Cytochrome b5 reductase–cytochrome b5 as an active P450 redox enzyme system in Phanerochaete chrysosporium: Atypical properties and in vivo evidence of electron transfer capability to CYP63A2

Two central redox enzyme systems exist to reduce eukaryotic P450 enzymes, the P450 oxidoreductase (POR) and the cyt b₅ reductase–cyt b₅. In fungi, limited information is available for the cyt b₅ reductase–cyt b₅ system. Here we characterized the kinetic mechanism of (cyt b₅r)–cyt b₅ redox system from the model white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium (Pc) and made a quantitative comparison to the POR system. We determined that Pc-cyt b₅r followed a “ping-pong” mechanism and could directly reduce cytochrome c. However, unlike other cyt b₅ reductases, Pc-cyt b₅r lacked the typical ferricyanide reduction activity, a standard for cyt b₅ reductases. Through co-expression in yeast, we demonstrated that the Pc-cyt b₅r–cyt b₅ complex is capable of transferring electrons to Pc-P450 CYP63A2 for its benzo(a)pyrene monooxygenation activity and that the efficiency was comparable to POR. In fact, both redox systems supported oxidation of an estimated one-third of the added benzo(a)pyrene amount. To our knowledge, this is the first report to indicate that the cyt b₅r–cyt b₅ complex of fungi is capable of transferring electrons to a P450 monooxygenase. Furthermore, this is the first eukaryotic quantitative comparison of the two P450 redox enzyme systems (POR and cyt b₅r–cyt b₅) in terms of supporting a P450 monooxygenase activity.