obtained for other systems as the 2-step formation of horseradish peroxidase compound I.     

Studies on horseradish peroxidase in dimethyl sulphoxide/water mixtures. The activation of hydrogen peroxide and the binding of fluoride.

We studied the variation in spectra and in reactivity towards H2O2 of solutions of horseradish peroxidase in dimethyl sulphoxide/water mixtures, obtained by diluting stock solutions of the enzyme in either water or dimethyl sulphoxide, and assayed the enzyme activity and studied the binding of F- by the peroxidase in 65% (v/v) dimethyl sulphoxide. A broadly similar pattern of changes is observed whether one starts from water or from dimethyl sulphoxide; the changes are essentially reversible, though hysteresis is observed. When the dimethyl sulphoxide content of the solvent mixture is increased, the peroxidase retains its ability to activate H2O2 up to 74% (v/v) dimethyl sulphoxide. The peroxidase in 65% (v/v) dimethyl sulphoxide binds F- together with a proton (or the equivalent loss of HO-), as already established for aqueous solutions. We point out that the occurrence in such solutions of both the ability to activate H2O2 and the inability to bind F- without taking up H+ or losing HO- supports the proposed mechanism for activating H202, whereby the protein binds the substrate in the form of the much more reactive HO2-.     

Peroxidase-catalyzed S-oxygenation: mechanism of oxygen transfer for lactoperoxidase

The mechanism of organosulfur oxygenation by peroxidases [lactoperoxidase (LPX), chloroperoxidase, thyroid peroxidase, and horseradish peroxidase] and hydrogen peroxide was investigated by use of para-substituted thiobenzamides and thioanisoles. The rate constants for thiobenzamide oxygenation by LPX/H2O2 were found to correlate with calculated vertical ionization potentials, suggesting rate-limiting single-electron transfer between LPX compound I and the organosulfur substrate. The incorporation of oxygen from 18O-labeled hydrogen peroxide, water, and molecular oxygen into sulfoxides during peroxidase-catalyzed S-oxygenation reactions was determined by LC- and GC-MS. All peroxidases tested catalyzed essentially quantitative oxygen transfer from 18O-labeled hydrogen peroxide into thiobenzamide S-oxide, suggesting that oxygen rebound from the oxoferryl heme is tightly coupled with the initial electron transfer in the active site. Experiments using H2(18)O2, 18O2, and H2(18)O showed that LPX catalyzed approximately 85, 22, and 0% 18O-incorporation into thioanisole sulfoxide oxygen, respectively. These results are consistent with a active site controlled mechanism in which the protein radical form of LPX compound I is an intermediate in LPX-mediated sulfoxidation reactions.     

Binding mode of indole to horseradish peroxidase

The binding of indole to both horseradish peroxidase and its cyanide complex can be detected by difference spectra in the Soret region. Indole and cyanide binding are not competitive processes. The effect of indole on the binding rate constants between horseradish peroxidase and cyanide and compound I formation reactions between horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide or m-chloroperbenzoic acid was studied by the stopped-flow method. In all cases the rate constants of the indole-peroxidase complex with the ligand or substrates were smaller than those of free peroxidase. Since the m-chloroperbenzoic acid reaction has been shown to approach a diffusion-controlled rate, the effect of indole binding on the rate constant for compound I formation using this peracid was analyzed semiquantitatively using theoretical equations for a diffusion-controlled rate process with a capture-window active site model. The effect of indole binding on the diffusion-controlled rate constant could be explained by a decrease in the radius of the capture-window active site.     

Magnetic circular dichroism studies on acid and alkaline forms of horseradish peroxidase.

The heme vicinities of the acid and alkaline forms of native (Fd(III)) horseradish peroxidase were investigated in terms of the magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy. The MCD spectrum of the acid form of native horseradish peroxidase was characteristic of a ferric high spin heme group. The resemblance in the MCD spectrum between the acid form and acetato-iron (III)protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester suggests that the heme iron of the acid form has the electronic structure similar to that in a pentocoordinated heme complex. The MCD spectra of native horseradish peroxidase did not shown any substantial pH dependence in the pH range from 5.20 to 9.00. The MCD spectral change indicated the pK value for the equilibrium between the acid and alkaline forms to be 11.0 which agrees with the results from other methods. The alkaline form of native horseradish peroxidase at pH 12.01 exhibited the MCD spectrum of a low spin complex. The near infrared MCD spectrum suggests that the alkaline form of native horseradish peroxidase has a 6th ligand somehow different from a normal nitrogen ligand such as histidine or lysine. It implicates that the alkaline form has an overall ligand field strength of between the low spin component of metmyoglobin hydroxide and metmyoglobin azide.     

Interaction of propylthiouracil and its precursors with horseradish peroxidase

Interactions of horseradish peroxidase with propylthiouracil, thiouracil, propyluracil and uracil lead to the formation of complexes that exhibit different absorption spectra which can be attributed to the perturbation of peroxidase as the result of the drug-binding on a polar site in the protein. In this paper, by dilatometry and viscometry structural alterations in horseradish peroxidase were detected from its interaction with propylthiouracil and thiouracil only, and the physiological inhibition of peroxidase for these antithyroid drugs seems to be through structural alterations in the protein.     

Conformational studies of poly(L-tyrosine). A helix–coil transition in dimethyl sulfoxide–dichloroacetic acid mixtures

Poly(L -tyrosine) is a random coil in dimethyl sulfoxide. Upon addition of dichloroacetic acid, poly(L -tyrosine) undergoes a conformational transition centered at about 10% dichloroacetic acid. The transition is nearly complete at 20% dichloroacetic acid. Further addition of dichloroacetic acid leads to precipitation of poly(L -tyrosine). We have characterized this transition by optical rotation, viscosity, circular dichroism, and infrared. The optical rotation at 350 nm and the intrinsic viscosity increase sharply to values that are consistent with a transition to the α-helix conformation. The circular dichroism of poly(L -tyrosine) in dimethyl sulfoxide and in dimethyl sulfoxide/dichloroacetic acid (80:20 v/v) agrees with previous reports for random-coil and α-helix conformations, respectively. The infrared spectrum of poly(L -tyrosine) in dimethyl sulfoxide/dichloroacetic acid (80:20 v/v) shows no evidence of β-structure. We conclude that the transition on going from dimethyl sulfoxide to 20% dichloroacetic acid in dimethyl sulfoxide is a coil → α-helix transition. The amide-I band of poly(L -tyrosine) in dimethyl sulfoxide/dichloroacetic acid (80:20) is found to be at 1662 cm^?1. It has been suggested that this high frequency may be indicative of a left-handed α-helix. However, this high amide-I frequency is consistent with conformational energy calculations of Scheraga and co-workers. The mechanism of the dichloroacetic acid-induced transition to an α-helix is discussed. Dichloroacetic acid and dimethyl sulfoxide interact strongly and the transition presumably involves a marked decrease in the ability of dimethyl sulfoxide to solvate the peptide backbone and aromatic side chains upon complex formation with dichloroacetic acid.     

Peroxidase-catalyzed formation of triplet acetone and chemiluminescence from isobutyraldehyde and molecular oxygen

It has been established that the horseradish peroxidase/O2/isobutyraldehyde (IBAL) system leads to triplet acetone and formic acid formation followed by phosphorescence of the triplet acetone (see, for example, Bechara, E.J.H., Faria Oliveira, O.M.M., Durán, N., Casadei de Baptista, R., and Cilento, G. (1979) Photochem. Photobiol. 30, 101-110). In this paper many of the mechanistic details are established. The reaction is initiated by the autoxidation of IBAL to form the peracid (CH3)2CHC = O(OOH). The peracid converts horseradish peroxidase into compound I which in turn is converted into compound II by abstracting the alcoholic hydrogen atom from the enol form of IBAL. This creates a free radical with two resonance forms. (Formula: see text) Addition of molecular oxygen to the latter resonance form creates a peroxy radical which abstracts a hydrogen atom near the active site of the enzyme. The newly formed alpha-peroxide in turn forms a dioxetane-type of intermediate which rapidly decomposes into triplet acetone and formic acid. Compound II reacts with the enol by the same pathway as compound I. Thus native horseradish peroxidase is regenerated. The hydrogen atom abstraction near the enzyme active site may occur directly from ethanol, present to solubilize IBAL or from a group on the enzyme, in which case ethanol participates in a repair mechanism. Phosphate buffer is necessary because it catalyzes the keto-enol conversion of IBAL. Thus horseradish peroxidase participates in a normal peroxidatic cycle. The only chain reaction is the uncatalyzed autoxidation of IBAL, most of which occurs prior to the mixing of IBAL with the oxygenated horseradish peroxidase solution.     

Resonance Raman characterization of biotin sulfoxide reductase. Comparing oxomolybdenum enzymes in the ME(2)SO reductase family

Resonance Raman spectroscopy has been used to define active site structures for oxidized Mo(VI) and reduced Mo(IV) forms of recombinant Rhodobacter sphaeroides biotin sulfoxide reductase expressed in Escherichia coli. On the basis of (18)O/(16)O labeling studies involving water and the alternative substrate dimethyl sulfoxide and the close correspondence to the resonance Raman spectra previously reported for dimethyl sulfoxide reductase (Garton, S. D., Hilton, J., Oku, H., Crouse, B. R., Rajagopalan, K. V., and Johnson, M. K. (1997) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 119, 12906-12916), vibrational modes associated with a terminal oxo ligand and the two molybdopterin dithiolene ligands have been assigned. The results indicate that the enzyme cycles between mono-oxo-Mo(VI) and des-oxo-Mo(IV) forms with both molybdopterin dithiolene ligands remaining coordinated in both redox states. Direct evidence for an oxygen atom transfer mechanism is provided by (18)O/(16)O labeling studies, which show that the terminal oxo group at the molybdenum center is exchangeable with water during redox cycling and originates from the substrate in substrate-oxidized samples. Biotin sulfoxide reductase is not reduced by biotin or the nonphysiological products, dimethyl sulfide and trimethylamine. However, product-induced changes in the Mo=O stretching frequency provide direct evidence for a product-associated mono-oxo-Mo(VI) catalytic intermediate. The results indicate that biotin sulfoxide reductase is thermodynamically tuned to catalyze the reductase reaction, and a detailed catalytic mechanism is proposed.     

Magnetic circular dichroism studies on horseradish peroxidase.

Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra were observed for native (Fe(III)) horseradish peroxidase (peroxidase, EC 1.11.1.7), its alkaline form and fluoro- and cyano-derivatives, and also for reduced (Fe(II)) horseradish peroxidase and its carbonmonoxy-- and cyano- derivatives. MCD spectra were obtained for the cyano derivative of Fe(III) horseradish peroxidase, and reduced horseradish peroxidase and its carbonmonoxy- derivative nearly identical with those for the respective myoglobin derivatives. The alkaline form of horseradish peroxidase exhibits a completely different MCD spectrum from that of myoglobin hydroxide. Thus it shows an MCD spectrum which falls into the ferric low-spin heme grouping. Native horseradish peroxidase and its fluoro derivatives show almost identical MCD spectra with those for the respective myoglobin derivatives in the visible region, though some changes were detected in the Soret region. Therefore it is concluded that the MCD spectra on the whole are sensitive to the spin state of the heme iron rather than to the porphyrin structures. The cyanide derivative of reduced horseradish peroxidase exhibited a characteristic MCD spectrum of the low-spin ferrous derivative like oxy-myoglobin.     

Spectroscopic study on structure of horseradish peroxidase in water and dimethyl sulfoxide mixture

The structure of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in phosphate buffered saline (PBS)/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) mixed solvents at different compositions is investigated by IR, electronic absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopies. The fluorescence spectra and the amide I spectra of ferric HRP [HRP(Fe3+)] show that overall structural changes are relatively small up to 60% DMSO. Although the amide I band of HRP(Fe3+) shows a gradual change in the secondary structure and a decrease in the contents of a helices, its fluorescence spectra indicate that the distance between the heme and Trp173 is almost constant. In contrast, the changes in the positions of the Soret bands for resting HRP(Fe3+) and catalytic intermediates (compounds I and II) and the IR spectra at the C-O stretching vibration mode of carbonyl ferrous HRP [HRP(Fe2+)-CO] show that the microenvironment in the distal heme pocket is altered, even with low DMSO contents. The large reduction of the catalytic activity of HRP even at low DMSO contents can be attributed to the structural transition in the distal heme pocket. In PBS/DMSO mixtures containing more than 70 vol % DMSO, HRP undergoes large structural changes, including a large loss of the secondary structure and a dissociation of the heme from the apoprotein. The presence of the components of the amide I band that can be assigned to strongly hydrogen bonding amide C=O groups at 1616 and 1684 cm(-1) suggests that the denatured HRP may aggregate through strong hydrogen bonds.     

Peroxidase activity in human red cell: a biological model for excited state molecules generation.

The presence of enzymically generated triplet acetone in red cells and energy transfer to eosin, rose bengal and 9,10-dibromoanthracene-2-sulfonate was indicate by: (1) product distribution; (2) K_ET τ_o, similar to the 2-methylpropanal/peroxidase/O₂ system; (3) correlation between hemolysis, oxygen uptake and photon emission; (4) membrane protection by energy acceptors, and (5) by comparison of the 2-methylpropanal/peroxidase/O₂ system with 2-methylpropanal/red cells/membranes/O₂ and 2-methylpropanal/acid extractable protein from red cells membrane/O₂ systems, which have a high peroxidase activity.This is the first report of a biological system producing a photohemolysis effect in the dark.     

Magnetic resonance spectral characterization of the heme active site of Coprinus cinereus peroxidase

Examination of the peroxidase isolated from the inkcap Basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus shows that the 42,000-dalton enzyme contains a protoheme IX prosthetic group. Reactivity assays and the electronic absorption spectra of native Coprinus peroxidase and several of its ligand complexes indicate that this enzyme has characteristics similar to those reported for horseradish peroxidase. In this paper, we characterize the H2O2-oxidized forms of Coprinus peroxidase compounds I, II, and III by electronic absorption and magnetic resonance spectroscopies. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of this Coprinus peroxidase indicate the presence of high-spin Fe(III) in the native protein and a number of differences between the heme site of Coprinus peroxidase and horseradish peroxidase. Carbon-13 (of the ferrous CO adduct) and nitrogen-15 (of the cyanide complex) NMR studies together with proton NMR studies of the native and cyanide-complexed Coprinus peroxidase are consistent with coordination of a proximal histidine ligand. The EPR spectrum of the ferrous NO complex is also reported. Protein reconstitution with deuterated hemin has facilitated the assignment of the heme methyl resonances in the proton NMR spectrum.     

Conformational changes and inactivation of rabbit muscle creatine kinase in dimethyl sulfoxide solutions.

The effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on creatine kinase (CK) conformation and enzymatic activity were studied by measuring activity changes, aggregation, and fluorescence spectra. The results showed that at low concentrations (< 65% v/v), DMSO had little effect on CK activity and structure. However, higher concentrations of DMSO led to CK inactivation, partial unfolding, and exposure of hydrophobic surfaces and thiol groups. DMSO caused aggregation during CK denaturation. A 75% DMSO concentration induced the most significant aggregation of CK. The CK inactivation and unfolding kinetics were single phase. The unfolding of CK was an irreversible process in the DMSO solutions. The results suggest that to a certain extent, an enzyme can maintain catalytic activity and conformation in water-organic mixture environments. Higher concentrations of DMSO affected the enzyme structure but not its active site. Inactivation occurred along with noticeable conformational change during CK denaturation. The inactivation and unfolding of CK in DMSO solutions differed from other denaturants such as guanidine, urea, and sodium dodecyl sulfate. The exposure of hydrophobic surfaces was a primary reason for the protein aggregation.     

Hydroxyl-radical production in physiological reactions. A novel function of peroxidase.

Peroxidases catalyze the dehydrogenation by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) of various phenolic and endiolic substrates in a peroxidatic reaction cycle. In addition, these enzymes exhibit an oxidase activity mediating the reduction of O2 to superoxide (O2.-) and H2O2 by substrates such as NADH or dihydroxyfumarate. Here we show that horseradish peroxidase can also catalyze a third type of reaction that results in the production of hydroxyl radicals (.OH) from H2O2 in the presence of O2.-. We provide evidence that to mediate this reaction, the ferric form of horseradish peroxidase must be converted by O2.- into the perferryl form (Compound III), in which the haem iron can assume the ferrous state. It is concluded that the ferric/perferryl peroxidase couple constitutes an effective biochemical catalyst for the production of .OH from O2.- and H2O2 (iron-catalyzed Haber-Weiss reaction). This reaction can be measured either by the hydroxylation of benzoate or the degradation of deoxyribose. O2.- and H2O2 can be produced by the oxidase reaction of horseradish peroxidase in the presence of NADH. The .OH-producing activity of horseradish peroxidase can be inhibited by inactivators of haem iron or by various O2.- and .OH scavengers. On an equimolar Fe basis, horseradish peroxidase is 1-2 orders of magnitude more active than Fe-EDTA, an inorganic catalyst of the Haber-Weiss reaction. Particularly high .OH-producing activity was found in the alkaline horseradish peroxidase isoforms and in a ligninase-type fungal peroxidase, whereas lactoperoxidase and soybean peroxidase were less active, and myeloperoxidase was inactive. Operating in the .OH-producing mode, peroxidases may be responsible for numerous destructive and toxic effects of activated oxygen reported previously.