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Sample records for di-heme protein cytochrome

  1. Expression of recombinant Pseudomonas stutzeri di-heme cytochrome c(4) by high-cell-density fed-batch cultivation of Pseudomonas putida

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thuesen, Marianne Hallberg; Nørgaard, Allan; Hansen, Anne Merete

    2003-01-01

    The gene of the di-heme protein cytochrome c(4) from Pseudomonas stutzeri was expressed in Pseudomonas putida. High-yield expression of the protein was achieved by high-cell-density fed-batch cultivation using an exponential glucose feeding strategy. The recombinant cytochrome c(4) protein...

  2. Protein Machineries Involved in the Attachment of Heme to Cytochrome c: Protein Structures and Molecular Mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Travaglini-Allocatelli

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cytochromes c (Cyt c are ubiquitous heme-containing proteins, mainly involved in electron transfer processes, whose structure and functions have been and still are intensely studied. Surprisingly, our understanding of the molecular mechanism whereby the heme group is covalently attached to the apoprotein (apoCyt in the cell is still largely unknown. This posttranslational process, known as Cyt c biogenesis or Cyt c maturation, ensures the stereospecific formation of the thioether bonds between the heme vinyl groups and the cysteine thiols of the apoCyt heme binding motif. To accomplish this task, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells have evolved distinctive protein machineries composed of different proteins. In this review, the structural and functional properties of the main maturation apparatuses found in gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells will be presented, dissecting the Cyt c maturation process into three functional steps: (i heme translocation and delivery, (ii apoCyt thioreductive pathway, and (iii apoCyt chaperoning and heme ligation. Moreover, current hypotheses and open questions about the molecular mechanisms of each of the three steps will be discussed, with special attention to System I, the maturation apparatus found in gram-negative bacteria.

  3. Heterogeneous electron transfer of a two-centered heme protein: redox and electrocatalytic properties of surface-immobilized cytochrome C(4).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monari, Stefano; Battistuzzi, Gianantonio; Borsari, Marco; Di Rocco, Giulia; Martini, Laura; Ranieri, Antonio; Sola, Marco

    2009-10-15

    The recombinant diheme cytochrome c(4) from the psycrophilic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC 125 and its Met64Ala and Met164Ala variants, which feature a hydroxide ion axially bound to the heme iron at the N- and C-terminal domains, respectively, were found to exchange electrons efficiently with a gold electrode coated with a SAM of 11-mercapto-1-undecanoic acid. The mutation-induced removal of the redox equivalence of the two heme groups and changes in the net charge of the protein lobes yield two-centered protein systems with unprecedented properties in the electrode-immobilized state. The heterogeneous and intraheme electron transfer processes were characterized for these species in which the high- and low-potential heme groups are swapped over in the bilobal protein framework and experience a constrained (M64A) and unconstrained (M164A) orientation toward the electrode. The reduction thermodynamics for the native and mutated hemes were measured for the first time for a diheme cytochrome c. In the diffusing regime, they reproduce closely those for the corresponding centers in single-heme class-I cytochromes c, despite the low sequence identity. Larger differences are observed in the thermodynamics of the immobilized species and in the heterogeneous electron transfer rate constants. T-dependent kinetic measurements show that the proteins are positioned approximately 7 A from the HOOC-terminated SAM-coated electrode. Protein-electrode orientation and efficient intraheme ET enable the His,OH(-)-ligated heme A of the immobilized Met64Ala variant to carry out the reductive electrocatalysis of molecular oxygen. This system therefore constitutes a novel two-centered heme-based biocatalytic interface to be exploited for "third-generation" amperometric biosensing.

  4. Multi-heme Cytochromes in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1: Structures, functions and opportunities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Breuer, Marian; Rosso, Kevin M.; Blumberger, Jochen; Butt, Julea N.

    2014-11-05

    Multi-heme cytochromes are employed by a range of microorganisms to transport electrons over distances of up to tens of nanometers. Perhaps the most spectacular utilization of these proteins is in the reduction of extracellular solid substrates, including electrodes and insoluble mineral oxides of Fe(III) and Mn(III/IV), by species of Shewanella and Geobacter. However, multi-heme cytochromes are found in numerous and phylogenetically diverse prokaryotes where they participate in electron transfer and redox catalysis that contributes to biogeochemical cycling of N, S and Fe on the global scale. These properties of multi-heme cytochromes have attracted much interest and contributed to advances in bioenergy applications and bioremediation of contaminated soils. Looking forward there are opportunities to engage multi-heme cytochromes for biological photovoltaic cells, microbial electrosynthesis and developing bespoke molecular devices. As a consequence it is timely to review our present understanding of these proteins and we do this here with a focus on the multitude of functionally diverse multi-heme cytochromes in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. We draw on findings from experimental and computational approaches which ideally complement each other in the study of these systems: computational methods can interpret experimentally determined properties in terms of molecular structure to cast light on the relation between structure and function. We show how this synergy has contributed to our understanding of multi-heme cytochromes and can be expected to continue to do so for greater insight into natural processes and their informed exploitation in biotechnologies.

  5. Heme exporter FLVCR1a regulates heme synthesis and degradation and controls activity of cytochromes P450.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinchi, Francesca; Ingoglia, Giada; Chiabrando, Deborah; Mercurio, Sonia; Turco, Emilia; Silengo, Lorenzo; Altruda, Fiorella; Tolosano, Emanuela

    2014-05-01

    The liver has one of the highest rates of heme synthesis of any organ. More than 50% of the heme synthesized in the liver is used for synthesis of P450 enzymes, which metabolize exogenous and endogenous compounds that include natural products, hormones, drugs, and carcinogens. Feline leukemia virus subgroup C cellular receptor 1a (FLVCR1a) is plasma membrane heme exporter that is ubiquitously expressed and controls intracellular heme content in hematopoietic lineages. We investigated the role of Flvcr1a in liver function in mice. We created mice with conditional disruption of Mfsd7b, which encodes Flvcr1a, in hepatocytes (Flvcr1a(fl/fl);alb-cre mice). Mice were analyzed under basal conditions, after phenylhydrazine-induced hemolysis, and after induction of cytochromes P450 synthesis. Livers were collected and analyzed by histologic, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunoblot analyses. Hepatic P450 enzymatic activities were measured. Flvcr1a(fl/fl);alb-cre mice accumulated heme and iron in liver despite up-regulation of heme oxygenase 1, ferroportin, and ferritins. Hepatic heme export activity of Flvcr1a was closely associated with heme biosynthesis, which is required to sustain cytochrome induction. Upon cytochromes P450 stimulation, Flvcr1a(fl/fl);alb-cre mice had reduced cytochrome activity, associated with accumulation of heme in hepatocytes. The expansion of the cytosolic heme pool in these mice was likely responsible for the early inhibition of heme synthesis and increased degradation of heme, which reduced expression and activity of cytochromes P450. In livers of mice, Flvcr1a maintains a free heme pool that regulates heme synthesis and degradation as well as cytochromes P450 expression and activity. These findings have important implications for drug metabolism. Copyright © 2014 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Role of Heme and Heme-Proteins in Trypanosomatid Essential Metabolic Pathways

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    Karina E. J. Tripodi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Around the world, trypanosomatids are known for being etiological agents of several highly disabling and often fatal diseases like Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi, leishmaniasis (Leishmania spp., and African trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma brucei. Throughout their life cycle, they must cope with diverse environmental conditions, and the mechanisms involved in these processes are crucial for their survival. In this review, we describe the role of heme in several essential metabolic pathways of these protozoans. Notwithstanding trypanosomatids lack of the complete heme biosynthetic pathway, we focus our discussion in the metabolic role played for important heme-proteins, like cytochromes. Although several genes for different types of cytochromes, involved in mitochondrial respiration, polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism, and sterol biosynthesis, are annotated at the Tritryp Genome Project, the encoded proteins have not yet been deeply studied. We pointed our attention into relevant aspects of these protein functions that are amenable to be considered for rational design of trypanocidal agents.

  7. Expression and characterization of truncated human heme oxygenase (hHO-1) and a fusion protein of hHO-1 with human cytochrome P450 reductase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilks, A; Black, S M; Miller, W L; Ortiz de Montellano, P R

    1995-04-04

    A human heme oxygenase (hHO-1) gene without the sequence coding for the last 23 amino acids has been expressed in Escherichia coli behind the pho A promoter. The truncated enzyme is obtained in high yields as a soluble, catalytically-active protein, making it available for the first time for detailed mechanistic studies. The purified, truncated hHO-1/heme complex is spectroscopically indistinguishable from that of the rat enzyme and converts heme to biliverdin when reconstituted with rat liver cytochrome P450 reductase. A self-sufficient heme oxygenase system has been obtained by fusing the truncated hHO-1 gene to the gene for human cytochrome P450 reductase without the sequence coding for the 20 amino acid membrane binding domain. Expression of the fusion protein in pCWori+ yields a protein that only requires NADPH for catalytic turnover. The failure of exogenous cytochrome P450 reductase to stimulate turnover and the insensitivity of the catalytic rate toward changes in ionic strength establish that electrons are transferred intramolecularly between the reductase and heme oxygenase domains of the fusion protein. The Vmax for the fusion protein is 2.5 times higher than that for the reconstituted system. Therefore, either the covalent tether does not interfere with normal docking and electron transfer between the flavin and heme domains or alternative but equally efficient electron transfer pathways are available that do not require specific docking.

  8. Heme Exporter FLVCR1a Regulates Heme Synthesis and Degradation and Controls Activity of Cytochromes P450

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinchi, Francesca; Ingoglia, Giada; Chiabrando, Deborah; Mercurio, Sonia; Turco, Emilia; Silengo, Lorenzo; Altruda, Fiorella; Tolosano, Emanuela

    2014-01-01

    Background & Aims The liver has one of the highest rates of heme synthesis of any organ. More than 50% of the heme synthesized in the liver is used for synthesis of P450 enzymes, which metabolize exogenous and endogenous compounds that include natural products, hormones, drugs, and carcinogens. Feline leukemia virus subgroup C cellular receptor 1a (FLVCR1a) is plasma membrane heme exporter that is ubiquitously expressed and controls intracellular heme content in hematopoietic lineages. We investigated the role of Flvcr1a in liver function in mice. Methods We created mice with conditional disruption of Mfsd7b, which encodes Flvcr1a, in hepatocytes (Flvcr1afl/fl;alb-cre mice). Mice were analyzed under basal conditions, after phenylhydrazine-induced hemolysis, and after induction of cytochromes P450 synthesis. Livers were collected and analyzed by histologic, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunoblot analyses. Hepatic P450 enzymatic activities were measured. Results Flvcr1afl/fl;alb-cre mice accumulated heme and iron in liver despite up-regulation of heme oxygenase 1, ferroportin, and ferritins. Hepatic heme export activity of Flvcr1a was closely associated with heme biosynthesis, which is required to sustain cytochrome induction. Upon cytochromes P450 stimulation, Flvcr1afl/fl;alb-cre mice had reduced cytochrome activity, associated with accumulation of heme in hepatocytes. The expansion of the cytosolic heme pool in these mice was likely responsible for the early inhibition of heme synthesis and increased degradation of heme, which reduced expression and activity of cytochromes P450. Conclusions In livers of mice, Flvcr1a maintains a free heme pool that regulates heme synthesis and degradation as well as cytochromes P450 expression and activity. These findings have important implications for drug metabolism. PMID:24486949

  9. Cytochrome c and c1 heme lyases are essential in Plasmodium berghei.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Posayapisit, Navaporn; Songsungthong, Warangkhana; Koonyosying, Pongpisid; Falade, Mofolusho O; Uthaipibull, Chairat; Yuthavong, Yongyuth; Shaw, Philip J; Kamchonwongpaisan, Sumalee

    Malaria parasites possess a de novo heme synthetic pathway. Interestingly, this pathway is dispensable during the blood stages of development in mammalian hosts. The assembly of the two most important hemeproteins, cytochromes c and c1, is mediated by cytochrome heme lyase enzymes. Plasmodium spp. possess two cytochrome heme lyases encoded by separate genes. Given the redundancy of heme synthesis, we sought to determine if heme lyase function also exhibits redundancy. To answer this question, we performed gene knockout experiments. We found that the PBANKA_143950 and PBANKA_0602600 Plasmodium berghei genes encoding cytochrome c (Pbcchl) and cytochrome c1 (Pbcc 1 hl) heme lyases, respectively, can only be disrupted when a complementary gene is present. In contrast, four genes in the de novo heme synthesis pathway can be disrupted without complementation. This work provides evidence that Pbcchl and Pbcc 1 hl are both essential and thus may be antimalarial targets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. An ethane-bridged porphyrin dimer as a model of di-heme proteins: inorganic and bioinorganic perspectives and consequences of heme-heme interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sil, Debangsu; Rath, Sankar Prasad

    2015-10-07

    Interaction between heme centers has been cleverly implemented by Nature in order to regulate different properties of multiheme cytochromes, thereby allowing them to perform a wide variety of functions. Our broad interest lies in unmasking the roles played by heme-heme interactions in modulating different properties viz., metal spin state, redox potential etc., of the individual heme centers using an ethane-bridged porphyrin dimer as a synthetic model of dihemes. The large differences in the structure and properties of the diheme complexes, as compared to the monoheme analogs, provide unequivocal evidence of the role played by heme-heme interactions in the dihemes. This Perspective provides a brief account of our recent efforts to explore these interesting aspects and the subsequent outcomes.

  11. Characterization of Heme Proteins Involved in Microbial Exoelectric Activity and Small Molecule-Sensing

    KAUST Repository

    Vogler, Malvina M.

    2018-01-01

    Heme proteins, also termed cytochromes, are a widespread class of metalloproteins containing an Fe-protoporphyrin IX cofactor. They perform numerous functions in nature such as oxygen-transport by hemoglobin, monooxygenation reactions catalyzed by Cytochrome P-450, and electron transfer reactions during photosynthesis. The differences between proteincofactor binding characteristics and the cofactor environment greatly influence the extensive range of functions. In this dissertation, proteins from the Mtr pathway of Shewanella oneidensis are characterized. These c-type cytochromes contain multiple heme cofactors per protein molecule that covalently attach to the protein amino acid sequence and are involved in electron transfer to extracellular metal oxides during anaerobic conditions. Successful recombinant expression of pathway components MtrC and MtrA is achieved in Escherichia coli. Heme-dependent gel staining and UV/Vis spectroscopy show characteristic c-type cytochrome characteristics. Mass spectrometry confirms that the correct extensive post-translational modifications were performed and the ten heme groups were incorporated per protein of MtrC and MtrA and the correct lipid-anchor was attached to extracellular MtrC. Raman spectroscopy measurements of MtrA provide intriguing structural information and highlight the strong influence of the heme cofactors within the protein structure. Next, an Arabidopsis thaliana protein is analyzed. It was previously identified via a motif search of the plant genome, based on conserved residues in the H4 NOX pocket. Here, the incorporation of a heme b cofactor is confirmed. UV/Vis spectroscopy under anaerobic conditions demonstrates reversible binding of nitric oxide to the heme iron and depicts the previously published characteristic absorption maxima for other H-NOX proteins.

  12. A Heme-Sensing Mechanism in the Translational Regulation of Mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase Biogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soto, Iliana C.; Fontanesi, Flavia; Myers, Richard S.; Hamel, Patrice; Barrientos, Antoni

    2012-01-01

    Heme plays fundamental roles as cofactor and signaling molecule in multiple pathways devoted to oxygen sensing and utilization in aerobic organisms. For cellular respiration, heme serves as a prosthetic group in electron transfer proteins and redox enzymes. Here we report that in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae a heme-sensing mechanism translationally controls the biogenesis of cytochrome c oxidase (COX), the terminal mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme. We show that Mss51, a COX1 mRNA-specific translational activator and Cox1 chaperone, which coordinates Cox1 synthesis in mitoribosomes with its assembly in COX, is a heme-binding protein. Mss51 contains two heme regulatory motifs or Cys-Pro-X domains located in its N-terminus. Using a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches, we have demonstrated that these motifs are important for heme binding and efficient performance of Mss51 functions. We conclude that heme sensing by Mss51 regulates COX biogenesis and aerobic energy production. PMID:23217259

  13. Successful recombinant production of Allochromatium vinosum cytochrome c' requires coexpression of cmm genes in heme-rich Escherichia coli JCB712

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evers, Toon H.; Merkx, Maarten

    2005-01-01

    Cytochrome c' from the purple photosynthetic bacterium Allochromatium vinosum (CCP) displays a unique, reversible dimer-to-monomer transition upon binding of NO, CO, and CN - . This small, four helix bundle protein represents an attractive model for the study of other heme protein biosensors, provided a recombinant expression system is available. Here we report the development of an efficient expression system for CCP that makes use of a maltose binding protein fusion strategy to enhance periplasmic expression and allow easy purification by affinity chromatography. Coexpression of cytochrome c maturase genes and the use of a heme-rich Escherichia coli strain were found to be necessary to obtain reasonable yields of cytochrome c'. Characterization using circular dichroism, UV-vis spectroscopy, and size-exclusion chromatography confirms the native-like properties of the recombinant protein, including its ligand-induced monomerization

  14. Stability enhancement of cytochrome c through heme deprotonation and mutations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonoyama, Takafumi; Hasegawa, Jun; Uchiyama, Susumu; Nakamura, Shota; Kobayashi, Yuji; Sambongi, Yoshihiro

    2009-01-01

    The chemical denaturation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c(551) variants was examined at pH 5.0 and 3.6. All variants were stabilized at both pHs compared with the wild-type. Remarkably, the variants carrying the F34Y and/or E43Y mutations were more stabilized than those having the F7A/V13M or V78I ones at pH 5.0 compared with at pH 3.6 by ~3.0-4.6 kJ/mol. Structural analyses predicted that the side chains of introduced Tyr-34 and Tyr-43 become hydrogen donors for the hydrogen bond formation with heme 17-propionate at pH 5.0, but less efficiently at pH 3.6, because the propionate is deprotonated at the higher pH. Our results provide an insight into a stabilization strategy for heme proteins involving variation of the heme electronic state and introduction of appropriate mutations.

  15. Electrochemistry and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of cytochrome c and its heme-disrupted analogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novak, David; Mojovic, Milos; Pavicevic, Aleksandra; Zatloukalova, Martina; Hernychova, Lenka; Bartosik, Martin; Vacek, Jan

    2018-02-01

    Cytochrome c (cyt c) is one of the most studied conjugated proteins due to its electron-transfer properties and ability to regulate the processes involved in homeostasis or apoptosis. Here we report an electrochemical strategy for investigating the electroactivity of cyt c and its analogs with a disrupted heme moiety, i.e. apocytochrome c (acyt c) and porphyrin cytochrome c (pcyt c). The electrochemical data are supplemented with low-temperature and spin-probe electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The main contribution of this report is a complex evaluation of cyt c reduction and oxidation at the level of surface-localized amino acid residues and the heme moiety in a single electrochemical scan. The electrochemical pattern of cyt c is substantially different to both analogs acyt c and pcyt c, which could be applicable in further studies on the redox properties and structural stability of cytochromes and other hemeproteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Cytochrome P450 regulation: the interplay between its heme and apoprotein moieties in synthesis, assembly, repair, and disposal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correia, Maria Almira; Sinclair, Peter R; De Matteis, Francesco

    2011-02-01

    Heme is vital to our aerobic universe. Heme cellular content is finely tuned through an exquisite control of synthesis and degradation. Heme deficiency is deleterious to cells, whereas excess heme is toxic. Most of the cellular heme serves as the prosthetic moiety of functionally diverse hemoproteins, including cytochromes P450 (P450s). In the liver, P450s are its major consumers, with >50% of hepatic heme committed to their synthesis. Prosthetic heme is the sine qua non of P450 catalytic biotransformation of both endo- and xenobiotics. This well-recognized functional role notwithstanding, heme also regulates P450 protein synthesis, assembly, repair, and disposal. These less well-appreciated aspects are reviewed herein.

  17. Transmutation of a heme protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barker, P D; Ferrer, J C; Mylrajan, M; Loehr, T M; Feng, R; Konishi, Y; Funk, W D; MacGillivray, R T; Mauk, A G

    1993-01-01

    Residue Asn57 of bovine liver cytochrome b5 has been replaced with a cysteine residue, and the resulting variant has been isolated from recombinant Escherichia coli as a mixture of four major species: A, BI, BII, and C. A combination of electronic spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectroscopy, resonance Raman spectroscopy, electrospray mass spectrometry, and direct electrochemistry has been used to characterize these four major cytochrome derivatives. The red form A (E(m) = -19 mV) is found to possess a heme group bound covalently through a thioether linkage involving Cys57 and the alpha carbon of the heme 4-vinyl group. Form BI has a covalently bound heme group coupled through a thioether linkage involving the beta carbon of the heme 4-vinyl group. Form BII is similar to BI except that the sulfur involved in the thioether linkage is oxidized to a sulfoxide. The green form C (E(m) = 175 mV) possesses a noncovalently bound prosthetic group with spectroscopic properties characteristic of a chlorin. A mechanism is proposed for the generation of these derivatives, and the implications of these observations for the biosynthesis of cytochrome c and naturally occurring chlorin prosthetic groups are discussed. PMID:8341666

  18. Disruption of a hydrogen bond network in human versus spider monkey cytochrome c affects heme crevice stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldes, Matthew E; Jeakins-Cooley, Margaret E; McClelland, Levi J; Mou, Tung-Chung; Bowler, Bruce E

    2016-05-01

    The hypothesis that the recent rapid evolution of primate cytochromes c, which primarily involves residues in the least stable Ω-loop (Ω-loop C, residues 40-57), stabilizes the heme crevice of cytochrome c relative to other mammals, is tested. To accomplish this goal, we have compared the properties of human and spider monkey cytochrome c and a set of four variants produced in the process of converting human cytochrome c into spider monkey cytochrome c. The global stability of all variants has been measured by guanidine hydrochloride denaturation. The stability of the heme crevice has been assessed with the alkaline conformational transition. Structural insight into the effects of the five amino acid substitutions needed to convert human cytochrome c into spider monkey cytochrome c is provided by a 1.15Å resolution structure of spider monkey cytochrome c. The global stability for all variants is near 9.0kcal/mol at 25°C and pH7, which is higher than that observed for other mammalian cytochromes c. The heme crevice stability is more sensitive to the substitutions required to produce spider monkey cytochrome c with decreases of up to 0.5 units in the apparent pKa of the alkaline conformational transition relative to human cytochrome c. The structure of spider monkey cytochrome c indicates that the Y46F substitution destabilizes the heme crevice by disrupting an extensive hydrogen bond network that connects three surface loops including Ω-loop D (residues 70-85), which contains the Met80 heme ligand. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. The Trypanosoma cruzi Protein TcHTE Is Critical for Heme Uptake.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo L Merli

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, presents nutritional requirements for several metabolites. It requires heme for the biosynthesis of several heme-proteins involved in essential metabolic pathways like mitochondrial cytochromes and respiratory complexes, as well as enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of sterols and unsaturated fatty acids. However, this parasite lacks a complete route for its synthesis. In view of these facts, T. cruzi has to incorporate heme from the environment during its life cycle. In other words, their hosts must supply the heme for heme-protein synthesis. Although the acquisition of heme is a fundamental issue for the parasite's replication and survival, how this cofactor is imported and distributed is poorly understood. In this work, we used different fluorescent heme analogs to explore heme uptake along the different life-cycle stages of T. cruzi, showing that this parasite imports it during its replicative stages: the epimastigote in the insect vector and the intracellular amastigote in the mammalian host. Also, we identified and characterized a T. cruzi protein (TcHTE with 55% of sequence similarity to LHR1 (protein involved in L. amazonensis heme transport, which is located in the flagellar pocket, where the transport of nutrients proceeds in trypanosomatids. We postulate TcHTE as a protein involved in improving the efficiency of the heme uptake or trafficking in T. cruzi.

  20. Respiration triggers heme transfer from cytochrome c peroxidase to catalase in yeast mitochondria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kathiresan, Meena; Martins, Dorival; English, Ann M.

    2014-01-01

    In exponentially growing yeast, the heme enzyme, cytochrome c peroxidase (Ccp1) is targeted to the mitochondrial intermembrane space. When the fermentable source (glucose) is depleted, cells switch to respiration and mitochondrial H2O2 levels rise. It has long been assumed that CCP activity detoxifies mitochondrial H2O2 because of the efficiency of this activity in vitro. However, we find that a large pool of Ccp1 exits the mitochondria of respiring cells. We detect no extramitochondrial CCP activity because Ccp1 crosses the outer mitochondrial membrane as the heme-free protein. In parallel with apoCcp1 export, cells exhibit increased activity of catalase A (Cta1), the mitochondrial and peroxisomal catalase isoform in yeast. This identifies Cta1 as a likely recipient of Ccp1 heme, which is supported by low Cta1 activity in ccp1Δ cells and the accumulation of holoCcp1 in cta1Δ mitochondria. We hypothesized that Ccp1’s heme is labilized by hyperoxidation of the protein during the burst in H2O2 production as cells begin to respire. To test this hypothesis, recombinant Ccp1 was hyperoxidized with excess H2O2 in vitro, which accelerated heme transfer to apomyoglobin added as a surrogate heme acceptor. Furthermore, the proximal heme Fe ligand, His175, was found to be ∼85% oxidized to oxo-histidine in extramitochondrial Ccp1 isolated from 7-d cells, indicating that heme labilization results from oxidation of this ligand. We conclude that Ccp1 responds to respiration-derived H2O2 via a previously unidentified mechanism involving H2O2-activated heme transfer to apoCta1. Subsequently, the catalase activity of Cta1, not CCP activity, contributes to mitochondrial H2O2 detoxification. PMID:25422453

  1. Respiration triggers heme transfer from cytochrome c peroxidase to catalase in yeast mitochondria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kathiresan, Meena; Martins, Dorival; English, Ann M

    2014-12-09

    In exponentially growing yeast, the heme enzyme, cytochrome c peroxidase (Ccp1) is targeted to the mitochondrial intermembrane space. When the fermentable source (glucose) is depleted, cells switch to respiration and mitochondrial H2O2 levels rise. It has long been assumed that CCP activity detoxifies mitochondrial H2O2 because of the efficiency of this activity in vitro. However, we find that a large pool of Ccp1 exits the mitochondria of respiring cells. We detect no extramitochondrial CCP activity because Ccp1 crosses the outer mitochondrial membrane as the heme-free protein. In parallel with apoCcp1 export, cells exhibit increased activity of catalase A (Cta1), the mitochondrial and peroxisomal catalase isoform in yeast. This identifies Cta1 as a likely recipient of Ccp1 heme, which is supported by low Cta1 activity in ccp1Δ cells and the accumulation of holoCcp1 in cta1Δ mitochondria. We hypothesized that Ccp1's heme is labilized by hyperoxidation of the protein during the burst in H2O2 production as cells begin to respire. To test this hypothesis, recombinant Ccp1 was hyperoxidized with excess H2O2 in vitro, which accelerated heme transfer to apomyoglobin added as a surrogate heme acceptor. Furthermore, the proximal heme Fe ligand, His175, was found to be ∼ 85% oxidized to oxo-histidine in extramitochondrial Ccp1 isolated from 7-d cells, indicating that heme labilization results from oxidation of this ligand. We conclude that Ccp1 responds to respiration-derived H2O2 via a previously unidentified mechanism involving H2O2-activated heme transfer to apoCta1. Subsequently, the catalase activity of Cta1, not CCP activity, contributes to mitochondrial H2O2 detoxification.

  2. Heme Sensor Proteins*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girvan, Hazel M.; Munro, Andrew W.

    2013-01-01

    Heme is a prosthetic group best known for roles in oxygen transport, oxidative catalysis, and respiratory electron transport. Recent years have seen the roles of heme extended to sensors of gases such as O2 and NO and cell redox state, and as mediators of cellular responses to changes in intracellular levels of these gases. The importance of heme is further evident from identification of proteins that bind heme reversibly, using it as a signal, e.g. to regulate gene expression in circadian rhythm pathways and control heme synthesis itself. In this minireview, we explore the current knowledge of the diverse roles of heme sensor proteins. PMID:23539616

  3. Redox active molecules cytochrome c and vitamin C enhance heme-enzyme peroxidations by serving as non-specific agents for redox relay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gade, Sudeep Kumar; Bhattacharya, Subarna; Manoj, Kelath Murali

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► At low concentrations, cytochrome c/vitamin C do not catalyze peroxidations. ► But low levels of cytochrome c/vitamin C enhance diverse heme peroxidase activities. ► Enhancement positively correlates to the concentration of peroxide in reaction. ► Reducible additives serve as non-specific agents for redox relay in the system. ► Insight into electron transfer processes in routine and oxidative-stress states. -- Abstract: We report that incorporation of very low concentrations of redox protein cytochrome c and redox active small molecule vitamin C impacted the outcome of one-electron oxidations mediated by structurally distinct plant/fungal heme peroxidases. Evidence suggests that cytochrome c and vitamin C function as a redox relay for diffusible reduced oxygen species in the reaction system, without invoking specific or affinity-based molecular interactions for electron transfers. The findings provide novel perspectives to understanding – (1) the promiscuous role of cytochrome b 5 in the metabolism mediated by liver microsomal xenobiotic metabolizing systems and (2) the roles of antioxidant molecules in affording relief from oxidative stress.

  4. Ascorbic acid deficiency decreases hepatic cytochrome P-450, especially CYP2B1/2B2, and simultaneously induces heme oxygenase-1 gene expression in scurvy-prone ODS rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Misato; Hoshinaga, Yukiko; Miura, Natsuko; Tokuda, Yuki; Shigeoka, Shigeru; Murai, Atsushi; Horio, Fumihiko

    2014-01-01

    The mechanisms underlying the decrease in hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP) content in ascorbic acid deficiency was investigated in scurvy-prone ODS rats. First, male ODS rats were fed a diet containing sufficient ascorbic acid (control) or a diet without ascorbic acid (deficient) for 18 days, with or without the intraperitoneal injection of phenobarbital. Ascorbic acid deficiency decreased hepatic microsomal total CYP content, CYP2B1/2B2 protein, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COX) complex IV subunit I protein, and simultaneously increased heme oxygenase-1 protein in microsomes and mitochondria. Next, heme oxygenase-1 inducers, that is lipopolysaccharide and hemin, were administered to phenobaribital-treated ODS rats fed sufficient ascorbic acid. The administration of these inducers decreased hepatic microsomal total CYP content, CYP2B1/2B2 protein, and mitochondrial COX complex IV subunit I protein. These results suggested that the stimulation of hepatic heme oxygenase-1 expression by ascorbic acid deficiency caused the decrease in CYP content in liver.

  5. Redox active molecules cytochrome c and vitamin C enhance heme-enzyme peroxidations by serving as non-specific agents for redox relay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gade, Sudeep Kumar; Bhattacharya, Subarna [Heme and Flavo Proteins Laboratory, 204, Center for Biomedical Research, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 (India); Manoj, Kelath Murali, E-mail: satyamjayatu@yahoo.com [Heme and Flavo Proteins Laboratory, 204, Center for Biomedical Research, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 (India)

    2012-03-09

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer At low concentrations, cytochrome c/vitamin C do not catalyze peroxidations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer But low levels of cytochrome c/vitamin C enhance diverse heme peroxidase activities. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Enhancement positively correlates to the concentration of peroxide in reaction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Reducible additives serve as non-specific agents for redox relay in the system. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Insight into electron transfer processes in routine and oxidative-stress states. -- Abstract: We report that incorporation of very low concentrations of redox protein cytochrome c and redox active small molecule vitamin C impacted the outcome of one-electron oxidations mediated by structurally distinct plant/fungal heme peroxidases. Evidence suggests that cytochrome c and vitamin C function as a redox relay for diffusible reduced oxygen species in the reaction system, without invoking specific or affinity-based molecular interactions for electron transfers. The findings provide novel perspectives to understanding - (1) the promiscuous role of cytochrome b{sub 5} in the metabolism mediated by liver microsomal xenobiotic metabolizing systems and (2) the roles of antioxidant molecules in affording relief from oxidative stress.

  6. CYTOCHROME P450 REGULATION: THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN ITS HEME AND APOPROTEIN MOIETIES IN SYNTHESIS, ASSEMBLY, REPAIR AND DISPOSAL123

    OpenAIRE

    Correia, Maria Almira; Sinclair, Peter R.; De Matteis, Francesco

    2010-01-01

    Heme is vital to our aerobic universe. Heme cellular content is finely tuned through an exquisite control of synthesis and degradation. Heme deficiency is deleterious to cells, whereas excess heme is toxic. Most of the cellular heme serves as the prosthetic moiety of functionally diverse hemoproteins, including cytochromes P450 (P450s). In the liver, P450s are its major consumers with >50% of hepatic heme committed to their synthesis. Prosthetic heme is the sine qua non of P450 catalytic biot...

  7. Mitochondrial cytochrome c biogenesis: no longer an enigma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babbitt, Shalon E; Sutherland, Molly C; San Francisco, Brian; Mendez, Deanna L; Kranz, Robert G

    2015-08-01

    Cytochromes c (cyt c) and c1 are heme proteins that are essential for aerobic respiration. Release of cyt c from mitochondria is an important signal in apoptosis initiation. Biogenesis of c-type cytochromes involves covalent attachment of heme to two cysteines (at a conserved CXXCH sequence) in the apocytochrome. Heme attachment is catalyzed in most mitochondria by holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS), which is also necessary for the import of apocytochrome c (apocyt c). Thus, HCCS affects cellular levels of cyt c, impacting mitochondrial physiology and cell death. Here, we review the mechanisms of HCCS function and the roles of heme and residues in the CXXCH motif. Additionally, we consider concepts emerging within the two prokaryotic cytochrome c biogenesis pathways. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Visualizing changes in electron distribution in coupled chains of cytochrome bc(1) by modifying barrier for electron transfer between the FeS cluster and heme c(1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cieluch, Ewelina; Pietryga, Krzysztof; Sarewicz, Marcin; Osyczka, Artur

    2010-02-01

    Cytochrome c(1) of Rhodobacter (Rba.) species provides a series of mutants which change barriers for electron transfer through the cofactor chains of cytochrome bc(1) by modifying heme c(1) redox midpoint potential. Analysis of post-flash electron distribution in such systems can provide useful information about the contribution of individual reactions to the overall electron flow. In Rba. capsulatus, the non-functional low-potential forms of cytochrome c(1) which are devoid of the disulfide bond naturally present in this protein revert spontaneously by introducing a second-site suppression (mutation A181T) that brings the potential of heme c(1) back to the functionally high levels, yet maintains it some 100 mV lower from the native value. Here we report that the disulfide and the mutation A181T can coexist in one protein but the mutation exerts a dominant effect on the redox properties of heme c(1) and the potential remains at the same lower value as in the disulfide-free form. This establishes effective means to modify a barrier for electron transfer between the FeS cluster and heme c(1) without breaking disulfide. A comparison of the flash-induced electron transfers in native and mutated cytochrome bc(1) revealed significant differences in the post-flash equilibrium distribution of electrons only when the connection of the chains with the quinone pool was interrupted at the level of either of the catalytic sites by the use of specific inhibitors, antimycin or myxothiazol. In the non-inhibited system no such differences were observed. We explain the results using a kinetic model in which a shift in the equilibrium of one reaction influences the equilibrium of all remaining reactions in the cofactor chains. It follows a rather simple description in which the direction of electron flow through the coupled chains of cytochrome bc(1) exclusively depends on the rates of all reversible partial reactions, including the Q/QH2 exchange rate to/from the catalytic sites

  9. Structure and expression of cytochrome f in an Oenothera plastome mutant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, E M; Sears, B B

    1990-06-01

    The chloroplast mutant pm7 is one of a number of mutants derived from the plastome mutator (pm) line of Oenothera hookeri, strain Johansen. Immunoblotting showed that this mutant accumulates a protein that is cross-antigenic with cytochrome f, but five kilodaltons larger than the mature wild-type protein. Since cytochrome f is known to be translated on plastid ribosomes as a precursor with an amino-terminal extension, it is proposed that the unprocessed cytochrome f precursor accumulates in pm7. In addition to this precursor-sized cytochrome f protein, some mature-sized cytochrome f was also found in the mutant plastids. The pm7 mutation is inherited in a non-Mendelian fashion; but no alterations in chloroplast DNA restriction patterns, or differences in DNA sequence in the region encoding cytochrome f, were found in a comparison of the wild-type and pm7 chloroplast DNAs. Although the mutant was capable of synthesizing heme, no covalently-bound heme, normally found associated with mature, functional, cytochrome f was detected in the mutant at sizes expected for the presumed precursor, or for mature cytochrome f. These results indicate that the aberrant accumulation of a precursor-sized cytochrome f in pm7 is not due to a lesion directly in the plastid gene encoding cytochrome f, petA, or to a deficiency in the ability of the mutant plastids to synthesize or accumulate heme.

  10. Electron transfer among the CuA-, heme b- and a3-centers of Thermus thermophilus cytochrome ba3

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Farver, Ole; Chen, Ying; Fee, James A

    2006-01-01

    The 1-methyl-nicotinamide radical (MNA(*)), produced by pulse radiolysis has previously been shown to reduce the Cu(A)-site of cytochromes aa(3), a process followed by intramolecular electron transfer (ET) to the heme a but not to the heme a(3) [Farver, O., Grell, E., Ludwig, B., Michel, H. and P...

  11. Peroxide-Dependent Analyte Conversion by the Heme Prosthetic Group, the Heme Peptide “Microperoxidase-11” and Cytochrome c on Chitosan Capped Gold Nanoparticles Modified Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frieder W. Scheller

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available In view of the role ascribed to the peroxidatic activity of degradation products of cytochrome c (cyt c in the processes of apoptosis, we investigate the catalytic potential of heme and of the cyt c derived heme peptide MP-11 to catalyse the cathodic reduction of hydrogen peroxide and to oxidize aromatic compounds. In order to check whether cyt c has an enzymatic activity in the native state where the protein matrix should suppress the inherent peroxidatic activity of its heme prosthetic group, we applied a biocompatible immobilization matrix and very low concentrations of the co-substrate H2O2. The biocatalysts were entrapped on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode in a biocompatible chitosan layer which contained gold nanoparticles. The electrochemical signal for the peroxide reduction is generated by the redox conversion of the heme group, whilst a reaction product of the substrate oxidation is cathodically reduced in the substrate indication. The catalytic efficiency of microperoxidase-11 is sufficient for sensors indicating HRP substrates, e.g., p-aminophenol, paracetamol and catechol, but also the hydroxylation of aniline and dehalogenation of 4-fluoroaniline. The lower limit of detection for p-aminophenol is comparable to previously published papers with different enzyme systems. The peroxidatic activity of cyt c immobilized in the chitosan layer for catechol was found to be below 1 per mill and for p-aminophenol about 3% as compared with that of heme or MP-11.

  12. Plasmon waveguide resonance spectroscopic evidence for differential binding of oxidized and reduced rhodobacter capsulatus cytochrome c(2) to the cytochrome bc(1) complex mediated by the conformation of the rieske iron-sulfur protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Devanathan, S.; Salamon, Z.; Tollin, G.; Fitch, J.C.; Meyer, T.E.; Berry, E.A.; Cusanovich, M.A.

    2007-01-01

    The dissociation constants for the binding of Rhodobacter capsulatus cytochrome c2 and its K93P mutant to the cytochrome bc1 complex embedded in a phospholipid bilayer were measured by plasmon waveguide resonance spectroscopy in the presence and absence of the inhibitor stigmatellin. The reduced form of cytochrome c2 strongly binds to reduced cytochrome bc1 (Kd = 0.02 M) but binds much more weakly to the oxidized form (Kd = 3.1 M). In contrast, oxidized cytochrome c2 binds to oxidized cytochrome bc1 in a biphasic fashion with Kd values of 0.11 and 0.58 M. Such a biphasic interaction is consistent with binding to two separate sites or conformations of oxidized cytochrome c2 and/or cytochrome bc1. However, in the presence of stigmatellin, we find that oxidized cytochrome c2 binds to oxidized cytochrome bc1 in a monophasic fashion with high affinity (Kd = 0.06 M) and reduced cytochrome c2 binds less strongly (Kd = 0.11 M) but ∼30-fold more tightly than in the absence of stigmatellin. Structural studies with cytochrome bc1, with and without the inhibitor stigmatellin, have led to the proposal that the Rieske protein is mobile, moving between the cytochrome b and cytochrome c1 components during turnover. In one conformation, the Rieske protein binds near the heme of cytochrome c1, while the cytochrome c2 binding site is also near the cytochrome c1 heme but on the opposite side from the Rieske site, where cytochrome c2 cannot directly interact with Rieske. However, the inhibitor, stigmatellin, freezes the Rieske protein iron-sulfur cluster in a conformation proximal to cytochrome b and distal to cytochrome c1. We conclude from this that the dual conformation of the Rieske protein is primarily responsible for biphasic binding of oxidized cytochrome c2 to cytochrome c1. This optimizes turnover by maximizing binding of the substrate, oxidized cytochrome c2, when the iron-sulfur cluster is proximal to cytochrome b and minimizing binding of the product, reduced cytochrome c

  13. Production and characterization of yeast cytochrome c antibodies; immunological studies of mutants with altered cytochrome c synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matner, R.R.

    1980-01-01

    Mutations at the structural gene, CYC1, for iso-1-cytochrome c and at the structural gene, CYC7, for iso-2-cytochrome c can reduce the levels of the respective proteins by varying degrees in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mutations at two other loci, cyc2 and cyc3, that are unlinked to either of the structural genes, specifically reduced the levels of both iso-cytochromes c. The cyc2 mutations can cause as low as 10 to 20% of the normal level and cyc3 mutations can cause complete deficiencies. We have explored the possiblity that the CYC2 and CYC3 loci code for maturation functions in the biosynthesis of cytochrome c. The approach used to characterize the nature of the cyc2 and cyc3 induced deficiencies of cytochrome c involved four steps. The results were used to propose possible roles for the CYC2 and CYC3 encoded functions. The CYC3 encoded function is hypothesized to be enzymatic heme attachment. CYC2 may code for a protein that binds and transports apo-cytochrome c through the outer mitochondrial membrane and/or enhances the activity of the heme attachment enzyme

  14. The binding sites on human heme oxygenase-1 for cytochrome p450 reductase and biliverdin reductase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jinling; de Montellano, Paul R Ortiz

    2003-05-30

    Human heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1) catalyzes the NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase-dependent oxidation of heme to biliverdin, CO, and free iron. The biliverdin is subsequently reduced to bilirubin by biliverdin reductase. Earlier kinetic studies suggested that biliverdin reductase facilitates the release of biliverdin from hHO-1 (Liu, Y., and Ortiz de Montellano, P. R. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 5297-5307). We have investigated the binding of P450 reductase and biliverdin reductase to truncated, soluble hHO-1 by fluorescence resonance energy transfer and site-specific mutagenesis. P450 reductase and biliverdin reductase bind to truncated hHO-1 with Kd = 0.4 +/- 0.1 and 0.2 +/- 0.1 microm, respectively. FRET experiments indicate that biliverdin reductase and P450 reductase compete for binding to truncated hHO-1. Mutation of surface ionic residues shows that hHO-1 residues Lys18, Lys22, Lys179, Arg183, Arg198, Glu19, Glu127, and Glu190 contribute to the binding of cytochrome P450 reductase. The mutagenesis results and a computational analysis of the protein surfaces partially define the binding site for P450 reductase. An overlapping binding site including Lys18, Lys22, Lys179, Arg183, and Arg185 is similarly defined for biliverdin reductase. These results confirm the binding of biliverdin reductase to hHO-1 and define binding sites of the two reductases.

  15. Heme environment in HmuY, the heme-binding protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wojtowicz, Halina [Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Tamka 2, 50-137 Wroclaw (Poland); Wojaczynski, Jacek [Department of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw (Poland); Olczak, Mariusz [Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Tamka 2, 50-137 Wroclaw (Poland); Kroliczewski, Jaroslaw [Laboratory of Biophysics, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-148 Wroclaw (Poland); Latos-Grazynski, Lechoslaw [Department of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw (Poland); Olczak, Teresa [Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Tamka 2, 50-137 Wroclaw (Poland)

    2009-05-29

    Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium implicated in the development and progression of chronic periodontitis, acquires heme for growth by a novel mechanism composed of HmuY and HmuR proteins. The aim of this study was to characterize the nature of heme binding to HmuY. The protein was expressed, purified and detailed investigations using UV-vis absorption, CD, MCD, and {sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy were carried out. Ferric heme bound to HmuY may be reduced by sodium dithionite and re-oxidized by potassium ferricyanide. Heme complexed to HmuY, with a midpoint potential of 136 mV, is in a low-spin Fe(III) hexa-coordinate environment. Analysis of heme binding to several single and double HmuY mutants with the methionine, histidine, cysteine, or tyrosine residues replaced by an alanine residue identified histidines 134 and 166 as potential heme ligands.

  16. Heme environment in HmuY, the heme-binding protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wojtowicz, Halina; Wojaczynski, Jacek; Olczak, Mariusz; Kroliczewski, Jaroslaw; Latos-Grazynski, Lechoslaw; Olczak, Teresa

    2009-01-01

    Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium implicated in the development and progression of chronic periodontitis, acquires heme for growth by a novel mechanism composed of HmuY and HmuR proteins. The aim of this study was to characterize the nature of heme binding to HmuY. The protein was expressed, purified and detailed investigations using UV-vis absorption, CD, MCD, and 1 H NMR spectroscopy were carried out. Ferric heme bound to HmuY may be reduced by sodium dithionite and re-oxidized by potassium ferricyanide. Heme complexed to HmuY, with a midpoint potential of 136 mV, is in a low-spin Fe(III) hexa-coordinate environment. Analysis of heme binding to several single and double HmuY mutants with the methionine, histidine, cysteine, or tyrosine residues replaced by an alanine residue identified histidines 134 and 166 as potential heme ligands.

  17. CYB5D2 requires heme-binding to regulate HeLa cell growth and confer survival from chemotherapeutic agents.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony Bruce

    Full Text Available The cytochrome b5 domain containing 2 (CYB5D2; Neuferricin protein has been reported to bind heme, however, the critical residues responsible for heme-binding are undefined. Furthermore, the relationship between heme-binding and CYB5D2-mediated intracellular functions remains unknown. Previous studies examining heme-binding in two cytochrome b5 heme-binding domain-containing proteins, damage-associated protein 1 (Dap1; Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1, have revealed that conserved tyrosine (Y 73, Y79, aspartic acid (D 86, and Y127 residues present in human CYB5D2 may be involved in heme-binding. CYB5D2 binds to type b heme, however, only the substitution of glycine (G at D86 (D86G within its cytochrome b5 heme-binding (cyt-b5 domain abolished its heme-binding ability. Both CYB5D2 and CYB5D2(D86G localize to the endoplasmic reticulum. Ectopic CYB5D2 expression inhibited cell proliferation and anchorage-independent colony growth of HeLa cells. Conversely, CYB5D2 knockdown and ectopic CYB5D2(D86G expression increased cell proliferation and colony growth. As PGRMC1 has been reported to regulate the expression and activities of cytochrome P450 proteins (CYPs, we examined the role of CYB5D2 in regulating the activities of CYPs involved in sterol synthesis (CYP51A1 and drug metabolism (CYP3A4. CYB5D2 co-localizes with cytochrome P450 reductase (CYPOR, while CYB5D2 knockdown reduced lanosterol demethylase (CYP51A1 levels and rendered HeLa cells sensitive to mevalonate. Additionally, knockdown of CYB5D2 reduced CYP3A4 activity. Lastly, CYB5D2 expression conferred HeLa cell survival from chemotherapeutic agents (paclitaxel, cisplatin and doxorubicin, with its ability to promote survival being dependent on its heme-binding ability. Taken together, this study provides evidence that heme-binding is critical for CYB5D2 in regulating HeLa cell growth and survival, with endogenous CYB5D2 being required to

  18. SDS-facilitated in vitro formation of a transmembrane B-type cytochrome is mediated by changes in local pH

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weber, M.; Schneider, D.; Prodöhl, A.

    2011-01-01

    cytochrome b(559)', which can be efficiently assembled in vitro from a heme-binding PsbF homo-dimer by combining free heme with the apo-cytochrome b(559)'. Unfolding of the protein dissolved in the mild detergent dodecyl maltoside may be induced by addition of SDS, which at high concentrations leads to dimer...... dissociation. Surprisingly, absorption spectroscopy reveals that heme binding and cytochrome formation at pH 8.0 are optimal at intermediate SDS concentrations. Stopped-flow kinetics revealed that genuine conformational changes are involved in heme binding at these SDS concentrations. GPS (Global Protein...... folding State mapping) NMR measurements showed that optimal heme binding is intimately related to a change in the degree of histidine protonation. In the absence of SDS, the pH curve for heme binding is bell-shaped with an optimum at around pH 6-7. At alkaline pH values, the negative electrostatic...

  19. A complex of cardiac cytochrome c1 and cytochrome c.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Y L; Kaminsky, L S; King, T E

    1976-01-10

    The interactions of cytochrome c1 and cytochrome c from bovine cardiac mitochondria were investigated. Cytochrome c1 and cytochrome c formed a 1:1 molecular complex in aqueous solutions of low ionic strength. The complex was stable to Sephadex G-75 chromatography. The formation and stability of the complex were independent of the oxidation state of the cytochrome components as far as those reactions studied were concerned. The complex was dissociated in solutions of ionic strength higher than 0.07 or pH exceeding 10 and only partially dissociated in 8 M urea. No complexation occurred when cytochrome c was acetylated on 64% of its lysine residues or photooxidized on its 2 methionine residues. Complexes with molecular ratios of less than 1:1 (i.e. more cytochrome c) were obtained when polymerized cytochrome c, or cytochrome c with all lysine residues guanidinated, or a "1-65 heme peptide" from cyanogen bromide cleavage of cytochrome c was used. These results were interpreted to imply that the complex was predominantly maintained by ionic interactions probably involving some of the lysine residues of cytochrome c but with major stabilization dependent on the native conformations of both cytochromes. The reduced complex was autooxidizable with biphasic kinetics with first order rate constants of 6 X 10(-5) and 5 X U0(-5) s-1 but did not react with carbon monoxide. The complex reacted with cyanide and was reduced by ascorbate at about 32% and 40% respectively, of the rates of reaction with cytochrome c alone. The complex was less photoreducible than cytochrome c1 alone. The complex exhibited remarkably different circular dichroic behavior from that of the summation of cytochrome c1 plus cytochrome c. We concluded that when cytochromes c1 and c interacted they underwent dramatic conformational changes resulting in weakening of their heme crevices. All results available would indicate that in the complex cytochrome c1 was bound at the entrance to the heme crevice of

  20. Effects of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane on hepatic heme synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moody, D.E.; Clawson, G.A.; Piper, W.N.; Smuckler, E.A.

    1984-01-01

    Previous studies showed that 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) caused a decrease in hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 suggesting that hepatic heme metabolism may be affected by DBCP treatment. Various parameters of hepatic heme synthesis were measured at intervals ranging from 0 to 72 hr in male Sprague-Dawley rats given a single oral dose (200 mg/kg) of DBCP. Incorporation of the radiolabeled heme precursor [delta-14C]aminolevulinic acid (14C-ALA) into liver, protein, extracted heme, and subcellular fractions of liver homogenates was significantly decreased to 75, 58, and 81% of controls, respectively, at 24 hr. At 48 and 72 hr after DBCP treatment, the accumulation of 14C-ALA label after 4 hr in liver homogenates and subcellular fractions was significantly increased in comparison to controls. These changes in 14C-ALA uptake were accompanied by decreases in total liver and microsomal heme, but not mitochondrial heme. Decreases were found in the spectral content of two heme proteins, cytochromes P-450 and b5, and the activity of another heme protein, catalase. Heme oxygenase activity increased to 130, 151, 209, and 186% of control values at 12, 24, 48, and 72 hr after DBCP, respectively. A slight, but significant, increase in ALA-synthetase to 112% of controls occurred at 24 hr, and slight, but significant, decreases in ALA-dehydratase to 90 and 80% of control occurred at 12 and 24 hr, respectively. No significant changes in uroporphyrinogen-1-synthetase or ferrochelatase at the time points tested was noted. The porphyrin content of liver was increased to 130% of control, while the serum and urine porphyrin levels were decreased to 30% of the control values at 24 hr. Liver ALA content was not significantly altered through the time period studied, but serum and urine levels were increased at 24 hr to 176 and 130% of the control values, respectively. In conclusion, the decreases in liver heme proteins following a single oral dose of DBCP are accompanied by

  1. Mini Heme-Proteins: Designability of Structure and Diversity of Functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rai, Jagdish

    2017-08-30

    Natural heme proteins may have heme bound to poly-peptide chain as a cofactor via noncovalent forces or heme as a prosthetic group may be covalently bound to the proteins. Nature has used porphyrins in diverse functions like electron transfer, oxidation, reduction, ligand binding, photosynthesis, signaling, etc. by modulating its properties through diverse protein matrices. Synthetic chemists have tried to utilize these molecules in equally diverse industrial and medical applications due to their versatile electro-chemical and optical properties. The heme iron has catalytic activity which can be modulated and enhanced for specific applications by protein matrix around it. Heme proteins can be designed into novel enzymes for sterio specific catalysis ranging from oxidation to reduction. These designed heme-proteins can have applications in industrial catalysis and biosensing. A peptide folds around heme easily due to hydrophobic effect of the large aromatic ring of heme. The directional property of co-ordinate bonding between peptide and metal ion in heme further specifies the structure. Therefore heme proteins can be easily designed for targeted structure and catalytic activity. The central aromatic chemical entity in heme viz. porphyrin is a very ancient molecule. Its presence in the prebiotic soup and in all forms of life suggests that it has played a vital role in the origin and progressive evolution of living organisms. Porphyrin macrocycles are highly conjugated systems composed of four modified pyrrole subunits interconnected at their α -carbon atoms via methine (=CH-) bridges. Initial minimalist models of hemoproteins focused on effect of heme-ligand co-ordinate bonding on chemical reactivity, spectroscopy, electrochemistry and magnetic properties of heme. The great sensitivity of these spectroscopic features of heme to its surrounding makes them extremely useful in structural elucidation of designed heme-peptide complexes. Therefore heme proteins are

  2. Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooda, Jagmohan; Alam, Maksudul; Zhang, Li

    2015-07-09

    Heme serves as the prosthetic group for a wide variety of proteins known as hemoproteins, such as hemoglobin, myoglobin and cytochromes. It is involved in various molecular and cellular processes such as gene transcription, translation, cell differentiation and cell proliferation. The biosynthesis levels of heme vary across different tissues and cell types and is altered in diseased conditions such as anemia, neuropathy and cancer. This technique uses [4-(14)C] 5-aminolevulinic acid ([(14)C] 5-ALA), one of the early precursors in the heme biosynthesis pathway to measure the levels of heme synthesis in mammalian cells. This assay involves incubation of cells with [(14)C] 5-ALA followed by extraction of heme and measurement of the radioactivity incorporated into heme. This procedure is accurate and quick. This method measures the relative levels of heme biosynthesis rather than the total heme content. To demonstrate the use of this technique the levels of heme biosynthesis were measured in several mammalian cell lines.

  3. Mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase Biogenesis Is Regulated by the Redox State of a Heme-Binding Translational Activator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soto, Iliana C; Barrientos, Antoni

    2016-02-20

    Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX), the last enzyme of the respiratory chain, catalyzes the reduction of oxygen to water and therefore is essential for cell function and viability. COX is a multimeric complex, whose biogenesis is extensively regulated. One type of control targets cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1), a key COX enzymatic core subunit translated on mitochondrial ribosomes. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Cox1 synthesis and COX assembly are coordinated through a negative feedback regulatory loop. This coordination is mediated by Mss51, a heme-sensing COX1 mRNA-specific processing factor and translational activator that is also a Cox1 chaperone. In this study, we investigated whether Mss51 hemylation and Mss51-mediated Cox1 synthesis are both modulated by the reduction-oxidation (redox) environment. We report that Cox1 synthesis is attenuated under oxidative stress conditions and have identified one of the underlying mechanisms. We show that in vitro and in vivo exposure to hydrogen peroxide induces the formation of a disulfide bond in Mss51 involving CPX motif heme-coordinating cysteines. Mss51 oxidation results in a heme ligand switch, thereby lowering heme-binding affinity and promoting its release. We demonstrate that in addition to affecting Mss51-dependent heme sensing, oxidative stress compromises Mss51 roles in COX1 mRNA processing and translation. H2O2-induced downregulation of mitochondrial translation has so far not been reported. We show that high H2O2 concentrations induce a global attenuation effect, but milder concentrations specifically affect COX1 mRNA processing and translation in an Mss51-dependent manner. The redox environment modulates Mss51 functions, which are essential for regulation of COX biogenesis and aerobic energy production.

  4. Kinetic and equilibrium studies of acrylonitrile binding to cytochrome c peroxidase and oxidation of acrylonitrile by cytochrome c peroxidase compound I

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chinchilla, Diana, E-mail: Diana_Chinchilla@yahoo.com; Kilheeney, Heather, E-mail: raindropszoo@yahoo.com; Vitello, Lidia B., E-mail: lvitello@niu.edu; Erman, James E., E-mail: jerman@niu.edu

    2014-01-03

    Highlights: •Cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) binds acrylonitrile in a pH-independent fashion. •The spectrum of the CcP/acrylonitrile complex is that of a 6c–ls ferric heme. •The acrylonitrile/CcP complex has a K{sub D} value of 1.1 ± 0.2 M. •CcP compound I oxidizes acrylonitrile with a maximum turnover rate of 0.61 min{sup −1}. -- Abstract: Ferric heme proteins bind weakly basic ligands and the binding affinity is often pH dependent due to protonation of the ligand as well as the protein. In an effort to find a small, neutral ligand without significant acid/base properties to probe ligand binding reactions in ferric heme proteins we were led to consider the organonitriles. Although organonitriles are known to bind to transition metals, we have been unable to find any prior studies of nitrile binding to heme proteins. In this communication we report on the equilibrium and kinetic properties of acrylonitrile binding to cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) as well as the oxidation of acrylonitrile by CcP compound I. Acrylonitrile binding to CcP is independent of pH between pH 4 and 8. The association and dissociation rate constants are 0.32 ± 0.16 M{sup −1} s{sup −1} and 0.34 ± 0.15 s{sup −1}, respectively, and the independently measured equilibrium dissociation constant for the complex is 1.1 ± 0.2 M. We have demonstrated for the first time that acrylonitrile can bind to a ferric heme protein. The binding mechanism appears to be a simple, one-step association of the ligand with the heme iron. We have also demonstrated that CcP can catalyze the oxidation of acrylonitrile, most likely to 2-cyanoethylene oxide in a “peroxygenase”-type reaction, with rates that are similar to rat liver microsomal cytochrome P450-catalyzed oxidation of acrylonitrile in the monooxygenase reaction. CcP compound I oxidizes acrylonitrile with a maximum turnover number of 0.61 min{sup −1} at pH 6.0.

  5. Analysis of the electrochemistry of hemes with Ems spanning 800 mV

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Zhong; Gunner, M. R.

    2009-01-01

    The free energy of heme reduction in different proteins is found to vary over more than 18 kcal/mol. It is a challenge to determine how proteins manage to achieve this enormous range of Ems with a single type of redox cofactor. Proteins containing 141 unique hemes of a-, b-, and c-type, with bis-His, His-Met, and aquo-His ligation were calculated using Multi-Conformation Continuum Electrostatics (MCCE). The experimental Ems range over 800 mV from −350 mV in cytochrome c3 to 450 mV in cytochrome c peroxidase (vs. SHE). The quantitative analysis of the factors that modulate heme electrochemistry includes the interactions of the heme with its ligands, the solvent, the protein backbone, and sidechains. MCCE calculated Ems are in good agreement with measured values. Using no free parameters the slope of the line comparing calculated and experimental Ems is 0.73 (R2 = 0.90), showing the method accounts for 73% of the observed Em range. Adding a +160 mV correction to the His-Met c-type hemes yields a slope of 0.97 (R2 = 0.93). With the correction 65% of the hemes have an absolute error smaller than 60 mV and 92% are within 120 mV. The overview of heme proteins with known structures and Ems shows both the lowest and highest potential hemes are c-type, whereas the b-type hemes are found in the middle Em range. In solution, bis-His ligation lowers the Em by ≈205 mV relative to hemes with His-Met ligands. The bis-His, aquo-His, and His-Met ligated b-type hemes all cluster about Ems which are ≈200 mV more positive in protein than in water. In contrast, the low potential bis-His c-type hemes are shifted little from in solution, whereas the high potential His-Met c-type hemes are raised by ≈300 mV from solution. The analysis shows that no single type of interaction can be identified as the most important in setting heme electrochemistry in proteins. For example, the loss of solvation (reaction field) energy, which raises the Em, has been suggested to be a major factor in

  6. Heme-binding plasma membrane proteins of K562 erythroleukemia cells: Adsorption to heme-microbeads, isolation with affinity chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Majuri, R.

    1989-01-01

    Heme-microbeads attached themselves to the surface of viable K562 cells in a manner inhibitable by free hemin, indicating heme-recptor interaction. The microbeads were at first evenly distributed, but after prolonged incubation at 37 deg. C they formed a cap on one pole of the cells indicating clustering of the membrane heme receptors. Membrane proteins were labeled by culturing the cells in the presence of 35 S-methionine and were then solubilized with Triton X-114. The hydrophobic proteins contained about 20% of the total bound label. The solubilized membrane proteins were subsequently adsorbed to a heme-Sepharose affinity gel. According to SDS-electrophorsis and subsequent autoradiography, the immobilized heme captures two proteins or a protein with two polypeptides of 20 000 and 32 000 daltons. The larger of these was only wekly labeled with 35 S. The same two bands were observed if the cell surface proteins were labeled with 125 I by the lactoperoxidase method and the subsequently solubilized membrane proteins were isolated with heme-Sepharose. (author)

  7. Study of the individual cytochrome b5 and cytochrome b5 reductase domains of Ncb5or reveals a unique heme pocket and a possible role of the CS domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Bin; Parthasarathy, Sudharsan; Wang, WenFang; Gibney, Brian R; Battaile, Kevin P; Lovell, Scott; Benson, David R; Zhu, Hao

    2010-09-24

    NADH cytochrome b(5) oxidoreductase (Ncb5or) is found in animals and contains three domains similar to cytochrome b(5) (b(5)), CHORD-SGT1 (CS), and cytochrome b(5) reductase (b(5)R). Ncb5or has an important function, as suggested by the diabetes and lipoatrophy phenotypes in Ncb5or null mice. To elucidate the structural and functional properties of human Ncb5or, we generated its individual b(5) and b(5)R domains (Ncb5or-b(5) and Ncb5or-b(5)R, respectively) and compared them with human microsomal b(5) (Cyb5A) and b(5)R (Cyb5R3). A 1.25 Å x-ray crystal structure of Ncb5or-b(5) reveals nearly orthogonal planes of the imidazolyl rings of heme-ligating residues His(89) and His(112), consistent with a highly anisotropic low spin EPR spectrum. Ncb5or is the first member of the cytochrome b(5) family shown to have such a heme environment. Like other b(5) family members, Ncb5or-b(5) has two helix-loop-helix motifs surrounding heme. However, Ncb5or-b(5) differs from Cyb5A with respect to location of the second heme ligand (His(112)) and of polypeptide conformation in its vicinity. Electron transfer from Ncb5or-b(5)R to Ncb5or-b(5) is much less efficient than from Cyb5R3 to Cyb5A, possibly as a consequence of weaker electrostatic interactions. The CS linkage probably obviates the need for strong interactions between b(5) and b(5)R domains in Ncb5or. Studies with a construct combining the Ncb5or CS and b(5)R domains suggest that the CS domain facilitates docking of the b(5) and b(5)R domains. Trp(114) is an invariant surface residue in all known Ncb5or orthologs but appears not to contribute to electron transfer from the b(5)R domain to the b(5) domain.

  8. Sequential unfolding of the two-domain protein Pseudomonas stutzeri cytochrome c(4)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Niels Højmark; Jensen, Thomas Jon; Nørgaard, Allan

    2002-01-01

    F stutzeri cytochrome c. is a di-haem protein, composed of two globular domains each with His-Met coordinated haem. and a hydrogen bond network between the domains. The domain foldings are highly symmetric but with specific differences including structural differences of ligand coordination, and ...

  9. Kinetic and equilibrium studies of acrylonitrile binding to cytochrome c peroxidase and oxidation of acrylonitrile by cytochrome c peroxidase compound I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinchilla, Diana; Kilheeney, Heather; Vitello, Lidia B; Erman, James E

    2014-01-03

    Ferric heme proteins bind weakly basic ligands and the binding affinity is often pH dependent due to protonation of the ligand as well as the protein. In an effort to find a small, neutral ligand without significant acid/base properties to probe ligand binding reactions in ferric heme proteins we were led to consider the organonitriles. Although organonitriles are known to bind to transition metals, we have been unable to find any prior studies of nitrile binding to heme proteins. In this communication we report on the equilibrium and kinetic properties of acrylonitrile binding to cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) as well as the oxidation of acrylonitrile by CcP compound I. Acrylonitrile binding to CcP is independent of pH between pH 4 and 8. The association and dissociation rate constants are 0.32±0.16 M(-1) s(-1) and 0.34±0.15 s(-1), respectively, and the independently measured equilibrium dissociation constant for the complex is 1.1±0.2 M. We have demonstrated for the first time that acrylonitrile can bind to a ferric heme protein. The binding mechanism appears to be a simple, one-step association of the ligand with the heme iron. We have also demonstrated that CcP can catalyze the oxidation of acrylonitrile, most likely to 2-cyanoethylene oxide in a "peroxygenase"-type reaction, with rates that are similar to rat liver microsomal cytochrome P450-catalyzed oxidation of acrylonitrile in the monooxygenase reaction. CcP compound I oxidizes acrylonitrile with a maximum turnover number of 0.61 min(-1) at pH 6.0. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Characterization of SiaA, a streptococcal heme-binding protein associated with a heme ABC transport system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sook, Brian R; Block, Darci R; Sumithran, Suganya; Montañez, Griselle E; Rodgers, Kenton R; Dawson, John H; Eichenbaum, Zehava; Dixon, Dabney W

    2008-02-26

    Many pathogenic bacteria require heme and obtain it from their environment. Heme transverses the cytoplasmic membrane via an ATP binding cassette (ABC) pathway. Although a number of heme ABC transport systems have been described in pathogenic bacteria, there is as yet little biophysical characterization of the proteins in these systems. The sia (hts) gene cluster encodes a heme ABC transporter in the Gram positive Streptococcus pyogenes. The lipoprotein-anchored heme binding protein (HBP) of this transporter is SiaA (HtsA). In the current study, resonance Raman (rR), magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies were used to determine the coordination state and spin state of both the ferric and ferrous forms of this protein. Identifiers from these techniques suggest that the heme is six-coordinate and low-spin in both oxidation states of the protein, with methionine and histidine as axial ligands. SiaA has a pKa of 9.7 +/- 0.1, attributed to deprotonation of the axial histidine. Guanidinium titration studies show that the ferric state is less stable than the ferrous state, with DeltaG(H2O) values for the oxidized and reduced proteins of 7.3 +/- 0.8 and 16.0 +/- 3.6 kcal mol-1, respectively. The reductive and oxidative midpoint potentials determined via spectroelectrochemistry are 83 +/- 3 and 64 +/- 3 mV, respectively; the irreversibility of heme reduction suggests that redox cycling of the heme is coupled to a kinetically sluggish change in structure or conformation. The biophysical characterization described herein will significantly advance our understanding of structure-function relationships in HBP.

  11. Role of active oxygen species in the photodestruction of microsomal cytochrome P-450 and associated monooxygenases by hematoporphyrin derivative in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, M.; Dixit, R.; Mukhtar, H.; Bickers, D.R.

    1985-01-01

    The cytochrome P-450 in hepatic microsomes prepared from rats pretreated with hematoporphyrin derivative was shown to be rapidly destroyed in the presence of long-wave ultraviolet light. The photocatalytic destruction of the heme-protein was dependent on both the dose of ultraviolet light and of hematoporphyrin derivative administered to the animals. The destructive reaction was accompanied by increased formation of cytochrome P-420, loss of microsomal heme content, and diminished catalytic activity of cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases such as aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase. The specificity of the effect on cytochrome P-450 was confirmed by the observation that other heme-containing moieties such as myoglobin and cytochrome c were not susceptible to photocatalytic destruction. The destruction of cytochrome P-450 was a photodynamic process requiring oxygen since quenchers of singlet oxygen, including 2,5-dimethylfuran, histidine, and beta-carotene, each substantially diminished the reaction. Scavengers of superoxide anion such as superoxide dismutase and of H 2 O 2 such as catalase did not protect against photodestruction of cytochrome P-450, whereas inhibitors of the hydroxyl radical, including benzoate, mannitol, and ethyl alcohol, did afford protection. These results indicate that lipid-rich microsomal membranes and the heme-protein cytochrome P-450 embedded therein are potential targets of injury in cells exposed to hematoporphyrin derivative photosensitization

  12. Introduction of a covalent histidine-heme linkage in a hemoglobin: a promising tool for heme protein engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, Selena L; Preimesberger, Matthew R; Johnson, Eric A; Lecomte, Juliette T J

    2014-12-01

    The hemoglobins of the cyanobacteria Synechococcus and Synechocystis (GlbNs) are capable of spontaneous and irreversible attachment of the b heme to the protein matrix. The reaction, which saturates the heme 2-vinyl by addition of a histidine residue, is reproduced in vitro by preparing the recombinant apoprotein, adding ferric heme, and reducing the iron to the ferrous state. Spontaneous covalent attachment of the heme is potentially useful for protein engineering purposes. Thus, to explore whether the histidine-heme linkage can serve in such applications, we attempted to introduce it in a test protein. We selected as our target the heme domain of Chlamydomonas eugametos LI637 (CtrHb), a eukaryotic globin that exhibits less than 50% sequence identity with the cyanobacterial GlbNs. We chose two positions, 75 in the FG corner and 111 in the H helix, to situate a histidine near a vinyl group. We characterized the proteins with gel electrophoresis, absorbance spectroscopy, and NMR analysis. Both T111H and L75H CtrHbs reacted upon reduction of the ferric starting material containing cyanide as the distal ligand to the iron. With L75H CtrHb, nearly complete (>90%) crosslinking was observed to the 4-vinyl as expected from the X-ray structure of wild-type CtrHb. Reaction of T111H CtrHb also occurred at the 4-vinyl, in a 60% yield indicating a preference for the flipped heme orientation in the starting material. The work suggests that the His-heme modification will be applicable to the design of proteins with a non-dissociable heme group. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. NirN Protein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Novel Electron-bifurcating Dehydrogenase Catalyzing the Last Step of Heme d1 Biosynthesis*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamczack, Julia; Hoffmann, Martin; Papke, Ulrich; Haufschildt, Kristin; Nicke, Tristan; Bröring, Martin; Sezer, Murat; Weimar, Rebecca; Kuhlmann, Uwe; Hildebrandt, Peter; Layer, Gunhild

    2014-01-01

    Heme d1 plays an important role in denitrification as the essential cofactor of the cytochrome cd1 nitrite reductase NirS. At present, the biosynthesis of heme d1 is only partially understood. The last step of heme d1 biosynthesis requires a so far unknown enzyme that catalyzes the introduction of a double bond into one of the propionate side chains of the tetrapyrrole yielding the corresponding acrylate side chain. In this study, we show that a Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 strain lacking the NirN protein does not produce heme d1. Instead, the NirS purified from this strain contains the heme d1 precursor dihydro-heme d1 lacking the acrylic double bond, as indicated by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, the dihydro-heme d1 was extracted from purified NirS and characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and finally identified by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Moreover, we show that purified NirN from P. aeruginosa binds the dihydro-heme d1 and catalyzes the introduction of the acrylic double bond in vitro. Strikingly, NirN uses an electron bifurcation mechanism for the two-electron oxidation reaction, during which one electron ends up on its heme c cofactor and the second electron reduces the substrate/product from the ferric to the ferrous state. On the basis of our results, we propose novel roles for the proteins NirN and NirF during the biosynthesis of heme d1. PMID:25204657

  14. Drug-enhanced carbon monoxide production from heme by cytochrome P450 reductase

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragic Vukomanovic

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Carbon monoxide (CO formed endogenously is considered to be cytoprotective, and the vast majority of CO formation is attributed to the degradation of heme by heme oxygenases-1 and -2 (HO-1, HO-2. Previously, we observed that brain microsomes containing HO-2 produced many-fold more CO in the presence of menadione and its congeners; herein we explored these observations further. We determined the effects of various drugs on CO production of rat brain microsomes and recombinant human cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR; CO was measured by gas chromatography with reductive detection. Brain microsomes of Sprague-Dawley rats or recombinant human cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR were incubated with NADPH and various drugs in closed vials in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 and 37°C. After 15 minutes, the reaction was stopped by cooling in dry ice, and the headspace gas was analyzed for CO production using gas chromatography with reductive (mercuric oxide detection. We observed drug-enhanced CO production in the presence of both microsomes and recombinant CPR alone; the presence of HO was not required. A range of structurally diverse drugs were capable of amplifying this CO formation; these molecules had structures consistent with redox cycling capability. The addition of catalase to a reaction mixture, that contained activating drugs, inhibited the production of CO. Drug-enhanced CO formation can be catalyzed by CPR. The mechanism of CPR activation was not through classical drug-receptor mediation. Redox cycling may be involved in the drug-induced amplification of CO production by CPR through the production of reactive oxygen species.

  15. Syntheses of carbon-13 labeled protoporphyrin-IX for spectroscopic studies of heme proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujinari, E.M.

    1985-01-01

    The development of various methodologies for synthesis of selectively tailored protoporphyrin-IX dimethyl ester are presented. The iron(II) complex of protoporphyrin-IX is the heme, the prosthetic group for Hb, Mb, cytochromes and peroxidases. The significance of this research is to provide direct means to establish definitive carbon-13 NMR assignments of heme proteins in order to study not only the structure-function relationships, but also protein dynamics of these vital systems. Carbon-13 labeling at the beta-vinyl position was first achieved by ozonolysis of protoporphyrin-IX dimethyl ester. Column LC method were used to first isolate 2,4-diformyldeuteroporphyrin-IX dimethyl ester. Concomitantly, monofomyl-monovinyl porphyrins were obtained as a mixture of two isomers. This mixture was separated by MPLC or prep HPLC to afford the isomerically pure products, Spirographis porphyrin dimethyl ester and Iso-Spirographis porphyrin dimethyl ester. A Wittig reaction to each of these porphyrins with 13 C-methyltriphenylphosphonium iodide gave 2,4-bis[ 13 C 2 ]-vinyl protoporphyrin-IX dimethyl ester, 2-[ 13 C 2 ]-vinyl protoporphyrin-IX dimethyl ester, and the 4-[ 13 C 2 ]-vinyl protoporphyrin-IX dimethyl ester, respectively

  16. Direct observation of vibrational energy flow in cytochrome c.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujii, Naoki; Mizuno, Misao; Mizutani, Yasuhisa

    2011-11-10

    Vibrational energy flow in ferric cytochrome c has been examined by picosecond time-resolved anti-Stokes ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) measurements. By taking advantage of the extremely short nonradiative excited state lifetime of heme in the protein (energy of 20000-25000 cm(-1) was optically deposited selectively at the heme site. Subsequent energy relaxation in the protein moiety was investigated by monitoring the anti-Stokes UVRR intensities of the Trp59 residue, which is a single tryptophan residue involved in the protein that is located close to the heme group. It was found from temporal changes of the anti-Stokes UVRR intensities that the energy flow from the heme to Trp59 and the energy release from Trp59 took place with the time constants of 1-3 and ~8 ps, respectively. These data are consistent with the time constants for the vibrational relaxation of the heme and heating of water reported for hemeproteins. The kinetics of the energy flow were not affected by the amount of excess energy deposited at the heme group. These results demonstrate that the present technique is a powerful tool for studying the vibrational energy flow in proteins.

  17. Deformations of the Heme Group of Different Ferrocytochrome c Proteins Probed by Resonance Raman Spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagarman, Andrew; Schweitzer-Stenner, Reinhard; Wallace, Carmichael; Laberge, Monique

    2008-01-01

    We measured the low-frequency polarized resonance Raman spectra of horse heart, chicken, and yeast(C102T) ferrocytochromes c with Soret excitation. We examined the out-of-plane deformations of the heme groups by determining the relative intensities and depolarization ratios of a variety of out-of-plane and in-plane Raman active bands. Analysis of relative Raman intensities shows differences in non-planarity of the heme groups of yeast(C102T), horse heart and chicken cytochrome c. Cytochrome c has been shown to have a dominant ruffling (B 1u ) deformation by means of normal coordinate structural decomposition (NSD) analysis of the heme group in crystal structures. The presence and intensity of B 1u modes, γ 10 -γ 12 , support the indication of ruffling being the major contribution to the non-planar deformations in cytochrome c. Other types of non-planar deformations like doming (A 2U ) and waving (E g ) can be deduced from the Raman activity of γ 5 (A 2u ), γ 21 and γ 22 (E g ). The depolarization ratios of γ 5 , γ 10 , γ 11 and γ 12 are larger than 0.125, indicating the presence of other deformations such as saddling (B 2u ) and propellering (A 1u ), which is again in agreement with the crystal structures of horse heart and yeast ferrocytochrome c. An analysis of the intensities and depolarization ratios of out-of-plane modes revealed that ruffling is comparable in yeast and horse heart cytochrome c, saddling is larger and doming as well as propellering are lower in yeast cytochrome c. With respect to doming and ruffling our results contradict values obtained from the NSD analysis of the corresponding crystal structures. With respect to saddling, our data are in agreement with the crystal structure. The NSD analysis of heme structures resulting from MD simulations did not correlate very well with the spectroscopically obtained results concerning the ruffling and doming coordinate, whereas a qualitative agreement was again obtained for saddling.

  18. Hal Is a Bacillus anthracis Heme Acquisition Protein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balderas, Miriam A.; Nobles, Christopher L.; Honsa, Erin S.; Alicki, Embriette R.

    2012-01-01

    The metal iron is a limiting nutrient for bacteria during infection. Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax and a potential weapon of bioterrorism, grows rapidly in mammalian hosts, which suggests that it efficiently attains iron during infection. Recent studies have uncovered both heme (isd) and siderophore-mediated (asb) iron transport pathways in this pathogen. Whereas deletion of the asb genes results in reduced virulence, the loss of three surface components from isd had no effect, thereby leaving open the question of what additional factors in B. anthracis are responsible for iron uptake from the most abundant iron source for mammals, heme. Here, we describe the first functional characterization of bas0520, a gene recently implicated in anthrax disease progression. bas0520 encodes a single near-iron transporter (NEAT) domain and several leucine-rich repeats. The NEAT domain binds heme, despite lacking a stabilizing tyrosine common to the NEAT superfamily of hemoproteins. The NEAT domain also binds hemoglobin and can acquire heme from hemoglobin in solution. Finally, deletion of bas0520 resulted in bacilli unable to grow efficiently on heme or hemoglobin as an iron source and yielded the most significant phenotype relative to that for other putative heme uptake systems, a result that suggests that this protein plays a prominent role in the replication of B. anthracis in hematogenous environments. Thus, we have assigned the name of Hal (heme-acquisition leucine-rich repeat protein) to BAS0520. These studies advance our understanding of heme acquisition by this dangerous pathogen and justify efforts to determine the mechanistic function of this novel protein for vaccine or inhibitor development. PMID:22865843

  19. Conserved residues of the human mitochondrial holocytochrome c synthase mediate interactions with heme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babbitt, Shalon E; San Francisco, Brian; Bretsnyder, Eric C; Kranz, Robert G

    2014-08-19

    C-type cytochromes are distinguished by the covalent attachment of a heme cofactor, a modification that is typically required for its subsequent folding, stability, and function. Heme attachment takes place in the mitochondrial intermembrane space and, in most eukaryotes, is mediated by holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS). HCCS is the primary component of the eukaryotic cytochrome c biogenesis pathway, known as System III. The catalytic function of HCCS depends on its ability to coordinate interactions between its substrates: heme and cytochrome c. Recent advancements in the recombinant expression and purification of HCCS have facilitated comprehensive analyses of the roles of conserved residues in HCCS, as demonstrated in this study. Previously, we proposed a four-step model describing HCCS-mediated cytochrome c assembly, identifying a conserved histidine residue (His154) as an axial ligand to the heme iron. In this study, we performed a systematic mutational analysis of 17 conserved residues in HCCS, and we provide evidence that the enzyme contains two heme-binding domains. Our data indicate that heme contacts mediated by residues within these domains modulate the dynamics of heme binding and contribute to the stability of the HCCS-heme-cytochrome c steady state ternary complex. While some residues are essential for initial heme binding (step 1), others impact the subsequent release of the holocytochrome c product (step 4). Certain HCCS mutants that were defective in heme binding were corrected for function by exogenous aminolevulinic acid (ALA, the precursor to heme). This chemical "correction" supports the proposed role of heme binding for the corresponding residues.

  20. Cytochrome c1 exhibits two binding sites for cytochrome c in plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno-Beltrán, Blas; Díaz-Quintana, Antonio; González-Arzola, Katiuska; Velázquez-Campoy, Adrián; De la Rosa, Miguel A; Díaz-Moreno, Irene

    2014-10-01

    In plants, channeling of cytochrome c molecules between complexes III and IV has been purported to shuttle electrons within the supercomplexes instead of carrying electrons by random diffusion across the intermembrane bulk phase. However, the mode plant cytochrome c behaves inside a supercomplex such as the respirasome, formed by complexes I, III and IV, remains obscure from a structural point of view. Here, we report ab-initio Brownian dynamics calculations and nuclear magnetic resonance-driven docking computations showing two binding sites for plant cytochrome c at the head soluble domain of plant cytochrome c1, namely a non-productive (or distal) site with a long heme-to-heme distance and a functional (or proximal) site with the two heme groups close enough as to allow electron transfer. As inferred from isothermal titration calorimetry experiments, the two binding sites exhibit different equilibrium dissociation constants, for both reduced and oxidized species, that are all within the micromolar range, thus revealing the transient nature of such a respiratory complex. Although the docking of cytochrome c at the distal site occurs at the interface between cytochrome c1 and the Rieske subunit, it is fully compatible with the complex III structure. In our model, the extra distal site in complex III could indeed facilitate the functional cytochrome c channeling towards complex IV by building a "floating boat bridge" of cytochrome c molecules (between complexes III and IV) in plant respirasome. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Wearing red for signaling: the heme-bach axis in heme metabolism, oxidative stress response and iron immunology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Igarashi, Kazuhiko; Watanabe-Matsui, Miki

    2014-04-01

    The connection between gene regulation and metabolism is an old issue that warrants revisiting in order to understand both normal as well as pathogenic processes in higher eukaryotes. Metabolites affect the gene expression by either binding to transcription factors or serving as donors for post-translational modification, such as that involving acetylation and methylation. The focus of this review is heme, a prosthetic group of proteins that includes hemoglobin and cytochromes. Heme has been shown to bind to several transcription factors, including Bach1 and Bach2, in higher eukaryotes. Heme inhibits the transcriptional repressor activity of Bach1, resulting in the derepression of its target genes, such as globin in erythroid cells and heme oxygenase-1 in diverse cell types. Since Bach2 is important for class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation of immunoglobulin genes as well as regulatory and effector T cell differentiation and the macrophage function, the heme-Bach2 axis may regulate the immune response as a signaling cascade. We discuss future issues regarding the topic of the iron/heme-gene regulation network based on current understanding of the heme-Bach axis, including the concept of "iron immunology" as the synthesis of the iron metabolism and the immune response.

  2. Heme A synthase in bacteria depends on one pair of cysteinyls for activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewin, Anna; Hederstedt, Lars

    2016-02-01

    Heme A is a prosthetic group unique for cytochrome a-type respiratory oxidases in mammals, plants and many microorganisms. The poorly understood integral membrane protein heme A synthase catalyzes the synthesis of heme A from heme O. In bacteria, but not in mitochondria, this enzyme contains one or two pairs of cysteine residues that are present in predicted hydrophilic polypeptide loops on the extracytoplasmic side of the membrane. We used heme A synthase from the eubacterium Bacillus subtilis and the hyperthermophilic archeon Aeropyrum pernix to investigate the functional role of these cysteine residues. Results with B. subtilis amino acid substituted proteins indicated the pair of cysteine residues in the loop connecting transmembrane segments I and II as being essential for catalysis but not required for binding of the enzyme substrate, heme O. Experiments with isolated A. pernix and B. subtilis heme A synthase demonstrated that a disulfide bond can form between the cysteine residues in the same loop and also between loops showing close proximity of the two loops in the folded enzyme protein. Based on the findings, we propose a classification scheme for the four discrete types of heme A synthase found so far in different organisms and propose that essential cysteinyls mediate transfer of reducing equivalents required for the oxygen-dependent catalysis of heme A synthesis from heme O. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. LC-MS/MS suggests that hole hopping in cytochrome c peroxidase protects its heme from oxidative modification by excess H2O2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kathiresan, Meena; English, Ann M

    2017-02-01

    We recently reported that cytochrome c peroxidase (Ccp1) functions as a H 2 O 2 sensor protein when H 2 O 2 levels rise in respiring yeast. The availability of its reducing substrate, ferrocytochrome c (Cyc II ), determines whether Ccp1 acts as a H 2 O 2 sensor or peroxidase. For H 2 O 2 to serve as a signal it must modify its receptor so we employed high-performance LC-MS/MS to investigate in detail the oxidation of Ccp1 by 1, 5 and 10 M eq. of H 2 O 2 in the absence of Cyc II to prevent peroxidase activity. We observe strictly heme-mediated oxidation, implicating sequential cycles of binding and reduction of H 2 O 2 at Ccp1's heme. This results in the incorporation of ∼20 oxygen atoms predominantly at methionine and tryptophan residues. Extensive intramolecular dityrosine crosslinking involving neighboring residues was uncovered by LC-MS/MS sequencing of the crosslinked peptides. The proximal heme ligand, H175, is converted to oxo-histidine, which labilizes the heme but irreversible heme oxidation is avoided by hole hopping to the polypeptide until oxidation of the catalytic distal H52 in Ccp1 treated with 10 M eq. of H 2 O 2 shuts down heterolytic cleavage of H 2 O 2 at the heme. Mapping of the 24 oxidized residues in Ccp1 reveals that hole hopping from the heme is directed to three polypeptide zones rich in redox-active residues. This unprecedented analysis unveils the remarkable capacity of a polypeptide to direct hole hopping away from its active site, consistent with heme labilization being a key outcome of Ccp1-mediated H 2 O 2 signaling. LC-MS/MS identification of the oxidized residues also exposes the bias of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection toward transient radicals with low O 2 reactivity.

  4. EXPRESSION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FULL-LENGTH HUMAN HEME OXYGENASE-1: PRESENCE OF INTACT MEMBRANE-BINDING REGION LEADS TO INCREASED BINDING AFFINITY FOR NADPH-CYTOCHROME P450 REDUCTASE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Warren J.; Backes, Wayne L.

    2009-01-01

    Heme oxygenase (HO) is the chief regulatory enzyme in the oxidative degradation of heme to biliverdin. In the process of heme degradation, this NADPH and cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR)-dependent oxidation of heme also releases free iron and carbon monoxide. Much of the recent research involving heme oxygenase is done using a 30-kDa soluble form of the enzyme, which lacks the membrane binding region (C-terminal 23 amino acids). The goal of this study was to express and purify a full-length human HO-1 (hHO-1) protein; however, due to the lability of the full-length form, a rapid purification procedure was required. This was accomplished by use of a GST-tagged hHO-1 construct. Although the procedure permitted the generation of a full-length HO-1, this form was contaminated with a 30-kDa degradation product that could not be eliminated. Therefore, we attempted to remove a putative secondary thrombin cleavage site by a conservative mutation of amino acid 254, which replaces lysine with arginine. This mutation allowed the expression and purification of a full length hHO-1 protein. Unlike wild-type HO-1, the K254R mutant could be purified to a single 32-kDa protein capable of degrading heme at the same rate as the wild-type enzyme. The K254R full-length form had a specific activity of ~200–225 nmol bilirubin hr−1nmol−1 HO-1 as compared to ~140–150 nmol bilirubin hr−1nmol−1 for the WT form, which contains the 30-kDa contaminant. This is a 2–3-fold increase from the previously reported soluble 30-kDa HO-1, suggesting that the C-terminal 23 amino acids are essential for maximal catalytic activity. Because the membrane spanning domain is present, the full-length hHO-1 has the potential to incorporate into phospholipid membranes, which can be reconstituted at known concentrations, in combination with other ER-resident enzymes. PMID:17915953

  5. Heme degrading protein HemS is involved in oxidative stress response of Bartonella henselae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MaFeng Liu

    Full Text Available Bartonellae are hemotropic bacteria, agents of emerging zoonoses. These bacteria are heme auxotroph Alphaproteobacteria which must import heme for supporting their growth, as they cannot synthesize it. Therefore, Bartonella genome encodes for a complete heme uptake system allowing the transportation of this compound across the outer membrane, the periplasm and the inner membranes. Heme has been proposed to be used as an iron source for Bartonella since these bacteria do not synthesize a complete system required for iron Fe³⁺ uptake. Similarly to other bacteria which use heme as an iron source, Bartonellae must transport this compound into the cytoplasm and degrade it to allow the release of iron from the tetrapyrrole ring. For Bartonella, the gene cluster devoted to the synthesis of the complete heme uptake system also contains a gene encoding for a polypeptide that shares homologies with heme trafficking or degrading enzymes. Using complementation of an E. coli mutant strain impaired in heme degradation, we demonstrated that HemS from Bartonella henselae expressed in E. coli allows the release of iron from heme. Purified HemS from B. henselae binds heme and can degrade it in the presence of a suitable electron donor, ascorbate or NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. Knocking down the expression of HemS in B. henselae reduces its ability to face H₂O₂ induced oxidative stress.

  6. In vivo heme scavenging by Staphylococcus aureus IsdC and IsdE proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mack, John; Vermeiren, Christie; Heinrichs, David E.; Stillman, Martin J.

    2004-01-01

    We report the first characterization of the in vivo porphyrin scavenging abilities of two components of a newly discovered heme scavenging system involving iron-regulated surface determinant (Isd) proteins. These proteins are present within the cell envelope of the Gram-positive human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. IsdC and IsdE, when expressed heterologously in Escherichia coli, efficiently scavenged intracellular heme and resulted in de novo heme synthesis in excess of 100-fold above background. Magnetic circular dichroism analyses showed that the heme-binding properties of the two proteins differ significantly from one another. IsdC bound almost exclusively free-base protoporphyrin IX, whereas the IsdE protein was associated with low spin Fe(III) and Fe(II) heme. These properties provide important insight into the possible mechanisms of iron scavenging from bound heme by Isd proteins

  7. The effect of proteins from animal source foods on heme iron bioavailability in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizarro, Fernando; Olivares, Manuel; Valenzuela, Carolina; Brito, Alex; Weinborn, Valerie; Flores, Sebastián; Arredondo, Miguel

    2016-04-01

    Forty-five women (35-45 year) were randomly assigned to three iron (Fe) absorption sub-studies, which measured the effects of dietary animal proteins on the absorption of heme Fe. Study 1 was focused on heme, red blood cell concentrate (RBCC), hemoglobin (Hb), RBCC+beef meat; study 2 on heme, heme+fish, chicken, and beef; and study 3 on heme and heme+purified animal protein (casein, collagen, albumin). Study 1: the bioavailability of heme Fe from Hb was similar to heme only (∼13.0%). RBCC (25.0%) and RBCC+beef (21.3%) were found to be increased 2- and 1.6-fold, respectively, when compared with heme alone (pProteins from animal source foods and their digestion products did not enhance heme Fe absorption. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  8. Covalent heme attachment to the protein in human heme oxygenase-1 with selenocysteine replacing the His25 proximal iron ligand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Yongying; Trnka, Michael J; Medzihradszky, Katalin F; Ouellet, Hugues; Wang, Yongqiang; Ortiz de Montellano, Paul R

    2009-03-01

    To characterize heme oxygenase with a selenocysteine (SeCys) as the proximal iron ligand, we have expressed truncated human heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1) His25Cys, in which Cys-25 is the only cysteine, in the Escherichia coli cysteine auxotroph strain BL21(DE3)cys. Selenocysteine incorporation into the protein was demonstrated by both intact protein mass measurement and mass spectrometric identification of the selenocysteine-containing tryptic peptide. One selenocysteine was incorporated into approximately 95% of the expressed protein. Formation of an adduct with Ellman's reagent (DTNB) indicated that the selenocysteine in the expressed protein was in the reduced state. The heme-His25SeCys hHO-1 complex could be prepared by either (a) supplementing the overexpression medium with heme, or (b) reconstituting the purified apoprotein with heme. Under reducing conditions in the presence of imidazole, a covalent bond is formed by addition of the selenocysteine residue to one of the heme vinyl groups. No covalent bond is formed when the heme is replaced by mesoheme, in which the vinyls are replaced by ethyl groups. These results, together with our earlier demonstration that external selenolate ligands can transfer an electron to the iron [Y. Jiang, P.R. Ortiz de Montellano, Inorg. Chem. 47 (2008) 3480-3482 ], indicate that a selenyl radical is formed in the hHO-1 His25SeCys mutant that adds to a heme vinyl group.

  9. Heme and non-heme iron transporters in non-polarized and polarized cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasui Yumiko

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Heme and non-heme iron from diet, and recycled iron from hemoglobin are important products of the synthesis of iron-containing molecules. In excess, iron is potentially toxic because it can produce reactive oxygen species through the Fenton reaction. Humans can absorb, transport, store, and recycle iron without an excretory system to remove excess iron. Two candidate heme transporters and two iron transporters have been reported thus far. Heme incorporated into cells is degraded by heme oxygenases (HOs, and the iron product is reutilized by the body. To specify the processes of heme uptake and degradation, and the reutilization of iron, we determined the subcellular localizations of these transporters and HOs. Results In this study, we analyzed the subcellular localizations of 2 isoenzymes of HOs, 4 isoforms of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1, and 2 candidate heme transporters--heme carrier protein 1 (HCP1 and heme responsive gene-1 (HRG-1--in non-polarized and polarized cells. In non-polarized cells, HCP1, HRG-1, and DMT1A-I are located in the plasma membrane. In polarized cells, they show distinct localizations: HCP1 and DMT1A-I are located in the apical membrane, whereas HRG-1 is located in the basolateral membrane and lysosome. 16Leu at DMT1A-I N-terminal cytosolic domain was found to be crucial for plasma membrane localization. HOs are located in smooth endoplasmic reticulum and colocalize with NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. Conclusions HCP1 and DMT1A-I are localized to the apical membrane, and HRG-1 to the basolateral membrane and lysosome. These findings suggest that HCP1 and DMT1A-I have functions in the uptake of dietary heme and non-heme iron. HRG-1 can transport endocytosed heme from the lysosome into the cytosol. These localization studies support a model in which cytosolic heme can be degraded by HOs, and the resulting iron is exported into tissue fluids via the iron transporter ferroportin 1, which is

  10. Electron transfer patterns of the di-heme protein cytochrome c(4) from Pseudomonas stutzeri

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raffalt, Anders Christer; Schmidt, L.; Christensen, Hans Erik Mølager

    2009-01-01

    protein structural mobility in the overall two-ET process. We suggest that conformational protein mobility blocks intramolecular interheme ET in bulk homogeneous solution but triggers opening of this gated ET channel in the electrochemical environment or in the membrane environment of natural respiratory...

  11. Control of intracellular heme levels: Heme transporters and heme oxygenases

    OpenAIRE

    Khan, Anwar A.; Quigley, John G.

    2011-01-01

    Heme serves as a co-factor in proteins involved in fundamental biological processes including oxidative metabolism, oxygen storage and transport, signal transduction and drug metabolism. In addition, heme is important for systemic iron homeostasis in mammals. Heme has important regulatory roles in cell biology, yet excessive levels of intracellular heme are toxic; thus, mechanisms have evolved to control the acquisition, synthesis, catabolism and expulsion of cellular heme. Recently, a number...

  12. Control of intracellular heme levels: Heme transporters and Heme oxygenases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Anwar A.; Quigley, John G.

    2011-01-01

    Heme serves as a co-factor in proteins involved in fundamental biological processes including oxidative metabolism, oxygen storage and transport, signal transduction and drug metabolism. In addition, heme is important for systemic iron homeostasis in mammals. Heme has important regulatory roles in cell biology, yet excessive levels of intracellular heme are toxic; thus, mechanisms have evolved to control the acquisition, synthesis, catabolism and expulsion of cellular heme. Recently, a number of transporters of heme and heme synthesis intermediates have been described. Here we review aspects of heme metabolism and discuss our current understanding of heme transporters, with emphasis on the function of the cell-surface heme exporter, FLVCR. Knockdown of Flvcr in mice leads to both defective erythropoiesis and disturbed systemic iron homeostasis, underscoring the critical role of heme transporters in mammalian physiology. PMID:21238504

  13. Resonance Raman studies of Escherichia coli cytochrome bd oxidase. Selective enhancement of the three heme chromophores of the "as-isolated" enzyme and characterization of the cyanide adduct.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, J; Osborne, J P; Kahlow, M A; Kaysser, T M; Hil, J J; Gennis, R B; Loehr, T M

    1995-09-26

    Cytochrome bd oxidase is a terminal bacterial oxidase containing three cofactors: a low-spin heme (b558), a high-spin heme (b595), and a chlorin d. The center of dioxygen reduction has been proposed to be at a dinuclear b595/d site, whereas b558 is mainly involved in transferring electrons from ubiquinone. One of the unique functional features of this enzyme is its resistance to high concentrations of cyanide (Ki in the millimolar range). With the appropriate selection of laser lines, the ligation and spin states of the b558, b595, and d hemes can be probed selectively by resonance Raman (rR) spectroscopy. Wavelengths between 400 and 500 nm predominantly excite the rR spectra of the b558 and b595 chromophores. Spectra obtained within this interval show a mixed population of spin and ligation states arising from b558 and b595, with the former more strongly enhanced at higher energy. Red excitation wavelengths (590-650 nm) generate rR spectra characteristic of chlorins, indicating the selective enhancement of the d heme. These rR results reveal that cytochrome bd oxidase "as isolated" contains the b558 heme in a six-coordinate low-spin ferric state, the b595 heme in a five-coordinate high-spin (5cHS) ferric state, and the d heme in a mixture of oxygenated (FeIIO2 FeIIIO2-; d650) and ferryl-oxo (FeIV = O; d680) states. However, the rR spectra of these two chlorin species indicate that they are both in the 5cHS state, suggesting that the d heme is lacking a strongly coordinated sixth ligand.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  14. Conjugation of cytochrome c with hydrogen titanate nanotubes: novel conformational state with implications for apoptosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ray, Moumita; Mazumdar, Shyamalava [Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005 (India); Chatterjee, Sriparna; Das, Tanmay; Bhattacharyya, Somnath; Ayyub, Pushan, E-mail: somnath@tifr.res.in, E-mail: pushan@tifr.res.in, E-mail: shyamal@tifr.res.in [Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005 (India)

    2011-10-14

    We show that hydrogen titanate (H{sub 2}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 7}) nanotubes form strongly associated reversible nano-bio-conjugates with the vital respiratory protein, cytochrome c. Resonance Raman spectroscopy along with direct electrochemical studies indicate that in this nano-bio-conjugate, cytochrome c exists in an equilibrium of two conformational states with distinctly different formal redox potentials and coordination geometries of the heme center. The nanotube-conjugated cytochrome c also showed enhanced peroxidase activity similar to the membrane-bound protein that is believed to be an apoptosis initiator. This suggests that such a nanotube-cytochrome c conjugate may be a good candidate for cancer therapy applications.

  15. NMR comparison of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cytochromes c

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chau, Meihing; Cai, Meng Li; Timkovich, R.

    1990-01-01

    1 H NMR spectroscopy has been used to examine ferrocytochrome c-551 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 19429) over the pH range 3.5-10.6 and the temperature range 4-60 degree C. Resonance assignments are proposed for main-chain and side-chain protons. Comparison of results for cytochrome c-551 to recently assigned spectra for horse cytochrome c and mutants of yeast iso-1 cytochrome reveals some unique resonances with unusual chemical shifts in all cytochromes that may serve as markers for the heme region. Results for cytochrome c-551 indicate that in the smaller prokaryotic cytochrome, all benzoid side chains are rapidly flipping on the NMR time scale. In contrast, in eukaryotic cytochromes there are some rings flipping slowly on the NMR time scale. The ferrocytochrome c-551 undergoes a transition linked to pH with a pK around 7. The pH behavior of assigned resonances provides evidence that the site of protonation is the inner or buried 17-propionic acid heme substituent (IUPAC-IUB porphyrin nomenclature). Conformational heterogeneity has been observed for segments near the inner heme propionate substituent

  16. HPLC Determination of Caffeine and Paraxanthine in Urine: An Assay for Cytochrome P450 1A2 Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furge, Laura Lowe; Fletke, Kyle J.

    2007-01-01

    Cytochrome P450 enzymes are a family of heme-containing proteins located throughout the body with roles in metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds. Among exogenous compounds, clinically relevant pharmaceutical agents are nearly all metabolized by P450 enzymes. However, the activity of the different cytochrome P450 enzymes varies among…

  17. Identification of the heme acquisition system in Vibrio vulnificus M2799.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawano, Hiroaki; Miyamoto, Katsushiro; Yasunobe, Megumi; Murata, Masahiro; Yamahata, Eri; Yamaguchi, Ryo; Miyaki, Yuta; Tsuchiya, Takahiro; Tanabe, Tomotaka; Funahashi, Tatsuya; Tsujibo, Hiroshi

    2018-04-01

    Vibrio vulnificus, the causative agent of serious, often fatal, infections in humans, requires iron for its pathogenesis. As such, it obtains iron via both vulnibactin and heme-mediated iron-uptake systems. In this study, we identified the heme acquisition system in V. vulnificus M2799. The nucleotide sequences of the genes encoding heme receptors HupA and HvtA and the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport system proteins HupB, HupC, and HupD were determined, and then used in the construction of deletion mutants developed from a Δics strain, which could not synthesize vulnibactin. Growth experiments using these mutants indicated that HupA and HvtA are major and minor heme receptors, respectively. The expressions of two proteins were analyzed by the quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Furthermore, complementation analyses confirmed that the HupBCD proteins are the only ABC transport system shared by both the HupA and HvtA receptors. This is the first genetic evidence that the HupBCD proteins are essential for heme acquisition by V. vulnificus. Further investigation showed that hupA, hvtA, and hupBCD are regulated by Fur. The qRT-PCR analysis of the heme receptor genes revealed that HupR, a LysR-family positive transcriptional activator, upregulates the expression of hupA, but not hvtA. In addition, ptrB was co-transcribed with hvtA, and PtrB had no influence on growth in low-iron CM9 medium supplemented with hemin, hemoglobin, or cytochrome C. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Cytochrome c6B of Synechococcus sp. WH 8102 – Crystal structure and basic properties of novel c6-like family representative

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zatwarnicki, Pawel; Barciszewski, Jakub; Krzywda, Szymon; Jaskolski, Mariusz; Kolesinski, Piotr; Szczepaniak, Andrzej

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Crystal structure of cytochrome c 6B from Synechococcus sp. WH 8102 was solved. • Basic biophysical properties of cytochrome c 6B were determined. • Cytochrome c 6B exhibits similar architecture to cytochrome c 6 . • Organization of heme binding pocket of cytochrome c 6B differs from that of c 6 . • Midpoint potential of cytochrome c 6B is significantly lower than of cytochrome c 6 . - Abstract: Cytochromes c are soluble electron carriers of relatively low molecular weight, containing single heme moiety. In cyanobacteria cytochrome c 6 participates in electron transfer from cytochrome b 6 f complex to photosystem I. Recent phylogenetic analysis revealed the existence of a few families of proteins homologous to the previously mentioned. Cytochrome c 6A from Arabidopsis thaliana was identified as a protein responsible for disulfide bond formation in response to intracellular redox state changes and c 550 is well known element of photosystem II. However, function of cytochromes marked as c 6B , c 6C and c M as well as the physiological process in which they take a part still remain unidentified. Here we present the first structural and biophysical analysis of cytochrome from the c 6B family from mesophilic cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. WH 8102. Purified protein was crystallized and its structure was refined at 1.4 Å resolution. Overall architecture of this polypeptide resembles typical I-class cytochromes c. The main features, that distinguish described protein from cytochrome c 6 , are slightly red-shifted α band of UV–Vis spectrum as well as relatively low midpoint potential (113.2 ± 2.2 mV). Although, physiological function of cytochrome c 6B has yet to be determined its properties probably exclude the participation of this protein in electron trafficking between b 6 f complex and photosystem I

  19. Enhanced Heme Function and Mitochondrial Respiration Promote the Progression of Lung Cancer Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alam, Md Maksudul; Shah, Ajit; Cao, Thai M.; Sullivan, Laura A.; Brekken, Rolf; Zhang, Li

    2013-01-01

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, and about 85% of the cases are non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Importantly, recent advance in cancer research suggests that altering cancer cell bioenergetics can provide an effective way to target such advanced cancer cells that have acquired mutations in multiple cellular regulators. This study aims to identify bioenergetic alterations in lung cancer cells by directly measuring and comparing key metabolic activities in a pair of cell lines representing normal and NSCLC cells developed from the same patient. We found that the rates of oxygen consumption and heme biosynthesis were intensified in NSCLC cells. Additionally, the NSCLC cells exhibited substantially increased levels in an array of proteins promoting heme synthesis, uptake and function. These proteins include the rate-limiting heme biosynthetic enzyme ALAS, transporter proteins HRG1 and HCP1 that are involved in heme uptake, and various types of oxygen-utilizing hemoproteins such as cytoglobin and cytochromes. Several types of human tumor xenografts also displayed increased levels of such proteins. Furthermore, we found that lowering heme biosynthesis and uptake, like lowering mitochondrial respiration, effectively reduced oxygen consumption, cancer cell proliferation, migration and colony formation. In contrast, lowering heme degradation does not have an effect on lung cancer cells. These results show that increased heme flux and function are a key feature of NSCLC cells. Further, increased generation and supply of heme and oxygen-utilizing hemoproteins in cancer cells will lead to intensified oxygen consumption and cellular energy production by mitochondrial respiration, which would fuel cancer cell proliferation and progression. The results show that inhibiting heme and respiratory function can effectively arrest the progression of lung cancer cells. Hence, understanding heme function can positively impact on research in lung cancer

  20. Improved Method for the Incorporation of Heme Cofactors into Recombinant Proteins Using Escherichia coli Nissle 1917.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiege, Kerstin; Querebillo, Christine Joy; Hildebrandt, Peter; Frankenberg-Dinkel, Nicole

    2018-05-15

    Recombinant production of heme proteins in Escherichia coli is often limited by the availability of heme in the host. Therefore, several methods, including the reconstitution of heme proteins after production but prior to purification or the HPEX system, conferring the ability to take up external heme have been developed and used in the past. Here we describe the use of the apathogenic E. coli strain Nissle 1917 (EcN) as a suitable host for the recombinant production of heme proteins. EcN has an advantage over commonly used lab strains in that it is able to take up heme from the environment through the heme receptor ChuA. Expression of several heme proteins from different prokaryotic sources led to high yield and quantitative incorporation of the cofactor when heme was supplied in the growth medium. Comparative UV-vis and resonance Raman measurements revealed that the method employed has significant influence on heme coordination with the EcN system representing the most native situation. Therefore, the use of EcN as a host for recombinant heme protein production represents an inexpensive and straightforward method to facilitate further investigations of structure and function.

  1. Synthetic heme/copper assemblies: toward an understanding of cytochrome c oxidase interactions with dioxygen and nitrogen oxides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hematian, Shabnam; Garcia-Bosch, Isaac; Karlin, Kenneth D

    2015-08-18

    Our long-time niche in synthetic biological inorganic chemistry has been to design ligands and generate coordination complexes of copper or iron ions or both, those reacting with dioxygen (O2) or nitrogen oxides (e.g., nitric oxide (NO(g)) and nitrite (NO2(-))) or both. As inspiration for this work, we turn to mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, which is responsible for dioxygen consumption and is also the predominant target for NO(g) and nitrite within mitochondria. In this Account, we highlight recent advances in studying synthetic heme/Cu complexes in two respects. First, there is the design, synthesis, and characterization of new O2 adducts whose further study will add insights into O2 reductive cleavage chemistry. Second, we describe how related heme/Cu constructs reduce nitrite ion to NO(g) or the reverse, oxidize NO(g) to nitrite. The reactions of nitrogen oxides occur as part of CcO's function, which is intimately tied to cellular O2 balance. We had first discovered that reduced heme/Cu compounds react with O2 giving μ-oxo heme-Fe(III)-O-Cu(II)(L) products; their properties are discussed. The O-atom is derived from dioxygen, and interrogations of these systems led to the construction and characterization of three distinctive classes of heme-peroxo complexes, two high-spin and one low-spin species. Recent investigations include a new approach to the synthesis of low-spin heme-peroxo-Cu complexes, employing a "naked" synthon, where the copper ligand denticity and geometric types can be varied. The result is a collection of such complexes; spectroscopic and structural features (by DFT calculations) are described. Some of these compounds are reactive toward reductants/protons effecting subsequent O-O cleavage. This points to how subtle improvements in ligand environment lead to a desired local structure and resulting optimized reactivity, as known to occur at enzyme active sites. The other sector of research is focused on heme/Cu assemblies mediating the redox

  2. Characterisation of MtoD from Sideroxydans lithotrophicus: a cytochrome c electron shuttle used in lithoautotrophic growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    christopher eBeckwith

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The autotrophic Sideroxydans lithotrophicus ES-1 can grow by coupling the oxidation of ferrous iron to the reduction of oxygen. Soluble ferrous iron is oxidised at the surface of the cell by an MtoAB porin-cytochrome complex that functions as an electron conduit through the outer membrane. Electrons are then transported to the cytoplasmic membrane where they are used to generate proton motive force (for ATP synthesis and NADH for autotrophic processes such as carbon fixation.As part of the mtoAB gene cluster, S. lithotrophicus also contains the gene mtoD that is proposed to encode a cytochrome c protein. We isolated mtoD from a Shewanella oneidensis expression system where the mtoD gene was expressed on a pBAD plasmid vector. Biochemical, biophysical and crystallographic characterisation of the purified MtoD revealed it as an 11 kDa monomeric protein containing a single heme. Sequence and structural alignment indicated that MtoD belonged to the class-1 cytochrome c family and had a similar fold to ferricytochrome c552 family, however the MtoD heme is bis-histidine coordinated and is substantially more exposed than the hemes of other family members. The reduction potential of the MtoD heme at pH 7 was +155 mV vs. Standard Hydrogen Electrode, which is approximately 100 mV lower than that of mitochondrial cytochromes c. Consideration of the properties of MtoD in the context of the potential respiratory partners identified from the genome suggests that MtoD could associate to multiple electron transfer partners as the primary periplasmic electron shuttle.

  3. Introduction of water into the heme distal side by Leu65 mutations of an oxygen sensor, YddV, generates verdoheme and carbon monoxide, exerting the heme oxygenase reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stranava, Martin; Martínková, Markéta; Stiborová, Marie; Man, Petr; Kitanishi, Kenichi; Muchová, Lucie; Vítek, Libor; Martínek, Václav; Shimizu, Toru

    2014-11-01

    The globin-coupled oxygen sensor, YddV, is a heme-based oxygen sensor diguanylate cyclase. Oxygen binding to the heme Fe(II) complex in the N-terminal sensor domain of this enzyme substantially enhances its diguanylate cyclase activity which is conducted in the C-terminal functional domain. Leu65 is located on the heme distal side and is important for keeping the stability of the heme Fe(II)-O2 complex by preventing the entry of the water molecule to the heme complex. In the present study, it was found that (i) Escherichia coli-overexpressed and purified L65N mutant of the isolated heme-bound domain of YddV (YddV-heme) contained the verdoheme iron complex and other modified heme complexes as determined by optical absorption spectroscopy and mass spectrometry; (ii) CO was generated in the reconstituted system composed of heme-bound L65N and NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase as confirmed by gas chromatography; (iii) CO generation of heme-bound L65N in the reconstituted system was inhibited by superoxide dismutase and catalase. In a concordance with the result, the reactive oxygen species increased the CO generation; (iv) the E. coli cells overexpressing the L65N protein of YddV-heme also formed significant amounts of CO compared to the cells overexpressing the wild type protein; (v) generation of verdoheme and CO was also observed for other mutants at Leu65 as well, but to a lesser extent. Since Leu65 mutations are assumed to introduce the water molecule into the heme distal side of YddV-heme, it is suggested that the water molecule would significantly contribute to facilitating heme oxygenase reactions for the Leu65 mutants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Heme Gazing: Illuminating Eukaryotic Heme Trafficking, Dynamics, and Signaling with Fluorescent Heme Sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanna, David A; Martinez-Guzman, Osiris; Reddi, Amit R

    2017-04-04

    Heme (iron protoporphyrin IX) is an essential protein prosthetic group and signaling molecule required for most life on Earth. All heme-dependent processes require the dynamic and rapid mobilization of heme from sites of synthesis or uptake to hemoproteins present in virtually every subcellular compartment. The cytotoxicity and hydrophobicity of heme necessitate that heme mobilization be carefully controlled to mitigate the deleterious effects of this essential toxin. Indeed, a number of disorders, including certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases, are tied to defects in heme homeostasis. However, the molecules and mechanisms that mediate heme transport and trafficking, and the dynamics of these processes, are poorly understood. This is in large part due to the lack of physical tools for probing cellular heme. Herein, we discuss the recent development of fluorescent probes that can monitor and image kinetically labile heme with respect to its mobilization and role in signaling. In particular, we will highlight how heme gazing with these tools can uncover new heme trafficking factors upon being integrated with genetic screens and illuminate the concentration, subcellular distribution, and dynamics of labile heme in various physiological contexts. Altogether, the monitoring of labile heme, along with recent biochemical and cell biological studies demonstrating the reversible regulation of certain cellular processes by heme, is challenging us to reconceptualize heme from being a static cofactor buried in protein active sites to a dynamic and mobile signaling molecule.

  5. Contribution of Electrostatics to the Kinetics of Electron Transfer from NADH-Cytochrome b5 Reductase to Fe(III)-Cytochrome b5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kollipara, Sireesha; Tatireddy, Shivakishore; Pathirathne, Thusitha; Rathnayake, Lasantha K; Northrup, Scott H

    2016-08-25

    Brownian dynamics (BD) simulations provide here a theoretical atomic-level treatment of the reduction of human ferric cytochrome b5 (cyt b5) by NADH-cytochrome b5 reductaste (cyt b5r) and several of its mutants. BD is used to calculate the second-order rate constant of electron transfer (ET) between the proteins for direct correlation with experiments. Interestingly, the inclusion of electrostatic forces dramatically increases the reaction rate of the native proteins despite the overall negative charge of both proteins. The role played by electrostatic charge distribution in stabilizing the ET complexes and the role of mutations of several amino acid residues in stabilizing or destabilizing the complexes are analyzed. The complex with the shortest ET reaction distance (d = 6.58 Å) from rigid body BD is further subjected to 1 ns of molecular dynamics (MD) in a periodic box of TIP3P water to produce a more stable complex allowed by flexibility and with a shorter average reaction distance d = 6.02 Å. We predict a docking model in which the following ion-ion interactions are dominant (cyt b5r/cyt b5): Lys162-Heme O1D/Lys163-Asp64/Arg91-Heme O1A/Lys125-Asp70.

  6. Electrochemistry and biosensing reactivity of heme proteins adsorbed on the structure-tailored mesoporous Nb2O5 matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Xin; Tian Bozhi; Zhang Song; Kong Jilie; Zhao Dongyuan; Liu Baohong

    2004-01-01

    The highly ordered mesoporous niobium oxides fabricated by self-adjusted synthesis have been used as immobilization matrices of heme proteins including Cytochrome c (Cyt C) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) for their large surface areas, narrow pore size distributions and good biocompatibility. The assembling process was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, amperometry and potential step chronoamperometry in details. Niobium oxide matrices with different structural features were templated with the surfactants and the selectivity of these hosts to specific protein characteristics was determined. It was observed that proteins could be readily assembled onto the mesoporous films with detectable retention of bioactivity. The Nb 2 O 5 matrix with a tailored pore size and counterpoised surface charge to that of hemes allowed for a maximum adsorption capacity of biomolecules. The adsorbed redox molecules exhibited direct electrochemical behavior and gave a pair of well-defined quasi-reversible cyclic voltammetric peaks, indicating that the mesoporous niobium oxide matrix could effectively promote the direct electron transfer between the protein redox site adsorbed and the electrode surface. The midpoint redox potentials of adsorbed Cyt-c and HRP were 14 and -122 mV versus SCE, respectively. Furthermore, the immobilized HRP onto Nb 2 O 5 derived electrode presented good bioactivity and thus was fabricated as an amperometric biosensor for the response of hydrogen peroxide in the range from 0.1 μM to 0.1 mM

  7. The soluble loop BC region guides, but not dictates, the assembly of the transmembrane cytochrome b6.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lydia Tome-Stangl

    Full Text Available Studying folding and assembly of naturally occurring α-helical transmembrane proteins can inspire the design of membrane proteins with defined functions. Thus far, most studies have focused on the role of membrane-integrated protein regions. However, to fully understand folding pathways and stabilization of α-helical membrane proteins, it is vital to also include the role of soluble loops. We have analyzed the impact of interhelical loops on folding, assembly and stability of the heme-containing four-helix bundle transmembrane protein cytochrome b6 that is involved in charge transfer across biomembranes. Cytochrome b6 consists of two transmembrane helical hairpins that sandwich two heme molecules. Our analyses strongly suggest that the loop connecting the helical hairpins is not crucial for positioning the two protein "halves" for proper folding and assembly of the holo-protein. Furthermore, proteolytic removal of any of the remaining two loops, which connect the two transmembrane helices of a hairpin structure, appears to also not crucially effect folding and assembly. Overall, the transmembrane four-helix bundle appears to be mainly stabilized via interhelical interactions in the transmembrane regions, while the soluble loop regions guide assembly and stabilize the holo-protein. The results of this study might steer future strategies aiming at designing heme-binding four-helix bundle structures, involved in transmembrane charge transfer reactions.

  8. The binding of cytochrome c to neuroglobin: A docking and surface plasmon resonance study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bønding, Signe Helbo; Henty, K.; Dingley, A.J.

    2008-01-01

    is associated with a small unfavourable enthalpy change (1.9 kcal mol-1) and a moderately large, favourable entropy change (14.8 cal mol-1 deg-1). The sensitivity of the binding constant to the presence of salt suggests that the complex formation involves electrostatic interactions....... one major binding site for cytochrome c to neuroglobin. The results yield a plausible structure for the most likely complex structure in which the hemes of each protein are in close contact. NMR analysis identifies the formation of a weak complex in which the heme group of cytochrome c is involved....... surface plasmon resonance studies provide a value of 45 μM for the equilibrium constant for cytochrome c binding to neuroglobin, which increases significantly as the ionic strength of the solution increases. The temperature dependence of the binding constant indicates that the complex formation...

  9. A relay network of extracellular heme-binding proteins drives C. albicans iron acquisition from hemoglobin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuznets, Galit; Vigonsky, Elena; Weissman, Ziva; Lalli, Daniela; Gildor, Tsvia; Kauffman, Sarah J; Turano, Paola; Becker, Jeffrey; Lewinson, Oded; Kornitzer, Daniel

    2014-10-01

    Iron scavenging constitutes a crucial challenge for survival of pathogenic microorganisms in the iron-poor host environment. Candida albicans, like many microbial pathogens, is able to utilize iron from hemoglobin, the largest iron pool in the host's body. Rbt5 is an extracellular glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored heme-binding protein of the CFEM family that facilitates heme-iron uptake by an unknown mechanism. Here, we characterize an additional C. albicans CFEM protein gene, PGA7, deletion of which elicits a more severe heme-iron utilization phenotype than deletion of RBT5. The virulence of the pga7-/- mutant is reduced in a mouse model of systemic infection, consistent with a requirement for heme-iron utilization for C. albicans pathogenicity. The Pga7 and Rbt5 proteins exhibit distinct cell wall attachment, and discrete localization within the cell envelope, with Rbt5 being more exposed than Pga7. Both proteins are shown here to efficiently extract heme from hemoglobin. Surprisingly, while Pga7 has a higher affinity for heme in vitro, we find that heme transfer can occur bi-directionally between Pga7 and Rbt5, supporting a model in which they cooperate in a heme-acquisition relay. Together, our data delineate the roles of Pga7 and Rbt5 in a cell surface protein network that transfers heme from extracellular hemoglobin to the endocytic pathway, and provide a paradigm for how receptors embedded in the cell wall matrix can mediate nutrient uptake across the fungal cell envelope.

  10. The Response of Ω-Loop D Dynamics to Truncation of Trimethyllysine 72 of Yeast Iso-1-cytochrome c Depends on the Nature of Loop Deformation

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClelland, Levi J.; Seagraves, Sean M.; Khan, Khurshid Alam; Cherney, Melisa M.; Bandi, Swati; Culbertson, Justin E.; Bowler, Bruce E.

    2015-01-01

    Trimethyllysine 72 (tmK72) has been suggested to play a role in sterically constraining the heme crevice dynamics of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c mediated by the Ω-loop D cooperative substructure (residues 70 to 85). A tmK72A mutation causes a gain in peroxidase activity, a function of cytochrome c that is important early in apoptosis. More than one higher energy state is accessible for the Ω-loop D substructure via tier 0 dynamics. Two of these are alkaline conformers mediated by Lys73 and Lys79. In the current work, the effect of the tmK72A mutation on the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of wild type iso-1-cytochrome c (yWT versus WT*) and on variants carrying a K73H mutation (yWT/K73H versus WT*/K73H) is studied. Whereas the tmK72A mutation confers increased peroxidase activity in wild type yeast iso-1-cytochrome c and increased dynamics for formation of a previously studied His79-heme alkaline conformer, the tmK72A mutation speeds return of the His73-heme alkaline conformer to the native state through destabilization of the His73-heme alkaline conformer relative to the native conformer. These opposing behaviors demonstrate that the response of the dynamics of a protein substructure to mutation depends on the nature of the perturbation to the substructure. For a protein substructure which mediates more than one function of a protein through multiple non-native structures, a mutation could change the partitioning between these functions. The current results suggest that the tier 0 dynamics of Ω-loop D that mediates peroxidase activity has similarities to the tier 0 dynamics required to form the His79-heme alkaline conformer. PMID:25948392

  11. Cytochrome c catalyzes the in vitro synthesis of arachidonoyl glycine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCue, Jeffrey M.; Driscoll, William J.; Mueller, Gregory P.

    2008-01-01

    Long chain fatty acyl glycines are an emerging class of biologically active molecules that occur naturally and produce a wide array of physiological effects. Their biosynthetic pathway, however, remains unknown. Here we report that cytochrome c catalyzes the synthesis of N-arachidonoyl glycine (NAGly) from arachidonoyl coenzyme A and glycine in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The identity of the NAGly product was verified by isotope labeling and mass analysis. Other heme-containing proteins, hemoglobin and myoglobin, were considerably less effective in generating arachidonoyl glycine as compared to cytochrome c. The reaction catalyzed by cytochrome c in vitro points to its potential role in the formation of NAGly and other long chain fatty acyl glycines in vivo

  12. Heme Exporter FLVCR1a Regulates Heme Synthesis and Degradation and Controls Activity of Cytochromes P450

    OpenAIRE

    Vinchi, Francesca; Ingoglia, Giada; Chiabrando, Deborah; Mercurio, Sonia; Turco, Emilia; Silengo, Lorenzo; Altruda, Fiorella; Tolosano, Emanuela

    2014-01-01

    Background & Aims The liver has one of the highest rates of heme synthesis of any organ. More than 50% of the heme synthesized in the liver is used for synthesis of P450 enzymes, which metabolize exogenous and endogenous compounds that include natural products, hormones, drugs, and carcinogens. Feline leukemia virus subgroup C cellular receptor 1a (FLVCR1a) is plasma membrane heme exporter that is ubiquitously expressed and controls intracellular heme content in hematopoietic lineages. We inv...

  13. Heme isomers substantially affect heme's electronic structure and function

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kepp, Kasper Planeta

    2017-01-01

    Inspection of heme protein structures in the protein data bank reveals four isomers of heme characterized by different relative orientations of the vinyl side chains; remarkably, all these have been reported in multiple protein structures. Density functional theory computations explain this as du...

  14. Helical Propensity Affects the Conformational Properties of the Denatured State of Cytochrome c'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danielson, Travis A; Bowler, Bruce E

    2018-01-23

    Changing the helical propensity of a polypeptide sequence might be expected to affect the conformational properties of the denatured state of a protein. To test this hypothesis, alanines at positions 83 and 87 near the center of helix 3 of cytochrome c' from Rhodopseudomonas palustris were mutated to serine to decrease the stability of this helix. A set of 13 single histidine variants in the A83S/A87S background were prepared to permit assessment of the conformational properties of the denatured state using histidine-loop formation in 3 M guanidine hydrochloride. The data are compared with previous histidine-heme loop formation data for wild-type cytochrome c'. As expected, destabilization of helix 3 decreases the global stabilities of the histidine variants in the A83S/A87S background relative to the wild-type background. Loop stability versus loop size data yields a scaling exponent of 2.1 ± 0.2, similar to the value of 2.3 ± 0.2 obtained for wild-type cytochrome c'. However, the stabilities of all histidine-heme loops, which contain the helix 3 sequence segment, are increased in the A83S/A87S background compared to the wild-type background. Rate constants for histidine-heme loop breakage are similar for the wild-type and A83S/A87S variants. However, for histidine-heme loops that contain the helix 3 sequence segment, the rate constants for loop formation increase in the A83S/A87S background compared to the wild-type background. Thus, residual helical structure appears to stiffen the polypeptide chain slowing loop formation in the denatured state. The implications of these results for protein folding mechanisms are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Expression and characterization of full-length human heme oxygenase-1: the presence of intact membrane-binding region leads to increased binding affinity for NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Warren J; Backes, Wayne L

    2007-10-30

    Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is the chief regulatory enzyme in the oxidative degradation of heme to biliverdin. In the process of heme degradation, HO-1 receives the electrons necessary for catalysis from the flavoprotein NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR), releasing free iron and carbon monoxide. Much of the recent research involving heme oxygenase has been done using a 30 kDa soluble form of the enzyme, which lacks the membrane binding region (C-terminal 23 amino acids). The goal of this study was to express and purify a full-length human HO-1 (hHO-1) protein; however, due to the lability of the full-length form, a rapid purification procedure was required. This was accomplished by use of a glutathione-s-transferase (GST)-tagged hHO-1 construct. Although the procedure permitted the generation of a full-length HO-1, this form was contaminated with a 30 kDa degradation product that could not be eliminated. Therefore, attempts were made to remove a putative secondary thrombin cleavage site by a conservative mutation of amino acid 254, which replaces arginine with lysine. This mutation allowed the expression and purification of a full-length hHO-1 protein. Unlike wild type (WT) HO-1, the R254K mutant could be purified to a single 32 kDa protein capable of degrading heme at the same rate as the WT enzyme. The R254K full-length form had a specific activity of approximately 200-225 nmol of bilirubin h-1 nmol-1 HO-1 as compared to approximately 140-150 nmol of bilirubin h-1 nmol-1 for the WT form, which contains the 30 kDa contaminant. This is a 2-3-fold increase from the previously reported soluble 30 kDa HO-1, suggesting that the C-terminal 23 amino acids are essential for maximal catalytic activity. Because the membrane-spanning domain is present, the full-length hHO-1 has the potential to incorporate into phospholipid membranes, which can be reconstituted at known concentrations, in combination with other endoplasmic reticulum resident enzymes.

  16. Alteration of the Regiospecificity of Human Heme Oxygenase-1 by Unseating of the Heme but not Disruption of the Distal Hydrogen Bonding Network†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jinling; Evans, John P.; Ogura, Hiroshi; La Mar, Gerd N.; Ortiz de Montellano, Paul R.

    2008-01-01

    Heme oxygenase regiospecifically oxidizes heme at the α-meso position to give biliverdin IXα, CO, and iron. The heme orientation within the active site, which is thought to determine the oxidation regiospecificity, is shown here for the human enzyme (hHO1) to be largely determined by interactions between the heme carboxylic acid groups and residues Arg183 and Lys18 but not Tyr134. Mutation of either Arg183 or Lys18 individually does not significantly alter the NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase-dependent reaction regiochemistry, but partially shifts the oxidation to the β/δ-meso positions in the reaction supported by ascorbic acid. Mutation of Glu29 to a lysine, which places a positive charge where it can interact with a heme carboxyl if the heme rotates by ~90°, causes a slight loss of regiospecificity, but combined with the R183E and K18E mutations results primarily in β/δ-meso oxidation of the heme under all conditions. NMR analysis of heme binding to the triple K18E/E29K/R183E mutant confirms rotation of the heme in the active site. Kinetic studies demonstrate that mutations of Arg183 greatly impair the rate of the P450 reductase-dependent reaction, in accord with the earlier finding that Arg183 is involved in binding of the reductase to hHO1, but have little effect on the ascorbate reaction. Mutations of Asp140 and Tyr58 that disrupt the active site hydrogen bonding network, impair catalytic rates but do not influence the oxidation regiochemistry. The results indicate both that the oxidation regiochemistry is largely controlled by ionic interactions of the heme propionic acid groups with the protein and that shifts in regiospecificity involve rotation of the heme about an axis perpendicular to the heme plane. PMID:16388581

  17. Redox tuning of cytochrome b562 through facile metal porphyrin substitution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Della Pia, Eduardo Antonio; Chi, Qijin; Elliott, Martin

    2012-01-01

    The biologically and nanotechnologically important heme protein cytochrome b562 was reconstructed with zinc and copper porphyrins, leading to significant changes in the spectral, redox and electron transfer properties. The Cu form shifts the redox potential by +300 mV and exhibits high electron t...

  18. Molecular Computational Investigation of Electron Transfer Kinetics across Cytochrome-Iron Oxide Interfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kerisit, Sebastien N.; Rosso, Kevin M.; Dupuis, Michel; Valiev, Marat

    2007-01-01

    The interface between electron transfer proteins such as cytochromes and solid phase mineral oxides is central to the activity of dissimilatory-metal reducing bacteria. A combination of potential-based molecular dynamics simulations and ab initio electronic structure calculations are used in the framework of Marcus' electron transfer theory to compute elementary electron transfer rates from a well-defined cytochrome model, namely the small tetraheme cytochrome (STC) from Shewanella oneidensis, to surfaces of the iron oxide mineral hematite (a-Fe2O3). Room temperature molecular dynamics simulations show that an isolated STC molecule favors surface attachment via direct contact of hemes I and IV at the poles of the elongated axis, with electron transfer distances as small as 9 Angstroms. The cytochrome remains attached to the mineral surface in the presence of water and shows limited surface diffusion at the interface. Ab initio electronic coupling matrix element (VAB) calculations of configurations excised from the molecular dynamics simulations reveal VAB values ranging from 1 to 20 cm-1, consistent with nonadiabaticity. Using these results, together with experimental data on the redox potential of hematite and hemes in relevant cytochromes and calculations of the reorganization energy from cluster models, we estimate the rate of electron transfer across this model interface to range from 1 to 1000 s-1 for the most exothermic driving force considered in this work, and from 0.01 to 20 s-1 for the most endothermic. This fairly large range of electron transfer rates highlights the sensitivity of the rate upon the electronic coupling matrix element, which is in turn dependent on the fluctuations of the heme configuration at the interface. We characterize this dependence using an idealized bis-imidazole heme to compute from first principles the VAB variation due to porphyrin ring orientation, electron transfer distance, and mineral surface termination. The electronic

  19. The heme-heme oxygenase system: a molecular switch in wound healing.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wagener, F.A.D.T.G.; Beurden, H.E. van; Hoff, J.W. Von den; Adema, G.J.; Figdor, C.G.

    2003-01-01

    When cells are injured they release their contents, resulting in a local accumulation of free heme proteins and heme. Here, we investigated the involvement of heme and its degrading enzyme heme oxygenase (HO) in the inflammatory process during wound healing. We observed that heme directly

  20. Paramagnetic properties of the low- and high-spin states of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vanwetswinkel, Sophie; Nuland, Nico A. J. van; Volkov, Alexander N.

    2013-01-01

    Here we describe paramagnetic NMR analysis of the low- and high-spin forms of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP), a 34 kDa heme enzyme involved in hydroperoxide reduction in mitochondria. Starting from the assigned NMR spectra of a low-spin CN-bound CcP and using a strategy based on paramagnetic pseudocontact shifts, we have obtained backbone resonance assignments for the diamagnetic, iron-free protein and the high-spin, resting-state enzyme. The derived chemical shifts were further used to determine low- and high-spin magnetic susceptibility tensors and the zero-field splitting constant (D) for the high-spin CcP. The D value indicates that the latter contains a hexacoordinate heme species with a weak field ligand, such as water, in the axial position. Being one of the very few high-spin heme proteins analyzed in this fashion, the resting state CcP expands our knowledge of the heme coordination chemistry in biological systems

  1. Paramagnetic properties of the low- and high-spin states of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vanwetswinkel, Sophie; Nuland, Nico A. J. van; Volkov, Alexander N., E-mail: ovolkov@vub.ac.be [Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jean Jeener NMR Centre, Structural Biology Brussels (Belgium)

    2013-09-15

    Here we describe paramagnetic NMR analysis of the low- and high-spin forms of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP), a 34 kDa heme enzyme involved in hydroperoxide reduction in mitochondria. Starting from the assigned NMR spectra of a low-spin CN-bound CcP and using a strategy based on paramagnetic pseudocontact shifts, we have obtained backbone resonance assignments for the diamagnetic, iron-free protein and the high-spin, resting-state enzyme. The derived chemical shifts were further used to determine low- and high-spin magnetic susceptibility tensors and the zero-field splitting constant (D) for the high-spin CcP. The D value indicates that the latter contains a hexacoordinate heme species with a weak field ligand, such as water, in the axial position. Being one of the very few high-spin heme proteins analyzed in this fashion, the resting state CcP expands our knowledge of the heme coordination chemistry in biological systems.

  2. Resonance Raman study on the structure of the active sites of microsomal cytochrome P-450 isozymes LM2 and LM4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hildebrandt, P; Greinert, R; Stier, A; Taniguchi, H

    1989-12-08

    The isozymes 2 and 4 of rabbit microsomal cytochrome P-450 (LM2, LM4) have been studied by resonance Raman spectroscopy. Based on high quality spectra, a vibrational assignment of the porphyrin modes in the frequency range between 100-1700 cm-1 is presented for different ferric states of cytochrome P-450 LM2 and LM4. The resonance Raman spectra are interpreted in terms of the spin and ligation state of the heme iron and of heme-protein interactions. While in cytochrome P-450 LM2 the six-coordinated low-spin configuration is predominantly occupied, in the isozyme LM4 the five-coordinated high-spin form is the most stable state. The different stability of these two spin configurations in LM2 and LM4 can be attributed to the structures of the active sites. In the low-spin form of the isozymes LM4 the protein matrix forces the heme into a more rigid conformation than in LM2. These steric constraints are removed upon dissociation of the sixth ligand leading to a more flexible structure of the active site in the high-spin form of the isozyme LM4. The vibrational modes of the vinyl groups were found to be characteristic markers for the specific structures of the heme pockets in both isozymes. They also respond sensitively to type-I substrate binding. While in cytochrome P-450 LM4 the occupation of the substrate-binding pocket induces conformational changes of the vinyl groups, as reflected by frequency shifts of the vinyl modes, in the LM2 isozyme the ground-state conformation of these substituents remain unaffected, suggesting that the more flexible heme pocket can accommodate substrates without imposing steric constraints on the porphyrin. The resonance Raman technique makes structural changes visible which are induced by substrate binding in addition and independent of the changes associated with the shift of the spin state equilibrium: the high-spin states in the substrate-bound and substrate-free enzyme are structurally different. The formation of the inactive form

  3. Electrochemical and spectroscopic investigations of immobilized de novo designed heme proteins on metal electrodes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albrecht, Tim; Li, WW; Ulstrup, Jens

    2005-01-01

    On the basis of rational design principles, template-assisted four-helix-bundle proteins that include two histidines for coordinative binding of a heme were synthesized. Spectroscopic and thermodynamic characterization of the proteins in solution reveals the expected bis-histidine coordinated heme...

  4. Structural Characterization of Heme Environmental Mutants of CgHmuT that Shuttles Heme Molecules to Heme Transporters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norifumi Muraki

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Corynebacteria contain a heme uptake system encoded in hmuTUV genes, in which HmuT protein acts as a heme binding protein to transport heme to the cognate transporter HmuUV. The crystal structure of HmuT from Corynebacterium glutamicum (CgHmuT reveals that heme is accommodated in the central cleft with His141 and Tyr240 as the axial ligands and that Tyr240 forms a hydrogen bond with Arg242. In this work, the crystal structures of H141A, Y240A, and R242A mutants were determined to understand the role of these residues for the heme binding of CgHmuT. Overall and heme environmental structures of these mutants were similar to those of the wild type, suggesting that there is little conformational change in the heme-binding cleft during heme transport reaction with binding and the dissociation of heme. A loss of one axial ligand or the hydrogen bonding interaction with Tyr240 resulted in an increase in the redox potential of the heme for CgHmuT to be reduced by dithionite, though the wild type was not reduced under physiological conditions. These results suggest that the heme environmental structure stabilizes the ferric heme binding in CgHmuT, which will be responsible for efficient heme uptake under aerobic conditions where Corynebacteria grow.

  5. A dual component heme biosensor that integrates heme transport and synthesis in bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nobles, Christopher L; Clark, Justin R; Green, Sabrina I; Maresso, Anthony W

    2015-11-01

    Bacterial pathogens acquire host iron to power cellular processes and replication. Heme, an iron-containing cofactor bound to hemoglobin, is scavenged by bacterial proteins to attain iron. Methods to measure intracellular heme are laborious, involve complex chemistry, or require radioactivity. Such drawbacks limit the study of the mechanistic steps of heme transport and breakdown. Hypothesizing heme homeostasis could be measured with fluorescent methods, we coupled the conversion of heme to biliverdin IXα (a product of heme catabolism) by heme oxygenase 1 (HO1) with the production of near-infrared light upon binding this verdin by infrared fluorescent protein (IFP1.4). The resultant heme sensor, IFP-HO1, was fluorescent in pathogenic E. coli exposed to heme but not in the absence of the heme transporter ChuA and membrane coupling protein TonB, thereby validating their long-standing proposed role in heme uptake. Fluorescence was abolished in a strain lacking hemE, the central gene in the heme biosynthetic pathway, but stimulated by iron, signifying the sensor reports on intracellular heme production. Finally, an invasive strain of E. coli harboring the sensor was fluorescent during an active infection. This work will allow researchers to expand the molecular toolbox used to study heme and iron acquisition in culture and during infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Single-molecule Mapping of Long-range Electron Transfer for a Cytochrome b562 Variant

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Della Pia, Eduardo Antonio; Chi, Qijin; Jones, D. Dafydd

    2011-01-01

    Cytochrome b562 was engineered to introduce a cysteine residue at a surface-exposed position to facilitate direct self-assembly on a Au(111) surface. The confined protein exhibited reversible and fast electron exchange with a gold substrate over a distance of 20 Å between the heme redox center an...

  7. Energy transfer at the active sites of heme proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dlott, D.D.; Hill, J.R.

    1995-01-01

    Experiments using a picosecond pump-probe apparatus at the Picosecond Free-electron Laser Center at Stanford University, were performed to investigate the relaxation of carbon monoxide bound to the active sites of heme proteins. The significance of these experiments is two-fold: (1) they provide detailed information about molecular dynamics occurring at the active sites of proteins; and (2) they provide insight into the nature of vibrational relaxation processes in condensed matter. Molecular engineering is used to construct various molecular systems which are studied with the FEL. We have studied native proteins, mainly myoglobin obtained from different species, mutant proteins produced by genetic engineering using recombinant DNA techniques, and a variety of model systems which mimic the structures of the active sites of native proteins, which are produced using molecular synthesis. Use of these different systems permits us to investigate how specific molecular structural changes affect dynamical processes occurring at the active sites. This research provides insight into the problems of how different species needs are fulfilled by heme proteins which have greatly different functionality, which is induced by rather small structural changes

  8. Oxidation of hydroxylamine by cytochrome P-460 of the obligate methylotroph Methylococcus capsulatus Bath.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahn, J A; Duncan, C; DiSpirito, A A

    1994-01-01

    An enzyme capable of the oxidation of hydroxylamine to nitrite was isolated from the obligate methylotroph Methylococcus capsulatus Bath. The absorption spectra in cell extracts, electron paramagnetic resonance spectra, molecular weight, covalent attachment of heme group to polypeptide, and enzymatic activities suggest that the enzyme is similar to cytochrome P-460, a novel iron-containing protein previously observed only in Nitrosomonas europaea. The native and subunit molecular masses of the M. capsulatus Bath protein were 38,900 and 16,390 Da, respectively; the isoelectric point was 6.98. The enzyme has approximately one iron and one copper atom per subunit. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of the protein showed evidence for a high-spin ferric heme. In contrast to the enzyme from N. europaea, a 13-nm blue shift in the soret band of the ferrocytochrome (463 nm in cell extracts to 450 nm in the final sample) occurred during purification. The amino acid composition and N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme from M. capsulatus Bath was similar but not identical to those of cytochrome P-460 of N. europaea. In cell extracts, the identity of the biological electron acceptor is as yet unestablished. Cytochrome c-555 is able to accept electrons from cytochrome P-460, although the purified enzyme required phenazine methosulfate for maximum hydroxylamine oxidation activity (specific activity, 366 mol of O2 per s per mol of enzyme). Hydroxylamine oxidation rates were stimulated approximately 2-fold by 1 mM cyanide and 1.5-fold by 0.1 mM 8-hydroxyquinoline. Images PMID:7928947

  9. MacA is a second cytochrome c peroxidase of Geobacter sulfurreducens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seidel, Julian; Hoffmann, Maren; Ellis, Katie E; Seidel, Antonia; Spatzal, Thomas; Gerhardt, Stefan; Elliott, Sean J; Einsle, Oliver

    2012-04-03

    The metal-reducing δ-proteobacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens produces a large number of c-type cytochromes, many of which have been implicated in the transfer of electrons to insoluble metal oxides. Among these, the dihemic MacA was assigned a central role. Here we have produced G. sulfurreducens MacA by recombinant expression in Escherichia coli and have solved its three-dimensional structure in three different oxidation states. Sequence comparisons group MacA into the family of diheme cytochrome c peroxidases, and the protein indeed showed hydrogen peroxide reductase activity with ABTS(-2) as an electron donor. The observed K(M) was 38.5 ± 3.7 μM H(2)O(2) and v(max) was 0.78 ± 0.03 μmol of H(2)O(2)·min(-1)·mg(-1), resulting in a turnover number k(cat) = 0.46 · s(-1). In contrast, no Fe(III) reductase activity was observed. MacA was found to display electrochemical properties similar to other bacterial diheme peroxidases, in addition to the ability to electrochemically mediate electron transfer to the soluble cytochrome PpcA. Differences in activity between CcpA and MacA can be rationalized with structural variations in one of the three loop regions, loop 2, that undergoes conformational changes during reductive activation of the enzyme. This loop is adjacent to the active site heme and forms an open loop structure rather than a more rigid helix as in CcpA. For the activation of the protein, the loop has to displace the distal ligand to the active site heme, H93, in loop 1. A H93G variant showed an unexpected formation of a helix in loop 2 and disorder in loop 1, while a M297H variant that altered the properties of the electron transfer heme abolished reductive activation.

  10. THE REDOX PATHWAY OF Pseudomonas aeruginosa CYTOCHROME C BIOGENESIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva Di Silvio

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Cytochrome c contains heme covalently bound to the polypeptide chain through two thioether bonds between the heme vinyl groups and the two cysteines of the conserved heme- binding motif of the apoprotein. Surprisingly, the biochemical events leading to the synthesis of the functional holoprotein in the cell are largely unknown. In the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the biogenesis of Cytc is mediated by a group of membrane or membrane-anchored proteins (CcmABCDEFGHI, exposing their active site to the periplasm. The Ccm proteins involved in the necessary reduction of apoCyt disulfide bond are CcmG and CcmH. Here we present the structural and functional characterization of these two redox-active proteins. We determined the crystal structure of CcmG, both in the oxidized and the reduced state. CcmG is a membrane-anchored thioredoxinlike protein acting as a mild reductant in the redox pathway of Cytc biogenesis. The 3D structure of the soluble periplasmic domain of CcmH revealed that it adopts a peculiar three-helix bundle fold that is different from that of canonical thiol-oxidoreductases. Moreover, we present protein-protein interaction experiments aiming at elucidating the molecular mechanism of the reduction of apoCyt disulfide bond for heme attachment in vivo. On the basis of the structural and functional data on CcmG, CcmH and their interactions, we propose an assembly line for Cytc biogenesis in P. aeruginosa in which reduced CcmH specifically recognizes, binds and reduces oxidized apoCyt via the formation of a mixed disulfide complex, which is subsequently resolved by CcmG.

  11. Potent heme-degrading action of antimony and antimony-containing parasiticidal agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drummond, G S; Kappas, A

    1981-02-01

    The ability of antimony and antimony-containing parasiticidal agents to enhance the rate of heme degradation in liver and kidney was investigated. Trivalent antimony was shown to be an extremely potent inducer of heme oxygenase, the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in heme degradation, in both organs, whereas the pentavalent form was a weak inducer of this enzyme. The ability of antimony to induce heme oxygenase was dose-dependent, independent of the salt used, and not a result of a direct activation of the enzyme in vitro. Concomitant with heme oxygenase induction by antimony, microsomal heme and cytochrome P-450 contents decreased, the cyto-chrome P-450-dependent mixed function oxidase system was impaired, and delta-ami-nolevulinate synthase (ALAS), the rate-limiting enzyme of heme synthesis, underwent the sequential changes-initial inhibition followed by rebound induction-usually associated with the administration of transition elements such as cobalt. Antimony induction of heme oxygenase however, unlike the enzyme induction elicited by cobalt, was not prevented either by cysteine administered orally or as a cysteine metal complex, or by simultaneous zinc administration. Desferoxamine also did not block heme oxygenase induction by antimony, but this chelator did prevent the rebound increase in ALAS activity associated with antimony or cobalt treatment. Antimony-containing parasiticidal drugs were also potent inducers of heme oxygenase in liver and kidney. The heme degradative action of these drugs may be related in part to the jaundice commonly associated with the prolonged therapeutic use of these agents. The heme-oxygenase-inducing action of antimony-containing parasiticidal drugs is a newly defined biological property of these compounds. The relation between the parasiticidal and the heme-oxygenase-inducing actions of such drugs is unknown. However, certain parasites contain hemoproteins or require heme compounds during their life cycle. It may therefore be

  12. Identification of the Mitochondrial Heme Metabolism Complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medlock, Amy E; Shiferaw, Mesafint T; Marcero, Jason R; Vashisht, Ajay A; Wohlschlegel, James A; Phillips, John D; Dailey, Harry A

    2015-01-01

    Heme is an essential cofactor for most organisms and all metazoans. While the individual enzymes involved in synthesis and utilization of heme are fairly well known, less is known about the intracellular trafficking of porphyrins and heme, or regulation of heme biosynthesis via protein complexes. To better understand this process we have undertaken a study of macromolecular assemblies associated with heme synthesis. Herein we have utilized mass spectrometry with coimmunoprecipitation of tagged enzymes of the heme biosynthetic pathway in a developing erythroid cell culture model to identify putative protein partners. The validity of these data obtained in the tagged protein system is confirmed by normal porphyrin/heme production by the engineered cells. Data obtained are consistent with the presence of a mitochondrial heme metabolism complex which minimally consists of ferrochelatase, protoporphyrinogen oxidase and aminolevulinic acid synthase-2. Additional proteins involved in iron and intermediary metabolism as well as mitochondrial transporters were identified as potential partners in this complex. The data are consistent with the known location of protein components and support a model of transient protein-protein interactions within a dynamic protein complex.

  13. The Aspergillus fumigatus Damage Resistance Protein Family Coordinately Regulates Ergosterol Biosynthesis and Azole Susceptibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinxing Song

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Ergosterol is a major and specific component of the fungal plasma membrane, and thus, the cytochrome P450 enzymes (Erg proteins that catalyze ergosterol synthesis have been selected as valuable targets of azole antifungals. However, the opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus has developed worldwide resistance to azoles largely through mutations in the cytochrome P450 enzyme Cyp51 (Erg11. In this study, we demonstrate that a cytochrome b5-like heme-binding damage resistance protein (Dap family, comprised of DapA, DapB, and DapC, coordinately regulates the functionality of cytochrome P450 enzymes Erg5 and Erg11 and oppositely affects susceptibility to azoles. The expression of all three genes is induced in an azole concentration-dependent way, and the decreased susceptibility to azoles requires DapA stabilization of cytochrome P450 protein activity. In contrast, overexpression of DapB and DapC causes dysfunction of Erg5 and Erg11, resulting in abnormal accumulation of sterol intermediates and further accentuating the sensitivity of ΔdapA strains to azoles. The results of exogenous-hemin rescue and heme-binding-site mutagenesis experiments demonstrate that the heme binding of DapA contributes the decreased azole susceptibility, while DapB and -C are capable of reducing the activities of Erg5 and Erg11 through depletion of heme. In vivo data demonstrate that inactivated DapA combined with activated DapB yields an A. fumigatus mutant that is easily treatable with azoles in an immunocompromised mouse model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Compared to the single Dap proteins found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we suggest that this complex Dap family regulatory system emerged during the evolution of fungi as an adaptive means to regulate ergosterol synthesis in response to environmental stimuli.

  14. Magnetic circular dichroism studies on microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase: comparison with cytochrome b/sub 5/ and cytochrome P-450/sub cam/

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vickery, L; Salmon, A; Sauer, K

    1975-01-01

    Magnetic circular dichroism spectra are reported for the visible and near ultraviolet spectral regions of liver microsomes from dimethylbenzanthracene-treated rats. The sequential addition of NADH, dithionite, and carbon monoxide enables us to determine contributions to the magnetic circular dichroism by cytochromes b/sub 5/ and P-450, which dominate the spectra. The magnetic circular dichroism of the microsomal preparation is compared with that of purified oxidized and reduced cytochrome b/sub 5/ from pig liver and with the camphor-complexed and camphor-free oxidized, reduced, and reduced carbonmonoxy cytochrome P-450/sub cam/ from Pseudomonas putida. The magnetic circular dichroism spectra of the membrane bound cytochrome b/sub 5/ are similar to those of the purified protein, indicating that little or no alteration in the environment of the heme occurs during the isolation procedure. The soluble bacterial cytochrome P-450/sub cam/ also appears to be a suitable model for microsomal P-450, although differences in the magnetic circular dichroism intensity are observed for the two enzymes. No effect of dimethylbenzanthracene on the magnetic circular dichroism spectra of induced compared to control rat microsomes could be observed.

  15. Oxoferryl-Porphyrin Radical Catalytic Intermediate in Cytochrome bd Oxidases Protects Cells from Formation of Reactive Oxygen Species*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulus, Angela; Rossius, Sebastiaan Gijsbertus Hendrik; Dijk, Madelon; de Vries, Simon

    2012-01-01

    The quinol-linked cytochrome bd oxidases are terminal oxidases in respiration. These oxidases harbor a low spin heme b558 that donates electrons to a binuclear heme b595/heme d center. The reaction with O2 and subsequent catalytic steps of the Escherichia coli cytochrome bd-I oxidase were investigated by means of ultra-fast freeze-quench trapping followed by EPR and UV-visible spectroscopy. After the initial binding of O2, the O–O bond is heterolytically cleaved to yield a kinetically competent heme d oxoferryl porphyrin π-cation radical intermediate (compound I) magnetically interacting with heme b595. Compound I accumulates to 0.75–0.85 per enzyme in agreement with its much higher rate of formation (∼20,000 s−1) compared with its rate of decay (∼1,900 s−1). Compound I is next converted to a short lived heme d oxoferryl intermediate (compound II) in a phase kinetically matched to the oxidation of heme b558 before completion of the reaction. The results indicate that cytochrome bd oxidases like the heme-copper oxidases break the O–O bond in a single four-electron transfer without a peroxide intermediate. However, in cytochrome bd oxidases, the fourth electron is donated by the porphyrin moiety rather than by a nearby amino acid. The production of reactive oxygen species by the cytochrome bd oxidase was below the detection level of 1 per 1000 turnovers. We propose that the two classes of terminal oxidases have mechanistically converged to enzymes in which the O–O bond is broken in a single four-electron transfer reaction to safeguard the cell from the formation of reactive oxygen species. PMID:22287551

  16. Protein alkylation, transcriptional responses and cytochrome c release during acrolein toxicity in A549 cells: influence of nucleophilic culture media constituents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Colin A; Burcham, Philip C

    2008-06-01

    Acrolein is a toxic combustion product that elicits apoptotic and/or necrotic cell death depending on the conditions under which exposure occurs. As a strong electrophile, side-reactions with nucleophilic media constituents seem likely to accompany study of its toxicity in vitro, but these reactions are poorly characterized. We have thus examined the effect of media composition on the toxicity of acrolein in A549 cells. Cells were exposed to acrolein in either Dulbecco's buffered saline (DBS) or F12 supplemented with various concentrations of fetal bovine serum. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, while heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and cytoplasmic cytochrome c were measured as respective markers of transcriptional response and apoptosis. Protein damage was evaluated using the protein carbonyl assay. Compared to F12 media (with or without serum), maximal cell death as evaluated using the MTT assay, as well as adduction of intracellular proteins, occurred when cells were exposed to acrolein in DBS. In contrast, cytochrome c release was maximal in cells exposed to acrolein in serum-containing F12, conditions which inhibited protein modification and overt cell death. These findings highlight the need for careful attention to experimental conditions when conducting in vitro toxicological studies of reactive substances.

  17. Formation of putative chloroplast cytochromes in isolated developing pea chloroplasts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thaver, S.S.; Bhava, D.; Castelfranco, P.A.

    1986-01-01

    In addition to chlorophyll-protein complexes, other proteins were labeled when isolated developing pea chloroplasts were incubated with [ 14 C]-5-aminolevulinic acid [ 14 C]-ALA. The major labeled band (M/sub r/ = 43 kDa by LDS-PAGE) was labeled even in the presence of chloramphenicol. Heme-dependent peroxidase activity (as detected by the tetramethyl benzidine-H 2 O 2 stain) was not visibly associated with this band. The radioactive band was stable to heat, 5% HCl in acetone, and was absent if the incubation with [ 14 C]-5-aminolevulinic acid was carried out in the presence of N-methyl protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester (a specific inhibitor of ferrochelatase). Organic solvent extraction procedures for the enrichment of cytochrome f from chloroplast membranes also extracted this unknown labeled product. It was concluded that this labeled product was probably a c-type cytochrome. The effect of exogenous iron, iron chelators, gabaculine (an inhibitor of ALA synthesis) and other incubation conditions upon the in vitro formation of putative chloroplast cytochromes will be discussed

  18. Dissecting the functional role of key residues in triheme cytochrome PpcA: a path to rational design of G. sulfurreducens strains with enhanced electron transfer capabilities.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonor Morgado

    Full Text Available PpcA is the most abundant member of a family of five triheme cytochromes c7 in the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens (Gs and is the most likely carrier of electrons destined for outer surface during respiration on solid metal oxides, a process that requires extracellular electron transfer. This cytochrome has the highest content of lysine residues (24% among the family, and it was suggested to be involved in e-/H(+ energy transduction processes. In the present work, we investigated the functional role of lysine residues strategically located in the vicinity of each heme group. Each lysine was replaced by glutamine or glutamic acid to evaluate the effects of a neutral or negatively charged residue in each position. The results showed that replacing Lys9 (located near heme IV, Lys18 (near heme I or Lys22 (between hemes I and III has essentially no effect on the redox properties of the heme groups and are probably involved in redox partner recognition. On the other hand, Lys43 (near heme IV, Lys52 (between hemes III and IV and Lys60 (near heme III are crucial in the regulation of the functional mechanism of PpcA, namely in the selection of microstates that allow the protein to establish preferential e-/H(+ transfer pathways. The results showed that the preferred e-/H(+ transfer pathways are only established when heme III is the last heme to oxidize, a feature reinforced by a higher difference between its reduction potential and that of its predecessor in the order of oxidation. We also showed that K43 and K52 mutants keep the mechanistic features of PpcA by establishing preferential e-/H+ transfer pathways at lower reduction potential values than the wild-type protein, a property that can enable rational design of Gs strains with optimized extracellular electron transfer capabilities.

  19. Binding analysis of ferritin with heme using α-casein and biotinylated-hemin: detection of heme-binding capacity of Dpr derived from heme synthesis-deficient Streptococcus mutans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mieno, Ayako; Yamamoto, Yuji; Yoshikawa, Yasunaga; Watanabe, Kiyotaka; Mukai, Takao; Orino, Koichi

    2013-01-01

    Bacterial and mammalian ferritins are known to bind heme. The use of α-casein and biotinylated hemin could be applicable to detection of protein-bound heme and of proteins with heme-binding capacity, respectively. Although commercial horse spleen ferritin and purified horse spleen ferritin (L:H subunit ratio=4) bound to an α-casein-coated plate, and this binding could be inhibited by hemin, recombinant iron-binding protein (rDpr), derived from heme-deficient Streptococcus mutans and expressed in Escherichia coli, did not bind to an α-casein-coated plate. Both horse spleen ferritins bound to α-casein-immobilized beads. Commercial horse spleen ferritin and rDpr showed direct binding to hemin-agarose beads. After preincubation of commercial horse spleen ferritin or rDpr with biotinylated hemin, they showed indirect binding to avidin-immobilized beads through biotinylated hemin. These results demonstrate that α-casein is useful for detection of heme-binding ferritin and that both hemin-agarose and the combination of biotinylated hemin and avidin-beads are useful for detection of the heme-binding capacity of ferritin. In addition, this study also revealed that Dpr, a decameric iron-binding protein, from heme-deficient cells binds heme.

  20. Unique structure and stability of HmuY, a novel heme-binding protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Halina Wójtowicz

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Infection, survival, and proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in humans depend on their capacity to impair host responses and acquire nutrients in a hostile environment. Among such nutrients is heme, a co-factor for oxygen storage, electron transport, photosynthesis, and redox biochemistry, which is indispensable for life. Porphyromonas gingivalis is the major human bacterial pathogen responsible for severe periodontitis. It recruits heme through HmuY, which sequesters heme from host carriers and delivers it to its cognate outer-membrane transporter, the TonB-dependent receptor HmuR. Here we report that heme binding does not significantly affect the secondary structure of HmuY. The crystal structure of heme-bound HmuY reveals a new all-beta fold mimicking a right hand. The thumb and fingers pinch heme iron through two apical histidine residues, giving rise to highly symmetric octahedral iron co-ordination. The tetrameric quaternary arrangement of the protein found in the crystal structure is consistent with experiments in solution. It shows that thumbs and fingertips, and, by extension, the bound heme groups, are shielded from competing heme-binding proteins from the host. This may also facilitate heme transport to HmuR for internalization. HmuY, both in its apo- and in its heme-bound forms, is resistant to proteolytic digestion by trypsin and the major secreted proteases of P. gingivalis, gingipains K and R. It is also stable against thermal and chemical denaturation. In conclusion, these studies reveal novel molecular properties of HmuY that are consistent with its role as a putative virulence factor during bacterial infection.

  1. Heme Oxygenase-1 and breast cancer resistance protein protect against heme-induced toxicity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wagener, Frank A D T G; Dankers, Anita C A; van Summeren, Frank; Scharstuhl, Alwin; van den Heuvel, Jeroen J M W; Koenderink, Jan B; Pennings, Sebastiaan W C; Russel, Frans G M; Masereeuw, R.

    2013-01-01

    Heme is the functional group of diverse hemoproteins and crucial for many cellular processes. However, heme is increasingly recognized as a culprit for a wide variety of pathologies, including sepsis, malaria, and kidney failure. Excess of free heme can be detrimental to tissues by mediating

  2. Humanlike substitutions to Ω-loop D of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c only modestly affect dynamics and peroxidase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Haotian; Bowler, Bruce E

    2018-06-01

    Structural studies of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c (L.J. McClelland, T.-C. Mou, M.E. Jeakins-Cooley, S.R. Sprang, B.E. Bowler, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111 (2014) 6648-6653) show that modest movement of Ω-loop D (residues 70-85, average RMSD versus the native structure: 0.81 Å) permits loss of Met80-heme ligation creating an available coordination site to catalyze the peroxidase activity mediated by cytochrome c early in apoptosis. However, Ala81 and Gly83 move significantly (RMSDs of 2.18 and 1.26 Å, respectively). Ala81 and Gly83 evolve to Ile and Val, respectively, in human cytochrome c and peroxidase activity decreases 25-fold relative to the yeast protein at pH 7. To test the hypothesis that these residues evolved to restrict the peroxidase activity of cytochrome c, A81I and G83V variants of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c were prepared. For both variants, the apparent pK a of the alkaline transition increases by 0.2 to 0.3 relative to the wild type (WT) protein and the rate of opening the heme crevice is slowed. The cooperativity of acid unfolding is decreased for the G83V variant. At pH 7 and 8, the catalytic rate constant, k cat , for the peroxidase activity of both variants decreases relative to WT, consistent with the effects on alkaline isomerization. Below pH 7, the loss in the cooperativity of acid unfolding causes k cat for peroxidase activity to increase for the G83V variant relative to WT. Neither variant decreases k cat to the level of the human protein, indicating that other residues also contribute to the low peroxidase activity of human cytochrome c. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Characterization of Human and Yeast Mitochondrial Glycine Carriers with Implications for Heme Biosynthesis and Anemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lunetti, Paola; Damiano, Fabrizio; De Benedetto, Giuseppe; Siculella, Luisa; Pennetta, Antonio; Muto, Luigina; Paradies, Eleonora; Marobbio, Carlo Marya Thomas; Dolce, Vincenza; Capobianco, Loredana

    2016-09-16

    Heme is an essential molecule in many biological processes, such as transport and storage of oxygen and electron transfer as well as a structural component of hemoproteins. Defects of heme biosynthesis in developing erythroblasts have profound medical implications, as represented by sideroblastic anemia. The synthesis of heme requires the uptake of glycine into the mitochondrial matrix where glycine is condensed with succinyl coenzyme A to yield δ-aminolevulinic acid. Herein we describe the biochemical and molecular characterization of yeast Hem25p and human SLC25A38, providing evidence that they are mitochondrial carriers for glycine. In particular, the hem25Δ mutant manifests a defect in the biosynthesis of δ-aminolevulinic acid and displays reduced levels of downstream heme and mitochondrial cytochromes. The observed defects are rescued by complementation with yeast HEM25 or human SLC25A38 genes. Our results identify new proteins in the heme biosynthetic pathway and demonstrate that Hem25p and its human orthologue SLC25A38 are the main mitochondrial glycine transporters required for heme synthesis, providing definitive evidence of their previously proposed glycine transport function. Furthermore, our work may suggest new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of congenital sideroblastic anemia. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  4. Characterization of the Ala62Pro polymorphic variant of human cytochrome P450 1A1 using recombinant protein expression

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Seung Heon; Kang, Sukmo [College of Veterinary Medicine, BK21plus Program for Creative Veterinary Science Research, and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Dong, Mi Sook [School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jung-Duck [College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jinseo; Rhee, Sangkee [College of Agriculture of Life Science, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Ryu, Doug-Young, E-mail: dyryu@snu.ac.kr [College of Veterinary Medicine, BK21plus Program for Creative Veterinary Science Research, and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-06-15

    Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 is a heme-containing enzyme involved in detoxification of hydrophobic pollutants. Its Ala62Pro variant has been identified previously. Ala62 is located in α-helix A of CYP1A1. Residues such as Pro and Gly are α-helix breakers. In this study, the Ala62Pro variant was characterized using heterologous expression. E. coli expressing the Ala62Pro variant, and the purified variant protein, had lower CYP (i.e. holoenzyme) contents than their wild-type (WT) equivalents. The CYP variant from E. coli and mammalian cells exhibited lower 7-ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylation (EROD) and benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylation activities than the WT. Enhanced supplementation of a heme precursor during E. coli culture did not increase CYP content in E. coli expressing the variant, but did for the WT. As for Ala62Pro, E. coli expressing an Ala62Gly variant had a lower CYP content than the WT counterpart, but substitution of Ala62 with α-helix-compatible residues such as Ser and Val partially recovered the level of CYP produced. Microsomes from mammalian cells expressing Ala62Pro and Ala62Gly variants exhibited lower EROD activities than those expressing the WT or Ala62Val variant. A region harboring α-helix A has interactions with another region containing heme-interacting residues. Site-directed mutagenesis analyses suggest the importance of interactions between the two regions on holoenzyme expression. Together, these findings suggest that the Ala62Pro substitution leads to changes in protein characteristics and function of CYP1A1 via structural disturbance of the region where the residue is located. - Highlights: • Ala62 is located in α-helix A of the carcinogen-metabolizing enzyme CYP1A1. • Pro acts as an α-helix breaker. • A variant protein of CYP1A1, Ala62Pro, had lower heme content than the wild-type. • The variant of CYP1A1 had lower enzyme activities than the wild-type.

  5. Heme transport and erythropoiesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Xiaojing; Fleming, Mark D.; Hamza, Iqbal

    2013-01-01

    In humans, systemic heme homeostasis is achieved via coordinated regulation of heme synthesis, transport and degradation. Although the heme biosynthesis and degradation pathways have been well characterized, the pathways for heme trafficking and incorporation into hemoproteins remains poorly understood. In the past few years, researchers have exploited genetic, cellular and biochemical tools, to identify heme transporters and, in the process, reveal unexpected functions for this elusive group of proteins. However, given the complexity of heme trafficking pathways, current knowledge of heme transporters is fragmented and sometimes contradictory. This review seeks to focus on recent studies on heme transporters with specific emphasis on their functions during erythropoiesis. PMID:23415705

  6. Heme orientational disorder in human adult hemoglobin reconstituted with a ring fluorinated heme and its functional consequences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagao, Satoshi; Hirai, Yueki; Kawano, Shin; Imai, Kiyohiro; Suzuki, Akihiro; Yamamoto, Yasuhiko

    2007-01-01

    A ring fluorinated heme, 13,17-bis(2-carboxylatoethyl)-3,8-diethyl-2-fluoro-7,12, 18-trimethyl-porphyrin-atoiron(III), has been incorporated into human adult hemoglobin (Hb A). The heme orientational disorder in the individual subunits of the protein has been readily characterized using 19 F NMR and the O 2 binding properties of the protein have been evaluated through the oxygen equilibrium analysis. The equilibrated orientations of hemes in α- and β- subunits of the reconstituted protein were found to be almost completely opposite to each other, and hence were largely different from those of the native and the previously reported reconstituted proteins [T. Jue, G.N. La Mar, Heme orientational heterogeneity in deuterohemin-reconstituted horse and human hemoglobin characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 119 (1984) 640-645]. Despite the large difference in the degree of the heme orientational disorder in the subunits of the proteins, the O 2 affinity and the cooperativity of the protein reconstituted with 2-MF were similar to those of the proteins reconstituted with a series of hemes chemically modified at the heme 3- and 8-positions [K. Kawabe, K. Imaizumi, Z. Yoshida, K. Imai, I. Tyuma, Studies on reconstituted myoglobins and hemoglobins II. Role of the heme side chains in the oxygenation of hemoglobin, J. Biochem. 92 (1982) 1713-1722], whose O 2 affinity and cooperativity were higher and lower, respectively, relative to those of native protein. These results indicated that the heme orientational disorder could exert little effect, if any, on the O 2 affinity properties of Hb A. This finding provides new insights into structure-function relationship of Hb A

  7. Immobilized Cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9): Applications for Metabolite Generation, Monitoring Protein-Protein Interactions, and Improving In-vivo Predictions Using Enhanced In-vitro Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wollenberg, Lance A.

    Cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes are a family of oxoferroreductase enzymes containing a heme moiety and are well known to be involved in the metabolism of a wide variety of endogenous and xenobiotic materials. It is estimated that roughly 75% of all pharmaceutical compounds are metabolized by these enzymes. Traditional reconstituted in-vitro incubation studies using recombinant P450 enzymes are often used to predict in-vivo kinetic parameters of a drug early in development. However, in many cases, these reconstituted incubations are prone to aggregation which has been shown to affect the catalytic activity of an enzyme. Moreover, the presence of other isoforms of P450 enzymes present in a metabolic incubation, as is the case with microsomal systems, may affect the catalytic activity of an enzyme through isoform-specific protein-protein interactions. Both of these effects may result in inaccurate prediction of in-vivo drug metabolism using in-vitro experiments. Here we described the development of immobilized P450 constructs designed to elucidate the effects of aggregation and protein-protein interactions between P450 isoforms on catalytic activities. The long term objective of this project is to develop a system to control the oligomeric state of Cytochrome P450 enzymes to accurately elucidate discrepancies between in vitro reconstituted systems and actual in vivo drug metabolism for the precise prediction of metabolic activity. This approach will serve as a system to better draw correlations between in-vivo and in-vitro drug metabolism data. The central hypothesis is that Cytochrome P450 enzymes catalytic activity can be altered by protein-protein interactions occurring between Cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in drug metabolism, and is dependent on varying states of protein aggregation. This dissertation explains the details of the construction and characterization of a nanostructure device designed to control the state of aggregation of a P450 enzyme. Moreover

  8. The nature of the exchange coupling between high-spin Fe(III) heme o3 and CuBII in Escherichia coli quinol oxidase, cytochrome bo3: MCD and EPR studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheesman, Myles R; Oganesyan, Vasily S; Watmough, Nicholas J; Butler, Clive S; Thomson, Andrew J

    2004-04-07

    Fully oxidized cytochrome bo3 from Escherichia coli has been studied in its oxidized and several ligand-bound forms using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopies. In each form, the spin-coupled high-spin Fe(III) heme o3 and CuB(II) ion at the active site give rise to similar fast-relaxing broad features in the dual-mode X-band EPR spectra. Simulations of dual-mode spectra are presented which show that this EPR can arise only from a dinuclear site in which the metal ions are weakly coupled by an anisotropic exchange interaction of J 1 cm-1. A variable-temperature and magnetic field (VTVF) MCD study is also presented for the cytochrome bo3 fluoride and azide derivatives. New methods are used to extract the contribution to the MCD of the spin-coupled active site in the presence of strong transitions from low-spin Fe(III) heme b. Analysis of the MCD data, independent of the EPR study, also shows that the spin-coupling within the active site is weak with J approximately 1 cm-1. These conclusions overturn a long-held view that such EPR signals in bovine cytochrome c oxidase arise from an S' = 2 ground state resulting from strong exchange coupling (J > 10(2) cm-1) within the active site.

  9. [Update on the biology of heme synthesis in erythroid cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiwara, Tohru; Harigae, Hideo

    2015-02-01

    Heme is a prosthetic group of hemoproteins playing important roles in oxygen transport, detoxification, circadian rhythm, microRNA processing, regulation of transcription, and translation. The majority of heme (-85%) is synthesized in red blood cells mainly for hemoglobin production, whereas hepatocytes account for most of the rest, functioning primarily in the synthesis of cytochrome P450 enzymes and mitochondrial respiratory enzymes. Thus, failure of heme biosynthesis causes severe inherited or acquired disorders in humans, including porphyria and sideroblastic anemia. The heme biosynthetic pathway is composed of eight enzymes that work in either mitochondria or the cytoplasm, which have been extensively researched and frequently reviewed. On the other hand, the mechanisms governing transport and intracellular trafficking of heme intermediates, as well as their potential links to human diseases, are poorly understood. Herein, we focus on recent understanding of the heme biosynthetic pathway and on human disorders due to defective heme synthesis in erythroid cells, such as X-linked sideroblastic anemia and erythropoietic protoporphyria.

  10. Redox thermodynamics of the native and alkaline forms of eukaryotic and bacterial class I cytochromes c.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battistuzzi, G; Borsari, M; Sola, M; Francia, F

    1997-12-23

    The reduction potentials of beef heart cytochrome c and cytochromes c2 from Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, and Rhodobacter capsulatus were measured through direct electrochemistry at a surface-modified gold electrode as a function of temperature in nonisothermal experiments carried out at neutral and alkaline pH values. The thermodynamic parameters for protein reduction (DeltaS degrees rc and DeltaH degrees rc) were determined for the native and alkaline conformers. Enthalpy and entropy terms underlying species-dependent differences in E degrees and pH- and temperature-induced E degrees changes for a given cytochrome were analyzed. The difference of about +0.1 V in E degrees between cytochromes c2 and the eukaryotic species can be separated into an enthalpic term (-DeltaDeltaH degrees rc/F) of +0.130 V and an entropic term (TDeltaDeltaS degrees rc/F) of -0.040 V. Hence, the higher potential of the bacterial species appears to be determined entirely by a greater enthalpic stabilization of the reduced state. Analogously, the much lower potential of the alkaline conformer(s) as compared to the native species is by far enthalpic in origin for both protein families, and is largely determined by the substitution of Met for Lys in axial heme ligation. Instead, the biphasic E degrees /temperature profile for the native cytochromes is due to a difference in reduction entropy between the conformers at low and high temperatures. Temperature-dependent 1H NMR experiments suggest that the temperature-induced transition also involves a change in orientation of the axial methionine ligand with respect to the heme plane.

  11. Catalytic diversity and homotropic allostery of two Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase like proteins from Trichoderma brevicompactum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Razak; Kumari, Indu; Sharma, Shikha; Ahmed, Mushtaq; Khan, Tabreiz Ahmad; Akhter, Yusuf

    2017-12-01

    Trichothecenes are the secondary metabolites produced by Trichoderma spp. Some of these molecules have been reported for their ability to stimulate plant growth by suppressing plant diseases and hence enabling Trichoderma spp. to be efficiently used as biocontrol agents in modern agriculture. Many of the proteins involved in the trichothecenes biosynthetic pathway in Trichoderma spp. are encoded by the genes present in the tri cluster. Tri4 protein catalyzes three consecutive oxygenation reaction steps during biosynthesis of isotrichodiol in the trichothecenes biosynthetic pathway, while tri11 protein catalyzes the C4 hydroxylation of 12, 13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene to produce trichodermol. In the present study, we have homology modelled the three-dimensional structures of tri4 and tri11 proteins. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to elucidate the mechanism of their action. Both tri4 and tri11 encode for cytochrome P450 monooxygenase like proteins. These data also revealed effector-induced allosteric changes on substrate binding at an alternative binding site and showed potential homotropic negative cooperativity. These analyses also showed that their catalytic mechanism relies on protein-ligand and protein-heme interactions controlled by hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions which orient the complex in optimal conformation within the active sites.

  12. Heme A synthesis and CcO activity are essential for Trypanosoma cruzi infectivity and replication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merli, Marcelo L; Cirulli, Brenda A; Menéndez-Bravo, Simón M; Cricco, Julia A

    2017-06-27

    Trypanosoma cruzi , the causative agent of Chagas disease, presents a complex life cycle and adapts its metabolism to nutrients' availability. Although T. cruzi is an aerobic organism, it does not produce heme. This cofactor is acquired from the host and is distributed and inserted into different heme-proteins such as respiratory complexes in the parasite's mitochondrion. It has been proposed that T. cruzi's energy metabolism relies on a branched respiratory chain with a cytochrome c oxidase-type aa 3 (C c O) as the main terminal oxidase. Heme A, the cofactor for all eukaryotic C c O, is synthesized via two sequential enzymatic reactions catalyzed by heme O synthase (HOS) and heme A synthase (HAS). Previously, TcCox10 and TcCox15 ( Trypanosoma cruzi Cox10 and Cox15 proteins) were identified in T. cruzi They presented HOS and HAS activity, respectively, when they were expressed in yeast. Here, we present the first characterization of TcCox15 in T. cruzi , confirming its role as HAS. It was differentially detected in the different T. cruzi stages, being more abundant in the replicative forms. This regulation could reflect the necessity of more heme A synthesis, and therefore more C c O activity at the replicative stages. Overexpression of a non-functional mutant caused a reduction in heme A content. Moreover, our results clearly showed that this hindrance in the heme A synthesis provoked a reduction on C c O activity and, in consequence, an impairment on T. cruzi survival, proliferation and infectivity. This evidence supports that T. cruzi depends on the respiratory chain activity along its life cycle, being C c O an essential terminal oxidase. © 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  13. Heme metabolism in stress regulation and protein production: from Cinderella to a key player

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martinez Ruiz, José Luis; Petranovic, D.; Nielsen, Jens

    2016-01-01

    Heme biosynthesis is a highly conserved pathway which is present in all kingdoms, from Archaea to higher organisms such as plants and mammals. The heme molecule acts as a prosthetic group for different proteins and enzymes involved in energy metabolism and reactions involved in electron transfer....

  14. Characterization of a gene family encoding SEA (sea-urchin sperm protein, enterokinase and agrin-domain proteins with lectin-like and heme-binding properties from Schistosoma japonicum.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evaristus Chibunna Mbanefo

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: We previously identified a novel gene family dispersed in the genome of Schistosoma japonicum by retrotransposon-mediated gene duplication mechanism. Although many transcripts were identified, no homolog was readily identifiable from sequence information. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we utilized structural homology modeling and biochemical methods to identify remote homologs, and characterized the gene products as SEA (sea-urchin sperm protein, enterokinase and agrin-domain containing proteins. A common extracellular domain in this family was structurally similar to SEA-domain. SEA-domain is primarily a structural domain, known to assist or regulate binding to glycans. Recombinant proteins from three members of this gene family specifically interacted with glycosaminoglycans with high affinity, with potential implication in ligand acquisition and immune evasion. Similar approach was used to identify a heme-binding site on the SEA-domain. The heme-binding mode showed heme molecule inserted into a hydrophobic pocket, with heme iron putatively coordinated to two histidine axial ligands. Heme-binding properties were confirmed using biochemical assays and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, which showed high affinity heme-binding (K D = 1.605×10(-6 M and cognate spectroscopic attributes of hexa-coordinated heme iron. The native proteins were oligomers, antigenic, and are localized on adult worm teguments and gastrodermis; major host-parasite interfaces and site for heme detoxification and acquisition. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest potential role, at least in the nucleation step of heme crystallization (hemozoin formation, and as receptors for heme uptake. Survival strategies exploited by parasites, including heme homeostasis mechanism in hemoparasites, are paramount for successful parasitism. Thus, assessing prospects for application in disease intervention is warranted.

  15. Characterization of a Gene Family Encoding SEA (Sea-urchin Sperm Protein, Enterokinase and Agrin)-Domain Proteins with Lectin-Like and Heme-Binding Properties from Schistosoma japonicum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mbanefo, Evaristus Chibunna; Kikuchi, Mihoko; Huy, Nguyen Tien; Shuaibu, Mohammed Nasir; Cherif, Mahamoud Sama; Yu, Chuanxin; Wakao, Masahiro; Suda, Yasuo; Hirayama, Kenji

    2014-01-01

    Background We previously identified a novel gene family dispersed in the genome of Schistosoma japonicum by retrotransposon-mediated gene duplication mechanism. Although many transcripts were identified, no homolog was readily identifiable from sequence information. Methodology/Principal Findings Here, we utilized structural homology modeling and biochemical methods to identify remote homologs, and characterized the gene products as SEA (sea-urchin sperm protein, enterokinase and agrin)-domain containing proteins. A common extracellular domain in this family was structurally similar to SEA-domain. SEA-domain is primarily a structural domain, known to assist or regulate binding to glycans. Recombinant proteins from three members of this gene family specifically interacted with glycosaminoglycans with high affinity, with potential implication in ligand acquisition and immune evasion. Similar approach was used to identify a heme-binding site on the SEA-domain. The heme-binding mode showed heme molecule inserted into a hydrophobic pocket, with heme iron putatively coordinated to two histidine axial ligands. Heme-binding properties were confirmed using biochemical assays and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, which showed high affinity heme-binding (K D = 1.605×10−6 M) and cognate spectroscopic attributes of hexa-coordinated heme iron. The native proteins were oligomers, antigenic, and are localized on adult worm teguments and gastrodermis; major host-parasite interfaces and site for heme detoxification and acquisition. Conclusions The results suggest potential role, at least in the nucleation step of heme crystallization (hemozoin formation), and as receptors for heme uptake. Survival strategies exploited by parasites, including heme homeostasis mechanism in hemoparasites, are paramount for successful parasitism. Thus, assessing prospects for application in disease intervention is warranted. PMID:24416467

  16. Conformational changes of the NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 reductase in the course of electron transfer to cytochromes P450

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Tomas; Jensen, Kenneth; Møller, Birger Lindberg

    2011-01-01

    The NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) is a key electron donor to eucaryotic cytochromes P450 (CYPs). CPR shuttles electrons from NADPH through the FAD and FMN-coenzymes into the iron of the prosthetic heme-group of the CYP. In the course of these electron transfer reactions, CPR und...... to serve as an effective electron transferring "nano-machine"....

  17. Allocation of Heme is Differentially Regulated by Ferrochelatase Isoforms in Arabidopsis Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nino Asuela Espinas

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Heme is involved in various biological processes as a cofactor of hemoproteins located in various organelles. In plant cells, heme is synthesized by two isoforms of plastid-localized ferrochelatase, FC1 and FC2. In this study, by characterizing Arabidopsis T-DNA insertional mutants, we showed that the allocation of heme is differentially regulated by ferrochelatase isoforms in plant cells. Analyses of weak (fc1-1 and null (fc1-2 mutants suggest that FC1-producing heme is required for initial growth of seedling development. In contrast, weak (fc2-1 and null (fc2-2 mutants of FC2 showed pale green leaves and retarded growth, indicating that FC2-producing heme is necessary for chloroplast development. During the initial growth stage, FC2 deficiency caused reduction of plastid cytochromes. In addition, although FC2 deficiency marginally affected the assembly of photosynthetic reaction center complexes, it caused relatively larger but insufficient light-harvesting antenna to reaction centers, resulting in lower efficiency of photosynthesis. In the later vegetative growth, however, fc2-2 recovered photosynthetic growth, showing that FC1-producing heme may complement the FC2 deficiency. On the other hand, reduced level of cytochromes in microsomal fraction was discovered in fc1-1, suggesting that FC1-producing heme is mainly allocated to extraplastidic organelles. Furthermore, the expression of FC1 is induced by the treatment of an elicitor flg22 while that of FC2 was reduced, and fc1-1 abolished the flg22-dependent induction of FC1 expression and peroxidase activity. Consequently, our results clarified that FC2 produces heme for the photosynthetic machinery in the chloroplast, while FC1 is the housekeeping enzyme providing heme cofactor to the entire cell. In addition, FC1 can partly complement FC2 deficiency and is also involved in defense against stressful conditions.

  18. Pulse Radiolysis Studies of Temperature Dependent Electron Transfers among Redox Centers in ba(3)-Cytochrome c Oxidase from Thermus thermophilus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Farver, Ole; Wherland, Scot; Antholine, William E

    2010-01-01

    The functioning of cytochrome c oxidases involves orchestration of long-range electron transfer (ET) events among the four redox active metal centers. We report the temperature dependence of electron transfer from the Cu(A)(r) site to the low-spin heme-(a)b(o) site, i.e., Cu(A)(r) + heme-a(b)(o) ......The functioning of cytochrome c oxidases involves orchestration of long-range electron transfer (ET) events among the four redox active metal centers. We report the temperature dependence of electron transfer from the Cu(A)(r) site to the low-spin heme-(a)b(o) site, i.e., Cu(A)(r) + heme...... in cytochrome ba(3) had no effect on the rate of this reaction whereas the II-Met160Leu Cu(A)-mutation was slower by an amount corresponding to a decreased driving force of ∼0.06 eV. The structures support the presence of a common, electron-conducting "wire" between Cu(A) and heme-a(b). The transfer...

  19. Tuning of Hemes b Equilibrium Redox Potential Is Not Required for Cross-Membrane Electron Transfer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pintscher, Sebastian; Kuleta, Patryk; Cieluch, Ewelina; Borek, Arkadiusz; Sarewicz, Marcin; Osyczka, Artur

    2016-03-25

    In biological energy conversion, cross-membrane electron transfer often involves an assembly of two hemesb The hemes display a large difference in redox midpoint potentials (ΔEm_b), which in several proteins is assumed to facilitate cross-membrane electron transfer and overcome a barrier of membrane potential. Here we challenge this assumption reporting on hemebligand mutants of cytochromebc1in which, for the first time in transmembrane cytochrome, one natural histidine has been replaced by lysine without loss of the native low spin type of heme iron. With these mutants we show that ΔEm_b can be markedly increased, and the redox potential of one of the hemes can stay above the level of quinone pool, or ΔEm_b can be markedly decreased to the point that two hemes are almost isopotential, yet the enzyme retains catalytically competent electron transfer between quinone binding sites and remains functionalin vivo This reveals that cytochromebc1can accommodate large changes in ΔEm_b without hampering catalysis, as long as these changes do not impose overly endergonic steps on downhill electron transfer from substrate to product. We propose that hemesbin this cytochrome and in other membranous cytochromesbact as electronic connectors for the catalytic sites with no fine tuning in ΔEm_b required for efficient cross-membrane electron transfer. We link this concept with a natural flexibility in occurrence of several thermodynamic configurations of the direction of electron flow and the direction of the gradient of potential in relation to the vector of the electric membrane potential. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  20. Zonation of heme synthesis enzymes in mouse liver and their regulation by β-catenin and Ha-ras.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braeuning, Albert; Schwarz, Michael

    2010-11-01

    Cytochrome P450 (CYP) hemoproteins play an important role in hepatic biotransformation. Recently, β-catenin and Ha-ras signaling have been identified as players controlling transcription of various CYP genes in mouse liver. The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of β-catenin and Ha-ras in the regulation of heme synthesis. Heme synthesis-related gene expression was analyzed in normal liver, in transgenic mice expressing activated β-catenin or Ha-ras, and in hepatomas. Regulation of the aminolevulinate dehydratase promoter was studied in vitro. Elevated expression of mRNAs and proteins involved in heme biosynthesis was linked to β-catenin activation in perivenous hepatocytes, in transgenic hepatocytes, and in hepatocellular tumors. Stimulation of the aminolevulinate dehydratase promoter by β-catenin was independent of the β-catenin/T-cell-specific transcription factor dimer. By contrast, activation of Ha-ras repressed heme synthesis-related gene expression. The present data suggest that β-catenin enhances the expression of both CYPs and heme synthesis-related genes, thus coordinating the availability of CYP apoprotein and its prosthetic group heme. The reciprocal regulation of heme synthesis by β-catenin and Ha-ras-dependent signaling supports our previous hypothesis that antagonistic action of these pathways plays a major role in the control of zonal gene expression in healthy mouse liver and aberrant expression patterns in hepatocellular tumors.

  1. Structure and function of the tetraheme cytochrome associated to the reaction center of Roseobacter denitrificans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, D; Richaud, P; Breton, J; Verméglio, A

    1994-01-01

    We have characterized the tetrahemic RC bound cytochrome isolated from the quasi-photosynthetic bacterium Roseobacter denitrificans in terms of absorption spectrum, redox property and orientation with respect to the membrane plane. The heme, designated H1, which possesses the highest redox midpoint potential (+290 mV), absorbs at 555 nm. Its plane makes an angle of 40 degrees with the membrane plane. The second high potential heme, H2 (+240 mV), peaks at 554 nm and makes a tilt of 55 degrees with the membrane. The two low potential hemes, L1 and L2, present a similar and rather high redox midpoint potential (+90 mV). They absorb at 553 nm and 550 nm. One of these hemes is oriented at 40 degrees while the other makes an angle of 90 degrees with the membrane plane. The soluble cytochrome c551 completes the cyclic electron transfer between the RC and the bc1 complex. Both the oxidation and the re-reduction of cytochrome c551 are diffusible processes. Under semi-aerobic conditions, one of the low potential hemes is photo-oxidized under illumination but only extremely slowly re-reduced. This explains the requirement of high aerobic conditions for growth of Roseobacter denitrificans cells in the light.

  2. Chemical-induced coordinated and reciprocal changes in heme metabolism, cytochrome P450 synthesis and others in the liver of humans and rodents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Takemi; Ashino, Takashi; Kobayashi, Yasuna

    2016-01-01

    A wide variety of drugs and chemicals have been shown to produce induction and inhibition of heme-metabolizing enzymes, and of drug-metabolizing enzymes, including cytochrome P450s (P450s, CYPs), which consist of many molecular species with lower substrate specificity. Such chemically induced enzyme alterations are coordinately or reciprocally regulated through the same and/or different signal transductions. From the toxicological point of view, these enzymatic changes sometimes exacerbate inherited diseases, such as precipitation of porphyrogenic attacks, although the induction of these enzymes is dependent on the animal species in response to the differences in the stimuli of the liver, where they are also metabolized by P450s. Since P450s are hemoproteins, their induction and/or inhibition by chemical compounds could be coordinately accompanied by heme synthesis and/or inhibition. This review will take a retrospective view of research works carried out in our department and current findings on chemical-induced changes in hepatic heme metabolism in many places, together with current knowledge. Specifically, current beneficial aspects of induction of heme oxygenase-1, a rate-limiting heme degradation enzyme, and its relation to reciprocal and coordinated changes in P450s, with special reference to CYP2A5, in the liver are discussed. Mechanistic studies are also summarized in relation to current understanding on these aspects. Emphasis is also paid to an example of a single chemical compound that could cause various changes by mediating multiple signal transduction systems. Current toxicological studies have been developing by utilizing a sophisticated "omics" technology and survey integrated changes in the tissues produced by the administration of a chemical, even in time- and dose-dependent manners. Toxicological studies are generally carried out step by step to determine and elucidate mechanisms produced by drugs and chemicals. Such approaches are correct

  3. Malaria parasite-synthesized heme is essential in the mosquito and liver stages and complements host heme in the blood stages of infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viswanathan Arun Nagaraj

    Full Text Available Heme metabolism is central to malaria parasite biology. The parasite acquires heme from host hemoglobin in the intraerythrocytic stages and stores it as hemozoin to prevent free heme toxicity. The parasite can also synthesize heme de novo, and all the enzymes in the pathway are characterized. To study the role of the dual heme sources in malaria parasite growth and development, we knocked out the first enzyme, δ-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS, and the last enzyme, ferrochelatase (FC, in the heme-biosynthetic pathway of Plasmodium berghei (Pb. The wild-type and knockout (KO parasites had similar intraerythrocytic growth patterns in mice. We carried out in vitro radiolabeling of heme in Pb-infected mouse reticulocytes and Plasmodium falciparum-infected human RBCs using [4-(14C] aminolevulinic acid (ALA. We found that the parasites incorporated both host hemoglobin-heme and parasite-synthesized heme into hemozoin and mitochondrial cytochromes. The similar fates of the two heme sources suggest that they may serve as backup mechanisms to provide heme in the intraerythrocytic stages. Nevertheless, the de novo pathway is absolutely essential for parasite development in the mosquito and liver stages. PbKO parasites formed drastically reduced oocysts and did not form sporozoites in the salivary glands. Oocyst production in PbALASKO parasites recovered when mosquitoes received an ALA supplement. PbALASKO sporozoites could infect mice only when the mice received an ALA supplement. Our results indicate the potential for new therapeutic interventions targeting the heme-biosynthetic pathway in the parasite during the mosquito and liver stages.

  4. Electrochemistry of Cytochrome P450 BM3 in Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Udit, Andrew K.; Hill, Michael G.; Gray, Harry B.

    2008-01-01

    Direct electrochemistry of the cytochrome P450 BM3 heme domain (BM3) was achieved by confining the protein within sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) films on the surface of basal-plane graphite (BPG) electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry revealed the heme FeIII/II redox couple at −330 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl, pH 7.4). Up to 10 V/s, the peak current was linear with scan rate, allowing us to treat the system as surface-confined within this regime. The standard heterogeneous rate constant determined at 10 V/s was estimated to be 10 s−1. Voltammograms obtained for the BM3-SDS-BPG system in the presence of dioxygen exhibited catalytic waves at the onset of FeIII reduction. The altered heme reduction potential of the BM3-SDS-graphite system indicates that SDS is likely bound in the enzyme active-site region. Compared to other P450-surfactant systems, we find redox potentials and electron transfer rates that differ by ~ 100 mV and > 10-fold, respectively, indicating that the nature of the surfactant environment has a significant effect on the observed heme redox properties. PMID:17129070

  5. Isolation and purification of membrane-bound cytochrome c from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    2007-05-02

    ferrochrome and redox spectra showed the presence of heme-c. Key words: Cytochrome c, respiratory chain and Proteus mirabilis. INTRODUCTION. Proteus mirabilis is facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, gram negative bacterium.

  6. Conversion of a heme-based oxygen sensor to a heme oxygenase by hydrogen sulfide: effects of mutations in the heme distal side of a heme-based oxygen sensor phosphodiesterase (Ec DOS)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Du, Y.; Liu, G.; Yan, Y.; Huang, D.; Luo, W.; Martínková, M.; Man, Petr; Shimizu, T.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 26, č. 5 (2013), s. 839-852 ISSN 0966-0844 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Heme oxygenase * Heme protein * Hydrogen sulfide Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.689, year: 2013

  7. Explaining the atypical reaction profiles of heme enzymes with a novel mechanistic hypothesis and kinetic treatment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelath Murali Manoj

    Full Text Available Many heme enzymes show remarkable versatility and atypical kinetics. The fungal extracellular enzyme chloroperoxidase (CPO characterizes a variety of one and two electron redox reactions in the presence of hydroperoxides. A structural counterpart, found in mammalian microsomal cytochrome P450 (CYP, uses molecular oxygen plus NADPH for the oxidative metabolism (predominantly hydroxylation of substrate in conjunction with a redox partner enzyme, cytochrome P450 reductase. In this study, we employ the two above-mentioned heme-thiolate proteins to probe the reaction kinetics and mechanism of heme enzymes. Hitherto, a substrate inhibition model based upon non-productive binding of substrate (two-site model was used to account for the inhibition of reaction at higher substrate concentrations for the CYP reaction systems. Herein, the observation of substrate inhibition is shown for both peroxide and final substrate in CPO catalyzed peroxidations. Further, analogy is drawn in the "steady state kinetics" of CPO and CYP reaction systems. New experimental observations and analyses indicate that a scheme of competing reactions (involving primary product with enzyme or other reaction components/intermediates is relevant in such complex reaction mixtures. The presence of non-selective reactive intermediate(s affords alternate reaction routes at various substrate/product concentrations, thereby leading to a lowered detectable concentration of "the product of interest" in the reaction milieu. Occam's razor favors the new hypothesis. With the new hypothesis as foundation, a new biphasic treatment to analyze the kinetics is put forth. We also introduce a key concept of "substrate concentration at maximum observed rate". The new treatment affords a more acceptable fit for observable experimental kinetic data of heme redox enzymes.

  8. Influence of sex hormones on relative quantities of multiple species of cytochrome P-450 in rat liver microsomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujita, S.; Peisach, J.; Chevion, M.; Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem

    1981-01-01

    EPR spectra of rat liver microsomes from male, female and hormonally-treated castrated hepatectomized rats were studied. The spectra, especially in the region of gsub(max) suggested a heterogeneity of local environments of the low spin ferric heme indicative of multiple structures for cytochrome P-450. Certain features in the spectrum correlated with sexual differences. It is suggested that the changes in the relative amplitudes of the EPR features represent differences in the relative abundance of the individual proteins in the mixture that, in turn, are related to the sexual differences of metabolic patterns for reactions catalyzed by cytochrome P-450. (author)

  9. Voltammetry and In Situ Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy of De Novo Designed Heme Protein Monolayers on Au(111)-Electrode Surfaces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albrecht, Tim; Li, Wu; Haehnel, Wolfgang

    2006-01-01

    to the tunnelling current, apparently due to slow electron transfer kinetics. As a consequence, STM images of heme-containing and heme-free MOP-C did not reveal any notable differences in apparent height or physical extension. The apparent height of heme-containing MOP-C did not show any dependence on the substrate...... potential being varied around the redox potential of the protein. The mere presence of an accessible molecular energy level is not sufficient to result in detectable tunnelling current modulation. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.......In the present work, we report the electrochemical characterization and in situ scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) studies of monolayers of an artificial de novo designed heme protein MOP-C, covalently immobilized on modified Au(111) surfaces. The protein forms closely packed monolayers, which...

  10. New insight into the mechanism of mitochondrial cytochrome c function

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chertkova, Rita V; Brazhe, Nadezda A; Bryantseva, Tatiana V

    2017-01-01

    We investigate functional role of the P76GTKMIFA83 fragment of the primary structure of cytochrome c. Based on the data obtained by the analysis of informational structure (ANIS), we propose a model of functioning of cytochrome c. According to this model, conformational rearrangements of the P76...... with conformational changes and reduced mobility of heme porphyrin. This points to a significant role of the P76GTKMIFA83 fragment in the electron transport function of cytochrome c....

  11. Cytochrome P-450 inactivation by 3-alkylsydnones. Mechanistic implications of N-alkyl and N-alkenyl heme adduct formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grab, L.A.; Swanson, B.A.; Ortiz de Montellano, P.R.

    1988-01-01

    Incubation of 3-(2-phenylethyl)-4-methylsydnone (PMS) with liver microsomes from phenobarbital-pretreated rats or with reconstituted cytochrome P-450b results in loss of the enzyme chromophore. Chromophore loss is NADPH-dependent even though the sydnone decomposes by an oxygen- but not enzyme-dependent process to give pyruvic acid and, presumably, the (2-phenylethyl)diazonium cation. N-(2-Phenylethyl)protoporphyrin IX and N-(2-phenylethenyl)protoporphyrin IX have been isolated from the livers of rats treated with PMS. Both deuteriums are retained in the N-(2-phenylethyl) adduct derived from 3-(2-phenyl[1,1- 2 H]ethyl)-4-methylsydnone, but one deuterium is lost in the N-(2-phenylethenyl) adduct. The N-(2-phenylethyl) to N-(2-phenylethenyl) adduct ratio is increased by deuterium substitution. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)-spin trapping studies show that carbon radicals are formed in incubations of the sydnones with liver microsomes but by a process that is independent of chromophore destruction. It is proposed that the 2-phenylethyl radical formed by electron transfer to the sydnone-derived (2-phenylethyl)diazonium cation adds to the prosthetic heme group to give the N-(2-phenylethyl) adduct. This alkylation reaction is similar to that observed with (2-phenylethyl)hydrazine. Autoxidation of the Fe-CH(CH 2 Ph)-N bridged species expected from insertion of 2-phenyldiazoethane into one of the heme Fe-N bonds is proposed to explain the unprecedented introduction of a double bond into the N-(2-phenylethenyl)adduct

  12. Modeling and computations of the intramolecular electron transfer process in the two-heme protein cytochrome em>c>4

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Natzmutdinov, Renat R.; Bronshtein, Michael D.; Zinkicheva, Tamara T.

    2012-01-01

    force were determined using dielectric continuum models. We then calculated the electronic transmission coefficient of the intramolecular ET rate using perturbation theory combined with the electronic wave functions determined by the DFT calculations for different heme group orientations and Fe...

  13. The Membrane Modulates Internal Proton Transfer in Cytochrome c Oxidase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Öjemyr, Linda Nasvik; Ballmoos, Christoph von; Faxén, Kristina

    2012-01-01

    The functionality of membrane proteins is often modulated by the surrounding membrane. Here, we investigated the effect of membrane reconstitution of purified cytochrome c oxidase (CytcO) on the kinetics and thermodynamics of internal electron and proton-transfer reactions during O-2 reduction...... DOPC lipids. In conclusion, the data show that the membrane significantly modulates internal charge-transfer reactions and thereby the function of the membrane-bound enzyme.......-glycerol) (DOPG). In addition, a small Change in the internal Cu-A-heme a electron equilibrium constant was observed. This effect was lipid-dependent and explained in terms of a lower electrostatic potential within the membrane-spanning part of the protein with the anionic DOPG lipids than with the zwitterionic...

  14. Implication for using heme methyl hyperfine shifts as indicators of heme seating as related to stereoselectivity in the catabolism of heme by heme oxygenase: in-plane heme versus axial his rotation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogura, Hiroshi; Evans, John P; de Montellano, Paul R Ortiz; La Mar, Gerd N

    2008-01-08

    The triple mutant of the solubilized, 265-residue construct of human heme oxygenase, K18E/E29K/R183E-hHO, has been shown to redirect the exclusive alpha-regioselectivity of wild-type hHO to primarily beta,delta-selectivity in the cleavage of heme (Wang, J., Evans, J. P., Ogura, H., La Mar, G. N., and Ortiz de Montellano, P. R. (2006) Biochemistry 45, 61-73). The 1H NMR hyperfine shift pattern for the substrate and axial His CbetaH's and the substrate-protein contacts of the cyanide-inhibited protohemin and 2,4-dimethyldeuterohemin complexes of the triple mutant have been analyzed in detail and compared to data for the WT complex. It is shown that protein contacts for the major solution isomers for both substrates in the mutant dictate approximately 90 degrees in-plane clockwise rotation relative to that in the WT. The conventional interpretation of the pattern of substrate methyl hyperfine shifts, however, indicates substrate rotations of only approximately 50 degrees . This paradox is resolved by demonstrating that the axial His25 imidazole ring also rotates counterclockwise with respect to the protein matrix in the mutant relative to that in the WT. The axial His25 CbetaH hyperfine shifts are shown to serve as independent probes of the imidazole plane orientation relative to the protein matrix. The analysis indicates that the pattern of heme methyl hyperfine shifts cannot be used alone to determine the in-plane orientation of the substrate as it relates to the stereospecificity of heme cleavage, without explicit consideration of the orientation of the axial His imidazole plane relative to the protein matrix.

  15. The Role of Heme Chirality in the Circular Dichroism of Heme Proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woody, Robert W.; Pescitelli, Gennaro

    2014-07-01

    The rotational strength (R) of the Soret transition in sperm-whale myoglobin (SW Mb), the hemoglobin from Chironomus thummi thummi (CTT Hb), and human hemoglobin (hHb) has been calculated using 20 high-resolution ( Raro > Rpep. For CTT Hb and hHB, the orders were, respectively, Rint > Rpep > Raro and Rint > Raro ≈ Rpep. Human Hb ɑ chains showed the same trend as CTT Hb. Only in the hHb β chains did Raro predominate, with the order Raro > Rint > Rpep. The total predicted Rtot for SW Mb, CTT Hb, and hHb averaged +0.77±0.10 (0.56 - 0.80), -0.37±0.12 (-0.5), and +0.31±0.17 DBM (0.23 - 0.50), respectively. (Values in parentheses are experimental values.) Thus, contrary to the currently accepted view, coupling with aromatic side-chain or peptide transitions is not the dominant factor in the Soret circular dichroism (CD) of these proteins. The Soret CD is dominated by intrinsic CD of the heme chromophore, of which vinyl torsion is the major determinant. This result suggests an explanation for the large effect of heme isomerism on the Soret CD of Mb and Hb. Rotation about the ɑ-γ axis may be associated with large changes in vinyl torsion and thus substantially alter the intrinsic CD, even reversing its sign.

  16. Mechanisms of Mitochondrial Holocytochrome c Synthase and the Key Roles Played by Cysteines and Histidine of the Heme Attachment Site, Cys-XX-Cys-His*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babbitt, Shalon E.; San Francisco, Brian; Mendez, Deanna L.; Lukat-Rodgers, Gudrun S.; Rodgers, Kenton R.; Bretsnyder, Eric C.; Kranz, Robert G.

    2014-01-01

    Mitochondrial cytochrome c assembly requires the covalent attachment of heme by thioether bonds between heme vinyl groups and a conserved CXXCH motif of cytochrome c/c1. The enzyme holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS) binds heme and apocytochrome c substrate to catalyze this attachment, subsequently releasing holocytochrome c for proper folding to its native structure. We address mechanisms of assembly using a functional Escherichia coli recombinant system expressing human HCCS. Human cytochrome c variants with individual cysteine, histidine, double cysteine, and triple cysteine/histidine substitutions (of CXXCH) were co-purified with HCCS. Single and double mutants form a complex with HCCS but not the triple mutant. Resonance Raman and UV-visible spectroscopy support the proposal that heme puckering induced by both thioether bonds facilitate release of holocytochrome c from the complex. His-19 (of CXXCH) supplies the second axial ligand to heme in the complex, the first axial ligand was previously shown to be from HCCS residue His-154. Substitutions of His-19 in cytochrome c to seven other residues (Gly, Ala, Met, Arg, Lys, Cys, and Tyr) were used with various approaches to establish other roles played by His-19. Three roles for His-19 in HCCS-mediated assembly are suggested: (i) to provide the second axial ligand to the heme iron in preparation for covalent attachment; (ii) to spatially position the two cysteinyl sulfurs adjacent to the two heme vinyl groups for thioether formation; and (iii) to aid in release of the holocytochrome c from the HCCS active site. Only H19M is able to carry out these three roles, albeit at lower efficiencies than the natural His-19. PMID:25170082

  17. Heme-Protein Active Site Models via Self-Assembly in Water

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fiammengo, R.; Wojciechowski, Kamil; Crego Calama, Mercedes; Figoli, A.; Wessling, Matthias; Reinhoudt, David; Timmerman, P.

    2003-01-01

    Water-soluble models of heme-protein active sites are obtained via the self-assembly of cationic porphyrins 1 and tetrasulfonato calix[4]arene 2 (K1·2 = 105 M-1). Selective binding of ligands either outside or inside the cavity of assemblies 1·2 via coordination to the zinc center has been observed.

  18. Using porphyrin-amino acid pairs to model the electrochemistry of heme proteins: experimental and theoretical investigations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samajdar, Rudra N; Manogaran, Dhivya; Yashonath, S; Bhattacharyya, Aninda J

    2018-04-18

    Quasi reversibility in electrochemical cycling between different oxidation states of iron is an often seen characteristic of iron containing heme proteins that bind dioxygen. Surprisingly, the system becomes fully reversible in the bare iron-porphyrin complex: hemin. This leads to the speculation that the polypeptide bulk (globin) around the iron-porphyrin active site in these heme proteins is probably responsible for the electrochemical quasi reversibility. To understand the effect of such polypeptide bulk on iron-porphyrin, we study the interaction of specific amino acids with the hemin center in solution. We choose three representative amino acids-histidine (a well-known iron coordinator in bio-inorganic systems), tryptophan (a well-known fluoroprobe for proteins), and cysteine (a redox-active organic molecule). The interactions of these amino acids with hemin are studied using electrochemistry, spectroscopy, and density functional theory. The results indicate that among these three, the interaction of histidine with the iron center is strongest. Further, histidine maintains the electrochemical reversibility of iron. On the other hand, tryptophan and cysteine interact weakly with the iron center but disturb the electrochemical reversibility by contributing their own redox active processes to the system. Put together, this study attempts to understand the molecular interactions that can control electrochemical reversibility in heme proteins. The results obtained here from the three representative amino acids can be scaled up to build a heme-amino acid interaction database that may predict the electrochemical properties of any protein with a defined polypeptide sequence.

  19. A study on the interaction of horse heart cytochrome c with some conventional and ionic liquid surfactants probed by ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mondal, Satyajit; Das, Bijan

    2018-06-01

    The interactions of a protein cytochrome c with some selected conventional and ionic liquid surfactants have been investigated at pH 7.4 using ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. We used four conventional surfactants - cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), sodium N-dodecanoylsarcosinate (SDDS), and N-decanoyl-N-methylglucamine (Mega 10), and a surface active ionic liquid 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C16MeImCl). All the investigated surfactants were found to induce an unfolding of the protein cytochrome c. In presence of CTAB, SDDS and C16MeImCl, the heme iron atom was found to loose methionine from its axial position. Differential binding of the surfactant monomers and their micelles to the protein molecules was inferred. The ionic surfactants were found to be more effective than the nonionic one in unfolding the investigated protein. However, the extent of binding of CTAB/C16MeImCl to cytochrome c reaches a plateau past the critical micellization concentration (cmc) of the surfactant. For each of the cytochrome c-DTAB, cytochrome c-SDDS and cytochrome c-Mega 10 system, although there exists an inflection in the surfactant-binding, saturation point could not be detected. It has been demonstrated from the ultraviolet-visible spectral studies that the oxidation state of iron in cytochrome c does not change when the protein binds with the investigated surfactants.

  20. The Extracellular Heme-binding Protein HbpS from the Soil Bacterium Streptomyces reticuli Is an Aquo-cobalamin Binder*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz de Orué Lucana, Darío; Fedosov, Sergey N.; Wedderhoff, Ina; Che, Edith N.; Torda, Andrew E.

    2014-01-01

    The extracellular protein HbpS from Streptomyces reticuli interacts with iron ions and heme. It also acts in concert with the two-component sensing system SenS-SenR in response to oxidative stress. Sequence comparisons suggested that the protein may bind a cobalamin. UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed binding (Kd = 34 μm) to aquo-cobalamin (H2OCbl+) but not to other cobalamins. Competition experiments with the H2OCbl+-coordinating ligand CN− and comparison of mutants identified a histidine residue (His-156) that coordinates the cobalt ion of H2OCbl+ and substitutes for water. HbpS·Cobalamin lacks the Asp-X-His-X-X-Gly motif seen in some cobalamin binding enzymes. Preliminary tests showed that a related HbpS protein from a different species also binds H2OCbl+. Furthermore, analyses of HbpS-heme binding kinetics are consistent with the role of HbpS as a heme-sensor and suggested a role in heme transport. Given the high occurrence of HbpS-like sequences among Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, our findings suggest a great functional versatility among these proteins. PMID:25342754

  1. Heme Mobilization in Animals: A Metallolipid's Journey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddi, Amit R; Hamza, Iqbal

    2016-06-21

    Heme is universally recognized as an essential and ubiquitous prosthetic group that enables proteins to carry out a diverse array of functions. All heme-dependent processes, from protein hemylation to heme signaling, require the dynamic and rapid mobilization of heme to hemoproteins present in virtually every subcellular compartment. The cytotoxicity and hydrophobicity of heme necessitates that heme mobilization is carefully controlled at the cellular and systemic level. However, the molecules and mechanisms that mediate heme homeostasis are poorly understood. In this Account, we provide a heuristic paradigm with which to conceptualize heme trafficking and highlight the most recent developments in the mechanisms underlying heme trafficking. As an iron-containing tetrapyrrole, heme exhibits properties of both transition metals and lipids. Accordingly, we propose its transport and trafficking will reflect principles gleaned from the trafficking of both metals and lipids. Using this conceptual framework, we follow the flow of heme from the final step of heme synthesis in the mitochondria to hemoproteins present in various subcellular organelles. Further, given that many cells and animals that cannot make heme can assimilate it intact from nutritional sources, we propose that intercellular heme trafficking pathways must exist. This necessitates that heme be able to be imported and exported from cells, escorted between cells and organs, and regulated at the organismal level via a coordinated systemic process. In this Account, we highlight recently discovered heme transport and trafficking factors and provide the biochemical foundation for the cell and systems biology of heme. Altogether, we seek to reconceptualize heme from an exchange inert cofactor buried in hemoprotein active sites to an exchange labile and mobile metallonutrient.

  2. Preparation and characterization of room temperature ionic liquid/single-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposites and their application to the direct electrochemistry of heme-containing proteins/enzymes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du, Pan; Liu, Shuna; Wu, Ping; Cai, Chenxin

    2007-01-01

    This work describes the formation and possible electrochemical application of a novel nanocomposite based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and imidazolium-based room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim]BF 4 , a hydrophilic RTIL) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim]PF 6 , a hydrophobic RTIL). The nanocomposites ([bmim]BF 4 -SWNTs, and [bmim]PF 6 -SWNTs) were formed by simply grinding the SWNTs with the respective RTIL. The results of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy indicated that the nanocomposites were formed by adsorption of an imidazolium ion on the surface of SWNTs via the 'cation-π' interaction. SEM images showed that [bmim]BF 4 -SWNTs (or [bmim]PF 6 -SWNTs) nanocomposites could uniformly cover the surface of a glassy carbon (GC) electrode resulting in a RTILs-SWNTs/GC modified electrode with a high stability. The RTILs-SWNTs composite could be readily used as a matrix to immobilize heme-containing proteins/enzymes (myoglobin, cytochrome c, and horseradish peroxidase) without undergoing denaturation, as was verified by UV-vis and circular dichroic (CD) spectroscopic results. The voltammetric results showed that heme-containing proteins/enzymes entrapped in RTILs-SWNTs composites displayed a pair of well-defined, stable redox peaks, which were ascribed to their direct electron-transfer reactions. The results of controlled experiments showed that the positive charged imidazolium ion played a significant effect on the electrochemical parameters, such as the redox peak separation and the value of the formal potentials, etc., of the electron-transfer reaction of non-neutral species dissolved in solution or immobilized on the electrode surface. Further results demonstrated that the heme-containing proteins/enzymes entrapped in RTILs-SWNTs composites could still retain their bioelectrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of oxygen and hydrogen

  3. The Staphylococcus aureus Protein IsdH Inhibits Host Hemoglobin Scavenging to Promote Heme Acquisition by the Pathogen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Saederup, Kirstine Lindhardt; Stødkilde-Jørgensen, Kristian; Graversen, Jonas Heilskov

    2016-01-01

    Hemolysis is a complication in septic infections with Staphylococcus aureus, which utilizes the released Hb as an iron source. S. aureus can acquire heme in vitro from hemoglobin (Hb) by a heme-sequestering mechanism that involves proteins from the S. aureus iron-regulated surface determinant (Isd...

  4. The Chemistry and Biochemistry of Heme c: Functional Bases for Covalent Attachment

    OpenAIRE

    Bowman, Sarah E. J.; Bren, Kara L.

    2008-01-01

    A discussion of the literature concerning the synthesis, function, and activity of heme c-containing proteins is presented. Comparison of the properties of heme c, which is covalently bound to protein, is made to heme b, which is bound noncovalently. A question of interest is why nature uses biochemically expensive heme c in many proteins when its properties are expected to be similar to heme b. Considering the effects of covalent heme attachment on heme conformation and on the proximal histi...

  5. Mechanisms of mitochondrial holocytochrome c synthase and the key roles played by cysteines and histidine of the heme attachment site, Cys-XX-Cys-His.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babbitt, Shalon E; San Francisco, Brian; Mendez, Deanna L; Lukat-Rodgers, Gudrun S; Rodgers, Kenton R; Bretsnyder, Eric C; Kranz, Robert G

    2014-10-17

    Mitochondrial cytochrome c assembly requires the covalent attachment of heme by thioether bonds between heme vinyl groups and a conserved CXXCH motif of cytochrome c/c1. The enzyme holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS) binds heme and apocytochrome c substrate to catalyze this attachment, subsequently releasing holocytochrome c for proper folding to its native structure. We address mechanisms of assembly using a functional Escherichia coli recombinant system expressing human HCCS. Human cytochrome c variants with individual cysteine, histidine, double cysteine, and triple cysteine/histidine substitutions (of CXXCH) were co-purified with HCCS. Single and double mutants form a complex with HCCS but not the triple mutant. Resonance Raman and UV-visible spectroscopy support the proposal that heme puckering induced by both thioether bonds facilitate release of holocytochrome c from the complex. His-19 (of CXXCH) supplies the second axial ligand to heme in the complex, the first axial ligand was previously shown to be from HCCS residue His-154. Substitutions of His-19 in cytochrome c to seven other residues (Gly, Ala, Met, Arg, Lys, Cys, and Tyr) were used with various approaches to establish other roles played by His-19. Three roles for His-19 in HCCS-mediated assembly are suggested: (i) to provide the second axial ligand to the heme iron in preparation for covalent attachment; (ii) to spatially position the two cysteinyl sulfurs adjacent to the two heme vinyl groups for thioether formation; and (iii) to aid in release of the holocytochrome c from the HCCS active site. Only H19M is able to carry out these three roles, albeit at lower efficiencies than the natural His-19. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  6. Isolated cytochrome c oxidase deficiency in G93A SOD1 mice overexpressing CCS protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Son, Marjatta; Leary, Scot C; Romain, Nadine; Pierrel, Fabien; Winge, Dennis R; Haller, Ronald G; Elliott, Jeffrey L

    2008-05-02

    G93A SOD1 transgenic mice overexpressing CCS protein develop an accelerated disease course that is associated with enhanced mitochondrial pathology and increased mitochondrial localization of mutant SOD1. Because these results suggest an effect of mutant SOD1 on mitochondrial function, we assessed the enzymatic activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in the spinal cords of CCS/G93A SOD1 and control mice. CCS/G93A SOD1 mouse spinal cord demonstrates a 55% loss of complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) activity compared with spinal cord from age-matched non-transgenic or G93A SOD1 mice. In contrast, CCS/G93A SOD1 spinal cord shows no reduction in the activities of complex I, II, or III. Blue native gel analysis further demonstrates a marked reduction in the levels of complex IV but not of complex I, II, III, or V in spinal cords of CCS/G93A SOD1 mice compared with non-transgenic, G93A SOD1, or CCS/WT SOD1 controls. With SDS-PAGE analysis, spinal cords from CCS/G93A SOD1 mice showed significant decreases in the levels of two structural subunits of cytochrome c oxidase, COX1 and COX5b, relative to controls. In contrast, CCS/G93A SOD1 mouse spinal cord showed no reduction in levels of selected subunits from complexes I, II, III, or V. Heme A analyses of spinal cord further support the existence of cytochrome c oxidase deficiency in CCS/G93A SOD1 mice. Collectively, these results establish that CCS/G93A SOD1 mice manifest an isolated complex IV deficiency which may underlie a substantial part of mutant SOD1-induced mitochondrial cytopathy.

  7. Calorimetric studies of the thermal denaturation of cytochrome c peroxidase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kresheck, G.C.; Erman, J.E.

    1988-01-01

    Two endotherms are observed by differential scanning calorimetry during the thermal denaturation of cytochrome c peroxidase at pH 7.0. The transition midpoint temperatures (t/sub m/) were 43.9 +- 1.4 and 63.3 +- 1.6 0 C, independent of concentration. The two endotherms were observed at all pH values between 4 and 8, with the transition temperatures varying with pH. Precipitation was observed between pH 4 and 6, and only qualitative data are presented for this region. The thermal unfolding of cytochrome c peroxidase was sensitive to the presence and ligation state of the heme. Only a single endotherm was observed for the unfolding of the apoprotein, and this transition was similar to the high-temperature transition in the holoenzyme. Addition of KCN to the holoenzyme increases the midpoint of the high-temperature transition whereas the low-temperature transition was increased upon addition of KF. Binding of the natural substrate ferricytochrome c to the enzyme increases the low-temperature transition by 4.8 +- 1.3 0 C but has no effect on the high-temperature transition at pH 7. The presence of cytochrome c peroxidase decreases the stability of cytochrome c, and both proteins appear to unfold simultaneously. The results are discussed in terms of the two domains evident in the X-ray crystallographic structure of cytochrome c peroxidase

  8. Intracellular Zn(II) Intoxication Leads to Dysregulation of the PerR Regulon Resulting in Heme Toxicity in Bacillus subtilis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    Transition metal ions (Zn(II), Cu(II)/(I), Fe(III)/(II), Mn(II)) are essential for life and participate in a wide range of biological functions. Cellular Zn(II) levels must be high enough to ensure that it can perform its essential roles. Yet, since Zn(II) binds to ligands with high avidity, excess Zn(II) can lead to protein mismetallation. The major targets of mismetallation, and the underlying causes of Zn(II) intoxication, are not well understood. Here, we use a forward genetic selection to identify targets of Zn(II) toxicity. In wild-type cells, in which Zn(II) efflux prevents intoxication of the cytoplasm, extracellular Zn(II) inhibits the electron transport chain due to the inactivation of the major aerobic cytochrome oxidase. This toxicity can be ameliorated by depression of an alternate oxidase or by mutations that restrict access of Zn(II) to the cell surface. Conversely, efflux deficient cells are sensitive to low levels of Zn(II) that do not inhibit the respiratory chain. Under these conditions, intracellular Zn(II) accumulates and leads to heme toxicity. Heme accumulation results from dysregulation of the regulon controlled by PerR, a metal-dependent repressor of peroxide stress genes. When metallated with Fe(II) or Mn(II), PerR represses both heme biosynthesis (hemAXCDBL operon) and the abundant heme protein catalase (katA). Metallation of PerR with Zn(II) disrupts this coordination, resulting in depression of heme biosynthesis but continued repression of catalase. Our results support a model in which excess heme partitions to the membrane and undergoes redox cycling catalyzed by reduced menaquinone thereby resulting in oxidative stress. PMID:27935957

  9. Cardiolipin modulates allosterically peroxynitrite detoxification by horse heart cytochrome c

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ascenzi, Paolo, E-mail: ascenzi@uniroma3.it [Department of Biology and Interdepartmental Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, University Roma Tre, I-00146 Roma (Italy); Ciaccio, Chiara [Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Roma ' Tor Vergata' , I-00133 Roma (Italy); Interuniversity Consortium for the Research on the Chemistry of Metals in Biological Systems, I-70126 Bari (Italy); Sinibaldi, Federica; Santucci, Roberto [Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Roma ' Tor Vergata' , I-00133 Roma (Italy); Coletta, Massimo [Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Roma ' Tor Vergata' , I-00133 Roma (Italy); Interuniversity Consortium for the Research on the Chemistry of Metals in Biological Systems, I-70126 Bari (Italy)

    2011-01-07

    Research highlights: {yields} Cardiolipin binding to cytochrome c. {yields} Cardiolipin-dependent peroxynitrite isomerization by cytochrome c. {yields} Cardiolipin-cytochrome c complex plays pro-apoptotic effects. {yields} Cardiolipin-cytochrome c complex plays anti-apoptotic effects. -- Abstract: Upon interaction with bovine heart cardiolipin (CL), horse heart cytochrome c (cytc) changes its tertiary structure disrupting the heme-Fe-Met80 distal bond, reduces drastically the midpoint potential out of the range required for its physiological role, binds CO and NO with high affinity, and displays peroxidase activity. Here, the effect of CL on peroxynitrite isomerization by ferric cytc (cytc-Fe(III)) is reported. In the absence of CL, hexa-coordinated cytc does not catalyze peroxynitrite isomerization. In contrast, CL facilitates cytc-Fe(III)-mediated isomerization of peroxynitrite in a dose-dependent fashion inducing the penta-coordination of the heme-Fe(III)-atom. The value of the second order rate constant for CL-cytc-Fe(III)-mediated isomerization of peroxynitrite (k{sub on}) is (3.2 {+-} 0.4) x 10{sup 5} M{sup -1} s{sup -1}. The apparent dissociation equilibrium constant for CL binding to cytc-Fe(III) is (5.1 {+-} 0.8) x 10{sup -5} M. These results suggest that CL-cytc could play either pro-apoptotic or anti-apoptotic effects facilitating lipid peroxidation and scavenging of reactive nitrogen species, such as peroxynitrite, respectively.

  10. Interface Adsorption Taking the Most Advantageous Conformation for Electron Transfer Between Graphene and Cytochrome c.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Benfeng; Ge, Zhenpeng; Li, Xiaoyi

    2015-07-01

    Most designed functions in biomedical nanotechnology are directly influenced by interactions of biological molecules with nano surfaces. Here, we explored and detected the most favorable adsorption conformation of cytochrome c on graphene by measuring the adsorption energy, the number of contact atoms, and the minimal distance between protein and surface. From the root mean square deviation of the protein backbone, the radius of gyration, and the proportion of secondary structure, it is revealed that cytochrome c does not deform significantly and the secondary structures are preserved to a large extent. The residues, Lys, Phe and Thr contribute significantly to the adsorption of cytochrome c to graphene. The long hydrophobic and flexible alkyl tail of Lys, the π-π stacking interaction between Phe and graphene, and the presence of abundant Thr constitute the driving force for the stable adsorption of cytochrome c on graphene. Cytochrome c is adsorbed to graphene with the group heme lying almost perpendicular to the graphene, and the distance between Fe atom and the graphene is 10.15 A, which is shorter than that between electron donor and receptor in many other biosystems. All the results suggest that the most favorable adsorption takes the most advantageous conformation for electron transfer, which promotes significantly the electron transfer between graphene and cytochrome c. The findings might provide new and important information for designs of biomedical devices or products with graphene-based nanomaterials.

  11. A study on the interaction of horse heart cytochrome c with some conventional and ionic liquid surfactants probed by ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mondal, Satyajit; Das, Bijan

    2018-06-05

    The interactions of a protein cytochrome c with some selected conventional and ionic liquid surfactants have been investigated at pH7.4 using ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. We used four conventional surfactants - cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), sodium N-dodecanoylsarcosinate (SDDS), and N-decanoyl-N-methylglucamine (Mega 10), and a surface active ionic liquid 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C 16 MeImCl). All the investigated surfactants were found to induce an unfolding of the protein cytochrome c. In presence of CTAB, SDDS and C 16 MeImCl, the heme iron atom was found to loose methionine from its axial position. Differential binding of the surfactant monomers and their micelles to the protein molecules was inferred. The ionic surfactants were found to be more effective than the nonionic one in unfolding the investigated protein. However, the extent of binding of CTAB/C 16 MeImCl to cytochrome c reaches a plateau past the critical micellization concentration (cmc) of the surfactant. For each of the cytochrome c-DTAB, cytochrome c-SDDS and cytochrome c-Mega 10 system, although there exists an inflection in the surfactant-binding, saturation point could not be detected. It has been demonstrated from the ultraviolet-visible spectral studies that the oxidation state of iron in cytochrome c does not change when the protein binds with the investigated surfactants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Clinical relevance of porphyrin determinations in porphyria

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beukeveld, Gerhardus Johannes Jozef

    1995-01-01

    This thesis deals with hereditaryd iseasesin the synthesiso f heme. Heme presents a prosthetic group in a number of important proteins, like hemoglobin, cytochromes and the cytochrome P450 oxidases. In chapter 1 the heme synthesis and its regulation are described. Intermediary products in the

  13. HemeBIND: a novel method for heme binding residue prediction by combining structural and sequence information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hu Jianjun

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Accurate prediction of binding residues involved in the interactions between proteins and small ligands is one of the major challenges in structural bioinformatics. Heme is an essential and commonly used ligand that plays critical roles in electron transfer, catalysis, signal transduction and gene expression. Although much effort has been devoted to the development of various generic algorithms for ligand binding site prediction over the last decade, no algorithm has been specifically designed to complement experimental techniques for identification of heme binding residues. Consequently, an urgent need is to develop a computational method for recognizing these important residues. Results Here we introduced an efficient algorithm HemeBIND for predicting heme binding residues by integrating structural and sequence information. We systematically investigated the characteristics of binding interfaces based on a non-redundant dataset of heme-protein complexes. It was found that several sequence and structural attributes such as evolutionary conservation, solvent accessibility, depth and protrusion clearly illustrate the differences between heme binding and non-binding residues. These features can then be separately used or combined to build the structure-based classifiers using support vector machine (SVM. The results showed that the information contained in these features is largely complementary and their combination achieved the best performance. To further improve the performance, an attempt has been made to develop a post-processing procedure to reduce the number of false positives. In addition, we built a sequence-based classifier based on SVM and sequence profile as an alternative when only sequence information can be used. Finally, we employed a voting method to combine the outputs of structure-based and sequence-based classifiers, which demonstrated remarkably better performance than the individual classifier alone

  14. Molecular characterization of a heme-binding protein of Bacteroides fragilis BE1.

    OpenAIRE

    Otto, B R; Kusters, J G; Luirink, J; de Graaf, F K; Oudega, B

    1996-01-01

    An iron-repressible 44-kDa outer membrane protein plays a crucial role in the acquisition of heme by the anaerobic bacterium Bacteroides fragilis. The DNA sequence of the gene encoding the 44-kDa protein (hupA) was determined. The hupA gene encodes a protein of 431 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 48,189 Da. The hupA gene is preceded by an open reading frame of 480 bp that probably encodes a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 18,073 Da. hupA and this open readi...

  15. Gas-phase spectroscopy of ferric heme-NO complexes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wyer, J.A.; Jørgensen, Anders; Pedersen, Bjarke

    2013-01-01

    and significantly blue-shifted compared to ferric heme nitrosyl proteins (maxima between 408 and 422 nm). This is in stark contrast to the Q-band absorption where the protein microenvironment is nearly innocent in perturbing the electronic structure of the porphyrin macrocycle. Photodissociation is primarily...... maxima of heme and its complexes with amino acids and NO. Not so innocent: Weakly bound complexes between ferric heme and NO were synthesised in the gas phase, and their absorption measured from photodissociation yields. Opposite absorption trends in the Soret-band are seen upon NO addition to heme ions...

  16. Nitrate as a probe of cytochrome c surface: crystallographic identification of crucial "hot spots" for protein-protein recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De March, Matteo; Demitri, Nicola; De Zorzi, Rita; Casini, Angela; Gabbiani, Chiara; Guerri, Annalisa; Messori, Luigi; Geremia, Silvano

    2014-06-01

    The electrostatic surface of cytochrome c and its changes with the iron oxidation state are involved in the docking and undocking processes of this protein to its biological partners in the mitochondrial respiratory pathway. To investigate the subtle mechanisms of formation of productive macromolecular complexes and of their breakage following the electron transfer process, the X-ray structures of horse heart ferri-cytochrome c (trigonal form) and ferro-cytochrome c (monoclinic form) were obtained using nitrate ions both as a crystallizing agent and an anionic probe for mapping the electrostatic surface changes. Both crystal forms contain three protein molecules in the asymmetric unit. In addition, a total of 21.5 and 18 crystallographically independent nitrate ions were identified for the trigonal and monoclinic forms, respectively. By matching all the six crystallographically independent protein molecules, 26 different anion-protein interaction sites were identified on the surfaces of cytochrome c, 10 of which were found in both forms, 8 present only in the oxidized and 8 only in the reduced form. The structural analysis of the electron transfer complexes, based on this new information, suggests a specific exit strategy for cytochrome c after formation of productive protein-protein complexes: a directional sliding mechanism for the electron shuttle on the surface of the redox partner is proposed to take place after the electron transfer process has occurred. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Characterization of Heme Proteins Involved in Microbial Exoelectric Activity and Small Molecule-Sensing

    KAUST Repository

    Vogler, Malvina M.

    2018-01-01

    spectrometry confirms that the correct extensive post-translational modifications were performed and the ten heme groups were incorporated per protein of MtrC and MtrA and the correct lipid-anchor was attached to extracellular MtrC. Raman spectroscopy

  18. Upregulation of human heme oxygenase gene expression by Ets-family proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deramaudt, B M; Remy, P; Abraham, N G

    1999-03-01

    Overexpression of human heme oxygenase-1 has been shown to have the potential to promote EC proliferation and angiogenesis. Since Ets-family proteins have been shown to play an important role in angiogenesis, we investigated the presence of ETS binding sites (EBS), GGAA/T, and ETS protein contributing to human HO-1 gene expression. Several chloramphenicol acetyltransferase constructs were examined in order to analyze the effect of ETS family proteins on the transduction of HO-1 in Xenopus oocytes and in microvessel endothelial cells. Heme oxygenase promoter activity was up-regulated by FLI-1ERGETS-1 protein(s). Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assays demonstrated that the promoter region (-1500 to +19) contains positive and negative control elements and that all three members of the ETS protein family were responsible for the up-regulation of HHO-1. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), performed with nuclear extracts from endothelial cells overexpressing HHO-1 gene, and specific HHO-1 oligonucleotides probes containing putative EBS resulted in a specific and marked bandshift. Synergistic binding was observed in EMSA between AP-1 on the one hand, FLI-1, ERG, and ETS-1 protein on the other. Moreover, 5'-deletion analysis demonstrated the existence of a negative control element of HHO-1 expression located between positions -1500 and -120 on the HHO-1 promoter. The presence of regulatory sequences for transcription factors such as ETS-1, FLI-1, or ERG, whose activity is associated with cell proliferation, endothelial cell differentiation, and matrix metalloproteinase transduction, may be an indication of the important role that HO-1 may play in coronary collateral circulation, tumor growth, angiogenesis, and hemoglobin-induced endothelial cell injuries.

  19. Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of heme proteins immobilised in carbon-coated nickel magnetic nanoparticle-chitosan-dimethylformamide composite films in room-temperature ionic liquids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ting; Wang, Lu; Tu, Jiaojiao; Xiong, Huayu; Wang, Shengfu

    2013-12-01

    The direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of heme proteins entrapped in carbon-coated nickel magnetic nanoparticle-chitosan-dimethylformamide (CNN-CS-DMF) composite films were investigated in the hydrophilic ionic liquid [bmim][BF4]. The surface morphologies of a representative set of films were characterised via scanning electron microscopy. The proteins immobilised in the composite films were shown to retain their native secondary structure using UV-vis spectroscopy. The electrochemical performance of the heme proteins-CNN-CS-DMF films was evaluated via cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. A pair of stable and well-defined redox peaks was observed for the heme protein films at formal potentials of -0.151 V (HRP), -0.167 V (Hb), -0.155 V (Mb) and -0.193 V (Cyt c) in [bmim][BF4]. Moreover, several electrochemical parameters of the heme proteins were calculated by nonlinear regression analysis of the square-wave voltammetry. The addition of CNN significantly enhanced not only the electron transfer of the heme proteins but also their electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of H2O2. Low apparent Michaelis-Menten constants were obtained for the heme protein-CNN-CS-DMF films, demonstrating that the biosensors have a high affinity for H2O2. In addition, the resulting electrodes displayed a low detection limit and improved sensitivity for detecting H2O2, which indicates that the biocomposite film can serve as a platform for constructing new non-aqueous biosensors for real detection. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Regiospecificity determinants of human heme oxygenase: differential NADPH- and ascorbate-dependent heme cleavage by the R183E mutant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jinling; Lad, Latesh; Poulos, Thomas L; Ortiz de Montellano, Paul R

    2005-01-28

    The ability of the human heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1) R183E mutant to oxidize heme in reactions supported by either NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase or ascorbic acid has been compared. The NADPH-dependent reaction, like that of wild-type hHO-1, yields exclusively biliverdin IXalpha. In contrast, the R183E mutant with ascorbic acid as the reductant produces biliverdin IXalpha (79 +/- 4%), IXdelta (19 +/- 3%), and a trace of IXbeta. In the presence of superoxide dismutase and catalase, the yield of biliverdin IXdelta is decreased to 8 +/- 1% with a corresponding increase in biliverdin IXalpha. Spectroscopic analysis of the NADPH-dependent reaction shows that the R183E ferric biliverdin complex accumulates, because reduction of the iron, which is required for sequential iron and biliverdin release, is impaired. Reversal of the charge at position 183 makes reduction of the iron more difficult. The crystal structure of the R183E mutant, determined in the ferric and ferrous-NO bound forms, shows that the heme primarily adopts the same orientation as in wild-type hHO-1. The structure of the Fe(II).NO complex suggests that an altered active site hydrogen bonding network supports catalysis in the R183E mutant. Furthermore, Arg-183 contributes to the regiospecificity of the wild-type enzyme, but its contribution is not critical. The results indicate that the ascorbate-dependent reaction is subject to a lower degree of regiochemical control than the NADPH-dependent reaction. Ascorbate may be able to reduce the R183E ferric and ferrous dioxygen complexes in active site conformations that cannot be reduced by NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase.

  1. Genome-based analysis of heme biosynthesis and uptake in prokaryotic systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavallaro, Gabriele; Decaria, Leonardo; Rosato, Antonio

    2008-11-01

    Heme is the prosthetic group of many proteins that carry out a variety of key biological functions. In addition, for many pathogenic organisms, heme (acquired from the host) may constitute a very important source of iron. Organisms can meet their heme demands by taking it up from external sources, by producing the cofactor through a dedicated biosynthetic pathway, or both. Here we analyzed the distribution of proteins specifically involved in the processes of heme biosynthesis and heme uptake in 474 prokaryotic organisms. These data allowed us to identify which organisms are capable of performing none, one, or both processes, based on the similarity to known systems. Some specific instances where one or more proteins along the pathways had unusual modifications were singled out. For two key protein domains involved in heme uptake, we could build a series of structural models, which suggested possible alternative modes of heme binding. Future directions for experimental work are given.

  2. Heme acquisition mechanisms of Porphyromonas gingivalis - strategies used in a polymicrobial community in a heme-limited host environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smalley, J W; Olczak, T

    2017-02-01

    Porphyromonas gingivalis, a main etiologic agent and key pathogen responsible for initiation and progression of chronic periodontitis requires heme as a source of iron and protoporphyrin IX for its survival and the ability to establish an infection. Porphyromonas gingivalis is able to accumulate a defensive cell-surface heme-containing pigment in the form of μ-oxo bisheme. The main sources of heme for P. gingivalis in vivo are hemoproteins present in saliva, gingival crevicular fluid, and erythrocytes. To acquire heme, P. gingivalis uses several mechanisms. Among them, the best characterized are those employing hemagglutinins, hemolysins, and gingipains (Kgp, RgpA, RgpB), TonB-dependent outer-membrane receptors (HmuR, HusB, IhtA), and hemophore-like proteins (HmuY, HusA). Proteins involved in intracellular heme transport, storage, and processing are less well characterized (e.g. PgDps). Importantly, P. gingivalis may also use the heme acquisition systems of other bacteria to fulfill its own heme requirements. Porphyromonas gingivalis displays a novel paradigm for heme acquisition from hemoglobin, whereby the Fe(II)-containing oxyhemoglobin molecule must first be oxidized to methemoglobin to facilitate heme release. This process not only involves P. gingivalis arginine- and lysine-specific gingipains, but other proteases (e.g. interpain A from Prevotella intermedia) or pyocyanin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Porphyromonas gingivalis is then able to fully proteolyze the more susceptible methemoglobin substrate to release free heme or to wrest heme from it directly through the use of the HmuY hemophore. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. A decade of crystallization drops: crystallization of the cbb3 cytochrome c oxidase from Pseudomonas stutzeri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buschmann, Sabine; Richers, Sebastian; Ermler, Ulrich; Michel, Hartmut

    2014-04-01

    The cbb3 cytochrome c oxidases are distant members of the superfamily of heme copper oxidases. These terminal oxidases couple O2 reduction with proton transport across the plasma membrane and, as a part of the respiratory chain, contribute to the generation of an electrochemical proton gradient. Compared with other structurally characterized members of the heme copper oxidases, the recently determined cbb3 oxidase structure at 3.2 Å resolution revealed significant differences in the electron supply system, the proton conducting pathways and the coupling of O2 reduction to proton translocation. In this paper, we present a detailed report on the key steps for structure determination. Improvement of the protein quality was achieved by optimization of the number of lipids attached to the protein as well as the separation of two cbb3 oxidase isoenzymes. The exchange of n-dodecyl-β-D-maltoside for a precisely defined mixture of two α-maltosides and decanoylsucrose as well as the choice of the crystallization method had a most profound impact on crystal quality. This report highlights problems frequently encountered in membrane protein crystallization and offers meaningful approaches to improve crystal quality. © 2014 The Protein Society.

  4. Distinguishing Nitro vs Nitrito Coordination in Cytochrome c' Using Vibrational Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsson, Zach N; Mandella, Brian L; Sen, Kakali; Kekilli, Demet; Hough, Michael A; Moënne-Loccoz, Pierre; Strange, Richard W; Andrew, Colin R

    2017-11-06

    Nitrite coordination to heme cofactors is a key step in the anaerobic production of the signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO). An ambidentate ligand, nitrite has the potential to coordinate via the N- (nitro) or O- (nitrito) atoms in a manner that can direct its reactivity. Distinguishing nitro vs nitrito coordination, along with the influence of the surrounding protein, is therefore of particular interest. In this study, we probed Fe(III) heme-nitrite coordination in Alcaligenes xylosoxidans cytochrome c' (AXCP), an NO carrier that excludes anions in its native state but that readily binds nitrite (K d ∼ 0.5 mM) following a distal Leu16 → Gly mutation to remove distal steric constraints. Room-temperature resonance Raman spectra (407 nm excitation) identify ν(Fe-NO 2 ), δ(ONO), and ν s (NO 2 ) nitrite ligand vibrations in solution. Illumination with 351 nm UV light results in photoconversion to {FeNO} 6 and {FeNO} 7 states, enabling FTIR measurements to distinguish ν s (NO 2 ) and ν as (NO 2 ) vibrations from differential spectra. Density functional theory calculations highlight the connections between heme environment, nitrite coordination mode, and vibrational properties and confirm that nitrite binds to L16G AXCP exclusively through the N atom. Efforts to obtain the nitrite complex crystal structure were hampered by photochemistry in the X-ray beam. Although low dose crystal structures could be modeled with a mixed nitrite (nitro)/H 2 O distal population, their photosensitivity and partial occupancy underscores the value of the vibrational approach. Overall, this study sheds light on steric determinants of heme-nitrite binding and provides vibrational benchmarks for future studies of heme protein nitrite reactions.

  5. In-silico assessment of protein-protein electron transfer. a case study: cytochrome c peroxidase--cytochrome c.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank H Wallrapp

    Full Text Available The fast development of software and hardware is notably helping in closing the gap between macroscopic and microscopic data. Using a novel theoretical strategy combining molecular dynamics simulations, conformational clustering, ab-initio quantum mechanics and electronic coupling calculations, we show how computational methodologies are mature enough to provide accurate atomistic details into the mechanism of electron transfer (ET processes in complex protein systems, known to be a significant challenge. We performed a quantitative study of the ET between Cytochrome c Peroxidase and its redox partner Cytochrome c. Our results confirm the ET mechanism as hole transfer (HT through residues Ala194, Ala193, Gly192 and Trp191 of CcP. Furthermore, our findings indicate the fine evolution of the enzyme to approach an elevated turnover rate of 5.47 × 10(6 s(-1 for the ET between Cytc and CcP through establishment of a localized bridge state in Trp191.

  6. NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-XTRO-01-0674 [SEVENS

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available CBRC-XTRO-01-0674 ref|YP_001022362.1| putative heme O oxygenase (cytochrome aa3-controlling...) transmembrane protein [Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1] gb|ABM96127.1| putative heme O oxygenase (cytochrome aa3-controlling

  7. Polyethylene glycol promotes autoxidation of cytochrome c.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Wataru; Uchida, Takeshi; Saio, Tomohide; Ishimori, Koichiro

    2018-06-01

    Cytochrome c (Cyt c) was rapidly oxidized by molecular oxygen in the presence, but not absence of PEG. The redox potential of heme c was determined by the potentiometric titration to be +236 ± 3 mV in the absence of PEG, which was negatively shifted to +200 ± 4 mV in the presence of PEG. The underlying the rapid oxidation was explored by examining the structural changes in Cyt c in the presence of PEG using UV-visible absorption, circular dichroism, resonance Raman, and fluorescence spectroscopies. These spectroscopic analyses suggested that heme oxidation was induced by a modest tertiary structural change accompanied by a slight shift in the heme position (c, which triggered heme displacement. The primary dehydration site was estimated to be around surface-exposed hydrophobic residues near the heme center: Ile81 and Val83. These findings and our previous studies, which showed that hydrated water molecules around Ile81 and Val83 are expelled when Cyt c forms a complex with CcO, proposed that dehydration of these residues is functionally significant to electron transfer from Cyt c to CcO. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. A cytosolic cytochrome b 5-like protein in yeast cell accelerating the electron transfer from NADPH to cytochrome c catalyzed by Old Yellow Enzyme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakagawa, Manabu; Yamano, Toshio; Kuroda, Kiyo; Nonaka, Yasuki; Tojo, Hiromasa; Fujii, Shigeru

    2005-01-01

    A 410-nm absorbing species which enhanced the reduction rate of cytochrome c by Old Yellow Enzyme (OYE) with NADPH was found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It was solubilized together with OYE by the treatment of yeast cells with 10% ethyl acetate. The purified species showed visible absorption spectra in both oxidized and reduced forms, which were the same as those of the yeast microsomal cytochrome b 5 . At least 14 amino acid residues of the N-terminal region coincided with those of yeast microsomal b 5 , but the protein had a lower molecular weight determined to be 12,600 by SDS-PAGE and 9775 by mass spectrometry. The cytochrome b 5 -like protein enhanced the reduction rate of cytochrome c by OYE, and a plot of the reduction rates against its concentration showed a sigmoidal curve with an inflexion point at 6 x 10 -8 M of the protein

  9. Isocyanides inhibit human heme oxygenases at the verdoheme stage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, John P; Kandel, Sylvie; Ortiz de Montellano, Paul R

    2009-09-22

    Heme oxygenases (HO) catalyze the oxidative cleavage of heme to generate biliverdin, CO, and free iron. In humans, heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1) is overexpressed in tumor tissues, where it helps to protect cancer cells from anticancer agents, while HOs in fungal pathogens, such as Candida albicans, function as the primary means of iron acquisition. Thus, HO can be considered a potential therapeutic target for certain diseases. In this study, we have examined the equilibrium binding of three isocyanides, isopropyl, n-butyl, and benzyl, to the two major human HO isoforms (hHO-1 and hHO-2), Candida albicans HO (CaHmx1), and human cytochrome P450 CYP3A4 using electronic absorption spectroscopy. Isocyanides coordinate to both ferric and ferrous HO-bound heme, with tighter binding by the more hydrophobic isocyanides and 200-300-fold tighter binding to the ferrous form. Benzyl isocyanide was the strongest ligand to ferrous heme in all the enzymes. Because the dissociation constants (KD) of the ligands for ferrous heme-hHO-1 were below the limit of accuracy for equilibrium titrations, stopped-flow kinetic experiments were used to measure the binding parameters of the isocyanides to ferrous hHO-1. Steady-state activity assays showed that benzyl isocyanide was the most potent uncompetitive inhibitor with respect to heme with a KI = 0.15 microM for hHO-1. Importantly, single turnover assays revealed that the reaction was completely stopped by coordination of the isocyanide to the verdoheme intermediate rather than to the ferric heme complex. Much tighter binding of the inhibitor to the verdoheme intermediate differentiates it from inhibition of, for example, CYP3A4 and offers a possible route to more selective inhibitor design.

  10. Isocyanides Inhibit Human Heme Oxygenases at the Verdoheme Stage†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, John P.; Kandel, Sylvie; Ortiz de Montellano, Paul R.

    2010-01-01

    Heme oxygenases (HO) catalyze the oxidative cleavage of heme to generate biliverdin, CO, and free iron. In humans, heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1) is overexpressed in tumor tissues, where it helps to protect cancer cells from anticancer agents, while HOs in fungal pathogens, such as Candida albicans, function as the primary means of iron acquisition. Thus, HO can be considered a potential therapeutic target for certain diseases. In this study, we have examined the equilibrium binding of three isocyanides; isopropyl, n-butyl, and benzyl, to the two major human HO isoforms (hHO-1 and hHO-2), Candida albicans HO (CaHmx1), and human cytochrome P450 CYP3A4 using electronic absorption spectroscopy. Isocyanides coordinate to both ferric and ferrous HO-bound heme, with tighter binding by the more hydrophobic isocyanides, and 200-300-fold tighter binding to the ferrous form. Benzyl isocyanide was the strongest ligand to ferrous heme in all the enzymes. Because the dissociation constants (KD) of the ligands for ferrous heme-hHO-1 were below the limit of accuracy for equilibrium titrations, stopped-flow kinetic experiments were used to measure the binding parameters of the isocyanides to ferrous hHO-1. Steady-state activity assays showed that benzyl isocyanide was the most potent uncompetitive inhibitor with respect to heme with a KI = 0.15 μM for hHO-1. Importantly, single turnover assays revealed that the reaction was completely stopped by coordination of the isocyanide to the verdoheme intermediate rather than to the ferric heme complex. Much tighter binding of the inhibitor to the verdoheme intermediate differentiates it from inhibition of, for example, CYP3A4 and offers a possible route to more selective inhibitor design. PMID:19694439

  11. Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical characterization of different mesoporous TiO2 film electrodes for the immobilization of Cytochrome c

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katsiaounis, Stavros; Tiflidis, Christina; Tsekoura, Christina; Topoglidis, Emmanuel

    2018-03-01

    In this work three different mesoporous TiO2 film electrodes were prepared and used for the immobilization of Cytochrome c (Cyt-c). Films prepared via a standard sol-gel route (SG-films) were compared with commercially available benchmark nanotitania materials, namely P25 Degussa (P25-films) and Dyesol nanopaste (Dyesol films). Their properties, film deposition characteristics and their abilities to adsorb protein molecules in a stable and functional way were examined. We investigated whether it is possible, rather than preparing TiO2 films using multistep, lengthy and not always reproducible sol-gel procedures, to use commercially available nanotitania materials and produce reproducible films faster that exhibit all the properties that make TiO2 films ideal for protein immobilization. Although these materials are formulated primarily for dye-sensitized solar cell applications, in this study we found out that protein immobilization is facile and remarkably stable on all of them. We also investigated their electrochemical properties by using cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry and found out that not only direct reduction of Fe(III)-heme to Fe(II)-heme of immobilized Cyt-c was possible on all films but that the adsorbed protein remained electroactive.

  12. Functional environmental proteomics: elucidating the role of a c-type cytochrome abundant during uranium bioremediation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Jiae; Malvankar, Nikhil S; Ueki, Toshiyuki; Lovley, Derek R

    2016-02-01

    Studies with pure cultures of dissimilatory metal-reducing microorganisms have demonstrated that outer-surface c-type cytochromes are important electron transfer agents for the reduction of metals, but previous environmental proteomic studies have typically not recovered cytochrome sequences from subsurface environments in which metal reduction is important. Gel-separation, heme-staining and mass spectrometry of proteins in groundwater from in situ uranium bioremediation experiments identified a putative c-type cytochrome, designated Geobacter subsurface c-type cytochrome A (GscA), encoded within the genome of strain M18, a Geobacter isolate previously recovered from the site. Homologs of GscA were identified in the genomes of other Geobacter isolates in the phylogenetic cluster known as subsurface clade 1, which predominates in a diversity of Fe(III)-reducing subsurface environments. Most of the gscA sequences recovered from groundwater genomic DNA clustered in a tight phylogenetic group closely related to strain M18. GscA was most abundant in groundwater samples in which Geobacter sp. predominated. Expression of gscA in a strain of Geobacter sulfurreducens that lacked the gene for the c-type cytochrome OmcS, thought to facilitate electron transfer from conductive pili to Fe(III) oxide, restored the capacity for Fe(III) oxide reduction. Atomic force microscopy provided evidence that GscA was associated with the pili. These results demonstrate that a c-type cytochrome with an apparent function similar to that of OmcS is abundant when Geobacter sp. are abundant in the subsurface, providing insight into the mechanisms for the growth of subsurface Geobacter sp. on Fe(III) oxide and suggesting an approach for functional analysis of other Geobacter proteins found in the subsurface.

  13. Heme oxygenase activity increases after exercise in healthy volunteers

    Science.gov (United States)

    AbstractHeme oxygenase (HO) is an essential, rate-limiting protein which participates in the catabolism of heme to iron, carbon monoxide (CO), and biliverdin. The alpha methene bridge carbon of the heme is eliminated as CO which can be measured as blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb)....

  14. Becoming a Peroxidase: Cardiolipin-Induced Unfolding of Cytochrome c

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muenzner, Julia; Toffey, Jason R.; Hong, Yuning; Pletneva, Ekaterina V.

    2014-01-01

    Interactions of cytochrome c (cyt c) with a unique mitochondrial glycerophospholipid cardiolipin (CL) are relevant for the protein’s function in oxidative phosphorylation and apoptosis. Binding to CL-containing membranes promotes cyt c unfolding and dramatically enhances the protein’s peroxidase activity, which is critical in early stages of apoptosis. We have employed a collection of seven dansyl variants of horse heart cyt c to probe the sequence of steps in this functional transformation. Kinetic measurements have unraveled four distinct processes during CL-induced cyt c unfolding: rapid protein binding to CL liposomes; rearrangements of protein substructures with small unfolding energies; partial insertion of the protein into the lipid bilayer; and extensive protein restructuring leading to “open” extended structures. While early rearrangements depend on a hierarchy of foldons in the native structure, the later process of large-scale unfolding is influenced by protein interactions with the membrane surface. The opening of the cyt c structure exposes the heme group, which enhances the protein’s peroxidase activity and also frees the C-terminal helix to aid in the translocation of the protein through CL membranes. PMID:23713573

  15. Mimicking heme enzymes in the solid state: metal-organic materials with selectively encapsulated heme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, Randy W; Wojtas, Lukasz; Perman, Jason; Musselman, Ronald L; Zaworotko, Michael J; Vetromile, Carissa M

    2011-07-13

    To carry out essential life processes, nature has had to evolve heme enzymes capable of synthesizing and manipulating complex molecules. These proteins perform a plethora of chemical reactions utilizing a single iron porphyrin active site embedded within an evolutionarily designed protein pocket. We herein report the first class of metal-organic materials (MOMs) that mimic heme enzymes in terms of both structure and reactivity. The MOMzyme-1 class is based upon a prototypal MOM, HKUST-1, into which catalytically active metalloporphyrins are selectively encapsulated in a "ship-in-a-bottle" fashion within one of the three nanoscale cages that exist in HKUST-1. MOMs offer unparalleled levels of permanent porosity and their modular nature affords enormous diversity of structures and properties. The MOMzyme-1 class could therefore represent a new paradigm for heme biomimetic catalysis since it combines the activity of a homogeneous catalyst with the stability and recyclability of heterogeneous catalytic systems within a single material.

  16. Duodenal Cytochrome b (DCYTB in Iron Metabolism: An Update on Function and Regulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darius J. R. Lane

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Iron and ascorbate are vital cellular constituents in mammalian systems. The bulk-requirement for iron is during erythropoiesis leading to the generation of hemoglobin-containing erythrocytes. Additionally; both iron and ascorbate are required as co-factors in numerous metabolic reactions. Iron homeostasis is controlled at the level of uptake; rather than excretion. Accumulating evidence strongly suggests that in addition to the known ability of dietary ascorbate to enhance non-heme iron absorption in the gut; ascorbate regulates iron homeostasis. The involvement of ascorbate in dietary iron absorption extends beyond the direct chemical reduction of non-heme iron by dietary ascorbate. Among other activities; intra-enterocyte ascorbate appears to be involved in the provision of electrons to a family of trans-membrane redox enzymes; namely those of the cytochrome b561 class. These hemoproteins oxidize a pool of ascorbate on one side of the membrane in order to reduce an electron acceptor (e.g., non-heme iron on the opposite side of the membrane. One member of this family; duodenal cytochrome b (DCYTB; may play an important role in ascorbate-dependent reduction of non-heme iron in the gut prior to uptake by ferrous-iron transporters. This review discusses the emerging relationship between cellular iron homeostasis; the emergent “IRP1-HIF2α axis”; DCYTB and ascorbate in relation to iron metabolism.

  17. Biosynthesis of heme in immature erythroid cells. The regulatory step for heme formation in the human erythron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gardner, L.C.; Cox, T.M.

    1988-01-01

    Heme formation in reticulocytes from rabbits and rodents is subject to end product negative feedback regulation: intracellular free heme has been shown to control acquisition of transferrin iron for heme synthesis. To identify the site of control of heme biosynthesis in the human erythron, immature erythroid cells were obtained from peripheral blood and aspirated bone marrow. After incubation with human 59Fe transferrin, 2-[14C]glycine, or 4-[14C]delta-aminolevulinate, isotopic incorporation into extracted heme was determined. Addition of cycloheximide to increase endogenous free heme, reduced incorporation of labeled glycine and iron but not delta-aminolevulinate into cell heme. Incorporation of glycine and iron was also sensitive to inhibition by exogenous hematin (Ki, 30 and 45 microM, respectively) i.e. at concentrations in the range which affect cell-free protein synthesis in reticulocyte lysates. Hematin treatment rapidly diminished incorporation of intracellular 59Fe into heme by human erythroid cells but assimilation of 4-[14C]delta-aminolevulinate into heme was insensitive to inhibition by hematin (Ki greater than 100 microM). In human reticulocytes (unlike those from rabbits), addition of ferric salicylaldehyde isonicotinoylhydrazone, to increase the pre-heme iron pool independently of the transferrin cycle, failed to promote heme synthesis or modify feedback inhibition induced by hematin. In human erythroid cells (but not rabbit reticulocytes) pre-incubation with unlabeled delta-aminolevulinate or protoporphyrin IX greatly stimulated utilization of cell 59Fe for heme synthesis and also attenuated end product inhibition. In human erythroid cells heme biosynthesis is thus primarily regulated by feedback inhibition at one or more steps which lead to delta-aminolevulinate formation

  18. Exceptional longevity and exceptionally high metabolic rates in anthropoid primates are linked to a major modification of the ubiquinone reduction site of cytochrome b.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rottenberg, Hagai

    2014-10-01

    The maximal lifespan of Anthropoid primates (monkeys, apes and humans) exceed the lifespan of most other mammals of equal body mass. Unexpectedly, their exceptional longevity is associated with exceptionally high metabolic rates, in apparent contradiction to the Free Radical Theory of Aging. It was therefore suggested that in anthropoid primates (and several other taxa of mammals and birds) the mitochondrial electron transport complexes evolved to modify the relationship between basal electron transport and superoxide generation to allow for the evolution of exceptional longevity. Cytochrome b, the core protein of the bc1 complex is a major source of superoxide. The amino-acid sequence of cytochrome b evolved much faster in anthropoid than in prosimian primates, and most other mammals, resulting in a large change in the amino-acids composition of the protein. As a result of these changes cytochrome b in anthropoid primates is significantly less hydrophobic and contains more polar residues than other primates and most other mammals. Most of these changes are clustered around the reduction site of uboiquinone. In particular a key positively charged residue, arginine 313, that interacts with propionate D of heme bH, and thus raises its redox potential, is substituted in anthropoid primates with the neutral residue glutamine, most likely resulting in a lower redox potential of heme bH and faster reduction of ubiquinone at high proton motive force. It is suggested that these changes contribute to the observed increased rates of basal metabolism and reduce the rates of superoxide production, thus allowing for increased lifespan.

  19. The Complexity of Mitochondrial Complex IV: An Update of Cytochrome c Oxidase Biogenesis in Plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansilla, Natanael; Racca, Sofia; Gras, Diana E.; Gonzalez, Daniel H.

    2018-01-01

    Mitochondrial respiration is an energy producing process that involves the coordinated action of several protein complexes embedded in the inner membrane to finally produce ATP. Complex IV or Cytochrome c Oxidase (COX) is the last electron acceptor of the respiratory chain, involved in the reduction of O2 to H2O. COX is a multimeric complex formed by multiple structural subunits encoded in two different genomes, prosthetic groups (heme a and heme a3), and metallic centers (CuA and CuB). Tens of accessory proteins are required for mitochondrial RNA processing, synthesis and delivery of prosthetic groups and metallic centers, and for the final assembly of subunits to build a functional complex. In this review, we perform a comparative analysis of COX composition and biogenesis factors in yeast, mammals and plants. We also describe possible external and internal factors controlling the expression of structural proteins and assembly factors at the transcriptional and post-translational levels, and the effect of deficiencies in different steps of COX biogenesis to infer the role of COX in different aspects of plant development. We conclude that COX assembly in plants has conserved and specific features, probably due to the incorporation of a different set of subunits during evolution. PMID:29495437

  20. Heme metabolism as an integral part of iron homeostasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paweł Lipiński

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Heme, a ferrous iron protoporphyrin IX complex, is employed as a prosthetic group in a number of diverse heme proteins that participate in important cellular and systemic physiological processes. Provision of an adequate amount of iron for heme biosynthesis is one of the elemental hallmarks of intracellular iron homeostasis. In the cell the bioavailability of iron for the two main iron biological pathways – heme synthesis and the biogenesis of iron-sulfur clusters ([Fe-S] – is mainly regulated by the IRP/IRE posttranscriptional system. The biogenesis of [Fe-S] centers is crucial for heme synthesis because these co-factors determine the activity of IRP1 and that of ferrochelatase, an enzyme responsible for the insertion of an iron into protoporphyrin IX to produce heme. On the other hand, delivery of iron for heme and hemoglobin synthesis in erythroblasts, precursors of erythrocytes in bone marrow, is an indispensable element of body iron homeostasis. This process relies on the recovery of iron from senescent red blood cells through the enzymatic degradation of heme molecules and recycling of iron to the circulation. Molecular coordination of these processes involves the activity of heme oxygenase 1, IRP1 and IRP2 as well as the functioning of the hepcidin-ferroportin regulatory axis. Recent studies show in mammals the existence of an expanded system of proteins involved in the transport of intact heme molecules at the cellular and systemic levels. The biological role of this system is of particular importance when the concentration of free heme reaches a toxic level in the body (intravascular hemolysis as well as locally in cells having intensive heme metabolism such as erythroblasts and macrophages.

  1. [Heme metabolism as an integral part of iron homeostasis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipiński, Paweł; Starzyński, Rafał R; Styś, Agnieszka; Gajowiak, Anna; Staroń, Robert

    2014-01-02

    Heme, a ferrous iron protoporphyrin IX complex, is employed as a prosthetic group in a number of diverse heme proteins that participate in important cellular and systemic physiological processes. Provision of an adequate amount of iron for heme biosynthesis is one of the elemental hallmarks of intracellular iron homeostasis. In the cell the bioavailability of iron for the two main iron biological pathways--heme synthesis and the biogenesis of iron-sulfur clusters ([Fe-S])--is mainly regulated by the IRP/IRE posttranscriptional system. The biogenesis of [Fe-S] centers is crucial for heme synthesis because these co-factors determine the activity of IRP1 and that of ferrochelatase, an enzyme responsible for the insertion of an iron into protoporphyrin IX to produce heme. On the other hand, delivery of iron for heme and hemoglobin synthesis in erythroblasts, precursors of erythrocytes in bone marrow, is an indispensable element of body iron homeostasis. This process relies on the recovery of iron from senescent red blood cells through the enzymatic degradation of heme molecules and recycling of iron to the circulation. Molecular coordination of these processes involves the activity of heme oxygenase 1, IRP1 and IRP2 as well as the functioning of the hepcidin-ferroportin regulatory axis. Recent studies show in mammals the existence of an expanded system of proteins involved in the transport of intact heme molecules at the cellular and systemic levels. The biological role of this system is of particular importance when the concentration of free heme reaches a toxic level in the body (intravascular hemolysis) as well as locally in cells having intensive heme metabolism such as erythroblasts and macrophages.

  2. Engineering out motion: introduction of a de novo disulfide bond and a salt bridge designed to close a dynamic cleft on the surface of cytochrome b5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storch, E M; Daggett, V; Atkins, W M

    1999-04-20

    A previous molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of cytochrome b5 (cyt b5) at 25 degrees C displayed localized dynamics on the surface of the protein giving rise to the periodic formation of a cleft that provides access to the heme through a protected hydrophobic channel [Storch and Daggett (1995) Biochemistry 34, 9682]. Here we describe the production and testing of mutants designed to prevent the cleft from opening using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques. Two mutants have been designed to close the surface cleft: S18D to introduce a salt bridge and S18C:R47C to incorporate a disulfide bond. The putative cleft forms between two separate cores of the protein: one is structural in nature and can be monitored through the fluorescence of Trp 22, and the other binds the heme prosthetic group and can be tracked via heme absorbance. An increase in motion localized to the cleft region was observed for each protein, except for the disulfide-containing variant, in MD simulations at 50 degrees C compared to simulations at 25 degrees C. For the disulfide-containing variant, the cleft remained closed. Both urea and temperature denaturation curves were nearly identical for wild-type and mutant proteins when heme absorbance was monitored. In contrast, fluorescence studies revealed oxidized S18C:R47C to be considerably more stable based on the midpoints of the denaturation transitions, Tm and U1/2. Moreover, the fluorescence changes for each protein were complete at approximately 50 degrees C and a urea concentration of approximately 3.9 M, significantly below the temperature and urea concentration (62 degrees C, 5 M urea) required to observe heme release. In addition, solvent accessibility based on acrylamide quenching of Trp 22 was lower in the S18C:R47C mutant, particularly at 50 degrees C, before heme release [presented in the accompanying paper (58)]. The results suggest that a constraining disulfide bond can be designed to inhibit dynamic cleft formation

  3. Enhancement of nitrite on heme-induced oxidative reactions: A potential toxicological implication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Naihao; Chen, Wei; Zhu, Jingjie; Peng, Yi-Yuan

    2012-02-01

    Evidence to support the role of heme as major inducers of oxidative damage is increasingly present. Nitrite (NO(2)(-)) is one of the major end products of NO metabolism. Although the biological significance of heme/NO(2)(-)-mediated protein tyrosine nitration is a subject of great interest, the important roles of NO(2)(-) on heme-dependent redox reaction have been greatly underestimated. In this study, we investigated the influence of NO(2)(-) on heme -dependent oxidative reactions. It was found that NO(2)(-) had the capacity to act as a reducing agent to remove high oxidation states of heme iron. In the reduction of ferryl heme to ferric heme, NO(2)(-) was oxidized to a nitrating agent NO(2), and subsequently, tyrosine residues in bovine serum albumin (BSA) were nitrated. However, the presence of NO(2)(-) surprisingly exerted pro-oxidant effect on heme-H(2)O(2)-induced formation of BSA carbonyls at lower concentrations and enhanced the loss of HepG2 cell viability dose-dependently, which was probably due to the ability of this inorganic compound to efficiently enhance the peroxidase activity and oxidative degradation of heme. These data provide novel evidence that the dietary intake and experimental use of NO(2)(-) in vivo and in vitro would possess the pro-oxidant activity through interfering in heme-dependent oxidative reactions. Besides the classic role in protein tyrosine nitration, the deleterious effects on heme redox reactions may provide new insights into the toxicological implications of NO(2)(-) with cellular heme proteins. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Impairment of heme synthesis in myelin as potential trigger of multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morelli, Alessandro; Ravera, Silvia; Calzia, Daniela; Panfoli, Isabella

    2012-06-01

    The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease characterized by demyelination and subsequent axonal degeneration, is as yet unknown. Also, the nature of the disease is as yet not established, since doubts have been cast on its autoimmune origin. Genetic and environmental factors have been implied in MS, leading to the idea of an overall multifactorial origin. An unexpected role in energizing the axon has been reported for myelin, supposed to be the site of consumption of most of oxygen in brain. Myelin would be able to perform oxidative phosphorylation to supply the axons with ATP, thanks to the expression therein of mitochondrial F(o)F(1)-ATP synthase, and respiratory chains. Interestingly, myelin expresses the pathway of heme synthesis, hence of cytochromes, that rely on heme group, in turn depending on Fe availability. Poisoning by these pollutants shares the common characteristic to bring about demyelination both in animal models and in man. Carbon monoxide (CO) and lead poisoning which cause functional imbalance of the heme group, as well as of heme synthesis, cause myelin damage. On the other hand, a lack of essential metals such as iron and copper, produces dramatic myelin decrease. Myelin is a primary target, of iron shortage, indicating that in myelin Fe-dependent processes are more active than in other tissues. The predominant spread of MS in industrialized countries where pollution by heavy metals, and CO poisoning is widespread, suggests a relationship among toxic action of metal pollutants and MS. According to the present hypothesis, MS can be primarily triggered by environmental factors acting on a genetic susceptibility, while the immune response may be a consequence of a primary oxidative damage due to reactive oxygen species produced consequently to an imbalance of cytochromes and respiratory chains in the sheath. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. A Heme-based Redox Sensor in the Methanogenic Archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molitor, Bastian; Stassen, Marc; Modi, Anuja; El-Mashtoly, Samir F.; Laurich, Christoph; Lubitz, Wolfgang; Dawson, John H.; Rother, Michael; Frankenberg-Dinkel, Nicole

    2013-01-01

    Based on a bioinformatics study, the protein MA4561 from the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans was originally predicted to be a multidomain phytochrome-like photosensory kinase possibly binding open-chain tetrapyrroles. Although we were able to show that recombinantly produced and purified protein does not bind any known phytochrome chromophores, UV-visible spectroscopy revealed the presence of a heme tetrapyrrole cofactor. In contrast to many other known cytoplasmic heme-containing proteins, the heme was covalently attached via one vinyl side chain to cysteine 656 in the second GAF domain. This GAF domain by itself is sufficient for covalent attachment. Resonance Raman and magnetic circular dichroism data support a model of a six-coordinate heme species with additional features of a five-coordination structure. The heme cofactor is redox-active and able to coordinate various ligands like imidazole, dimethyl sulfide, and carbon monoxide depending on the redox state. Interestingly, the redox state of the heme cofactor has a substantial influence on autophosphorylation activity. Although reduced protein does not autophosphorylate, oxidized protein gives a strong autophosphorylation signal independent from bound external ligands. Based on its genomic localization, MA4561 is most likely a sensor kinase of a two-component system effecting regulation of the Mts system, a set of three homologous corrinoid/methyltransferase fusion protein isoforms involved in methyl sulfide metabolism. Consistent with this prediction, an M. acetivorans mutant devoid of MA4561 constitutively synthesized MtsF. On the basis of our results, we postulate a heme-based redox/dimethyl sulfide sensory function of MA4561 and propose to designate it MsmS (methyl sulfide methyltransferase-associated sensor). PMID:23661702

  6. Conformational control of the binding of diatomic gases to cytochrome c'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manole, Andreea; Kekilli, Demet; Svistunenko, Dimitri A; Wilson, Michael T; Dobbin, Paul S; Hough, Michael A

    2015-06-01

    The cytochromes c' (CYTcp) are found in denitrifying, methanotrophic and photosynthetic bacteria. These proteins are able to form stable adducts with CO and NO but not with O2. The binding of NO to CYTcp currently provides the best structural model for the NO activation mechanism of soluble guanylate cyclase. Ligand binding in CYTcps has been shown to be highly dependent on residues in both the proximal and distal heme pockets. Group 1 CYTcps typically have a phenylalanine residue positioned close to the distal face of heme, while for group 2, this residue is typically leucine. We have structurally, spectroscopically and kinetically characterised the CYTcp from Shewanella frigidimarina (SFCP), a protein that has a distal phenylalanine residue and a lysine in the proximal pocket in place of the more common arginine. Each monomer of the SFCP dimer folds as a 4-alpha-helical bundle in a similar manner to CYTcps previously characterised. SFCP exhibits biphasic binding kinetics for both NO and CO as a result of the high level of steric hindrance from the aromatic side chain of residue Phe 16. The binding of distal ligands is thus controlled by the conformation of the phenylalanine ring. Only a proximal 5-coordinate NO adduct, confirmed by structural data, is observed with no detectable hexacoordinate distal NO adduct.

  7. Identification of danthron as an isoform-specific inhibitor of HEME OXYGENASE-1/cytochrome P450 reductase interaction with anti-tumor activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Yi-Tai; Hsu, Fu-Fei; Hu, Dun-Yao; Chen, Ying-Chih; Hsu, Yuan-Hao; Hsu, John T-A; Chau, Lee-Young

    2018-01-23

    Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes NADPH-dependent degradation of heme to liberate iron, carbon monoxide and biliverdin. The interaction between HO and cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR), an electron donor, is essential for HO activity. HO-1 is a stress-inducible isoform whereas HO-2 is constitutively expressed. HO-1 induction is commonly seen in cancers and impacts disease progression, supporting the possibility of targeting HO-1 for cancer therapy. We employed a cell-based bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assay to screen compounds with ability to inhibit HO-1/CPR interaction. The effect of the identified compound on HO-1/CPR interaction was confirmed by pull down assay. Moreover, the anti-tumorigenic activity of the identified compound on HO-1-enhanced tumor growth and migration was assessed by trypan blue exclusion method and wound healing assay. Danthron was identified as an effective small molecule able to interfere with the interaction between HO-1 and CPR but not HO-2 and CPR. Additional experiments with structural analogues of danthron revealed that the positions of hydroxyl moieties significantly affected the potency of inhibition on HO-1/CPR interaction. Pull-down assay confirmed that danthron inhibited the interaction of CPR with HO-1 but not HO-2. Danthron suppressed growth and migration of HeLa cells with stable HO-1 overexpression but not mock cells. In contrast, anthrarufin, a structural analog with no ability to interfere HO-1/CPR interaction, exhibited no significant effect on HO-1-overexpressing HeLa cells. These findings demonstrate that danthron is an isoform-specific inhibitor for HO-1/CPR interaction and may serve as a lead compound for novel anticancer drug.

  8. Evidence for porphyrins bound, via ester bonds, to the Messel oil shale kerogen by selective chemical degradation experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huseby, B.; Ocampo, R.

    1997-09-01

    High amounts of nickel mono- and di-acid porphyrins were released from Messel oil shale kerogen (Eocene, Germany) by selective chemical degradation (acid and base hydrolysis). The released porphyrin fractions were quantified (UV-vis) and their constituents isolated and characterized at the molecular level (UV-vis, MS, NMR). The mono-acid porphyrin fraction released contained four compounds of similar abundance which arise from an obvious chlorophyll or bacteriochlorophyll precursor. The di-acid porphyrin fraction was, however, dominated by far by one compound, mesoporphyrin IX, which must have originated from heme-like precursors (heme, cytochromes, etc.). These results show unambigously that the released mono- and di-acid porphyrins were linked to the macromolecular kerogen network via ester bonds and suggest that precursor heme-like pigments could be selectively and/or more readily incorporated into the macromolecular kerogen network than precursor chlorophylls and bacteriochlorophylls.

  9. Heme oxygenase is the major 32-kDa stress protein induced in human skin fibroblasts by UVA radiation, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium arsenite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keyse, S.M.; Tyrrell, R.M.

    1989-01-01

    We have shown that UVA (320-380 nm) radiation, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium arsenite induce a stress protein of approximately 32 kDa in human skin fibroblasts. The synthesis and cloning of cDNA from arsenite-induced mRNA populations have now allowed us to unequivocally identify the 32-kDa protein as heme oxygenase. By mRNA analysis we have shown that the heme oxygenase gene is also induced in cultured human skin fibroblasts by UVA radiation, hydrogen peroxide, cadmium chloride, iodoacetamide, and menadione. The known antioxidant properties of heme catabolites taken together with the observation of a high level of induction of the enzyme in cells from an organ not involved in hemoglobin breakdown strongly supports the proposal that the induction of heme oxygenase may be a general response to oxidant stress and constitutes an important cellular defense mechanism against oxidative damage

  10. Enhancement of the thermostability of Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c(552) through introduction of an extra methylene group into its hydrophobic protein interior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tai, Hulin; Irie, Kiyofumi; Mikami, Shin-ichi; Yamamoto, Yasuhiko

    2011-04-19

    Careful scrutiny of the protein interior of Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c(552) (HT) on the basis of its X-ray structure [Travaglini-Allocatelli, C., Gianni, S., Dubey, V. K., Borgia, A., Di Matteo, A., Bonivento, D., Cutruzzola, F., Bren, K. L., and Brunori, M. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 25729-25734] indicated that a void space, which is large enough to accommodate a methyl group, exists in the hydrophobic protein interior near the heme. We tried to reduce the void space through the replacement of a Val by Ile or Leu (Val/Ile or Val/Leu mutation), and then the structural and functional consequences of these two mutations were characterized in order to elucidate the relationship between the nature of the packing of hydrophobic residues and the functional properties of the protein. The study demonstrated striking differences in the structural and functional consequences between the two mutations. The Val/Ile mutation was found to cause further enhancement of the thermostability of the oxidized HT, as reflected in the increase of the denaturation temperature (T(m)) value by ∼ 3 deg, whereas the thermostability of the reduced form was essentially unaffected. As a result, the redox potential (E(m)) of the Val/Ile mutant exhibited a negative shift of ∼ 50 mV relative to that of the wild-type protein in an enthalpic manner, this being consistent with our previous finding that a protein with higher stability in its oxidized form exhibits a lower E(m) value [Terui, N., Tachiiri, N., Matsuo, H., Hasegawa, J., Uchiyama, S., Kobayashi, Y., Igarashi, Y., Sambongi, Y., and Yamamoto, Y. (2003) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 13650-13651]. In contrast, the Val/Leu mutation led to a decrease in thermostability of both the redox forms of the protein, as reflected in the decreases of the T(m) values of the oxidized and reduced proteins by ∼ 3 and ∼ 5 deg, respectively, and the E(m) value of the Val/Leu mutant happened to be similar to that of the Val/Ile one. The E

  11. Early Events, Kinetic Intermediates and the Mechanism of Protein Folding in Cytochrome c

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David S. Kliger

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Kinetic studies of the early events in cytochrome c folding are reviewed with a focus on the evidence for folding intermediates on the submillisecond timescale. Evidence from time-resolved absorption, circular dichroism, magnetic circular dichroism, fluorescence energy and electron transfer, small-angle X-ray scattering and amide hydrogen exchange studies on the t £ 1 ms timescale reveals a picture of cytochrome c folding that starts with the ~ 1-ms conformational diffusion dynamics of the unfolded chains. A fractional population of the unfolded chains collapses on the 1 – 100 ms timescale to a compact intermediate IC containing some native-like secondary structure. Although the existence and nature of IC as a discrete folding intermediate remains controversial, there is extensive high time-resolution kinetic evidence for the rapid formation of IC as a true intermediate, i.e., a metastable state separated from the unfolded state by a discrete free energy barrier. Final folding to the native state takes place on millisecond and longer timescales, depending on the presence of kinetic traps such as heme misligation and proline mis-isomerization. The high folding rates observed in equilibrium molten globule models suggest that IC may be a productive folding intermediate. Whether it is an obligatory step on the pathway to the high free energy barrier associated with millisecond timescale folding to the native state, however, remains to be determined.

  12. Identification of the receptor scavenging hemopexin-heme complexes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hvidberg, Vibeke; Maniecki, Maciej B; Jacobsen, Christian

    2005-01-01

    and is suggested to facilitate cellular heme metabolism. Using a ligand-affinity approach, we purified the human hemopexin-heme receptor and identified it as the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP)/CD91, a receptor expressed in several cell types including macrophages, hepatocytes, neurons......, and syncytiotrophoblasts. Binding experiments, including Biacore analysis, showed that hemopexin-heme complex formation elicits the high receptor affinity. Uptake studies of radio-labeled hemopexin-heme complex in LRP/CD91-expressing COS cells and confocal microscopy of the cellular processing of fluorescent hemopexin......-heme complexes are removed by a receptor-mediated pathway showing striking similarities to the CD163-mediated haptoglobin-hemoglobin clearance in macrophages. Furthermore, the data indicate a hitherto unknown role of LRP/CD91 in inflammation....

  13. Stanniocalcin 1 binds hemin through a partially conserved heme regulatory motif

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Westberg, Johan A.; Jiang, Ji; Andersson, Leif C.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) binds heme through novel heme binding motif. → Central iron atom of heme and cysteine-114 of STC1 are essential for binding. → STC1 binds Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ heme. → STC1 peptide prevents oxidative decay of heme. -- Abstract: Hemin (iron protoporphyrin IX) is a necessary component of many proteins, functioning either as a cofactor or an intracellular messenger. Hemoproteins have diverse functions, such as transportation of gases, gas detection, chemical catalysis and electron transfer. Stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) is a protein involved in respiratory responses of the cell but whose mechanism of action is still undetermined. We examined the ability of STC1 to bind hemin in both its reduced and oxidized states and located Cys 114 as the axial ligand of the central iron atom of hemin. The amino acid sequence differs from the established (Cys-Pro) heme regulatory motif (HRM) and therefore presents a novel heme binding motif (Cys-Ser). A STC1 peptide containing the heme binding sequence was able to inhibit both spontaneous and H 2 O 2 induced decay of hemin. Binding of hemin does not affect the mitochondrial localization of STC1.

  14. Identification of a c-Type Cytochrome Specific for Manganese Dioxide (MnO2) Reduction in Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans Strain 2CP-C

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfiffner, S. M.; Nissen, S.; Liu, X.; Chourey, K.; Vishnivetskaya, T. A.; Hettich, R.; Loeffler, F.

    2014-12-01

    Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans is a metabolically versatile Deltaproteobacterium and conserves energy from the reduction of various electron acceptors, including insoluble MnO2 and ferric oxides/oxyhydroxides (FeOOH). The goal of this study was to identify c-type cytochromes involved in electron transfer to MnO2. The characterization of deletion mutants has revealed a number of c-type cytochromes involved in electron transfer to solid metal oxides in Shewanella spp. and Geobacter spp; however, a genetic system for Anaeromyxobacter is not available. The A. dehalogenans str. 2CP-C genome encodes 68 putative c-type cytochromes, which all lack functional assignments. To identify c-type cytochromes involved in electron transfer to solid MnO2, protein expression profiles of A. dehalogenans str. 2CP-C cells grown with acetate as electron donor and MnO2, ferric citrate, FeOOH, nitrate or fumarate as electron acceptors were compared. Whole cell proteomes were analyzed after trypsin proteolysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Distinct c-type cytochrome expression patterns were observed with cells grown with different electron acceptors. A. dehalogenans str. 2CP-C grown with MnO2 expressed 25 out of the 68 c-type cytochromes encoded on the genome. The c-type cytochrome Adeh_1278 was only expressed in strain 2CP-C grown with MnO2. Reverse transcription PCR confirmed that the Adeh_1278 gene was transcribed in MnO2-grown cells but not in cells grown with other terminal electron acceptors. The expression of the Adeh_1278 gene correlated with Mn(IV) reduction activity. Adeh_1278 has three heme binding motifs and is predicted to be located in the periplasm. The identification of Adeh_1278 as a protein uniquely expressed when MnO2 serves as electron acceptor suggests its utility as a biomarker for MnO2 reduction. This example demonstrates the value of the LC-MS/MS approach for identifying specific proteins of interest and making functional assignments

  15. Hemoglobin fructation promotes heme degradation through the generation of endogenous reactive oxygen species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodarzi, M.; Moosavi-Movahedi, A. A.; Habibi-Rezaei, M.; Shourian, M.; Ghourchian, H.; Ahmad, F.; Farhadi, M.; Saboury, A. A.; Sheibani, N.

    2014-09-01

    Protein glycation is a cascade of nonenzymatic reactions between reducing sugars and amino groups of proteins. It is referred to as fructation when the reducing monosaccharide is fructose. Some potential mechanisms have been suggested for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by protein glycation reactions in the presence of glucose. In this state, glucose autoxidation, ketoamine, and oxidative advance glycation end products (AGEs) formation are considered as major sources of ROS and perhaps heme degradation during hemoglobin glycation. However, whether fructose mediated glycation produces ROS and heme degradation is unknown. Here we report that ROS (H2O2) production occurred during hemoglobin fructation in vitro using chemiluminescence methods. The enhanced heme exposure and degradation were determined using UV-Vis and fluorescence spectrophotometry. Following accumulation of ROS, heme degradation products were accumulated reaching a plateau along with the detected ROS. Thus, fructose may make a significant contribution to the production of ROS, glycation of proteins, and heme degradation during diabetes.

  16. Heme oxygenase-1 prevents non-alcoholic steatohepatitis through suppressing hepatocyte apoptosis in mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fu Na

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1, the rate-limiting enzyme in heme catabolism, has been reported to have potential antioxidant properties. However, the role of HO-1 on hepatocyte apoptosis remains unclear. We aim to elucidate the effects of HO-1 on oxidative stress related hepatocellular apoptosis in nutritional steatohepatitis in mice. Methods C57BL/6J mice were fed with methionine-choline deficient (MCD diet for four weeks to induce hepatic steatohepatitis. HO-1 chemical inducer (hemin, HO-1 chemical inhibitor zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP-IX and/or adenovirus carrying HO-1 gene (Ad-HO-1 were administered to mice, respectively. Hepatocyte apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL assay, the mRNA and protein expression of apoptosis related genes were assayed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. Results Hepatocyte signs of oxidative related apoptotic injury were presented in mice fed with MCD diet for 4 weeks. Induction of HO-1 by hemin or Ad-HO-1 significantly attenuated the severity of liver histology, which was associated with decreased hepatic lipid peroxidation content, reduced number of apoptotic cells by TUNEL staining, down-regulated expression of pro-apoptosis related genes including Fas/FasL, Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9, reduced expression of cytochrome p4502E1 (CYP2E1, inhibited cytochrome c (Cyt-c release, and up-regulated expression of anti-apoptosis gene Bcl-2. Whereas, inhibition of HO-1 by ZnPP-IX caused oxidative stress related hepatic injury, which concomitant with increased number of TUNEL positive cells and up-regulated expression of pro-apoptosis related genes. Conclusions The present study provided evidences for the protective role of HO-1 in preventing nutritional steatohepatitis through suppressing hepatocyte apoptosis in mice.

  17. Natively oxidized amino acid residues in the spinach cytochrome b 6 f complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Ryan M; Sallans, Larry; Frankel, Laurie K; Bricker, Terry M

    2018-01-29

    The cytochrome b 6 f complex of oxygenic photosynthesis produces substantial levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has been observed that the ROS production rate by b 6 f is 10-20 fold higher than that observed for the analogous respiratory cytochrome bc 1 complex. The types of ROS produced (O 2 •-, 1 O 2 , and, possibly, H 2 O 2 ) and the site(s) of ROS production within the b 6 f complex have been the subject of some debate. Proposed sources of ROS have included the heme b p , PQ p •- (possible sources for O 2 •- ), the Rieske iron-sulfur cluster (possible source of O 2 •- and/or 1 O 2 ), Chl a (possible source of 1 O 2 ), and heme c n (possible source of O 2 •- and/or H 2 O 2 ). Our working hypothesis is that amino acid residues proximal to the ROS production sites will be more susceptible to oxidative modification than distant residues. In the current study, we have identified natively oxidized amino acid residues in the subunits of the spinach cytochrome b 6 f complex. The oxidized residues were identified by tandem mass spectrometry using the MassMatrix Program. Our results indicate that numerous residues, principally localized near p-side cofactors and Chl a, were oxidatively modified. We hypothesize that these sites are sources for ROS generation in the spinach cytochrome b 6 f complex.

  18. Hemopexin and haptoglobin: allies against heme toxicity from hemoglobin not contenders.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ann eSmith

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The goal here is to describe our current understanding of heme metabolism and the deleterious effects of free heme on immunological processes, endothelial function, systemic inflammation, and various end-organ tissues (e.g. kidney, lung, liver, etc., with particular attention paid to the role of hemopexin (HPX. Because heme toxicity is the impetus for much of the pathology in sepsis, sickle cell disease, and other hemolytic conditions, the biological importance and clinical relevance of HPX, the predominant heme binding protein, is reinforced. A perspective on the function of HPX and haptoglobin (Hp is presented, updating how these two proteins and their respective receptors act simultaneously to protect the body in clinical conditions that entail hemolysis and/or systemic intravascular inflammation. Evidence from longitudinal studies in patients supports that HPX plays a Hp-independent role in genetic and non-genetic hemolytic diseases without the need for global Hp depletion. Evidence also supports that HPX has an important role in the prognosis of complex illnesses characterized predominantly by the presence of hemolysis, such as sickle cell disease, sepsis, hemolytic-uremic syndrome, and conditions involving intravascular and extravascular hemolysis, such as that generated by extracorporeal circulation during cardiopulmonary bypass and from blood transfusions. We propose that quantitating the amounts of plasma heme, HPX, Hb-Hp, heme-HPX and heme-albumin levels in various disease states may aid in the diagnosis and treatment of the above-mentioned conditions, which is crucial to developing targeted plasma protein supplementation (i.e. replenishment therapies for patients with heme toxicity due to HPX depletion.

  19. Stanniocalcin 1 binds hemin through a partially conserved heme regulatory motif

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Westberg, Johan A., E-mail: johan.westberg@helsinki.fi [Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki and HUSLAB, P.O. Box 21, Haartmaninkatu 3, FI-00014 Helsinki (Finland); Jiang, Ji, E-mail: ji.jiang@helsinki.fi [Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki and HUSLAB, P.O. Box 21, Haartmaninkatu 3, FI-00014 Helsinki (Finland); Andersson, Leif C., E-mail: leif.andersson@helsinki.fi [Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki and HUSLAB, P.O. Box 21, Haartmaninkatu 3, FI-00014 Helsinki (Finland)

    2011-06-03

    Highlights: {yields} Stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) binds heme through novel heme binding motif. {yields} Central iron atom of heme and cysteine-114 of STC1 are essential for binding. {yields} STC1 binds Fe{sup 2+} and Fe{sup 3+} heme. {yields} STC1 peptide prevents oxidative decay of heme. -- Abstract: Hemin (iron protoporphyrin IX) is a necessary component of many proteins, functioning either as a cofactor or an intracellular messenger. Hemoproteins have diverse functions, such as transportation of gases, gas detection, chemical catalysis and electron transfer. Stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) is a protein involved in respiratory responses of the cell but whose mechanism of action is still undetermined. We examined the ability of STC1 to bind hemin in both its reduced and oxidized states and located Cys{sup 114} as the axial ligand of the central iron atom of hemin. The amino acid sequence differs from the established (Cys-Pro) heme regulatory motif (HRM) and therefore presents a novel heme binding motif (Cys-Ser). A STC1 peptide containing the heme binding sequence was able to inhibit both spontaneous and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} induced decay of hemin. Binding of hemin does not affect the mitochondrial localization of STC1.

  20. MOLECULAR DYNAMICS STUDY OF CYTOCHROME C – LIPID COMPLEXES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Trusova

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The interactions between a mitochondrial hemoprotein cytochrome c (cyt c and the model lipid membranes composed of zwitterionic lipid phosphatidylcholine (PC and anionic lipids phosphatidylglycerol (PG, phosphatidylserine (PS or cardiolipin (CL were studied using the method of molecular dynamics. It was found that cyt c structure remains virtually unchanged in the protein complexes with PC/PG or PC/PS bilayers. In turn, protein binding to PC/CL bilayer is followed by the rise in cyt c radius of gyration and root-mean-square fluctuations. The magnitude of these changes was demonstrated to increase with the anionic lipid content. The revealed effect was interpreted in terms of the partial unfolding of polypeptide chain in the region Ala15-Leu32, widening of the heme crevice and enhancement of the conformational fluctuations in the region Pro76-Asp93 upon increasing the CL molar fraction from 5 to 25%. The results obtained seem to be of utmost importance in the context of amyloidogenic propensity of cyt c.

  1. Heme Attenuation Ameliorates Irritant Gas Inhalation-Induced Acute Lung Injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aggarwal, Saurabh; Lam, Adam; Bolisetty, Subhashini; Carlisle, Matthew A; Traylor, Amie; Agarwal, Anupam; Matalon, Sadis

    2016-01-10

    Exposure to irritant gases, such as bromine (Br2), poses an environmental and occupational hazard that results in severe lung and systemic injury. However, the mechanism(s) of Br2 toxicity and the therapeutic responses required to mitigate lung damage are not known. Previously, it was demonstrated that Br2 upregulates the heme degrading enzyme, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Since heme is a major inducer of HO-1, we determined whether an increase in heme and heme-dependent oxidative injury underlies the pathogenesis of Br2 toxicity. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to Br2 gas (600 ppm, 30 min) and returned to room air. Thirty minutes postexposure, mice were injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of the heme scavenging protein, hemopexin (Hx) (3 μg/gm body weight), or saline. Twenty-four hours postexposure, saline-treated mice had elevated total heme in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and plasma and acute lung injury (ALI) culminating in 80% mortality after 10 days. Hx treatment significantly lowered heme, decreased evidence of ALI (lower protein and inflammatory cells in BALF, lower lung wet-to-dry weight ratios, and decreased airway hyperreactivity to methacholine), and reduced mortality. In addition, Br2 caused more severe ALI and mortality in mice with HO-1 gene deletion (HO-1-/-) compared to wild-type controls, while transgenic mice overexpressing the human HO-1 gene (hHO-1) showed significant protection. This is the first study delineating the role of heme in ALI caused by Br2. The data suggest that attenuating heme may prove to be a useful adjuvant therapy to treat patients with ALI.

  2. Hemoglobin and heme scavenger receptors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Marianne Jensby; Møller, Holger Jon; Moestrup, Søren Kragh

    2010-01-01

    Heme, the functional group of hemoglobin, myoglobin, and other hemoproteins, is a highly toxic substance when it appears in the extracellular milieu. To circumvent potential harmful effects of heme from hemoproteins released during physiological or pathological cell damage (such as hemolysis...... and rhabdomyolysis), specific high capacity scavenging systems have evolved in the mammalian organism. Two major systems, which essentially function in a similar way by means of a circulating latent plasma carrier protein that upon ligand binding is recognized by a receptor, are represented by a) the hemoglobin...

  3. Fusion to Hydrophobin HFBI Improves the Catalytic Performance of a Cytochrome P450 System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz, Sebastian; Schumacher, Dominik; Raszkowski, Daniel; Girhard, Marco; Urlacher, Vlada B.

    2016-01-01

    Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450) are heme-containing enzymes that oxidize a broad range of substrates in the presence of molecular oxygen and NAD(P)H. For their activity, most P450s rely on one or two redox proteins responsible for the transfer of electrons from the cofactor NAD(P)H to the heme. One of the challenges when using P450s in vitro, especially when non-physiological redox proteins are applied, is the inefficient transfer of electrons between the individual proteins resulting in non-productive consumption of NAD(P)H – referred to as uncoupling. Herein, we describe the improvement of the coupling efficiency between a P450 and its redox partner – diflavin reductase – by fusing both enzymes individually to the hydrophobin HFBI – a small self-assembling protein of the fungus Trichoderma reesei. The separated monooxygenase (BMO) and reductase (BMR) domains of P450 BM3 from Bacillus megaterium were chosen as a P450-reductase model system and individually fused to HFBI. The fusion proteins could be expressed in soluble form in Escherichia coli. When HFBI-fused BMO and BMR were mixed in vitro, substantially higher coupling efficiencies were measured as compared with the respective non-fused enzymes. Consequently, myristic acid conversion increased up to 20-fold (after 6 h) and 5-fold (after 24 h). Size exclusion chromatography demonstrated that in vitro the hydrophobin-fused enzymes build multimeric protein assemblies. Thus, the higher activity is hypothesized to be due to HFBI-mediated self-assembly arranging BMO and BMR in close spatial proximity in aqueous solution. PMID:27458582

  4. Heme-based sensors in biological systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodgers, K R

    1999-04-01

    The past several years have been witness to a staggering rate of advancement in the understanding of how organisms respond to changes in the availability of diatomic molecules that are toxic and/or crucial to survival. Heme-based sensors presently constitute the majority of the proteins known to sense NO, O2 and CO and to initiate the chemistry required to adapt to changes in their availabilities. Knowledge of the three characterized members of this class, soluble guanylate cyclase, FixL and CooA, has grown substantially during the past year. The major advances have resulted from a broad range of approaches to elucidation of both function and mechanism. They include growth in the understanding of the interplay between the heme and protein in soluble guanylate cyclase, as well as alternate means for its stimulation. Insight into the O2-induced structural changes in FixL has been supplied by the single crystal structure of the heme domain of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Finally, the ligation environment and ligand interchange that facilitates CO sensing by CooA has been established by spectroscopic and mutagenesis techniques.

  5. The Rieske Iron-Sulfur Protein: Import and Assembly into the Cytochrome bc 1 Complex of Yeast Mitochondria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conte, Laura; Zara, Vincenzo

    2011-01-01

    The Rieske iron-sulfur protein, one of the catalytic subunits of the cytochrome bc 1 complex, is involved in electron transfer at the level of the inner membrane of yeast mitochondria. The Rieske iron-sulfur protein is encoded by nuclear DNA and, after being synthesized in the cytosol, is imported into mitochondria with the help of a cleavable N-terminal presequence. The imported protein, besides incorporating the 2Fe-2S cluster, also interacts with other catalytic and non-catalytic subunits of the cytochrome bc 1 complex, thereby assembling into the mature and functional respiratory complex. In this paper, we summarize the most recent findings on the import and assembly of the Rieske iron-sulfur protein into Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria, also discussing a possible role of this protein both in the dimerization of the cytochrome bc 1 complex and in the interaction of this homodimer with other complexes of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. PMID:21716720

  6. The Rieske Iron-Sulfur Protein: Import and Assembly into the Cytochrome bc(1) Complex of Yeast Mitochondria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conte, Laura; Zara, Vincenzo

    2011-01-01

    The Rieske iron-sulfur protein, one of the catalytic subunits of the cytochrome bc(1) complex, is involved in electron transfer at the level of the inner membrane of yeast mitochondria. The Rieske iron-sulfur protein is encoded by nuclear DNA and, after being synthesized in the cytosol, is imported into mitochondria with the help of a cleavable N-terminal presequence. The imported protein, besides incorporating the 2Fe-2S cluster, also interacts with other catalytic and non-catalytic subunits of the cytochrome bc(1) complex, thereby assembling into the mature and functional respiratory complex. In this paper, we summarize the most recent findings on the import and assembly of the Rieske iron-sulfur protein into Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria, also discussing a possible role of this protein both in the dimerization of the cytochrome bc(1) complex and in the interaction of this homodimer with other complexes of the mitochondrial respiratory chain.

  7. Magnetite Compensates for the Lack of a Pilin-Associated c-Type Cytochrome in Extracellular Electron Exchange

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Fanghua; Rotaru, Amelia-Elena; Shrestha, Pravin

    2015-01-01

    investigation revealed that magnetite attached to the electrically conductive pili of Geobacter species in a manner reminiscent of the association of the multi-heme c-type cytochrome OmcS with the pili of Geobacter sulfurreducens. Magnetite conferred extracellular electron capabilities on an Omc...

  8. Heme Attenuation Ameliorates Irritant Gas Inhalation-Induced Acute Lung Injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aggarwal, Saurabh; Lam, Adam; Bolisetty, Subhashini; Carlisle, Matthew A.; Traylor, Amie; Agarwal, Anupam

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Aims: Exposure to irritant gases, such as bromine (Br2), poses an environmental and occupational hazard that results in severe lung and systemic injury. However, the mechanism(s) of Br2 toxicity and the therapeutic responses required to mitigate lung damage are not known. Previously, it was demonstrated that Br2 upregulates the heme degrading enzyme, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Since heme is a major inducer of HO-1, we determined whether an increase in heme and heme-dependent oxidative injury underlies the pathogenesis of Br2 toxicity. Results: C57BL/6 mice were exposed to Br2 gas (600 ppm, 30 min) and returned to room air. Thirty minutes postexposure, mice were injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of the heme scavenging protein, hemopexin (Hx) (3 μg/gm body weight), or saline. Twenty-four hours postexposure, saline-treated mice had elevated total heme in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and plasma and acute lung injury (ALI) culminating in 80% mortality after 10 days. Hx treatment significantly lowered heme, decreased evidence of ALI (lower protein and inflammatory cells in BALF, lower lung wet-to-dry weight ratios, and decreased airway hyperreactivity to methacholine), and reduced mortality. In addition, Br2 caused more severe ALI and mortality in mice with HO-1 gene deletion (HO-1−/−) compared to wild-type controls, while transgenic mice overexpressing the human HO-1 gene (hHO-1) showed significant protection. Innovation: This is the first study delineating the role of heme in ALI caused by Br2. Conclusion: The data suggest that attenuating heme may prove to be a useful adjuvant therapy to treat patients with ALI. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 24, 99–112. PMID:26376667

  9. Heme synthesis in the lead-intoxicated mouse embryo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gerber, G B; Maes, J

    1978-02-01

    Incorporation of /sup 55/Fe and of (/sup 14/C) glycine was studied in control embryos and mothers and in those which had received lead in the diet from day 7 of pregnancy. Incorporation of Fe into heme of embryonic liver which increases markedly for controls on day 17 of pregnancy was depressed greatly and showed no such increase in lead-intoxicated embryos. These embryos were retarded in growth but had normal heme concentrations in body and liver. Incorporation of glycine into embryonic heme and proteins was not affected. Data on incorporation in the mothers are also presented. It is thought that the impaired synthesis of heme in lead-intoxicated embryos limits their body growth during the late phase of pregnancy.

  10. TLR Stimulation Dynamically Regulates Heme and Iron Export Gene Expression in Macrophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary Philip

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Pathogenic bacteria have evolved multiple mechanisms to capture iron or iron-containing heme from host tissues or blood. In response, organisms have developed defense mechanisms to keep iron from pathogens. Very little of the body’s iron store is available as free heme; rather nearly all body iron is complexed with heme or other proteins. The feline leukemia virus, subgroup C (FeLV-C receptor, FLVCR, exports heme from cells. It was unknown whether FLVCR regulates heme-iron availability after infection, but given that other heme regulatory proteins are upregulated in macrophages in response to bacterial infection, we hypothesized that macrophages dynamically regulate FLVCR. We stimulated murine primary macrophages or macrophage cell lines with LPS and found that Flvcr is rapidly downregulated in a TLR4/MD2-dependent manner; TLR1/2 and TLR3 stimulation also decreased Flvcr expression. We identified several candidate TLR-activated transcription factors that can bind to the Flvcr promoter. Macrophages must balance the need to sequester iron from systemic circulating or intracellular pathogens with the macrophage requirement for heme and iron to produce reactive oxygen species. Our findings underscore the complexity of this regulation and point to a new role for FLVCR and heme export in macrophages responses to infection and inflammation.

  11. Heme Recognition By a Staphylococcus Aureus IsdE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grigg, J.C.; Vermeiren, C.L.; Heinrichs, D.E.; Murphy, M.E.P.

    2009-06-03

    Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen and a leading cause of hospital acquired infections. Because the free iron concentration in the human body is too low to support growth, S. aureus must acquire iron from host sources. Heme iron is the most prevalent iron reservoir in the human body and a predominant source of iron for S. aureus. The iron-regulated surface determinant (Isd) system removes heme from host heme proteins and transfers it to IsdE, the cognate substrate-binding lipoprotein of an ATP-binding cassette transporter, for import and subsequent degradation. Herein, we report the crystal structure of the soluble portion of the IsdE lipoprotein in complex with heme. The structure reveals a bi-lobed topology formed by an N- and C-terminal domain bridged by a single {alpha}-helix. The structure places IsdE as a member of the helical backbone metal receptor superfamily. A six-coordinate heme molecule is bound in the groove established at the domain interface, and the heme iron is coordinated in a novel fashion for heme transporters by Met{sup 78} and His{sup 229}. Both heme propionate groups are secured by H-bonds to IsdE main chain and side chain groups. Of these residues, His{sup 299} is essential for IsdE-mediated heme uptake by S. aureus when growth on heme as a sole iron source is measured. Multiple sequence alignments of homologues from several other Gram-positive bacteria, including the human pathogens pyogenes, Bacillus anthracis, and Listeria monocytogenes, suggest that these other systems function equivalently to S. aureus IsdE with respect to heme binding and transport.

  12. Heme synthesis in normal mouse liver and mouse liver tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stout, D.L.; Becker, F.F.

    1990-01-01

    Hepatic cancers from mice and rats demonstrate decreased levels of delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the heme synthetic pathway, and increased heme oxygenase, the heme-catabolizing enzyme. These findings suggest that diminution of P-450, b5, and catalase in these lesions may result from a heme supply that is limited by decreased heme synthesis and increased heme catabolism. Heme synthesis was measured in mouse liver tumors (MLT) and adjacent tumor-free lobes (BKG) by administering the radiolabeled heme precursors 55 FeCl3 and [2- 14 C]glycine and subsequently extracting the heme for determination of specific activity. Despite reduced delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase activity in MLT, both tissues incorporated [2-14C]glycine into heme at similar rates. At early time points, heme extracted from MLT contained less 55Fe than that from BKG. This was attributed to the findings that MLT took up 55Fe at a slower rate than BKG and had larger iron stores than BKG. The amount of heme per milligram of protein was also similar in both tissues. These findings militate against the hypothesis that diminished hemoprotein levels in MLT result from limited availability of heme. It is probable, therefore, that decreased hemoprotein levels in hepatic tumors are linked to a general program of dedifferentiation associated with the cancer phenotype. Diminution of hemoprotein in MLT may result in a relatively increased intracellular heme pool. delta-Aminolevulinic acid synthase and heme oxygenase are, respectively, negatively and positively regulated by heme. Thus, their alteration in MLT may be due to the regulatory influences of the heme pool

  13. Structure-Function, Stability, and Chemical Modification of the Cyanobacterial Cytochrome b6f Complex from Nostoc sp. PCC 7120*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baniulis, Danas; Yamashita, Eiki; Whitelegge, Julian P.; Zatsman, Anna I.; Hendrich, Michael P.; Hasan, S. Saif; Ryan, Christopher M.; Cramer, William A.

    2009-01-01

    The crystal structure of the cyanobacterial cytochrome b6f complex has previously been solved to 3.0-Å resolution using the thermophilic Mastigocladus laminosus whose genome has not been sequenced. Several unicellular cyanobacteria, whose genomes have been sequenced and are tractable for mutagenesis, do not yield b6f complex in an intact dimeric state with significant electron transport activity. The genome of Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 has been sequenced and is closer phylogenetically to M. laminosus than are unicellular cyanobacteria. The amino acid sequences of the large core subunits and four small peripheral subunits of Nostoc are 88 and 80% identical to those in the M. laminosus b6f complex. Purified b6f complex from Nostoc has a stable dimeric structure, eight subunits with masses similar to those of M. laminosus, and comparable electron transport activity. The crystal structure of the native b6f complex, determined to a resolution of 3.0Å (PDB id: 2ZT9), is almost identical to that of M. laminosus. Two unique aspects of the Nostoc complex are: (i) a dominant conformation of heme bp that is rotated 180° about the α- and γ-meso carbon axis relative to the orientation in the M. laminosus complex and (ii) acetylation of the Rieske iron-sulfur protein (PetC) at the N terminus, a post-translational modification unprecedented in cyanobacterial membrane and electron transport proteins, and in polypeptides of cytochrome bc complexes from any source. The high spin electronic character of the unique heme cn is similar to that previously found in the b6f complex from other sources. PMID:19189962

  14. Peroxo-Type Intermediates in Class I Ribonucleotide Reductase and Related Binuclear Non-Heme Iron Enzymes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kepp, Kasper Planeta; Bell, Caleb B.; Clay, MIchael D.

    2009-01-01

    We have performed a systematic study of chemically possible peroxo-type intermediates occurring in the non-heme di-iron enzyme class la ribonucleotide reductase, using spectroscopically calibrated computational chemistry. Density functional computations of equilibrium structures, Fe-O and O-O str...

  15. A Non-Heme Iron Photocatalyst for Light-Driven Aerobic Oxidation of Methanol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chen, Juan; Stepanovic, Stepan; Draksharapu, Apparao; Gruden, Maja; Browne, Wesley R

    2018-01-01

    Non-heme (L)FeIIIand (L)FeIII-O-FeIII(L) complexes (L=1,1-di(pyridin-2-yl)-N,N-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)ethan-1-amine) underwent reduction under irradiation to the FeIIstate with concomitant oxidation of methanol to methanal, without the need for a secondary photosensitizer. Spectroscopic and DFT

  16. Functioning of Microsomal Cytochrome P450s: Murburn Concept Explains the Metabolism of Xenobiotics in Hepatocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manoj, Kelath Murali; Parashar, Abhinav; Gade, Sudeep K; Venkatachalam, Avanthika

    2016-01-01

    Using oxygen and NADPH, the redox enzymes cytochrome P450 (CYP) and its reductase (CPR) work in tandem to carry out the phase I metabolism of a vast majority of drugs and xenobiotics. As per the erstwhile understanding of the catalytic cycle, binding of the substrate to CYP's heme distal pocket allows CPR to pump electrons through a CPR-CYP complex. In turn, this trigger (a thermodynamic push of electrons) leads to the activation of oxygen at CYP's heme-center, to give Compound I, a two-electron deficient enzyme reactive intermediate. The formation of diffusible radicals and reactive oxygen species (DROS, hitherto considered an undesired facet of the system) was attributed to the heme-center. Recently, we had challenged these perceptions and proposed the murburn ("mured burning" or "mild unrestricted burning") concept to explain heme enzymes' catalytic mechanism, electron-transfer phenomena and the regulation of redox equivalents' consumption. Murburn concept incorporates a one-electron paradigm, advocating obligatory roles for DROS. The new understanding does not call for high-affinity substrate-binding at the heme distal pocket of the CYP (the first and the most crucial step of the erstwhile paradigm) or CYP-CPR protein-protein complexations (the operational backbone of the erstwhile cycle). Herein, the dynamics of reduced nicotinamide nucleotides' consumption, peroxide formation and depletion, product(s) formation, etc. was investigated with various controls, by altering reaction variables, environments and through the incorporation of diverse molecular probes. In several CYP systems, control reactions lacking the specific substrate showed comparable or higher peroxide in milieu, thereby discrediting the foundations of the erstwhile hypothesis. The profiles obtained by altering CYP:CPR ratios and the profound inhibitions observed upon the incorporation of catalytic amounts of horseradish peroxidase confirm the obligatory roles of DROS in milieu, ratifying

  17. Occupation of the cytochrome P450 substrate pocket by diverse compounds at general anesthesia concentrations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaBella, F S; Stein, D; Queen, G

    1998-10-02

    Each of a diverse array of compounds, at concentrations reported to effect general anesthesia, when added to liver microsomes, forms a complex with cytochromes P450 to generate, with reference to a cuvette containing microsomes only, a characteristic absorbance-difference spectrum. This spectrum results from a change in the electron-spin state of the heme iron atom induced upon entry by the anesthetic molecule into the enzyme catalytic pocket. The difference spectrum, representing the anesthetic-P450 complex, is characteristic of substances that are substrates for the enzyme. For the group of compounds as a whole, the magnitudes of the absorbance-difference spectra vary only about twofold, although the anesthetic potencies vary by several orders of magnitude. The dissociation constants (Ks), calculated from absorbance data and representing affinities of the anesthetics for P450, agree closely with the respective EC50 (concentration that effects anesthesia in 50% of individuals) values, and with the respective Ki (concentration that inhibits P450 catalytic activities half-maximally) values reported by us previously. The absorbance complex resulting from the occupation of the catalytic pocket by endogenous substrates, androstenedione and arachidonic acid, is inhibited, competitively, by anesthetics. Occupation of and perturbation of the heme catalytic pocket by anesthetic, as monitored by the absorbance-difference spectrum, is rapidly reversible. The presumed in vivo consequences of perturbation by general anesthetics of heme proteins is suppression of the generation of chemical signals that determine cell sensitivity and response.

  18. Heme-coordinated histidine residues form non-specific functional "ferritin-heme" peroxidase system: Possible and partial mechanistic relevance to oxidative stress-mediated pathology in neurodegenerative diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esmaeili, Sajjad; Kooshk, Mohammad Reza Ashrafi; Asghari, Seyyed Mohsen; Khodarahmi, Reza

    2016-10-01

    Ferritin is a giant protein composed of 24 subunits which is able to sequester up to 4500 atoms of iron. We proposed two kinds of heme binding sites in mammalian ferritins and provided direct evidence for peroxidase activity of heme-ferritin, since there is the possibility that "ferritin-heme" systems display unexpected catalytic behavior like heme-containing enzymes. In the current study, peroxidase activity of heme-bound ferritin was studied using TMB(1), l-DOPA, serotonin, and dopamine, in the presence of H2O2, as oxidant substrate. The catalytic oxidation of TMB was consistent with first-order kinetics with respect to ferritin concentration. Perturbation of the binding affinity and catalytic behavior of heme-bound His-modified ferritin were also documented. We also discuss the importance of the peroxidase-/nitrative-mediated oxidation of vital molecules as well as ferritin-induced catalase inhibition using in vitro experimental system. Uncontrollable "heme-ferritin"-based enzyme activity as well as up-regulation of heme and ferritin may inspire that some oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxic effects in AD-affected cells could be correlated to ferritin-heme interaction and/or ferritin-induced catalase inhibition and describe its contribution as an important causative pathogenesis mechanism in some neurodegenerative disorders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Co-ordinate control of synthesis of mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial hemoproteins: a binding site for the HAP1 (CYP1) protein in the UAS region of the yeast catalase T gene (CTT1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winkler, H; Adam, G; Mattes, E; Schanz, M; Hartig, A; Ruis, H

    1988-01-01

    Control of expression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CTT1 (catalase T) gene by the HAP1 (CYP1) gene, a mediator of heme control of mitochondrial cytochromes, was studied. Expression of a CTT1-lacZ fusion in a hap1 mutant showed that the CTT1 promoter is under HAP1 control. As demonstrated by a gel retardation assay, the HAP1 protein binds to a heme control region of the CTT1 gene. This binding in vitro is stimulated by hemin. The HAP1-binding sequence was localized by using DNA fragments spanning different regions, by DNase I footprinting and by methylation interference of DNA-protein binding. The binding site was compared to the HAP1-binding sequences previously characterized in detail (UAS1CYC1, UASCYC7). There is strikingly little similarity between the three sequences, which have only four of those 23 bp in common which are protected from DNase I digestion. However, the pattern of major and minor groove contacts in the complex is quite similar in all three cases. The results obtained show that there is true co-ordinate control of expression of mitochondrial cytochromes and at least some extra-mitochondrial hemoproteins. Heme acts as a metabolic signal in this coordination, which is mediated by the HAP1 protein. Images PMID:2844525

  20. Regulation of human heme oxygenase-1 gene expression under thermal stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okinaga, S; Takahashi, K; Takeda, K; Yoshizawa, M; Fujita, H; Sasaki, H; Shibahara, S

    1996-06-15

    Heme oxygenase-1 is an essential enzyme in heme catabolism, and its human gene promoter contains a putative heat shock element (HHO-HSE). This study was designed to analyze the regulation of human heme oxygenase-1 gene expression under thermal stress. The amounts of heme oxygenase-1 protein were not increased by heat shock (incubation at 42 degrees C) in human alveolar macrophages and in a human erythroblastic cell line, YN-1-0-A, whereas heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was noticeably induced. However, heat shock factor does bind in vitro to HHO-HSE and the synthetic HHO-HSE by itself is sufficient to confer the increase in the transient expression of a reporter gene upon heat shock. The deletion of the sequence, located downstream from HHO-HSE, resulted in the activation of a reporter gene by heat shock. These results suggest that HHO-HSE is potentially functional but is repressed in vivo. Interestingly, heat shock abolished the remarkable increase in the levels of heme oxygenase-1 mRNA in YN-1-0-A cells treated with hemin or cadmium, in which HSP70 mRNA was noticeably induced. Furthermore, transient expression assays showed that heat shock inhibits the cadmium-mediated activation of the heme oxygenase-1 promoter, whereas the HSP70 gene promoter was activated upon heat shock. Such regulation of heme oxygenase-1 under thermal stress may be of physiologic significance in erythroid cells.

  1. AN ELISA ASSAY FOR HEME OXYGENASE (HO-1)

    Science.gov (United States)

    An ELISA assay for heme oxygenase (HO-l ) Abstract A double antibody capture ELISA for the HO-l protein has been developed to separately quantitate HO-I protein. The use of 2.5% NP40 detergent greatly assists in freeing HO-l protein from membranes and/or other cel...

  2. Caleosin from Chlorella vulgaris TISTR 8580 is salt-induced and heme-containing protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charuchinda, Pairpilin; Waditee-Sirisattha, Rungaroon; Kageyama, Hakuto; Yamada, Daisuke; Sirisattha, Sophon; Tanaka, Yoshito; Mahakhant, Aparat; Takabe, Teruhiro

    2015-01-01

    Physiological and functional properties of lipid droplet-associated proteins in algae remain scarce. We report here the caleosin gene from Chlorella vulgaris encodes a protein of 279 amino acid residues. Amino acid sequence alignment showed high similarity to the putative caleosins from fungi, but less to plant caleosins. When the C. vulgaris TISTR 8580 cells were treated with salt stress (0.3 M NaCl), the level of triacylglycerol increased significantly. The mRNA contents for caleosin in Chlorella cells significantly increased under salt stress condition. Caleosin gene was expressed in E. coli. Crude extract of E. coli cells exhibited the cumene hydroperoxide-dependent oxidation of aniline. Absorption spectroscopy showed a peak around 415 nm which was decreased upon addition of cumene hydroperoxide. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggests caleosin existed as the oligomer. These data indicate that a fresh water C. vulgaris TISTR 8580 contains a salt-induced heme-protein caleosin.

  3. C-E1 fusion protein synthesized by rubella virus DI RNAs maintained during serial passage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tzeng, W.-P.; Frey, Teryl K.

    2006-01-01

    Rubella virus (RUB) replicons are derivatives of the RUB infectious cDNA clone that retain the nonstructural open reading frame (NS-ORF) that encodes the replicase proteins but not the structural protein ORF (SP-ORF) that encodes the virion proteins. RUB defective interfering (DI) RNAs contain deletions within the SP-ORF and thus resemble replicons. DI RNAs often retain the 5' end of the capsid protein (C) gene that has been shown to modulate virus-specific RNA synthesis. However, when replicons either with or without the C gene were passaged serially in the presence of wt RUB as a source of the virion proteins, it was found that neither replicon was maintained and DI RNAs were generated. The majority DI RNA species contained in-frame deletions in the SP-ORF leading to a fusion between the 5' end of the C gene and the 3' end of the E1 glycoprotein gene. DI infectious cDNA clones were constructed and transcripts from these DI infectious cDNA clones were maintained during serial passage with wt RUB. The C-E1 fusion protein encoded by the DI RNAs was synthesized and was required for maintenance of the DI RNA during serial passage. This is the first report of a functional novel gene product resulting from deletion during DI RNA generation. Thus far, the role of the C-E1 fusion protein in maintenance of DI RNAs during serial passage remained elusive as it was found that the fusion protein diminished rather than enhanced DI RNA synthesis and was not incorporated into virus particles

  4. NADPH–Cytochrome P450 Oxidoreductase: Roles in Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Xinxin; Wolf, C. Roland; Porter, Todd D.; Pandey, Amit V.; Zhang, Qing-Yu; Gu, Jun; Finn, Robert D.; Ronseaux, Sebastien; McLaughlin, Lesley A.; Henderson, Colin J.; Zou, Ling; Flück, Christa E.

    2013-01-01

    This is a report on a symposium sponsored by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and held at the Experimental Biology 2012 meeting in San Diego, California, on April 25, 2012. The symposium speakers summarized and critically evaluated our current understanding of the physiologic, pharmacological, and toxicological roles of NADPH–cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR), a flavoprotein involved in electron transfer to microsomal cytochromes P450 (P450), cytochrome b5, squalene mono-oxygenase, and heme oxygenase. Considerable insight has been derived from the development and characterization of mouse models with conditional Por deletion in particular tissues or partial suppression of POR expression in all tissues. Additional mouse models with global or conditional hepatic deletion of cytochrome b5 are helping to clarify the P450 isoform- and substrate-specific influences of cytochrome b5 on P450 electron transfer and catalytic function. This symposium also considered studies using siRNA to suppress POR expression in a hepatoma cell–culture model to explore the basis of the hepatic lipidosis phenotype observed in mice with conditional deletion of Por in liver. The symposium concluded with a strong translational perspective, relating the basic science of human POR structure and function to the impacts of POR genetic variation on human drug and steroid metabolism. PMID:23086197

  5. Gold nanoparticle assisted assembly of a heme protein for enhancement of long-range interfacial electron transfer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Palle Skovhus; Chi, Qijin; Grumsen, Flemming Bjerg

    2007-01-01

    and characterization of water-soluble gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with core diameter 3-4 nm and their application for the enhancement of long-range interfacial ET of a heme protein. Gold nanoparticles were electrostatically conjugated with cyt c to form nanoparticle-protein hybrid ET systems with well...... and the protein molecule. When the nanoparticle-protein conjugates are assembled on Au(111) surfaces, long-range interfacial ET across a physical distance of over 50 A via the nanoparticle becomes feasible. Moreover, significant enhancement of the interfacial ET rate by more than an order of magnitude compared...... with that of cyt c in the absence of AuNPs is observed. AuNPs appear to serve as excellent ET relays, most likely by facilitating the electronic coupling between the protein redox center and the electrode surface....

  6. Cytochromes P450: History, Classes, Catalytic Mechanism, and Industrial Application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, D J; Finnigan, J D; Cook, K; Black, G W; Charnock, S J

    Cytochromes P450, a family of heme-containing monooxygenases that catalyze a diverse range of oxidative reactions, are so-called due to their maximum absorbance at 450nm, ie, "Pigment-450nm," when bound to carbon monoxide. They have appeal both academically and commercially due to their high degree of regio- and stereoselectivity, for example, in the area of active pharmaceutical ingredient synthesis. Despite this potential, they often exhibit poor stability, low turnover numbers and typically require electron transport protein(s) for catalysis. P450 systems exist in a variety of functional domain architectures, organized into 10 classes. P450s are also divided into families, each of which is based solely on amino acid sequence homology. Their catalytic mechanism employs a very complex, multistep catalytic cycle involving a range of transient intermediates. Mutagenesis is a powerful tool for the development of improved biocatalysts and has been used extensively with the archetypal Class VIII P450, BM3, from Bacillus megaterium, but with the increasing scale of genomic sequencing, a huge resource is now available for the discovery of novel P450s. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Resonance Raman study on photoreduction of cytochrome c oxidase: distinction of cytochromes a and a3 in the intermediate oxidation states.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogura, T; Yoshikawa, S; Kitagawa, T

    1985-12-17

    Occurrence of photoreduction of bovine cytochrome c oxidase was confirmed with the difference absorption spectra and oxygen consumption measurements for the enzyme irradiated with laser light at 406.7, 441.6, and 590 nm. The resonance Raman spectra were obtained under the same experimental conditions as those adopted for the measurements of oxygen consumption and difference absorption spectra. The photoreduction was more effective upon irradiation at shorter wavelengths and was irreversible under anaerobic conditions. However, upon aeration into the cell, the original oxidized form was restored. It was found that aerobic laser irradiation produces a photo steady state of the catalytic dioxygen reduction and that the Raman scattering from this photo steady state probes cytochrome a2+ and cytochrome a3(3)+ separately upon excitations at 441.6 and 406.7 nm, respectively. The enzyme was apparently protected from the photoreduction in the spinning cell with the spinning speed between 1 and 1500 rpm. These results were explained satisfactorily with the reported rate constant for the electron transfer from cytochrome a to cytochrome a3 (0.58 s-1) and a comparable photoreduction rate of cytochrome a. The anaerobic photoreduction did give Raman lines at 1666 and 214 cm-1, which are characteristic of the ferrous high-spin cytochrome a3(2)+, but they were absent under aerobic photoreduction. The formyl CH = O stretching mode of the a3 heme was observed at 1671 cm-1 for a2+a3(2)+CO but at 1664 cm-1 for a2+a3(2)+CN-, indicating that the CH = O stretching frequency reflects the pi back-donation to the axial ligand similar to the oxidation state marker line (v4).

  8. Nitrate as a probe of cytochrome c surface : crystallographic identification of crucial "hot spots" for protein-protein recognition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De March, Matteo; Demitri, Nicola; De Zorzi, Rita; Casini, Angela; Gabbiani, Chiara; Guerri, Annalisa; Messori, Luigi; Geremia, Silvano

    The electrostatic surface of cytochrome c and its changes with the iron oxidation state are involved in the docking and undocking processes of this protein to its biological partners in the mitochondrial respiratory pathway. To investigate the subtle mechanisms of formation of productive

  9. Redox-controlled backbone dynamics of human cytochrome c revealed by 15N NMR relaxation measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakamoto, Koichi; Kamiya, Masakatsu; Uchida, Takeshi; Kawano, Keiichi; Ishimori, Koichiro

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → The dynamic parameters for the backbone dynamics in Cyt c were determined. → The backbone mobility of Cyt c is highly restricted due to the covalently bound heme. → The backbone mobility of Cyt c is more restricted upon the oxidation of the heme. → The redox-dependent dynamics are shown in the backbone of Cyt c. → The backbone dynamics of Cyt c would regulate the electron transfer from Cyt c. -- Abstract: Redox-controlled backbone dynamics in cytochrome c (Cyt c) were revealed by 2D 15 N NMR relaxation experiments. 15 N T 1 and T 2 values and 1 H- 15 N NOEs of uniformly 15 N-labeled reduced and oxidized Cyt c were measured, and the generalized order parameters (S 2 ), the effective correlation time for internal motion (τ e ), the 15 N exchange broadening contributions (R ex ) for each residue, and the overall correlation time (τ m ) were estimated by model-free dynamics formalism. These dynamic parameters clearly showed that the backbone dynamics of Cyt c are highly restricted due to the covalently bound heme that functions as the stable hydrophobic core. Upon oxidation of the heme iron in Cyt c, the average S 2 value was increased from 0.88 ± 0.01 to 0.92 ± 0.01, demonstrating that the mobility of the backbone is further restricted in the oxidized form. Such increases in the S 2 values were more prominent in the loop regions, including amino acid residues near the thioether bonds to the heme moiety and positively charged region around Lys87. Both of the regions are supposed to form the interaction site for cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) and the electron pathway from Cyt c to CcO. The redox-dependent mobility of the backbone in the interaction site for the electron transfer to CcO suggests an electron transfer mechanism regulated by the backbone dynamics in the Cyt c-CcO system.

  10. Staphylococcus aureus HemX Modulates Glutamyl-tRNA Reductase Abundance To Regulate Heme Biosynthesis

    OpenAIRE

    Jacob E. Choby; Caroline M. Grunenwald; Arianna I. Celis; Svetlana Y. Gerdes; Jennifer L. DuBois; Eric P. Skaar; Kimberly A. Kline

    2018-01-01

    Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for a significant amount of devastating disease. Its ability to colonize the host and cause infection is supported by a variety of proteins that are dependent on the cofactor heme. Heme is a porphyrin used broadly across kingdoms and is synthesized de novo from common cellular precursors and iron. While heme is critical to bacterial physiology, it is also toxic in high concentrations, requiring that organisms encode regulatory processes to control heme hom...

  11. Heme and menaquinone induced electron transport in lactic acid bacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santos Filipe

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background For some lactic acid bacteria higher biomass production as a result of aerobic respiration has been reported upon supplementation with heme and menaquinone. In this report, we have studied a large number of species among lactic acid bacteria for the existence of this trait. Results Heme- (and menaquinone stimulated aerobic growth was observed for several species and genera of lactic acid bacteria. These include Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacilllus brevis, Lactobacillus paralimentarius, Streptococcus entericus and Lactococcus garviae. The increased biomass production without further acidification, which are respiration associated traits, are suitable for high-throughput screening as demonstrated by the screening of 8000 Lactococcus lactis insertion mutants. Respiration-negative insertion-mutants were found with noxA, bd-type cytochrome and menaquinol biosynthesis gene-disruptions. Phenotypic screening and in silico genome analysis suggest that respiration can be considered characteristic for certain species. Conclusion We propose that the cyd-genes were present in the common ancestor of lactic acid bacteria, and that multiple gene-loss events best explains the observed distribution of these genes among the species.

  12. Heme and menaquinone induced electron transport in lactic acid bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooijmans, Rob; Smit, Bart; Santos, Filipe; van Riel, Jan; de Vos, Willem M; Hugenholtz, Jeroen

    2009-05-29

    For some lactic acid bacteria higher biomass production as a result of aerobic respiration has been reported upon supplementation with heme and menaquinone. In this report, we have studied a large number of species among lactic acid bacteria for the existence of this trait. Heme- (and menaquinone) stimulated aerobic growth was observed for several species and genera of lactic acid bacteria. These include Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacilllus brevis, Lactobacillus paralimentarius, Streptococcus entericus and Lactococcus garviae. The increased biomass production without further acidification, which are respiration associated traits, are suitable for high-throughput screening as demonstrated by the screening of 8000 Lactococcus lactis insertion mutants. Respiration-negative insertion-mutants were found with noxA, bd-type cytochrome and menaquinol biosynthesis gene-disruptions. Phenotypic screening and in silico genome analysis suggest that respiration can be considered characteristic for certain species. We propose that the cyd-genes were present in the common ancestor of lactic acid bacteria, and that multiple gene-loss events best explains the observed distribution of these genes among the species.

  13. ATP-binding cassette B10 regulates early steps of heme synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayeva, Marina; Khechaduri, Arineh; Wu, Rongxue; Burke, Michael A; Wasserstrom, J Andrew; Singh, Neha; Liesa, Marc; Shirihai, Orian S; Langer, Nathaniel B; Paw, Barry H; Ardehali, Hossein

    2013-07-19

    Heme plays a critical role in gas exchange, mitochondrial energy production, and antioxidant defense in cardiovascular system. The mitochondrial transporter ATP-binding cassette (ABC) B10 has been suggested to export heme out of the mitochondria and is required for normal hemoglobinization of erythropoietic cells and protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury in the heart; however, its primary function has not been established. The aim of this study was to identify the function of ABCB10 in heme synthesis in cardiac cells. Knockdown of ABCB10 in cardiac myoblasts significantly reduced heme levels and the activities of heme-containing proteins, whereas supplementation with δ-aminolevulinic acid reversed these defects. Overexpression of mitochondrial δ-aminolevulinic acid synthase 2, the rate-limiting enzyme upstream of δ-aminolevulinic acid export, failed to restore heme levels in cells with ABCB10 downregulation. ABCB10 and heme levels were increased by hypoxia, and reversal of ABCB10 upregulation caused oxidative stress and cell death. Furthermore, ABCB10 knockdown in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes resulted in a significant delay of calcium removal from the cytoplasm, suggesting a relaxation defect. Finally, ABCB10 expression and heme levels were altered in failing human hearts and mice with ischemic cardiomyopathy. ABCB10 plays a critical role in heme synthesis pathway by facilitating δ-aminolevulinic acid production or export from the mitochondria. In contrast to previous reports, we show that ABCB10 is not a heme exporter and instead is required for the early mitochondrial steps of heme biosynthesis.

  14. Adenoviral transfer of the heme oxygenase-1 gene protects striatal astrocytes from heme-mediated oxidative injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teng, Zhi-Ping; Chen, Jing; Chau, Lee-Young; Galunic, Nicholas; Regan, Raymond F

    2004-11-01

    Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is induced in the CNS after hemorrhage, and may have an effect on injury to surrounding tissue. Hemin, the preferred substrate of HO, is a neurotoxin that is present in intracranial hematomas. In a prior study, we observed that HO inhibitors increased the vulnerability of cultured cortical astrocytes to heme-mediated oxidative injury. To investigate the effect of HO more specifically, we used an adenoviral vector encoding the human HO-1 gene to specifically increase HO-1 expression. Incubation with 100 MOI of the HO-1 adenovirus (Adv-HHO-1) for 24 h increased both HO-1 protein and HO activity; a control adenovirus lacking the HO-1 gene had no effect. Using a DNA probe that was specific for human HO-1, 80.5 +/- 7.2% of astrocytes were observed to be infected by in situ hybridization. The cell death produced by 30-60 microM hemin was significantly reduced by pretreatment with 100 MOI Adv-HHO-1, as assessed by LDH release, propidium iodide exclusion, and MTT reduction assay. The threefold increase in cell protein oxidation produced by hemin was also attenuated in cultures pretreated with Adv-HHO-1. These results support the hypothesis that HO-1 protects astrocytes from heme-mediated oxidative injury. Specifically increasing astrocytic HO-1 by gene transfer may have a beneficial effect on hemorrhagic CNS injury.

  15. c-Type cytochrome-dependent formation of U(IV nanoparticles by Shewanella oneidensis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew J Marshall

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Modern approaches for bioremediation of radionuclide contaminated environments are based on the ability of microorganisms to effectively catalyze changes in the oxidation states of metals that in turn influence their solubility. Although microbial metal reduction has been identified as an effective means for immobilizing highly-soluble uranium(VI complexes in situ, the biomolecular mechanisms of U(VI reduction are not well understood. Here, we show that c-type cytochromes of a dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, are essential for the reduction of U(VI and formation of extracellular UO(2 nanoparticles. In particular, the outer membrane (OM decaheme cytochrome MtrC (metal reduction, previously implicated in Mn(IV and Fe(III reduction, directly transferred electrons to U(VI. Additionally, deletions of mtrC and/or omcA significantly affected the in vivo U(VI reduction rate relative to wild-type MR-1. Similar to the wild-type, the mutants accumulated UO(2 nanoparticles extracellularly to high densities in association with an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS. In wild-type cells, this UO(2-EPS matrix exhibited glycocalyx-like properties and contained multiple elements of the OM, polysaccharide, and heme-containing proteins. Using a novel combination of methods including synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy and high-resolution immune-electron microscopy, we demonstrate a close association of the extracellular UO(2 nanoparticles with MtrC and OmcA (outer membrane cytochrome. This is the first study to our knowledge to directly localize the OM-associated cytochromes with EPS, which contains biogenic UO(2 nanoparticles. In the environment, such association of UO(2 nanoparticles with biopolymers may exert a strong influence on subsequent behavior including susceptibility to oxidation by O(2 or transport in soils and sediments.

  16. Cj1386 Is an Ankyrin-Containing Protein Involved in Heme Trafficking to Catalase in Campylobacter jejuni

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flint, Annika; Sun, Yi-Qian

    2012-01-01

    Campylobacter jejuni, a microaerophilic bacterium, is the most frequent cause of human bacterial gastroenteritis. C. jejuni is exposed to harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during its own normal metabolic processes and during infection from the host immune system and from host intestinal microbiota. These ROS will damage DNA and proteins and cause peroxidation of lipids. Consequently, identifying ROS defense mechanisms is important for understanding how Campylobacter survives this environmental stress during infection. Construction of a ΔCj1386 isogenic deletion mutant and phenotypic assays led to its discovery as a novel oxidative stress defense gene. The ΔCj1386 mutant has an increased sensitivity toward hydrogen peroxide. The Cj1386 gene is located directly downstream from katA (catalase) in the C. jejuni genome. A ΔkatAΔ Cj1386 double deletion mutant was constructed and exhibited a sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide similar to that seen in the ΔCj1386 and ΔkatA single deletion mutants. This observation suggests that Cj1386 may be involved in the same detoxification pathway as catalase. Despite identical KatA abundances, catalase activity assays showed that the ΔCj1386 mutant had a reduced catalase activity relative to that of wild-type C. jejuni. Heme quantification of KatA protein from the ΔCj1386 mutant revealed a significant decrease in heme concentration. This indicates an important role for Cj1386 in heme trafficking to KatA within C. jejuni. Interestingly, the ΔCj1386 mutant had a reduced ability to colonize the ceca of chicks and was outcompeted by the wild-type strain for colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of neonate piglets. These results indicate an important role for Cj1386 in Campylobacter colonization and pathogenesis. PMID:22081390

  17. Heme-induced Trypanosoma cruzi proliferation is mediated by CaM kinase II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souza, C.F.; Carneiro, A.B.; Silveira, A.B.; Laranja, G.A.T.; Silva-Neto, M.A.C.; Costa, S.C. Goncalves da; Paes, M.C.

    2009-01-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, is transmitted through triatomine vectors during their blood-meal on vertebrate hosts. These hematophagous insects usually ingest approximately 10 mM of heme bound to hemoglobin in a single meal. Blood forms of the parasite are transformed into epimastigotes in the crop which initiates a few hours after parasite ingestion. In a previous work, we investigated the role of heme in parasite cell proliferation and showed that the addition of heme significantly increased parasite proliferation in a dose-dependent manner . To investigate whether the heme effect is mediated by protein kinase signalling pathways, parasite proliferation was evaluated in the presence of several protein kinase (PK) inhibitors. We found that only KN-93, a classical inhibitor of calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMKs), blocked heme-induced cell proliferation. KN-92, an inactive analogue of KN-93, was not able to block this effect. A T. cruzi CaMKII homologue is most likely the main enzyme involved in this process since parasite proliferation was also blocked when Myr-AIP, an inhibitory peptide for mammalian CaMKII, was included in the cell proliferation assay. Moreover, CaMK activity increased in parasite cells with the addition of heme as shown by immunological and biochemical assays. In conclusion, the present results are the first strong indications that CaMKII is involved in the heme-induced cell signalling pathway that mediates parasite proliferation.

  18. Heme-induced Trypanosoma cruzi proliferation is mediated by CaM kinase II

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Souza, C.F. [Laboratorio de Imunomodulacao e Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz (Brazil); Carneiro, A.B.; Silveira, A.B. [Laboratorio de Sinalizacao Celular, Instituto de Bioquimica Medica, UFRJ (Brazil); Laranja, G.A.T. [Laboratorio de Interacao Tripanosomatideos e Vetores, Departamento de Bioquimica, IBRAG, UERJ, 20551-030 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); Silva-Neto, M.A.C. [Laboratorio de Sinalizacao Celular, Instituto de Bioquimica Medica, UFRJ (Brazil); INCT, Entomologia Molecular (Brazil); Costa, S.C. Goncalves da [Laboratorio de Imunomodulacao e Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz (Brazil); Paes, M.C., E-mail: mcpaes@uerj.br [Laboratorio de Interacao Tripanosomatideos e Vetores, Departamento de Bioquimica, IBRAG, UERJ, 20551-030 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); INCT, Entomologia Molecular (Brazil)

    2009-12-18

    Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, is transmitted through triatomine vectors during their blood-meal on vertebrate hosts. These hematophagous insects usually ingest approximately 10 mM of heme bound to hemoglobin in a single meal. Blood forms of the parasite are transformed into epimastigotes in the crop which initiates a few hours after parasite ingestion. In a previous work, we investigated the role of heme in parasite cell proliferation and showed that the addition of heme significantly increased parasite proliferation in a dose-dependent manner . To investigate whether the heme effect is mediated by protein kinase signalling pathways, parasite proliferation was evaluated in the presence of several protein kinase (PK) inhibitors. We found that only KN-93, a classical inhibitor of calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMKs), blocked heme-induced cell proliferation. KN-92, an inactive analogue of KN-93, was not able to block this effect. A T. cruzi CaMKII homologue is most likely the main enzyme involved in this process since parasite proliferation was also blocked when Myr-AIP, an inhibitory peptide for mammalian CaMKII, was included in the cell proliferation assay. Moreover, CaMK activity increased in parasite cells with the addition of heme as shown by immunological and biochemical assays. In conclusion, the present results are the first strong indications that CaMKII is involved in the heme-induced cell signalling pathway that mediates parasite proliferation.

  19. The protein inhibitor of nNOS (PIN/DLC1/LC8) binding does not inhibit the NADPH-dependent heme reduction in nNOS, a key step in NO synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parhad, Swapnil S; Jaiswal, Deepa; Ray, Krishanu; Mazumdar, Shyamalava

    2016-03-25

    The neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is an essential enzyme involved in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), a potent neurotransmitter. Although previous studies have indicated that the dynein light chain 1 (DLC1) binding to nNOS could inhibit the NO synthesis, the claim is challenged by contradicting reports. Thus, the mechanism of nNOS regulation remained unclear. nNOS has a heme-bearing, Cytochrome P450 core, and the functional enzyme is a dimer. The electron flow from NADPH to Flavin, and finally to the heme of the paired nNOS subunit within a dimer, is facilitated upon calmodulin (CaM) binding. Here, we show that DLC1 binding to nNOS-CaM complex does not affect the electron transport from the reductase to the oxygenase domain. Therefore, it cannot inhibit the rate of NADPH-dependent heme reduction in nNOS, which results in l-Arginine oxidation. Also, the NO release activity does not decrease with increasing DLC1 concentration in the reaction mix, which further confirmed that DLC1 does not inhibit nNOS activity. These findings suggest that the DLC1 binding may have other implications for the nNOS function in the cell. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Role of Met80 and Tyr67 in the low-pH conformational equilibria of cytochrome c.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battistuzzi, Gianantonio; Bortolotti, Carlo Augusto; Bellei, Marzia; Di Rocco, Giulia; Salewski, Johannes; Hildebrandt, Peter; Sola, Marco

    2012-07-31

    The low-pH conformational equilibria of ferric yeast iso-1 cytochrome c (ycc) and its M80A, M80A/Y67H, and M80A/Y67A variants were studied from pH 7 to 2 at low ionic strength through electronic absorption, magnetic circular dichroism, and resonance Raman spectroscopies. For wild-type ycc, the protein structure, axial heme ligands, and spin state of the iron atom convert from the native folded His/Met low-spin (LS) form to a molten globule His/H(2)O high-spin (HS) form and a totally unfolded bis-aquo HS state, in a single cooperative transition with an apparent pK(a) of ~3.0. An analogous cooperative transition occurs for the M80A and M80A/Y67H variants. This is preceded by protonation of heme propionate-7, with a pK(a) of ~4.2, and by an equilibrium between a His/OH(-)-ligated LS and a His/H(2)O-ligated HS conformer, with a pK(a) of ~5.9. In the M80A/Y67A variant, the cooperative low-pH transition is split into two distinct processes because of an increased stability of the molten globule state that is formed at higher pH values than the other species. These data show that removal of the axial methionine ligand does not significantly alter the mechanism of acidic unfolding and the ranges of stability of low-pH conformers. Instead, removal of a hydrogen bonding partner at position 67 increases the stability of the molten globule and renders cytochrome c more susceptible to acid unfolding. This underlines the key role played by Tyr67 in stabilizing the three-dimensional structure of cytochrome c by means of the hydrogen bonding network connecting the Ω loops formed by residues 71-85 and 40-57.

  1. Structure of the C-terminal heme-binding domain of THAP domain containing protein 4 from Homo sapiens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bianchetti, Christopher M.; Bingman, Craig A.; Phillips, Jr., George N. (UW)

    2012-03-15

    functionally characterized. On the basis of prior work, we predicted that cTHAP4 is composed of a heme-binding nitrobindin domain, making THAP4 the only human THAP protein predicted to bind a cofactor. Nitrobindin, a recently characterized protein from Arabidopsis thaliana, is structurally similar and exhibits nitric oxide (NO)-binding properties that resemble the heme-binding nitrophorins. Nitrophorins use a heme moiety to store, transport, and release NO in a pH-specific manner. Although the exact function of nitrobindin is not fully known, the similarities between the well-characterized nitrophorins imply a role in NO transport, sensing, or metabolism. To better elucidate the possible function of THAP4, we solved the hemebound structure of cTHAP4 to a resolution of 1.79 {angstrom}.

  2. Partitioning of electrostatic and conformational contributions in the redox reactions of modified cytochromes c

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ilan, Y.; Shafferman, A.; Feinberg, B.A.; Lau, Y.K.

    1979-01-01

    The reduction of acetylated, fully succinylated and dicarboxymethyl horse cytochromes c by the radicals CH 3 CHOH, CO 2 , O 2 , and e - /sub aq/, and the oxidation of the reduced cytochrome c derivatives by Fe(CN) 6 3- were studied using the pulse radiolysis technique. Many of the reactions were also examined as a function of ionic strength. By obtaining rate constants for the reactions of differently charged small molecules redox agents with the differently charged cytochrome c derivatives at both zero ionic strength and infinite ionic strength, electrostatic and conformational contributions to the electron transfer mechanism were effectively partitioned from each other in some cases. In regard to cycochrome c electron transfer mechanism, the results, especially those for which conformational influences predominate, are supportive of the electron being transferred in the heme edge region

  3. Cytochrome oxidase assembly does not require catalytically active cytochrome C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrientos, Antoni; Pierre, Danielle; Lee, Johnson; Tzagoloff, Alexander

    2003-03-14

    Cytochrome c oxidase (COX), the terminal enzyme of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, catalyzes the transfer of electrons from reduced cytochrome c to molecular oxygen. COX assembly requires the coming together of nuclear- and mitochondrial-encoded subunits and the assistance of a large number of nuclear gene products acting at different stages of maturation of the enzyme. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, expression of cytochrome c, encoded by CYC1 and CYC7, is required not only for electron transfer but also for COX assembly through a still unknown mechanism. We have attempted to distinguish between a functional and structural requirement of cytochrome c in COX assembly. A cyc1/cyc7 double null mutant strain was transformed with the cyc1-166 mutant gene (Schweingruber, M. E., Stewart, J. W., and Sherman, F. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 4132-4143) that expresses stable but catalytically inactive iso-1-cytochrome c. The COX content of the cyc1/cyc7 double mutant strain harboring non-functional iso-1-cytochrome c has been characterized spectrally, functionally, and immunochemically. The results of these studies demonstrate that cytochrome c plays a structural rather than functional role in assembly of cytochrome c oxidase. In addition to its requirement for COX assembly, cytochrome c also affects turnover of the enzyme. Mutants containing wild type apocytochrome c in mitochondria lack COX, suggesting that only the folded and mature protein is able to promote COX assembly.

  4. Characterization of hemin-binding protein 35 (HBP35 in Porphyromonas gingivalis: its cellular distribution, thioredoxin activity and role in heme utilization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abiko Yoshimitsu

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis is an obligate anaerobe that requires heme for growth. To understand its heme acquisition mechanism, we focused on a hemin-binding protein (HBP35 protein, possessing one thioredoxin-like motif and a conserved C-terminal domain, which are proposed to be involved in redox regulation and cell surface attachment, respectively. Results We observed that the hbp35 gene was transcribed as a 1.1-kb mRNA with subsequent translation resulting in three proteins with molecular masses of 40, 29 and 27 kDa in the cytoplasm, and one modified form of the 40-kDa protein on the cell surface. A recombinant 40-kDa HBP35 exhibited thioredoxin activity in vitro and mutation of the two putative active site cysteine residues abolished this activity. Both recombinant 40- and 27-kDa proteins had the ability to bind hemin, and growth of an hbp35 deletion mutant was substantially retarded under hemin-depleted conditions compared with growth of the wild type under the same conditions. Conclusion P. gingivalis HBP35 exhibits thioredoxin and hemin-binding activities and is essential for growth in hemin-depleted conditions suggesting that the protein plays a significant role in hemin acquisition.

  5. Cloning and Characterization of an Outer Membrane Protein of Vibrio vulnificus Required for Heme Utilization: Regulation of Expression and Determination of the Gene Sequence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Litwin, Christine M.; Byrne, Burke L.

    1998-01-01

    Vibrio vulnificus is a halophilic, marine pathogen that has been associated with septicemia and serious wound infections in patients with iron overload and preexisting liver disease. For V. vulnificus, the ability to acquire iron from the host has been shown to correlate with virulence. V. vulnificus is able to use host iron sources such as hemoglobin and heme. We previously constructed a fur mutant of V. vulnificus which constitutively expresses at least two iron-regulated outer membrane proteins, of 72 and 77 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 77-kDa protein purified from the V. vulnificus fur mutant had 67% homology with the first 15 amino acids of the mature protein of the Vibrio cholerae heme receptor, HutA. In this report, we describe the cloning, DNA sequence, mutagenesis, and analysis of transcriptional regulation of the structural gene for HupA, the heme receptor of V. vulnificus. DNA sequencing of hupA demonstrated a single open reading frame of 712 amino acids that was 50% identical and 66% similar to the sequence of V. cholerae HutA and similar to those of other TonB-dependent outer membrane receptors. Primer extension analysis localized one promoter for the V. vulnificus hupA gene. Analysis of the promoter region of V. vulnificus hupA showed a sequence homologous to the consensus Fur box. Northern blot analysis showed that the transcript was strongly regulated by iron. An internal deletion in the V. vulnificus hupA gene, done by using marker exchange, resulted in the loss of expression of the 77-kDa protein and the loss of the ability to use hemin or hemoglobin as a source of iron. The hupA deletion mutant of V. vulnificus will be helpful in future studies of the role of heme iron in V. vulnificus pathogenesis. PMID:9632577

  6. Stability enhancement of cytochrome c through heme deprotonation and mutations

    OpenAIRE

    Sonoyama, Takafumi; Hasegawa, Jun; Uchiyama, Susumu; Nakamura, Shota; Kobayashi, Yuji; Sambongi, Yoshihiro

    2009-01-01

    The chemical denaturation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c551 variants was examined at pH 5.0 and 3.6. All variants were stabilized at both pHs compared with the wild-type. Remarkably, the variants carrying the F34Y and/or E43Y mutations were more stabilized than those having the F7A/V13M or V78I ones at pH 5.0 compared with at pH 3.6 by ~3.0 – 4.6 kJ/mol. Structural analyses predicted that the side chains of introduced Tyr-34 and Tyr-43 become hydrogen donors for the hydrogen bond form...

  7. Cytochrome b5 reductase is the component from neuronal synaptic plasma membrane vesicles that generates superoxide anion upon stimulation by cytochrome c

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro K. Samhan-Arias

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we measured the effect of cytochrome c on the NADH-dependent superoxide anion production by synaptic plasma membrane vesicles from rat brain. In these membranes, the cytochrome c stimulated NADH-dependent superoxide anion production was inhibited by antibodies against cytochrome b5 reductase linking the production to this enzyme. Measurement of the superoxide anion radical generated by purified recombinant soluble and membrane cytochrome b5 reductase corroborates the production of the radical by different enzyme isoforms. In the presence of cytochrome c, a burst of superoxide anion as well as the reduction of cytochrome c by cytochrome b5 reductase was measured. Complex formation between both proteins suggests that cytochrome b5 reductase is one of the major partners of cytochrome c upon its release from mitochondria to the cytosol during apoptosis. Superoxide anion production and cytochrome c reduction are the consequences of the stimulated NADH consumption by cytochrome b5 reductase upon complex formation with cytochrome c and suggest a major role of this enzyme as an anti-apoptotic protein during cell death.

  8. TMEM14C is required for erythroid mitochondrial heme metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yien, Yvette Y; Robledo, Raymond F; Schultz, Iman J; Takahashi-Makise, Naoko; Gwynn, Babette; Bauer, Daniel E; Dass, Abhishek; Yi, Gloria; Li, Liangtao; Hildick-Smith, Gordon J; Cooney, Jeffrey D; Pierce, Eric L; Mohler, Kyla; Dailey, Tamara A; Miyata, Non; Kingsley, Paul D; Garone, Caterina; Hattangadi, Shilpa M; Huang, Hui; Chen, Wen; Keenan, Ellen M; Shah, Dhvanit I; Schlaeger, Thorsten M; DiMauro, Salvatore; Orkin, Stuart H; Cantor, Alan B; Palis, James; Koehler, Carla M; Lodish, Harvey F; Kaplan, Jerry; Ward, Diane M; Dailey, Harry A; Phillips, John D; Peters, Luanne L; Paw, Barry H

    2014-10-01

    The transport and intracellular trafficking of heme biosynthesis intermediates are crucial for hemoglobin production, which is a critical process in developing red cells. Here, we profiled gene expression in terminally differentiating murine fetal liver-derived erythroid cells to identify regulators of heme metabolism. We determined that TMEM14C, an inner mitochondrial membrane protein that is enriched in vertebrate hematopoietic tissues, is essential for erythropoiesis and heme synthesis in vivo and in cultured erythroid cells. In mice, TMEM14C deficiency resulted in porphyrin accumulation in the fetal liver, erythroid maturation arrest, and embryonic lethality due to profound anemia. Protoporphyrin IX synthesis in TMEM14C-deficient erythroid cells was blocked, leading to an accumulation of porphyrin precursors. The heme synthesis defect in TMEM14C-deficient cells was ameliorated with a protoporphyrin IX analog, indicating that TMEM14C primarily functions in the terminal steps of the heme synthesis pathway. Together, our data demonstrate that TMEM14C facilitates the import of protoporphyrinogen IX into the mitochondrial matrix for heme synthesis and subsequent hemoglobin production. Furthermore, the identification of TMEM14C as a protoporphyrinogen IX importer provides a genetic tool for further exploring erythropoiesis and congenital anemias.

  9. Mechanism governing heme synthesis reveals a GATA factor/heme circuit that controls differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanimura, Nobuyuki; Miller, Eli; Igarashi, Kazuhiko; Yang, David; Burstyn, Judith N; Dewey, Colin N; Bresnick, Emery H

    2016-02-01

    Metal ion-containing macromolecules have fundamental roles in essentially all biological processes throughout the evolutionary tree. For example, iron-containing heme is a cofactor in enzyme catalysis and electron transfer and an essential hemoglobin constituent. To meet the intense demand for hemoglobin assembly in red blood cells, the cell type-specific factor GATA-1 activates transcription of Alas2, encoding the rate-limiting enzyme in heme biosynthesis, 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase-2 (ALAS-2). Using genetic editing to unravel mechanisms governing heme biosynthesis, we discovered a GATA factor- and heme-dependent circuit that establishes the erythroid cell transcriptome. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated ablation of two Alas2 intronic cis elements strongly reduces GATA-1-induced Alas2 transcription, heme biosynthesis, and surprisingly, GATA-1 regulation of other vital constituents of the erythroid cell transcriptome. Bypassing ALAS-2 function in Alas2 cis element-mutant cells by providing its catalytic product 5-aminolevulinic acid rescues heme biosynthesis and the GATA-1-dependent genetic network. Heme amplifies GATA-1 function by downregulating the heme-sensing transcriptional repressor Bach1 and via a Bach1-insensitive mechanism. Through this dual mechanism, heme and a master regulator collaborate to orchestrate a cell type-specific transcriptional program that promotes cellular differentiation. © 2015 The Authors.

  10. Visualization of the role of host heme on the virulence of the heme auxotroph Streptococcus agalactiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joubert, Laetitia; Dagieu, Jean-Baptiste; Fernandez, Annabelle; Derré-Bobillot, Aurélie; Borezée-Durant, Elise; Fleurot, Isabelle; Gruss, Alexandra; Lechardeur, Delphine

    2017-01-16

    Heme is essential for several cellular key functions but is also toxic. Whereas most bacterial pathogens utilize heme as a metabolic cofactor and iron source, the impact of host heme during bacterial infection remains elusive. The opportunist pathogen Streptococcus agalactiae does not synthesize heme but still uses it to activate a respiration metabolism. Concomitantly, heme toxicity is mainly controlled by the HrtBA efflux transporter. Here we investigate how S. agalactiae manages heme toxicity versus benefits in the living host. Using bioluminescent bacteria and heme-responsive reporters for in vivo imaging, we show that the capacity of S. agalactiae to overcome heme toxicity is required for successful infection, particularly in blood-rich organs. Host heme is simultaneously required, as visualized by a generalized infection defect of a respiration-negative mutant. In S. agalactiae, HrtBA expression responds to an intracellular heme signal via activation of the two-component system HssRS. A hssRS promoter-driven intracellular luminescent heme sensor was designed to identify host compartments that supply S. agalactiae with heme. S. agalactiae acquires heme in heart, kidneys, and liver, but not in the brain. We conclude that S. agalactiae response to heme is organ-dependent, and its efflux may be particularly relevant in late stages of infection.

  11. Active site intermediates in the reduction of O(2) by cytochrome oxidase, and their derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wikström, Mårten

    2012-04-01

    The mechanism of dioxygen activation and reduction in cell respiration, as catalysed by cytochrome c oxidase, has a long history. The work by Otto Warburg, David Keilin and Britton Chance defined the dioxygen-binding heme iron centre, viz. das Atmungsferment, or cytochrome a(3). Chance brought the field further in the mid-1970's by ingenious low-temperature studies that for the first time identified the primary enzyme-substrate (ES) Michaelis complex of cell respiration, the dioxygen adduct of heme a(3), which he termed Compound A. Further work using optical, resonance Raman, EPR, and other sophisticated spectroscopic techniques, some of which with microsecond time resolution, has brought us to the situation today, where major principles of how O(2) reduction occurs in respiration are well understood. Nonetheless, some questions have remained open, for example concerning the precise structures, catalytic roles, and spectroscopic properties of the breakdown products of Compound A that have been called P, F (for peroxy and ferryl), and O (oxidised). This nomenclature has been known to be inadequate for some time already, and an alternative will be suggested here. In addition, the multiple forms of P, F and O states have been confusing, a situation that we endeavour to help clarifying. The P and F states formed artificially by reacting cytochrome oxidase with hydrogen peroxide are especially scrutinised, and some novel interpretations will be given that may account for previously unexplained observations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Biogenesis of the yeast cytochrome bc1 complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zara, Vincenzo; Conte, Laura; Trumpower, Bernard L

    2009-01-01

    The mitochondrial respiratory chain is composed of four different protein complexes that cooperate in electron transfer and proton pumping across the inner mitochondrial membrane. The cytochrome bc1 complex, or complex III, is a component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. This review will focus on the biogenesis of the bc1 complex in the mitochondria of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In wild type yeast mitochondrial membranes the major part of the cytochrome bc1 complex was found in association with one or two copies of the cytochrome c oxidase complex. The analysis of several yeast mutant strains in which single genes or pairs of genes encoding bc1 subunits had been deleted revealed the presence of a common set of bc1 sub-complexes. These sub-complexes are represented by the central core of the bc1 complex, consisting of cytochrome b bound to subunit 7 and subunit 8, by the two core proteins associated with each other, by the Rieske protein associated with subunit 9, and by those deriving from the unexpected interaction of each of the two core proteins with cytochrome c1. Furthermore, a higher molecular mass sub-complex is that composed of cytochrome b, cytochrome c1, core protein 1 and 2, subunit 6, subunit 7 and subunit 8. The identification and characterization of all these sub-complexes may help in defining the steps and the molecular events leading to bc1 assembly in yeast mitochondria.

  13. Efficiency and Loading Evaluation of High Efficiency Mist Eliminators (HEME) - 12003

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giffin, Paxton K.; Parsons, Michael S.; Waggoner, Charles A. [Institute for Clean Energy Technology, Mississippi State University, 205 Research Blvd Starkville, MS 39759 (United States)

    2012-07-01

    High efficiency mist eliminators (HEME) are filters primarily used to remove moisture and/or liquid aerosols from an air stream. HEME elements are designed to reduce aerosol and particulate load on primary High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters and to have a liquid particle removal efficiency of approximately 99.5% for aerosols down to sub-micron size particulates. The investigation presented here evaluates the loading capacity of the element in the absence of a water spray cleaning system. The theory is that without the cleaning system, the HEME element will suffer rapid buildup of solid aerosols, greatly reducing the particle loading capacity. Evaluation consists of challenging the element with a waste surrogate dry aerosol and di-octyl phthalate (DOP) at varying intervals of differential pressure to examine the filtering efficiency of three different element designs at three different media velocities. Also, the elements are challenged with a liquid waste surrogate using Laskin nozzles and large dispersion nozzles. These tests allow the loading capacity of the unit to be determined and the effectiveness of washing down the interior of the elements to be evaluated. (authors)

  14. A Heme-responsive Regulator Controls Synthesis of Staphyloferrin B in Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laakso, Holly A; Marolda, Cristina L; Pinter, Tyler B; Stillman, Martin J; Heinrichs, David E

    2016-01-01

    Staphylococcus aureus possesses a multitude of mechanisms by which it can obtain iron during growth under iron starvation conditions. It expresses an effective heme acquisition system (the iron-regulated surface determinant system), it produces two carboxylate-type siderophores staphyloferrin A and staphyloferrin B (SB), and it expresses transporters for many other siderophores that it does not synthesize. The ferric uptake regulator protein regulates expression of genes encoding all of these systems. Mechanisms of fine-tuning expression of iron-regulated genes, beyond simple iron regulation via ferric uptake regulator, have not been uncovered in this organism. Here, we identify the ninth gene of the sbn operon, sbnI, as encoding a ParB/Spo0J-like protein that is required for expression of genes in the sbn operon from sbnD onward. Expression of sbnD-I is drastically decreased in an sbnI mutant, and the mutant does not synthesize detectable SB during early phases of growth. Thus, SB-mediated iron acquisition is impaired in an sbnI mutant strain. We show that the protein forms dimers and tetramers in solution and binds to DNA within the sbnC coding region. Moreover, we show that SbnI binds heme and that heme-bound SbnI does not bind DNA. Finally, we show that providing exogenous heme to S. aureus growing in an iron-free medium results in delayed synthesis of SB. This is the first study in S. aureus that identifies a DNA-binding regulatory protein that senses heme to control gene expression for siderophore synthesis. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  15. Characterization of the cydAB-Encoded Cytochrome bd Oxidase from Mycobacterium smegmatis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kana, Bavesh D.; Weinstein, Edward A.; Avarbock, David; Dawes, Stephanie S.; Rubin, Harvey; Mizrahi, Valerie

    2001-01-01

    The cydAB genes from Mycobacterium smegmatis have been cloned and characterized. The cydA and cydB genes encode the two subunits of a cytochrome bd oxidase belonging to the widely distributed family of quinol oxidases found in prokaryotes. The cydD and cydC genes located immediately downstream of cydB encode a putative ATP-binding cassette-type transporter. At room temperature, reduced minus oxidized difference spectra of membranes purified from wild-type M. smegmatis displayed spectral features that are characteristic of the γ-proteobacterial type cytochrome bd oxidase. Inactivation of cydA or cydB by insertion of a kanamycin resistance marker resulted in loss of d-heme absorbance at 631 nm. The d-heme could be restored by transformation of the M. smegmatis cyd mutants with a replicating plasmid carrying the highly homologous cydABDC gene cluster from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Inactivation of cydA had no effect on the ability of M. smegmatis to exit from stationary phase at 37 or 42°C. The growth rate of the cydA mutant was tested under oxystatic conditions. Although no discernible growth defect was observed under moderately aerobic conditions (9.2 to 37.5 × 102 Pa of pO2 or 5 to 21% air saturation), the mutant displayed a significant growth disadvantage when cocultured with the wild type under extreme microaerophilia (0.8 to 1.7 × 102 Pa of pO2 or 0.5 to 1% air saturation). These observations were in accordance with the two- to threefold increase in cydAB gene expression observed upon reduction of the pO2 of the growth medium from 21 to 0.5% air saturation and with the concomitant increase in d-heme absorbance in spectra of membranes isolated from wild-type M. smegmatis cultured at 1% air saturation. Finally, the cydA mutant displayed a competitive growth disadvantage in the presence of the terminal oxidase inhibitor, cyanide, when cocultured with wild type at 21% air saturation in an oxystat. In conjunction with these findings, our results suggest that

  16. Ironing out the Details: Exploring the Role of Iron and Heme in Blood-Sucking Arthropods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whiten, Shavonn R.; Eggleston, Heather; Adelman, Zach N.

    2018-01-01

    Heme and iron are essential molecules for many physiological processes and yet have the ability to cause oxidative damage such as lipid peroxidation, protein degradation, and ultimately cell death if not controlled. Blood-sucking arthropods have evolved diverse methods to protect themselves against iron/heme-related damage, as the act of bloodfeeding itself is high risk, high reward process. Protective mechanisms in medically important arthropods include the midgut peritrophic matrix in mosquitoes, heme aggregation into the crystalline structure hemozoin in kissing bugs and hemosomes in ticks. Once heme and iron pass these protective mechanisms they are presumed to enter the midgut epithelial cells via membrane-bound transporters, though relatively few iron or heme transporters have been identified in bloodsucking arthropods. Upon iron entry into midgut epithelial cells, ferritin serves as the universal storage protein and transport for dietary iron in many organisms including arthropods. In addition to its role as a nutrient, heme is also an important signaling molecule in the midgut epithelial cells for many physiological processes including vitellogenesis. This review article will summarize recent advancements in heme/iron uptake, detoxification and exportation in bloodfeeding arthropods. While initial strides have been made at ironing out the role of dietary iron and heme in arthropods, much still remains to be discovered as these molecules may serve as novel targets for the control of many arthropod pests. PMID:29387018

  17. Localization of cytochromes in the outer membrane of Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Hildenborough) and their role in anaerobic biocorrosion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Ommen Kloeke, F; Bryant, R D; Laishley, E J

    1995-12-01

    A protocol was developed whereby the outer and cytoplasmic membranes of the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Hildenborough) were isolated and partially characterized. The isolated outer membrane fractions from cultures grown under high (100 ppm) and low (5 ppm) Fe2+ conditions were compared by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, and showed that several protein bands were derepressed under the low iron conditions, most notably at 50 kDa, and 77.5 kDa. Outer membrane isolated from low iron cultured cells was found to contain two proteins, 77.5 kDa and 62.5 kDa in size, that reacted with a heme-specific stain and were referred to as high molecular weight cytochromes. Studies conducted on the low iron isolated outer membrane by a phosphate/mild steel hydrogen evolution system showed that addition of the membrane fraction caused an immediate acceleration in H2 production. A new model for the anaerobic biocorrosion of mild steel is proposed.

  18. Genetic Variability of the Heme Uptake System among Different Strains of the Fish Pathogen Vibrio anguillarum: Identification of a New Heme Receptor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mouriño, Susana; Rodríguez-Ares, Isabel; Osorio, Carlos R.; Lemos, Manuel L.

    2005-01-01

    The ability to utilize heme compounds as iron sources was investigated in Vibrio anguillarum strains belonging to serotypes O1 to O10. All strains, regardless of their serotype or isolation origin could utilize hemin and hemoglobin as sole iron sources. Similarly, all of the isolates could bind hemin and Congo red, and this binding was mediated by cell envelope proteins. PCR and Southern hybridization were used to assay the occurrence of heme transport genes huvABCD, which have been previously described in serotype O1. Of 23 strains studied, two serotype O3 isolates proved negative for all huvABCD genes, whereas nine strains included in serotypes O2, O3, O4, O6, O7, and O10 tested negative for the outer membrane heme receptor gene huvA. A gene coding for a novel outer membrane heme receptor was cloned and characterized in a V. anguillarum serotype O3 strain lacking huvA. The new heme receptor, named HuvS, showed significant similarity to other outer membrane heme receptors described in Vibrionaceae, but little homology (39%) to HuvA. This heme receptor was present in 9 out of 11 of the V. anguillarum strains that tested negative for HuvA. Furthermore, complementation experiments demonstrated that HuvS could substitute for the HuvA function in Escherichia coli and V. anguillarum mutants. The huvS and huvA sequences alignment, as well as the analysis of their respective upstream and downstream DNA sequences, suggest that horizontal transfer and recombination might be responsible for generating this genetic diversity. PMID:16332832

  19. A Heme-responsive Regulator Controls Synthesis of Staphyloferrin B in Staphylococcus aureus*♦

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laakso, Holly A.; Marolda, Cristina L.; Pinter, Tyler B.; Stillman, Martin J.; Heinrichs, David E.

    2016-01-01

    Staphylococcus aureus possesses a multitude of mechanisms by which it can obtain iron during growth under iron starvation conditions. It expresses an effective heme acquisition system (the iron-regulated surface determinant system), it produces two carboxylate-type siderophores staphyloferrin A and staphyloferrin B (SB), and it expresses transporters for many other siderophores that it does not synthesize. The ferric uptake regulator protein regulates expression of genes encoding all of these systems. Mechanisms of fine-tuning expression of iron-regulated genes, beyond simple iron regulation via ferric uptake regulator, have not been uncovered in this organism. Here, we identify the ninth gene of the sbn operon, sbnI, as encoding a ParB/Spo0J-like protein that is required for expression of genes in the sbn operon from sbnD onward. Expression of sbnD–I is drastically decreased in an sbnI mutant, and the mutant does not synthesize detectable SB during early phases of growth. Thus, SB-mediated iron acquisition is impaired in an sbnI mutant strain. We show that the protein forms dimers and tetramers in solution and binds to DNA within the sbnC coding region. Moreover, we show that SbnI binds heme and that heme-bound SbnI does not bind DNA. Finally, we show that providing exogenous heme to S. aureus growing in an iron-free medium results in delayed synthesis of SB. This is the first study in S. aureus that identifies a DNA-binding regulatory protein that senses heme to control gene expression for siderophore synthesis. PMID:26534960

  20. Chemical Synthesis of the 20 kDa Heme Protein Nitrophorin 4 by α-Ketoacid-Hydroxylamine (KAHA) Ligation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Chunmao; Kulkarni, Sameer S; Thuaud, Frédéric; Bode, Jeffrey W

    2015-10-26

    The chemical synthesis of the 184-residue ferric heme-binding protein nitrophorin 4 was accomplished by sequential couplings of five unprotected peptide segments using α-ketoacid-hydroxylamine (KAHA) ligation reactions. The fully assembled protein was folded to its native structure and coordinated to the ferric heme b cofactor. The synthetic holoprotein, despite four homoserine residues at the ligation sites, showed identical properties to the wild-type protein in nitric oxide binding and nitrite dismutase reactivity. This work establishes the KAHA ligation as a valuable and viable approach for the chemical synthesis of proteins up to 20 kDa and demonstrates that it is well-suited for the preparation of hydrophobic protein targets. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Prebiotics increase heme iron bioavailability and do not affect non-heme iron bioavailability in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinborn, Valerie; Valenzuela, Carolina; Olivares, Manuel; Arredondo, Miguel; Weill, Ricardo; Pizarro, Fernando

    2017-05-24

    The aim of this study was to establish the effect of a prebiotic mix on heme and non-heme iron (Fe) bioavailability in humans. To this purpose, twenty-four healthy women were randomized into one of two study groups. One group ate one yogurt per day for 12 days with a prebiotic mix (prebiotic group) and the other group received the same yogurt but without the prebiotic mix (control group). Before and after the intake period, the subjects participated in Fe absorption studies. These studies used 55 Fe and 59 Fe radioactive isotopes as markers of heme Fe and non-heme Fe, respectively, and Fe absorption was measured by the incorporation of radioactive Fe into erythrocytes. The results showed that there were no significant differences in heme and non-heme Fe bioavailability in the control group. Heme Fe bioavailability of the prebiotic group increased significantly by 56% post-prebiotic intake. There were no significant differences in non-heme Fe bioavailability in this group. We concluded that daily consumption of a prebiotic mix increases heme Fe bioavailability and does not affect non-heme iron bioavailability.

  2. Electroactive cytochrome P450BM3 cast polyion films on graphite electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pardo-Jacques, Aurelie; Basseguy, Regine; Bergel, Alain

    2006-01-01

    Films of electrochemically active cytochrome P450 BM 3 were constructed on graphite electrodes using alternate assembly with polyethyleneimine (PEI). The original layer-by-layer adsorption method was slightly modified here to form so-called 'cast polyion' films. The cast polyion films were elaborated by immobilizing two successive layers of PEI and protein in very large excess with respect to a monolayer, without any intermediate washing step. Following the immobilization steps by SEM showed that uniform films of a few micrometers were deposited on the graphite surface. The electrochemically activity of the immobilized cytP450 was tested with regard to the reduction of oxygen and the one-electron reduction of the heme. Cyclic voltammetry indicated surface concentration of electrochemically active cytP450 around 0.6nmol/cm 2 , which corresponded to 5% of the total amount of protein that was consumed by the immobilisation process. Adapting the procedure to a graphite felt electrode with the view of scaling up porous electrodes for large scale synthesis increased the concentration to 0.9nmol/cm 2 . Cast polyion films may represent a simple technique to immobilize high amount of electrochemically active protein, keeping the advantage of the electrostatic interactions of the regular layer-by-layer method

  3. Active sites of two orthologous cytochromes P450 2E1: Differences revealed by spectroscopic methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anzenbacherova, Eva; Hudecek, Jiri; Murgida, Daniel; Hildebrandt, Peter; Marchal, Stephane; Lange, Reinhard; Anzenbacher, Pavel

    2005-01-01

    Cytochromes P450 2E1 of human and minipig origin were examined by absorption spectroscopy under high hydrostatic pressure and by resonance Raman spectroscopy. Human enzyme tends to denature to the P420 form more easily than the minipig form; moreover, the apparent compressibility of the heme active site (as judged from a redshift of the absorption maximum with pressure) is greater than that of the minipig counterpart. Relative compactness of the minipig enzyme is also seen in the Raman spectra, where the presence of planar heme conformation was inferred from band positions characteristic of the low-spin heme with high degree of symmetry. In this respect, the CYP2E1 seems to be another example of P450 conformational heterogeneity as shown, e.g., by Davydov et al. for CYP3A4 [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 312 (2003) 121-130]. The results indicate that the flexibility of the CYP active site is likely one of its basic structural characteristics

  4. Redox activity distinguishes solid-state electron transport from solution-based electron transfer in a natural and artificial protein: cytochrome C and hemin-doped human serum albumin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amdursky, Nadav; Ferber, Doron; Pecht, Israel; Sheves, Mordechai; Cahen, David

    2013-10-28

    Integrating proteins in molecular electronic devices requires control over their solid-state electronic transport behavior. Unlike "traditional" electron transfer (ET) measurements of proteins that involve liquid environments and a redox cycle, no redox cofactor is needed for solid-state electron transport (ETp) across the protein. Here we show the fundamental difference between these two approaches by macroscopic area measurements, which allow measuring ETp temperature dependence down to cryogenic temperatures, via cytochrome C (Cyt C), an ET protein with a heme (Fe-porphyrin) prosthetic group as a redox centre. We compare the ETp to electrochemical ET measurements, and do so also for the protein without the Fe (with metal-free porphyrin) and without porphyrin. As removing the porphyrin irreversibly alters the protein's conformation, we repeat these measurements with human serum albumin (HSA), 'doped' (by non-covalent binding) with a single hemin equivalent, i.e., these natural and artificial proteins share a common prosthetic group. ETp via Cyt C and HSA-hemin are very similar in terms of current magnitude and temperature dependence, which suggests similar ETp mechanisms via these two systems, thermally activated hopping (with ~0.1 eV activation energy) >190 K and tunneling by superexchange Fe(3+) + e(-)), measured by electrochemistry of HSA-hemin are only 4 times lower than those for Cyt C. However, while removing the Fe redox centre from the porphyrin ring markedly affects the ET rate, it hardly changes the ETp currents through these proteins, while removing the macrocycle (from HSA, which retains its conformation) significantly reduces ETp efficiency. These results show that solid-state ETp across proteins does not require the presence of a redox cofactor, and that while for ET the Fe ion is the main electron mediator, for ETp the porphyrin ring has this function.

  5. Interfacial hydration, dynamics and electron transfer: multi-scale ET modeling of the transient [myoglobin, cytochrome b5] complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keinan, Shahar; Nocek, Judith M; Hoffman, Brian M; Beratan, David N

    2012-10-28

    Formation of a transient [myoglobin (Mb), cytochrome b(5) (cyt b(5))] complex is required for the reductive repair of inactive ferri-Mb to its functional ferro-Mb state. The [Mb, cyt b(5)] complex exhibits dynamic docking (DD), with its cyt b(5) partner in rapid exchange at multiple sites on the Mb surface. A triple mutant (Mb(3M)) was designed as part of efforts to shift the electron-transfer process to the simple docking (SD) regime, in which reactive binding occurs at a restricted, reactive region on the Mb surface that dominates the docked ensemble. An electrostatically-guided brownian dynamics (BD) docking protocol was used to generate an initial ensemble of reactive configurations of the complex between unrelaxed partners. This ensemble samples a broad and diverse array of heme-heme distances and orientations. These configurations seeded all-atom constrained molecular dynamics simulations (MD) to generate relaxed complexes for the calculation of electron tunneling matrix elements (T(DA)) through tunneling-pathway analysis. This procedure for generating an ensemble of relaxed complexes combines the ability of BD calculations to sample the large variety of available conformations and interprotein distances, with the ability of MD to generate the atomic level information, especially regarding the structure of water molecules at the protein-protein interface, that defines electron-tunneling pathways. We used the calculated T(DA) values to compute ET rates for the [Mb(wt), cyt b(5)] complex and for the complex with a mutant that has a binding free energy strengthened by three D/E → K charge-reversal mutations, [Mb(3M), cyt b(5)]. The calculated rate constants are in agreement with the measured values, and the mutant complex ensemble has many more geometries with higher T(DA) values than does the wild-type Mb complex. Interestingly, water plays a double role in this electron-transfer system, lowering the tunneling barrier as well as inducing protein interface

  6. Mechanistic Scrutiny Identifies a Kinetic Role for Cytochrome b5 Regulation of Human Cytochrome P450c17 (CYP17A1, P450 17A1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandr N Simonov

    Full Text Available Cytochrome P450c17 (P450 17A1, CYP17A1 is a critical enzyme in the synthesis of androgens and is now a target enzyme for the treatment of prostate cancer. Cytochrome P450c17 can exhibit either one or two physiological enzymatic activities differentially regulated by cytochrome b5. How this is achieved remains unknown. Here, comprehensive in silico, in vivo and in vitro analyses were undertaken. Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer analysis showed close interactions within living cells between cytochrome P450c17 and cytochrome b5. In silico modeling identified the sites of interaction and confirmed that E48 and E49 residues in cytochrome b5 are essential for activity. Quartz crystal microbalance studies identified specific protein-protein interactions in a lipid membrane. Voltammetric analysis revealed that the wild type cytochrome b5, but not a mutated, E48G/E49G cyt b5, altered the kinetics of electron transfer between the electrode and the P450c17. We conclude that cytochrome b5 can influence the electronic conductivity of cytochrome P450c17 via allosteric, protein-protein interactions.

  7. Rieske iron-sulfur protein of the cytochrome bc(1) complex: a potential target for fungicide discovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Wen-Chao; Li, Hui; Wang, Fu; Zhu, Xiao-Lei; Yang, Guang-Fu

    2012-07-23

    The cytochrome bc(1) complex (complex III, cyt bc(1)) is an essential component of cellular respiration. Cyt bc(1) has three core subunits that are required for its catalytic activity: cytochrome b, cytochrome c(1), and the Rieske iron-sulfur protein (ISP). Although most fungicides inhibit this enzyme by binding to the cytochrome b subunit, resistance to these fungicides has developed rapidly due to their widespread application. Resistance is mainly associated with mutations in cytochrome b, the only subunit encoded by mitochondrial DNA. Recently, the flexibility and motion of the ISP and its essential role in electron transfer have received intense attention; this leads us to propose a new classification of cyt bc(1) inhibitors (three types of Q(o) inhibitors) that mobilize, restrict, or fix the rotation of the ISP. Importantly, the strengths of the ISP-inhibitor interactions correlate with inhibitor activity and the development of resistance to Q(o) inhibitors, thereby offering clues for designing novel cyt bc(1) inhibitors with high potency and a low risk of resistance. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. A role for heme in Alzheimer's disease: Heme binds amyloid β and has altered metabolism

    OpenAIRE

    Atamna, Hani; Frey, William H.

    2004-01-01

    Heme is a common factor linking several metabolic perturbations in Alzheimer's disease (AD), including iron metabolism, mitochondrial complex IV, heme oxygenase, and bilirubin. Therefore, we determined whether heme metabolism was altered in temporal lobes obtained at autopsy from AD patients and age-matched nondemented subjects. AD brain demonstrated 2.5-fold more heme-b (P < 0.01) and 26% less heme-a (P = 0.16) compared with controls, resulting in a highly significant 2.9-fold decrease in he...

  9. No changes in heme synthesis in human Friedreich´s ataxia erythroid progenitor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinkellner, Hannes; Singh, Himanshu Narayan; Muckenthaler, Martina U; Goldenberg, Hans; Moganty, Rajeswari R; Scheiber-Mojdehkar, Barbara; Sturm, Brigitte

    2017-07-20

    Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by reduced expression of the protein frataxin. Frataxin is thought to play a role in iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis and heme synthesis. In this study, we used erythroid progenitor stem cells obtained from FRDA patients and healthy donors to investigate the putative role, if any, of frataxin deficiency in heme synthesis. We used electrochemiluminescence and qRT-PCR for frataxin protein and mRNA quantification. We used atomic absorption spectrophotometry for iron levels and a photometric assay for hemoglobin levels. Protoporphyrin IX and Ferrochelatase were analyzed using auto-fluorescence. An "IronChip" microarray analysis followed by a protein-protein interaction analysis was performed. FRDA patient cells showed no significant changes in iron levels, hemoglobin synthesis, protoporphyrin IX levels, and ferrochelatase activity. Microarray analysis presented 11 genes that were significantly changed in all patients compared to controls. The genes are especially involved in oxidative stress, iron homeostasis and angiogenesis. The mystery about the involvement of frataxin on iron metabolism raises the question why frataxin deficiency in primary FRDA cells did not lead to changes in biochemical parameters of heme synthesis. It seems that alternative pathways can circumvent the impact of frataxin deficiency on heme synthesis. We show for the first time in primary FRDA patient cells that reduced frataxin levels are still sufficient for heme synthesis and possibly other mechanisms can overcome reduced frataxin levels in this process. Our data strongly support the fact that so far no anemia in FRDA patients was reported. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. A novel bi-protein bio-interphase of cytochrome c and glucose oxidase: Electron transfer and electrocatalysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Yonghai; Liu, Hongyu; Wang, Yu; Wang, Li

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Glucose oxidase (GOD) and cytochrome c (Cyt c) were co-entrapped in the poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)–graphene nanosheets–gold nanoparticles (PDDA–Gp–AuNPs) nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrode. Electron transfer and electrocatalysis of the novel bi-protein bio-interphase were investigated. The bio-interphase developed here not only successfully achieved DET of GOD, but also showed great potential for the fabrication of novel glucose biosensors with linear response up to 18 mM. Highlights: ► A bio-interphase composed of cytochrome c and glucose oxidase was developed. ► The electron transfer in the bio-interphase was investigated. ► Electrocatalytic performances of bio-interphase were explored. ► The bio-interphase exhibited good electrocatalytic response glucose. - Abstract: Glucose oxidase (GOD) and cytochrome c (Cyt c) were co-entrapped in the poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)–graphene nanosheets–gold nanoparticles (PDDA–Gp–AuNPs) hybrid nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrode to prepare a novel bi-protein bio-interphase. Electron transfer and electrocatalysis of the bi-protein bio-interphase were investigated in detail. The results showed that the PDDA–Gp–AuNPs nanocomposites accelerated the electron transfer between proteins and electrode. The bi-protein exhibited effective direct electron transfer (DET) reaction with an apparent rate constant (k s ) of 2.36 s −1 . The optimal molar ratio and total amount of Cyt c and GOD in the bio-interphase for DET of GOD was estimated to be about 3:1 and 1.40 nmol, respectively. The bi-protein bio-interphase could be used to detect glucose based on the consumption of O 2 with the oxidation of glucose catalyzed by GOD. The resulted biosensor exhibits wide linear range from 2.0 to 18.0 mM. Thus, this study not only successfully achieved DET of GOD, but also constructed a novel biosensor for glucose detection

  11. Differential induction of heme oxygenase and other stress proteins in cultured hippocampal astrocytes and neurons by inorganic lead

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cabell, Leigh; Ferguson, Charles; Luginbill, Deana; Kern, Marcey; Weingart, Adam; Audesirk, Gerald

    2004-01-01

    We examined the effects of exposure to inorganic lead (Pb 2+ ) on the induction of stress proteins in cultured hippocampal neurons and astrocytes, with particular emphasis on the induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). In radiolabeled neuronal cultures, Pb 2+ exposure had no significant effect on the synthesis of any protein at any concentration (up to 250 μM) or duration of exposure (up to 4 days). In radiolabeled astrocyte cultures, however, Pb 2+ exposure (100 nM to 100 μM; 1-4 days) increased synthesis of proteins with approximate molecular weights of 23, 32, 45, 57, 72, and 90 kDa. Immunoblot experiments showed that Pb 2+ exposure (100 nM to 10 μM, 1-14 days) induces HO-1 synthesis in astrocytes, but not in neurons; this is probably the 32-kDa protein. The other heme oxygenase isoform, HO-2, is present in both neurons and astrocytes, but is not inducible by Pb 2+ at concentrations up to 100 μM. HO-1 can be induced by a variety of stimuli. We found that HO-1 induction in astrocytes is increased by combined exposure to Pb 2+ and many other stresses, including heat, nitric oxide, H 2 O 2 , and superoxide. One of the stimuli that may induce HO-1 is oxidative stress. Lead exposure causes oxidative stress in many cell types, including astrocytes. Induction of HO-1 by Pb 2+ is reduced by the hydroxyl radical scavengers dimethylthiourea (DMTU) and mannitol, but not by inhibitors of calmodulin, calmodulin-dependent protein kinases, protein kinase C, or extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK). Therefore, we conclude that oxidative stress is an important mechanism by which Pb 2+ induces HO-1 synthesis in astrocytes

  12. Functional evolution and structural conservation in chimeric cytochromes p450: calibrating a structure-guided approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otey, Christopher R; Silberg, Jonathan J; Voigt, Christopher A; Endelman, Jeffrey B; Bandara, Geethani; Arnold, Frances H

    2004-03-01

    Recombination generates chimeric proteins whose ability to fold depends on minimizing structural perturbations that result when portions of the sequence are inherited from different parents. These chimeric sequences can display functional properties characteristic of the parents or acquire entirely new functions. Seventeen chimeras were generated from two CYP102 members of the functionally diverse cytochrome p450 family. Chimeras predicted to have limited structural disruption, as defined by the SCHEMA algorithm, displayed CO binding spectra characteristic of folded p450s. Even this small population exhibited significant functional diversity: chimeras displayed altered substrate specificities, a wide range in thermostabilities, up to a 40-fold increase in peroxidase activity, and ability to hydroxylate a substrate toward which neither parent heme domain shows detectable activity. These results suggest that SCHEMA-guided recombination can be used to generate diverse p450s for exploring function evolution within the p450 structural framework.

  13. Regulation of gap junction function and Connexin 43 expression by cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Polusani, Srikanth R.; Kar, Rekha; Riquelme, Manuel A.; Masters, Bettie Sue [The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Department of Biochemistry, San Antonio, TX 78229 (United States); Panda, Satya P., E-mail: panda@uthscsa.edu [The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Department of Biochemistry, San Antonio, TX 78229 (United States)

    2011-08-05

    Highlights: {yields} Humans with severe forms of cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR) mutations show bone defects as observed in Antley-Bixler Syndrome. {yields} First report showing knockdown of CYPOR in osteoblasts decreased Connexin 43 (Cx43) protein levels. Cx43 is known to play an important role in bone modeling. {yields} Knockdown of CYPOR decreased Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication and hemichannel activity. {yields} Knockdown of CYPOR decreased Cx43 in mouse primary calvarial osteoblasts. {yields} Decreased Cx43 expression was observed at the transcriptional level. -- Abstract: Cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR) is a microsomal electron-transferring enzyme containing both FAD and FMN as co-factors, which provides the reducing equivalents to various redox partners, such as cytochromes P450 (CYPs), heme oxygenase (HO), cytochrome b{sub 5} and squalene monooxygenase. Human patients with severe forms of CYPOR mutation show bone defects such as cranio- and humeroradial synostoses and long bone fractures, known as Antley-Bixler-like Syndrome (ABS). To elucidate the role of CYPOR in bone, we knocked-down CYPOR in multiple osteoblast cell lines using RNAi technology. In this study, knock-down of CYPOR decreased the expression of Connexin 43 (Cx43), known to play a critical role in bone formation, modeling, and remodeling. Knock-down of CYPOR also decreased Gap Junction Intercellular Communication (GJIC) and hemichannel activity. Promoter luciferase assays revealed that the decrease in expression of Cx43 in CYPOR knock-down cells was due to transcriptional repression. Primary osteoblasts isolated from bone specific Por knock-down mice calvariae confirmed the findings in the cell lines. Taken together, our study provides novel insights into the regulation of gap junction function by CYPOR and suggests that Cx43 may play an important role(s) in CYPOR-mediated bone defects seen in patients.

  14. Regulation of gap junction function and Connexin 43 expression by cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Polusani, Srikanth R.; Kar, Rekha; Riquelme, Manuel A.; Masters, Bettie Sue; Panda, Satya P.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Humans with severe forms of cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR) mutations show bone defects as observed in Antley-Bixler Syndrome. → First report showing knockdown of CYPOR in osteoblasts decreased Connexin 43 (Cx43) protein levels. Cx43 is known to play an important role in bone modeling. → Knockdown of CYPOR decreased Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication and hemichannel activity. → Knockdown of CYPOR decreased Cx43 in mouse primary calvarial osteoblasts. → Decreased Cx43 expression was observed at the transcriptional level. -- Abstract: Cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR) is a microsomal electron-transferring enzyme containing both FAD and FMN as co-factors, which provides the reducing equivalents to various redox partners, such as cytochromes P450 (CYPs), heme oxygenase (HO), cytochrome b 5 and squalene monooxygenase. Human patients with severe forms of CYPOR mutation show bone defects such as cranio- and humeroradial synostoses and long bone fractures, known as Antley-Bixler-like Syndrome (ABS). To elucidate the role of CYPOR in bone, we knocked-down CYPOR in multiple osteoblast cell lines using RNAi technology. In this study, knock-down of CYPOR decreased the expression of Connexin 43 (Cx43), known to play a critical role in bone formation, modeling, and remodeling. Knock-down of CYPOR also decreased Gap Junction Intercellular Communication (GJIC) and hemichannel activity. Promoter luciferase assays revealed that the decrease in expression of Cx43 in CYPOR knock-down cells was due to transcriptional repression. Primary osteoblasts isolated from bone specific Por knock-down mice calvariae confirmed the findings in the cell lines. Taken together, our study provides novel insights into the regulation of gap junction function by CYPOR and suggests that Cx43 may play an important role(s) in CYPOR-mediated bone defects seen in patients.

  15. Molecular hijacking of siroheme for the synthesis of heme and d1 heme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bali, Shilpa; Lawrence, Andrew D; Lobo, Susana A; Saraiva, Lígia M; Golding, Bernard T; Palmer, David J; Howard, Mark J; Ferguson, Stuart J; Warren, Martin J

    2011-11-08

    Modified tetrapyrroles such as chlorophyll, heme, siroheme, vitamin B(12), coenzyme F(430), and heme d(1) underpin a wide range of essential biological functions in all domains of life, and it is therefore surprising that the syntheses of many of these life pigments remain poorly understood. It is known that the construction of the central molecular framework of modified tetrapyrroles is mediated via a common, core pathway. Herein a further branch of the modified tetrapyrrole biosynthesis pathway is described in denitrifying and sulfate-reducing bacteria as well as the Archaea. This process entails the hijacking of siroheme, the prosthetic group of sulfite and nitrite reductase, and its processing into heme and d(1) heme. The initial step in these transformations involves the decarboxylation of siroheme to give didecarboxysiroheme. For d(1) heme synthesis this intermediate has to undergo the replacement of two propionate side chains with oxygen functionalities and the introduction of a double bond into a further peripheral side chain. For heme synthesis didecarboxysiroheme is converted into Fe-coproporphyrin by oxidative loss of two acetic acid side chains. Fe-coproporphyrin is then transformed into heme by the oxidative decarboxylation of two propionate side chains. The mechanisms of these reactions are discussed and the evolutionary significance of another role for siroheme is examined.

  16. Inactivation of Cytochrome P450 (P450) 3A4 but not P450 3A5 by OSI-930, a Thiophene-Containing Anticancer DrugS⃞

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Hsia-lien; Zhang, Haoming; Medower, Christine; Johnson, William W.

    2011-01-01

    An investigational anticancer agent that contains a thiophene moiety, 3-[(quinolin-4-ylmethyl)-amino]-N-[4-trifluoromethox)phenyl] thiophene-2-carboxamide (OSI-930), was tested to investigate its ability to modulate the activities of several cytochrome P450 enzymes. Results showed that OSI-930 inactivated purified, recombinant cytochrome P450 (P450) 3A4 in the reconstituted system in a mechanism-based manner. The inactivation was dependent on cytochrome b5 and required NADPH. Catalase did not protect against the inactivation. No inactivation was observed in studies with human 2B6, 2D6, or 3A5 either in the presence or in the absence of b5. The inactivation of 3A4 by OSI-930 was time- and concentration-dependent. The inactivation of the 7-benzyloxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin catalytic activity of 3A4 was characterized by a KI of 24 μM and a kinact of 0.04 min−1. This KI is significantly greater than the clinical OSI-930 Cmax of 1.7 μM at the maximum tolerated dose, indicating that clinical drug interactions of OSI-930 via this pathway are not likely. Spectral analysis of the inactivated protein indicated that the decrease in the reduced CO spectrum at 450 nm was comparable to the amount of inactivation, thereby suggesting that the inactivation was primarily due to modification of the heme. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis with detection at 400 nm showed a loss of heme comparable to the activity loss, but a modified heme was not detected. This result suggests either that the heme must have been modified enough so as not to be observed in a HPLC chromatograph or, possibly, that it was destroyed. The partition ratio for the inactivation of P450 3A4 was approximately 23, suggesting that this P450 3A4-mediated pathway occurs with approximately 4% frequency during the metabolism of OSI-930. Modeling studies on the binding of OSI-930 to the active site of the P450 3A4 indicated that OSI-930 would be oriented properly in the active site for oxidation

  17. Total synthesis of cytochrome b562 by native chemical ligation using a removable auxiliary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Low, Donald W.; Hill, Michael G.; Carrasco, Michael R.; Kent, Stephen B. H.; Botti, Paolo

    2001-01-01

    We have completed the total chemical synthesis of cytochrome b562 and an axial ligand analogue, [SeMet7]cyt b562, by thioester-mediated chemical ligation of unprotected peptide segments. A novel auxiliary-mediated native chemical ligation that enables peptide ligation to be applied to protein sequences lacking cysteine was used. A cleavable thiol-containing auxiliary group, 1-phenyl-2-mercaptoethyl, was added to the α-amino group of one peptide segment to facilitate amide bond-forming ligation. The amine-linked 1-phenyl-2-mercaptoethyl auxiliary was stable to anhydrous hydrogen fluoride used to cleave and deprotect peptides after solid-phase peptide synthesis. Following native chemical ligation with a thioester-containing segment, the auxiliary group was cleanly removed from the newly formed amide bond by treatment with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, yielding a full-length unmodified polypeptide product. The resulting polypeptide was reconstituted with heme and folded to form the functional protein molecule. Synthetic wild-type cyt b562 exhibited spectroscopic and electrochemical properties identical to the recombinant protein, whereas the engineered [SeMet7]cyt b562 analogue protein was spectroscopically and functionally distinct, with a reduction potential shifted by ≈45 mV. The use of the 1-phenyl-2-mercaptoethyl removable auxiliary reported here will greatly expand the applicability of total protein synthesis by native chemical ligation of unprotected peptide segments. PMID:11390992

  18. Purification, Reconstitution, and Inhibition of Cytochrome P-450 Sterol Δ22-Desaturase from the Pathogenic Fungus Candida glabrata

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamb, David C.; Maspahy, Segula; Kelly, Diane E.; Manning, Nigel J.; Geber, Antonia; Bennett, John E.; Kelly, Steven L.

    1999-01-01

    Sterol Δ22-desaturase has been purified from a strain of Candida glabrata with a disruption in the gene encoding sterol 14α-demethylase (cytochrome P-45051; CYP51). The purified cytochrome P-450 exhibited sterol Δ22-desaturase activity in a reconstituted system with NADPH–cytochrome P-450 reductase in dilaurylphosphatidylcholine, with the enzyme kinetic studies revealing a Km for ergosta-5,7-dienol of 12.5 μM and a Vmax of 0.59 nmol of this substrate metabolized/min/nmol of P-450. This enzyme is encoded by CYP61 (ERG5) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and homologues have been shown in the Candida albicans and Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome projects. Ketoconazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole formed low-spin complexes with the ferric cytochrome and exhibited type II spectra, which are indicative of an interaction between the azole moiety and the cytochrome heme. The azole antifungal compounds inhibited reconstituted sterol Δ22-desaturase activity by binding to the cytochrome with a one-to-one stoichiometry, with total inhibition of enzyme activity occurring when equimolar amounts of azole and cytochrome P-450 were added. These results reveal the potential for sterol Δ22-desaturase to be an antifungal target and to contribute to the binding of drugs within the fungal cell. PMID:10390230

  19. Biosynthesis of Single Thioether c-Type Cytochromes Provides Insight into Mechanisms Intrinsic to Holocytochrome c Synthase (HCCS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babbitt, Shalon E; Hsu, Jennifer; Mendez, Deanna L; Kranz, Robert G

    2017-07-05

    C-type cytochromes (cyts c) are generally characterized by the presence of two thioether attachments between heme and two cysteine residues within a highly conserved CXXCH motif. Most eukaryotes use the System III cyt c biogenesis pathway composed of holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS) to catalyze thioether formation. Some protozoan organisms express a functionally equivalent, natural variant of cyt c with an XXXCH heme-attachment motif, resulting in a single covalent attachment. Previous studies have shown that recombinant HCCS can produce low levels of the XXXCH single thioether variant. However, cyt c variants containing substitutions at the C-terminal cysteine of the heme-attachment site (i.e., resulting in CXXXH) have never been observed in nature, and attempts to biosynthesize a recombinant version of this cyt c variant have been largely unsuccessful. In this study, we report the biochemical analyses of an HCCS-matured CXXXH cyt c variant, comparing its biosynthesis and properties to those of the XXXCH variant. The results indicate that although HCCS mediates heme attachment to the N-terminal cysteine in CXXXH cyt c variants, up to 50% of the cyt c produced is modified in an oxygen-dependent manner, resulting in a mixed population of cyt c. Since this aerobic modification occurs only in the context of CXXXH, we also propose that natural HCCS-mediated heme attachment to CXXCH likely initiates at the C-terminal cysteine.

  20. Heme Synthesis and Acquisition in Bacterial Pathogens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choby, Jacob E; Skaar, Eric P

    2016-08-28

    Bacterial pathogens require the iron-containing cofactor heme to cause disease. Heme is essential to the function of hemoproteins, which are involved in energy generation by the electron transport chain, detoxification of host immune effectors, and other processes. During infection, bacterial pathogens must synthesize heme or acquire heme from the host; however, host heme is sequestered in high-affinity hemoproteins. Pathogens have evolved elaborate strategies to acquire heme from host sources, particularly hemoglobin, and both heme acquisition and synthesis are important for pathogenesis. Paradoxically, excess heme is toxic to bacteria and pathogens must rely on heme detoxification strategies. Heme is a key nutrient in the struggle for survival between host and pathogen, and its study has offered significant insight into the molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Transfection of the Human Heme Oxygenase Gene Into Rabbit Coronary Microvessel Endothelial Cells: Protective Effect Against Heme and Hemoglobin Toxicity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abraham, N. G.; Lavrovsky, Y.; Schwartzman, M. L.; Stoltz, R. A.; Levere, R. D.; Gerritsen, M. E.

    1995-07-01

    Heme oxygenase (HO) is a stress protein and has been suggested to participate in defense mechanisms against agents that may induce oxidative injury such as metals, endotoxin, heme/hemoglobin, and various cytokines. Overexpression of HO in cells might therefore protect against oxidative stress produced by certain of these agents, specifically heme and hemoglobin, by catalyzing their degradation to bilirubin, which itself has antioxidant properties. We report here the successful in vitro transfection of rabbit coronary microvessel endothelial cells with a functioning gene encoding the human HO enzyme. A plasmid containing the cytomegalovirus promoter and the human HO cDNA complexed to cationic liposomes (Lipofectin) was used to transfect rabbit endothelial cells. Cells transfected with human HO exhibited an ≈3.0-fold increase in enzyme activity and expressed a severalfold induction of human HO mRNA as compared with endogenous rabbit HO mRNA. Transfected and nontransfected cells expressed factor VIII antigen and exhibited similar acetylated low-density lipoprotein uptake (two important features that characterize endothelial cells) with >85% of cells staining positive for each marker. Moreover, cells transfected with the human HO gene acquired substantial resistance to toxicity produced by exposure to recombinant hemoglobin and heme as compared with nontransfected cells. The protective effect of HO overexpression against heme/hemoglobin toxicity in endothelial cells shown in these studies provides direct evidence that the inductive response of human HO to such injurious stimuli represents an important tissue adaptive mechanism for moderating the severity of cell damage produced by these blood components.

  2. Subpicosecond oxygen trapping in the heme pocket of the oxygen sensor FixL observed by time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kruglik, Sergei G; Jasaitis, Audrius; Hola, Klara; Yamashita, Taku; Liebl, Ursula; Martin, Jean-Louis; Vos, Marten H

    2007-05-01

    Dissociation of oxygen from the heme domain of the bacterial oxygen sensor protein FixL constitutes the first step in hypoxia-induced signaling. In the present study, the photodissociation of the heme-O2 bond was used to synchronize this event, and time-resolved resonance Raman (TR(3)) spectroscopy with subpicosecond time resolution was implemented to characterize the heme configuration of the primary photoproduct. TR(3) measurements on heme-oxycomplexes are highly challenging and have not yet been reported. Whereas in all other known six-coordinated heme protein complexes with diatomic ligands, including the oxymyoglobin reported here, heme iron out-of-plane motion (doming) occurs faster than 1 ps after iron-ligand bond breaking; surprisingly, no sizeable doming is observed in the oxycomplex of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum FixL sensor domain (FixLH). This assessment is deduced from the absence of the iron-histidine band around 217 cm(-1) as early as 0.5 ps. We suggest that efficient ultrafast oxygen rebinding to the heme occurs on the femtosecond time scale, thus hindering heme doming. Comparing WT oxy-FixLH, mutant proteins FixLH-R220H and FixLH-R220Q, the respective carbonmonoxy-complexes, and oxymyoglobin, we show that a hydrogen bond of the terminal oxygen atom with the residue in position 220 is responsible for the observed behavior; in WT FixL this residue is arginine, crucially implicated in signal transmission. We propose that the rigid O2 configuration imposed by this residue, in combination with the hydrophobic and constrained properties of the distal cavity, keep dissociated oxygen in place. These results uncover the origin of the "oxygen cage" properties of this oxygen sensor protein.

  3. CW EPR parameters reveal cytochrome P450 ligand binding modes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lockart, Molly M; Rodriguez, Carlo A; Atkins, William M; Bowman, Michael K

    2018-06-01

    Cytochrome P450 (CYP) monoxygenses utilize heme cofactors to catalyze oxidation reactions. They play a critical role in metabolism of many classes of drugs, are an attractive target for drug development, and mediate several prominent drug interactions. Many substrates and inhibitors alter the spin state of the ferric heme by displacing the heme's axial water ligand in the resting enzyme to yield a five-coordinate iron complex, or they replace the axial water to yield a nitrogen-ligated six-coordinate iron complex, which are traditionally assigned by UV-vis spectroscopy. However, crystal structures and recent pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies find a few cases where molecules hydrogen bond to the axial water. The water-bridged drug-H 2 O-heme has UV-vis spectra similar to nitrogen-ligated, six-coordinate complexes, but are closer to "reverse type I" complexes described in older liteature. Here, pulsed and continuous wave (CW) EPR demonstrate that water-bridged complexes are remarkably common among a range of nitrogenous drugs or drug fragments that bind to CYP3A4 or CYP2C9. Principal component analysis reveals a distinct clustering of CW EPR spectral parameters for water-bridged complexes. CW EPR reveals heterogeneous mixtures of ligated states, including multiple directly-coordinated complexes and water-bridged complexes. These results suggest that water-bridged complexes are under-represented in CYP structural databases and can have energies similar to other ligation modes. The data indicates that water-bridged binding modes can be identified and distinguished from directly-coordinated binding by CW EPR. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Cysteine-independent activation/inhibition of heme oxygenase-2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragic Vukomanovic

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Reactive thiols of cysteine (cys residues in proteins play a key role in transforming chemical reactivity into a biological response. The heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2 isozyme contains two cys residues that have been implicated in binding of heme and also the regulation of its activity. In this paper, we address the question of a role for cys residues for the HO-2 inhibitors or activators designed in our laboratory. We tested the activity of full length recombinant human heme oxygenase-2 (FL-hHO-2 and its analog in which cys265 and cys282 were both replaced by alanine to determine the effect on activation by menadione (MD and inhibition by QC-2350. Similar inhibition by QC-2350 and almost identical activation by MD was observed for both recombinant FL-hHO-2s. Our findings are interpreted to mean that thiols of FL-hHO-2s are not involved in HO-2 activation or inhibition by the compounds that have been designed and identified by us. Activation or inhibition of HO-2 by our compounds should be attributed to a mechanism other than altering binding affinity of HO-2 for heme through cys265 and cys282.

  5. Cysteine-independent activation/inhibition of heme oxygenase-2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vukomanovic, Dragic; Rahman, Mona N; Maines, Mahin D; Ozolinš, Terence Rs; Szarek, Walter A; Jia, Zongchao; Nakatsu, Kanji

    2016-03-01

    Reactive thiols of cysteine (cys) residues in proteins play a key role in transforming chemical reactivity into a biological response. The heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2) isozyme contains two cys residues that have been implicated in binding of heme and also the regulation of its activity. In this paper, we address the question of a role for cys residues for the HO-2 inhibitors or activators designed in our laboratory. We tested the activity of full length recombinant human heme oxygenase-2 (FL-hHO-2) and its analog in which cys265 and cys282 were both replaced by alanine to determine the effect on activation by menadione (MD) and inhibition by QC-2350. Similar inhibition by QC-2350 and almost identical activation by MD was observed for both recombinant FL-hHO-2s. Our findings are interpreted to mean that thiols of FL-hHO-2s are not involved in HO-2 activation or inhibition by the compounds that have been designed and identified by us. Activation or inhibition of HO-2 by our compounds should be attributed to a mechanism other than altering binding affinity of HO-2 for heme through cys265 and cys282.

  6. Data for molecular dynamics simulations of B-type cytochrome c oxidase with the Amber force field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Longhua Yang

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO is a vital enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of molecular oxygen to water and pumps protons across mitochondrial and bacterial membranes. This article presents parameters for the cofactors of ba3-type CcO that are compatible with the all-atom Amber ff12SB and ff14SB force fields. Specifically, parameters were developed for the CuA pair, heme b, and the dinuclear center that consists of heme a3 and CuB bridged by a hydroperoxo group. The data includes geometries in XYZ coordinate format for cluster models that were employed to compute proton transfer energies and derive bond parameters and point charges for the force field using density functional theory. Also included are the final parameter files that can be employed with the Amber leap program to generate input files for molecular dynamics simulations with the Amber software package. Based on the high resolution (1.8 Å X-ray crystal structure of the ba3-type CcO from Thermus thermophilus (Protein Data Bank ID number PDB: 3S8F, we built a model that is embedded in a POPC lipid bilayer membrane and solvated with TIP3P water molecules and counterions. We provide PDB data files of the initial model and the equilibrated model that can be used for further studies.

  7. Heme-induced ROS in Trypanosoma cruzi activates CaMKII-like that triggers epimastigote proliferation. One helpful effect of ROS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natália Pereira de Almeida Nogueira

    Full Text Available Heme is a ubiquitous molecule that has a number of physiological roles. The toxic effects of this molecule have been demonstrated in various models, based on both its pro-oxidant nature and through a detergent mechanism. It is estimated that about 10 mM of heme is released during blood digestion in the blood-sucking bug's midgut. The parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas' disease, proliferates in the midgut of the insect vector; however, heme metabolism in trypanosomatids remains to be elucidated. Here we provide a mechanistic explanation for the proliferative effects of heme on trypanosomatids. Heme, but not other porphyrins, induced T. cruzi proliferation, and this phenomenon was accompanied by a marked increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS formation in epimastigotes when monitored by ROS-sensitive fluorescent probes. Heme-induced ROS production was time- and concentration-dependent. In addition, lipid peroxidation and the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE adducts with parasite proteins were increased in epimastigotes in the presence of heme. Conversely, the antioxidants urate and GSH reversed the heme-induced ROS. Urate also decreased parasite proliferation. Among several protein kinase inhibitors tested only specific inhibitors of CaMKII, KN93 and Myr-AIP, were able to abolish heme-induced ROS formation in epimastigotes leading to parasite growth impairment. Taken together, these data provide new insight into T. cruzi- insect vector interactions: heme, a molecule from the blood digestion, triggers epimastigote proliferation through a redox-sensitive signalling mechanism.

  8. Nuclease-resistant c-di-AMP derivatives that differentially recognize RNA and protein receptors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meehan, Robert E.; Torgerson, Chad D.; Gaffney, Barbara L.; Jones, Roger A.; Strobel, Scott A.

    2016-01-01

    The ability of bacteria to sense environmental cues and adapt is essential for their survival. The use of second-messenger signaling molecules to translate these cues into a physiological response is a common mechanism employed by bacteria. The second messenger 3’-5’-cyclic diadenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) has been linked to a diverse set of biological processes involved in maintaining cell viability and homeostasis, as well as pathogenicity. A complex network of both protein and RNA receptors inside the cell activate specific pathways and mediate phenotypic outputs in response to c-di-AMP. Structural analysis of these RNA and protein receptors has revealed the different recognition elements employed by these effectors to bind the same small molecule. Herein, using a series of c-di-AMP analogs, we probed the interactions made with a riboswitch and a phosphodiesterase protein to identify the features important for c-di-AMP binding and recognition. We found that the ydaO riboswitch binds c-di-AMP in two discrete sites with near identical affinity and a Hill coefficient of 1.6. The ydaO riboswitch distinguishes between c-di-AMP and structurally related second messengers by discriminating against an amine at the C2 position, more than a carbonyl at the C6 position. We also identified phosphate-modified analogs that bind both the ydaO RNA and GdpP protein with high affinity, while symmetrically-modified ribose analogs exhibited a substantial decrease in ydaO affinity, but retained high affinity for GdpP. These ligand modifications resulted in increased resistance to enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis by the GdpP enzyme. Together, these data suggest that these c-di-AMP analogs could be useful as chemical tools to specifically target subsections of the second-messenger signaling pathways. PMID:26789423

  9. Heme Synthesis and Acquisition in Bacterial Pathogens

    OpenAIRE

    Choby, Jacob E.; Skaar, Eric P.

    2016-01-01

    Bacterial pathogens require the iron-containing cofactor heme to cause disease. Heme is essential to the function of hemoproteins, which are involved in energy generation by the electron transport chain, detoxification of host immune effectors, and other processes. During infection, bacterial pathogens must synthesize heme or acquire heme from the host; however, host heme is sequestered in high-affinity hemoproteins. Pathogens have evolved elaborate strategies to acquire heme from host source...

  10. Export of Cytochrome P450 105D1 to the Periplasmic Space of Escherichia coli

    OpenAIRE

    Kaderbhai, Mustak A.; Ugochukwu, Cynthia C.; Kelly, Steven L.; Lamb, David C.

    2001-01-01

    CYP105D1, a cytochrome P450 from Streptomyces griseus, was appended at its amino terminus to the secretory signal of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase and placed under the transcriptional control of the native phoA promoter. Heterologous expression in E. coli phosphate-limited medium resulted in abundant synthesis of recombinant CYP105D1 that was translocated across the bacterial inner membrane and processed to yield authentic, heme-incorporated P450 within the periplasmic space. Cell ext...

  11. Moessbauer spectroscopy on the reaction center of Rhodopseudomonas viridis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frolov, E.; Goldanskii, V.I.; Birk, A.; Parak, F.; Fritzsch, G.; Sinning, I.; Michel, H.

    1992-01-01

    Proteins called 'reaction centers' (RC) can be isolated from many photosynthetic bacteria. They have one non-heme iron in a quinone acceptor region. The RC of Rhodopseudomonas viridis contains an additional tightly bound tetra-heme cytochrome c subunit. The electronic configuration of both cytochrome and the non-heme iron has been studied in the crystallized protein by Moessbauer spectroscopy at different redox potentials, pH-values, and with an addition of o-phenanthroline. At high potentials (E h =+500 mV) all heme irons are in the low spin Fe 3+ -state, and at low potential (E h = 1 50 mV) they are low spin Fe 2+ with the same Moessbauer parameters for all hemes independent of pH. Redox titrations change the relative area of the reduced and oxidized states in agreement with other methods. The non-heme iron shows a high spin Fe 2+ configuration independent of E h and pH with parameters comparable to those of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Surprisingly, there is strong evidence for another non-heme iron species in part of the molecules with a Fe 2+ low spin configuration. Incubation with o-phenanthroline decreases the relative Fe 2+ hs-area and increases the contribution of Fe 2+ ls-area. Above 210 K the mean square displacement, 2 >, of the RC-crystals increases more than linearly with temperature. This may be correlated with the increase of the electron transfer rate and indicates that intramolecular mobility influences the functional activity of a protein. (orig.)

  12. Mutations in the FMN domain modulate MCD spectra of the heme site in the oxygenase domain of inducible nitric oxide synthase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sempombe, Joseph; Elmore, Bradley O; Sun, Xi; Dupont, Andrea; Ghosh, Dipak K; Guillemette, J Guy; Kirk, Martin L; Feng, Changjian

    2009-05-27

    The nitric oxide synthase (NOS) output state for NO production is a complex of the flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-binding domain and the heme domain, and thereby it facilitates the interdomain electron transfer from the FMN to the catalytic heme site. Emerging evidence suggests that interdomain FMN-heme interactions are important in the formation of the output state because they guide the docking of the FMN domain to the heme domain. In this study, notable effects of mutations in the adjacent FMN domain on the heme structure in a human iNOS bidomain oxygenase/FMN construct have been observed by using low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy. The comparative MCD study of wild-type and mutant proteins clearly indicates that a properly docked FMN domain contributes to the observed L-Arg perturbation of the heme MCD spectrum in the wild-type protein and that the conserved surface residues in the FMN domain (E546 and E603) play key roles in facilitating a productive alignment of the FMN and heme domains in iNOS.

  13. Novel cyclic di-GMP effectors of the YajQ protein family control bacterial virulence.

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    Shi-qi An

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Bis-(3',5' cyclic di-guanylate (cyclic di-GMP is a key bacterial second messenger that is implicated in the regulation of many critical processes that include motility, biofilm formation and virulence. Cyclic di-GMP influences diverse functions through interaction with a range of effectors. Our knowledge of these effectors and their different regulatory actions is far from complete, however. Here we have used an affinity pull-down assay using cyclic di-GMP-coupled magnetic beads to identify cyclic di-GMP binding proteins in the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc. This analysis identified XC_3703, a protein of the YajQ family, as a potential cyclic di-GMP receptor. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed that the purified XC_3703 protein bound cyclic di-GMP with a high affinity (K(d∼2 µM. Mutation of XC_3703 led to reduced virulence of Xcc to plants and alteration in biofilm formation. Yeast two-hybrid and far-western analyses showed that XC_3703 was able to interact with XC_2801, a transcription factor of the LysR family. Mutation of XC_2801 and XC_3703 had partially overlapping effects on the transcriptome of Xcc, and both affected virulence. Electromobility shift assays showed that XC_3703 positively affected the binding of XC_2801 to the promoters of target virulence genes, an effect that was reversed by cyclic di-GMP. Genetic and functional analysis of YajQ family members from the human pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia showed that they also specifically bound cyclic di-GMP and contributed to virulence in model systems. The findings thus identify a new class of cyclic di-GMP effector that regulates bacterial virulence.

  14. Comparative study of enzyme activity and heme reactivity in Drosophila melanogaster and Homo sapiens cystathionine β-synthases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Yang; Majtan, Tomas; Freeman, Katherine M; Linck, Rachel; Ponter, Sarah; Kraus, Jan P; Burstyn, Judith N

    2013-01-29

    Cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) is the first and rate-limiting enzyme in the transsulfuration pathway, which is critical for the synthesis of cysteine from methionine in eukaryotes. CBS uses coenzyme pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) for catalysis, and S-adenosylmethionine regulates the activity of human CBS, but not yeast CBS. Human and fruit fly CBS contain heme; however, the role for heme is not clear. This paper reports biochemical and spectroscopic characterization of CBS from fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (DmCBS) and the CO/NO gas binding reactions of DmCBS and human CBS. Like CBS enzymes from lower organisms (e.g., yeast), DmCBS is intrinsically highly active and is not regulated by AdoMet. The DmCBS heme coordination environment, the reactivity, and the accompanying effects on enzyme activity are similar to those of human CBS. The DmCBS heme bears histidine and cysteine axial ligands, and the enzyme becomes inactive when the cysteine ligand is replaced. The Fe(II) heme in DmCBS is less stable than that in human CBS, undergoing more facile reoxidation and ligand exchange. In both CBS proteins, the overall stability of the protein is correlated with the heme oxidation state. Human and DmCBS Fe(II) hemes react relatively slowly with CO and NO, and the rate of the CO binding reaction is faster at low pH than at high pH. Together, the results suggest that heme incorporation and AdoMet regulation in CBS are not correlated, possibly providing two independent means for regulating the enzyme.

  15. Regulation of human heme oxygenase in endothelial cells by using sense and antisense retroviral constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quan, S; Yang, L; Abraham, N G; Kappas, A

    2001-10-09

    Our objective was to determine whether overexpression and underexpression of human heme oxygenase (HHO)-1 could be controlled on a long-term basis by introduction of the HO-1 gene in sense (S) and antisense (AS) orientation with an appropriate vector into endothelial cells. Retroviral vector (LXSN) containing viral long terminal repeat promoter-driven human HO-1 S (LSN-HHO-1) and LXSN vectors containing HHO-1 promoter (HOP)-controlled HHO-1 S and AS (LSN-HOP-HHO-1 and LSN-HOP-HHO-1-AS) sequences were constructed and used to transfect rat lung microvessel endothelial cells (RLMV cells) and human dermal microvessel endothelial cells (HMEC-1 cells). RLMV cells transduced with HHO-1 S expressed human HO-1 mRNA and HO-1 protein associated with elevation in total HO activity compared with nontransduced cells. Vector-mediated expression of HHO-1 S or AS under control of HOP resulted in effective production of HO-1 or blocked induction of endogenous human HO-1 in HMEC-1 cells, respectively. Overexpression of HO-1 AS was associated with a long-term decrease (45%) of endogenous HO-1 protein and an increase (167%) in unmetabolized exogenous heme in HMEC-1 cells. Carbon monoxide (CO) production in HO-1 S- or AS-transduced HMEC-1 cells after heme treatment was increased (159%) or decreased (50%), respectively, compared with nontransduced cells. HO-2 protein levels did not change. These findings demonstrate that HHO-1 S and AS retroviral constructs are functional in enhancing and reducing HO activity, respectively, and thus can be used to regulate cellular heme levels, the activity of heme-dependent enzymes, and the rate of heme catabolism to CO and bilirubin.

  16. Diamond Blackfan Anemia at the Crossroad between Ribosome Biogenesis and Heme Metabolism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deborah Chiabrando

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA is a rare, pure red-cell aplasia that presents during infancy. Approximately 40% of cases are associated with other congenital defects, particularly malformations of the upper limb or craniofacial region. Mutations in the gene coding for the ribosomal protein RPS19 have been identified in 25% of patients with DBA, with resulting impairment of 18S rRNA processing and 40S ribosomal subunit formation. Moreover, mutations in other ribosomal protein coding genes account for about 25% of other DBA cases. Recently, the analysis of mice from which the gene coding for the heme exporter Feline Leukemia Virus subgroup C Receptor (FLVCR1 is deleted suggested that this gene may be involved in the pathogenesis of DBA. FLVCR1-null mice show a phenotype resembling that of DBA patients, including erythroid failure and malformations. Interestingly, some DBA patients have disease linkage to chromosome 1q31, where FLVCR1 is mapped. Moreover, it has been reported that cells from DBA patients express alternatively spliced isoforms of FLVCR1 which encode non-functional proteins. Herein, we review the known roles of RPS19 and FLVCR1 in ribosome function and heme metabolism respectively, and discuss how the deficiency of a ribosomal protein or of a heme exporter may result in the same phenotype.

  17. Identification, activity and disulfide connectivity of C-di-GMP regulating proteins in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kajal Gupta

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available C-di-GMP, a bacterial second messenger plays a key role in survival and adaptation of bacteria under different environmental conditions. The level of c-di-GMP is regulated by two opposing activities, namely diguanylate cyclase (DGC and phosphodiesterase (PDE-A exhibited by GGDEF and EAL domain, respectively in the same protein. Previously, we reported a bifunctional GGDEF-EAL domain protein, MSDGC-1 from Mycobacterium smegmatis showing both these activities (Kumar and Chatterji, 2008. In this current report, we have identified and characterized the homologous protein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Rv 1354c named as MtbDGC. MtbDGC is also a bifunctional protein, which can synthesize and degrade c-di-GMP in vitro. Further we expressed Mtbdgc in M. smegmatis and it was able to complement the MSDGC-1 knock out strain by restoring the long term survival of M. smegmatis. Another protein Rv 1357c, named as MtbPDE, is an EAL domain protein and degrades c-di-GMP to pGpG in vitro. Rv1354c and 1357c have seven cysteine amino acids in their sequence, distributed along the full length of the protein. Disulfide bonds play an important role in stabilizing protein structure and regulating protein function. By proteolytic digestion and mass spectrometric analysis of MtbDGC, connectivity between cysteine pairs Cys94-Cys584, Cys2-Cys479 and Cys429-Cys614 was determined, whereas the third cysteine (Cys406 from N terminal was found to be free in MtbDGC protein, which was further confirmed by alkylation with iodoacetamide labeling. Bioinformatics modeling investigations also supported the pattern of disulfide connectivity obtained by Mass spectrometric analysis. Cys406 was mutated to serine by site directed mutagenesis and the mutant MtbC406S was not found to be active and was not able to synthesize or degrade c-di-GMP. The disulfide connectivity established here would help further in understanding the structure - function relationship in MtbDGC.

  18. Fate of free radicals generated during one-electron reductions of 4-alkyl-1,4-peroxyquinols by cytochrome P-450

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yumibe, N.P.; Thompson, J.A.

    1988-01-01

    Free radicals resulting from the one-electron reduction and subsequent homolytic cleavage of oxygen-oxygen bonds by heme proteins are likely to be responsible for some aspects of the toxicity of organic hydroperoxides. In the present work, effects of the 4-alkyl substituent of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-alkyl-4-hydroperoxycytohexa-2,5-dienones on radical production were investigated with microsomal cytochrome P-450 from rat liver. Quinoxy radicals from homolysis of the peroxyquinols underwent β-scission to produce a quinone and an alkyl radical, and this process occurred with increasing frequency as the stability of the alkyl radical increased. The fate of benzyl and 2-phenylethyl radicals generated from the appropriately substituted peroxyquinols was investigated also. The former was converted to benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, and toluene and the latter to 2-phenylethanol, phenylacetaldehyde, ethylbenzene, styrene, and benzaldehyde. Oxygen-18 labeling studies demonstrate that 80-85% of the benzyl alcohol incorporated oxygen from the hydroperoxide and the balance from molecular oxygen. This indicates that the predominant reaction pathway involved recombination between the benzyl radical and the iron-bound hydroxyl radical of the P-450 intermediate complex. By contrast, about 50% of 2-phenylethanol from the 2-phenylethyl radical incorporated oxygen from water and the balance from O 2 . Two alternative mechanisms are proposed to explain the formation of 2-phenylethanol that contained oxygen from water and the concurrent formation of styrene: (a) oxygen exchange of the P-450 intermediate with water, followed by hydrogen abstraction and radical recombination reactions with the P-450 complex, or (b) oxidation of the radical to the 2-phenylethyl cation followed by proton elimination and hydration

  19. Analysis of the selective advantage conferred by a C-E1 fusion protein synthesized by rubella virus DI RNAs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Claus, Claudia; Tzeng, W.-P.; Liebert, Uwe Gerd; Frey, Teryl K.

    2007-01-01

    During serial passaging of rubella virus (RUB) in cell culture, the dominant species of defective-interfering RNA (DI) generated contains an in-frame deletion between the capsid protein (C) gene and E1 glycoprotein gene resulting in production of a C-E1 fusion protein that is necessary for the maintenance of the DI [Tzeng, W.P., Frey, T.K. (2006). C-E1 fusion protein synthesized by rubella virus DI RNAs maintained during serial passage. Virology 356 198-207.]. A BHK cell line stably expressing the RUB structural proteins was established which was used to package DIs into virus particles following transfection with in vitro transcripts from DI infectious cDNA constructs. Packaging of a DI encoding an in-frame C-GFP-E1 reporter fusion protein corresponding to the C-E1 fusion protein expressed in a native DI was only marginally more efficient than packaging of a DI encoding GFP, indicating that the C-E1 fusion protein did not function by enhancing packaging. However, infection with the DI encoding the C-GFP-E1 fusion protein (in the absence of wt RUB helper virus) resulted in formation of clusters of GFP-positive cells and the percentage of GFP-positive cells in the culture following infection remained relatively constant. In contrast, a DI encoding GFP did not form GFP-positive clusters and the percentage of GFP-positive cells declined by roughly half from 2 to 4 days post-infection. Cluster formation and sustaining the percentage of infected (GFP-positive) cells required the C part of the fusion protein, including the downstream but not the upstream of two arginine clusters (both of which are associated with RNA binding and association with mitochondrial p32 protein) and the E1 part through the transmembrane sequence, but not the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail. Among a collection of mutant DI constructs, cluster formation and sustaining infected cell percentage correlated with maintenance during serial passage with wt RUB. We hypothesize that cluster formation and

  20. Delayed globin synthesis leads to excess heme and the macrocytic anemia of Diamond Blackfan anemia and del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhantao; Keel, Siobán B; Shimamura, Akiko; Liu, Li; Gerds, Aaron T; Li, Henry Y; Wood, Brent L; Scott, Bart L; Abkowitz, Janis L

    2016-05-11

    Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with isolated del(5q) are severe macrocytic anemias; although both are associated with impaired ribosome assembly, why the anemia occurs is not known. We cultured marrow cells from DBA (n = 3) and del(5q) MDS (n = 6) patients and determined how heme (a toxic chemical) and globin (a protein) are coordinated. We show that globin translation initiates slowly, whereas heme synthesis proceeds normally. This results in insufficient globin protein, excess heme and excess reactive oxygen species in early erythroid precursors, and CFU-E (colony-forming unit-erythroid)/proerythroblast cell death. The cells that can more rapidly and effectively export heme or can slow heme synthesis preferentially survive and appropriately mature. Consistent with these observations, treatment with 10 μM succinylacetone, a specific inhibitor of heme synthesis, improved the erythroid cell output of DBA and del(5q) MDS marrow cultures by 68 to 95% (P = 0.03 to 0.05), whereas the erythroid cell output of concurrent control marrow cultures decreased by 4 to 13%. Our studies demonstrate that erythropoiesis fails when heme exceeds globin. Our data further suggest that therapies that decrease heme synthesis (or facilitate heme export) could improve the red blood cell production of persons with DBA, del(5q) MDS, and perhaps other macrocytic anemias. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  1. Effects of Zinc Deuteroporphyrin Bis Glycol on Newborn Mice After Heme-Loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Cynthia X.; Campbell, Claire M.; Zhao, Hui; Kalish, Flora S.; Schulz, Stephanie; Vreman, Hendrik J.; Wong, Ronald J.; Stevenson, David K.

    2011-01-01

    Infants with hemolytic diseases frequently develop hyperbilirubinemia, but standard phototherapy only eliminates bilirubin after its production. A better strategy might be to directly inhibit heme oxygenase (HO), the rate-limiting enzyme in bilirubin production. Metalloporphyrins (Mps) are heme analogs that competitively inhibit HO activity in vitro and in vivo and suppress plasma bilirubin levels in vivo. A promising Mp, zinc deuteroporphyrin bis glycol (ZnBG), is orally absorbed and effectively inhibits HO activity at relatively low doses. We determined the I50 (the dose needed to inhibit HO activity by 50%) of orally administered ZnBG in vivo and then evaluated ZnBG’s effects on in vivo bilirubin production, HO activity, HO protein levels, and HO-1 gene expression in newborn mice following heme-loading, a model analogous to a hemolytic infant. The I50 of ZnBG was found to be 4.0 μmol/kg body weight (BW). At a dose of 15-μmol/kg BW, ZnBG reduced in vivo bilirubin production, inhibited heme-induced liver HO activity and spleen HO activity to and below baseline, respectively, transiently induced liver and spleen HO-1 gene transcription, and induced liver and spleen HO-1 protein levels. We conclude that ZnBG may be an attractive compound for treating severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia caused by hemolytic disease. PMID:21785387

  2. PCBP1 and NCOA4 regulate erythroid iron storage and heme biosynthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, Moon-Suhn; Zhang, Deliang; Protchenko, Olga; Shakoury-Elizeh, Minoo; Philpott, Caroline C

    2017-05-01

    Developing erythrocytes take up exceptionally large amounts of iron, which must be transferred to mitochondria for incorporation into heme. This massive iron flux must be precisely controlled to permit the coordinated synthesis of heme and hemoglobin while avoiding the toxic effects of chemically reactive iron. In cultured animal cells, iron chaperones poly rC-binding protein 1 (PCBP1) and PCBP2 deliver iron to ferritin, the sole cytosolic iron storage protein, and nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) mediates the autophagic turnover of ferritin. The roles of PCBP, ferritin, and NCOA4 in erythroid development remain unclear. Here, we show that PCBP1, NCOA4, and ferritin are critical for murine red cell development. Using a cultured cell model of erythroid differentiation, depletion of PCBP1 or NCOA4 impaired iron trafficking through ferritin, which resulted in reduced heme synthesis, reduced hemoglobin formation, and perturbation of erythroid regulatory systems. Mice lacking Pcbp1 exhibited microcytic anemia and activation of compensatory erythropoiesis via the regulators erythropoietin and erythroferrone. Ex vivo differentiation of erythroid precursors from Pcbp1-deficient mice confirmed defects in ferritin iron flux and heme synthesis. These studies demonstrate the importance of ferritin for the vectorial transfer of imported iron to mitochondria in developing red cells and of PCBP1 and NCOA4 in mediating iron flux through ferritin.

  3. LC-MS of Metmyoglobin at pH = 2: Separation and Characterization of Apomyoglobin and Heme by ESI-MS and UV-Vis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stynes, Helen Cleary; Layo, Araceli; Smith, Richard W.

    2004-01-01

    The protein species of apomyoglobin (apoMb) and heme are freed and segregated from the aqueous protein solution of metmyoglobin by liquid chromatography, and are distinguished by UV-Vis absorption or electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). This is an ingenious and effective approach to characterize apomyoglobin and heme, while students…

  4. Dietary heme-mediated PPARα activation does not affect the heme-induced epithelial hyperproliferation and hyperplasia in mouse colon.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noortje Ijssennagger

    Full Text Available Red meat consumption is associated with an increased colon cancer risk. Heme, present in red meat, injures the colon surface epithelium by luminal cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species. This surface injury is overcompensated by hyperproliferation and hyperplasia of crypt cells. Transcriptome analysis of mucosa of heme-fed mice showed, besides stress- and proliferation-related genes, many upregulated lipid metabolism-related PPARα target genes. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PPARα in heme-induced hyperproliferation and hyperplasia. Male PPARα KO and WT mice received a purified diet with or without heme. As PPARα is proposed to protect against oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, we hypothesized that the absence of PPARα leads to more surface injury and crypt hyperproliferation in the colon upon heme-feeding. Heme induced luminal cytotoxicity and lipid peroxidation and colonic hyperproliferation and hyperplasia to the same extent in WT and KO mice. Transcriptome analysis of colonic mucosa confirmed similar heme-induced hyperproliferation in WT and KO mice. Stainings for alkaline phosphatase activity and expression levels of Vanin-1 and Nrf2-targets indicated a compromised antioxidant defense in heme-fed KO mice. Our results suggest that the protective role of PPARα in antioxidant defense involves the Nrf2-inhibitor Fosl1, which is upregulated by heme in PPARα KO mice. We conclude that PPARα plays a protective role in colon against oxidative stress, but PPARα does not mediate heme-induced hyperproliferation. This implies that oxidative stress of surface cells is not the main determinant of heme-induced hyperproliferation and hyperplasia.

  5. Evidence of dithionite contribution to the low-frequency resonance Raman spectrum of reduced and mixed-valence cytochrome c oxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Centeno, J A

    1992-02-01

    The resonance Raman spectra of deoxygenated solutions of mixed-valence cyanide-bound and fully reduced cytochrome oxidase derivatives that have been reduced in the presence of aqueous or solid sodium dithionite exhibit two new low-frequency lines centered at 474 and 590 cm-1. These lines were not observed when the reductant system was changed to a solution containing ascorbate and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD). Under enzyme turnover conditions, the addition of dithionite to the reoxidized protein (the 428-nm or "oxygenated" form) increases the intensity of these lines, while reoxidation and rereduction of the enzyme in the presence of ascorbate/TMPD resulted in the absence of both lines. Our data suggest that both lines must have contributions from species formed from aqueous dithionite, presumably the SO2 species, since these two lines are also observed in the Raman spectrum of a solution of aqueous dithionite, but not in the spectrum of an ascorbate/TMPD solution. Since heme metal-ligand stretch vibrations are expected to appear in the low-frequency region from 215 to 670 cm-1, our results indicate that special care should be exercised during the interpretation of the cytochrome a3 resonance Raman spectrum.

  6. Characterisation of Anopheles gambiae heme oxygenase and metalloporphyrin feeding suggests a potential role in reproduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Christopher S; Yunta, Cristina; de Lima, Glauber Pacelli Gomes; Hemmings, Kay; Lian, Lu-Yun; Lycett, Gareth; Paine, Mark J I

    2018-05-03

    The mosquito Anopheles gambiae is the principal vector for malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. The ability of A. gambiae to transmit malaria is strictly related to blood feeding and digestion, which releases nutrients for oogenesis, as well as substantial amounts of highly toxic free heme. Heme degradation by heme oxygenase (HO) is a common protective mechanism, and a gene for HO exists in the An. gambiae genome HO (AgHO), although it has yet to be functionally examined. Here, we have cloned and expressed An. gambiae HO (AgHO) in E. coli. Purified recombinant AgHO bound hemin stoichiometrically to form a hemin-enzyme complex similar to other HOs, with a K D of 3.9 ± 0.6 μM; comparable to mammalian and bacterial HOs, but 7-fold lower than that of Drosophila melanogaster HO. AgHO also degraded hemin to biliverdin and released CO and iron in the presence of NADPH cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CPR). Optimal AgHO activity was observed at 27.5 °C and pH 7.5. To investigate effects of AgHO inhibition, adult female A. gambiae were fed heme analogues Sn- and Zn-protoporphyrins (SnPP and ZnPP), known to inhibit HO. These led to a dose dependent decrease in oviposition. Cu-protoporphyrin (CuPP), which does not inhibit HO had no effect. These results demonstrate that AgHO is a catalytically active HO and that it may play a key role in egg production in mosquitoes. It also presents a potential target for the development of compounds aimed at sterilising mosquitoes for vector control. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Coordination modes of tyrosinate-ligated catalase-type heme enzymes: magnetic circular dichroism studies of Plexaura homomalla allene oxide synthase, Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis protein-2744c, and bovine liver catalase in their ferric and ferrous states.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandara, D M Indika; Sono, Masanori; Bruce, Grant S; Brash, Alan R; Dawson, John H

    2011-12-01

    Bovine liver catalase (BLC), catalase-related allene oxide synthase (cAOS) from Plexaura homomalla, and a recently isolated protein from the cattle pathogen Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP-2744c (MAP)) are all tyrosinate-ligated heme enzymes whose crystal structures have been reported. cAOS and MAP have low (enzymes in their ferric and ferrous states using magnetic circular dichroism and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. The MAP protein shows remarkable spectral similarities to cAOS and BLC in its native Fe(III) state, but clear differences from ferric proximal heme ligand His93Tyr Mb (myoglobin) mutant, which may be attributed to the presence of an Arg(+)-N(ω)-H···¯O-Tyr (proximal heme axial ligand) hydrogen bond in the first three heme proteins. Furthermore, the spectra of Fe(III)-CN¯, Fe(III)-NO, Fe(II)-NO (except for five-coordinate MAP), Fe(II)-CO, and Fe(II)-O(2) states of cAOS and MAP, but not H93Y Mb, are also similar to the corresponding six-coordinate complexes of BLC, suggesting that a tyrosinate (Tyr-O¯) is the heme axial ligand trans to the bound ligands in these complexes. The Arg(+)-N(ω)-H to ¯O-Tyr hydrogen bond would be expected to modulate the donor properties of the proximal tyrosinate oxyanion and, combined with the subtle differences in the catalytic site structures, affect the activities of cAOS, MAP and BLC. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. In vitro modulation of cytochrome P450 reductase supported indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity by allosteric effectors cytochrome b(5) and methylene blue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, Josh T; Siu, Sophia; Meininger, David P; Wienkers, Larry C; Rock, Dan A

    2010-03-30

    Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a heme-containing dioxygenase involved in the degradation of several indoleamine derivatives and has been indicated as an immunosuppressive. IDO is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention in diseases which are known to capitalize on immune suppression, including cancer, HIV, and inflammatory diseases. Conventionally, IDO activity is measured through chemical reduction by the addition of ascorbate and methylene blue. Identification of potential coenzymes involved in the reduction of IDO in vivo should improve in vitro reconstitution systems used to identify potential IDO inhibitors. In this study we show that NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) is capable of supporting IDO activity in vitro and that oxidation of l-Trp follows substrate inhibition kinetics (k(cat) = 0.89 +/- 0.04 s(-1), K(m) = 0.72 +/- 0.15 microM, and K(i) = 9.4 +/- 2.0 microM). Addition of cytochrome b(5) to CPR-supported l-Trp incubations results in modulation from substrate inhibition to sigmoidal kinetics (k(cat) = 1.7 +/- 0.3 s(-1), K(m) = 1.5 +/- 0.9 microM, and K(i) = 1.9 +/- 0.3). CPR-supported d-Trp oxidations (+/-cytochrome b(5)) exhibit Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Addition of methylene blue (minus ascorbate) to CPR-supported reactions resulted in inhibition of d-Trp turnover and modulation of l-Trp kinetics from allosteric to Michaelis-Menten with a concurrent decrease in substrate affinity for IDO. Our data indicate that CPR is capable of supporting IDO activity in vitro and oxidation of tryptophan by IDO displays substrate stereochemistry dependent atypical kinetics which can be modulated by the addition of cytochrome b(5).

  9. Dietary Heme Induces Gut Dysbiosis, Aggravates Colitis, and Potentiates the Development of Adenomas in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Constante

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Dietary heme can be used by colonic bacteria equipped with heme-uptake systems as a growth factor and thereby impact on the microbial community structure. The impact of heme on the gut microbiota composition may be particularly pertinent in chronic inflammation such as in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, where a strong association with gut dysbiosis has been consistently reported. In this study we investigated the influence of dietary heme on the gut microbiota and inferred metagenomic composition, and on chemically induced colitis and colitis-associated adenoma development in mice. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we found that mice fed a diet supplemented with heme significantly altered their microbiota composition, characterized by a decrease in α-diversity, a reduction of Firmicutes and an increase of Proteobacteria, particularly Enterobacteriaceae. These changes were similar to shifts seen in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS-treated mice to induce colitis. In addition, dietary heme, but not systemically delivered heme, contributed to the exacerbation of DSS-induced colitis and facilitated adenoma formation in the azoxymethane/DSS colorectal cancer (CRC mouse model. Using inferred metagenomics, we found that the microbiota alterations elicited by dietary heme resulted in non-beneficial functional shifts, which were also characteristic of DSS-induced colitis. Furthermore, a reduction in fecal butyrate levels was found in mice fed the heme supplemented diet compared to mice fed the control diet. Iron metabolism genes known to contribute to heme release from red blood cells, heme uptake, and heme exporter proteins, were significantly enriched, indicating a shift toward favoring the growth of bacteria able to uptake heme and protect against its toxicity. In conclusion, our data suggest that luminal heme, originating from dietary components or gastrointestinal bleeding in IBD and, to lesser extent in CRC, directly contributes to microbiota dysbiosis

  10. Difference gel electrophoresis (DiGE) identifies differentially expressed proteins in endoscopically-collected pancreatic fluid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulo, Joao A.; Lee, Linda S.; Banks, Peter A.; Steen, Hanno; Conwell, Darwin L.

    2012-01-01

    Alterations in the pancreatic fluid proteome of individuals with chronic pancreatitis may offer insights into the development and progression of the disease. The endoscopic pancreas function test (ePFT) can safely collect large volumes of pancreatic fluid that are potentially amenable to proteomic analyses using difference gel electrophoresis (DiGE) coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Pancreatic fluid was collected endoscopically using the ePFT method following secretin stimulation from three individuals with severe chronic pancreatitis and three chronic abdominal pain controls. The fluid was processed to minimize protein degradation and the protein profiles of each cohort, as determined by DiGE and LC-MS/MS, were compared. This DiGE-LC-MS/MS analysis reveals proteins that are differentially expressed in chronic pancreatitis compared to chronic abdominal pain controls. Proteins with higher abundance in pancreatic fluid from chronic pancreatitis individuals include: actin, desmoplankin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, SNC73, and serotransferrin. Those of relatively lower abundance include carboxypeptidase B, lipase, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, alpha-2-macroglobulin, Arp2/3 subunit 4, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and protein disulfide isomerase. Endoscopic collection (ePFT) in tandem with DiGE-LC-MS/MS is a suitable approach for pancreatic fluid proteome analysis, however, further optimization of our protocol, as outlined herein, may improve proteome coverage in future analyses. PMID:21792986

  11. Suicide inactivation of cytochrome P-450 by methoxsalen. Evidence for the covalent binding of a reactive intermediate to the protein moiety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Labbe, G.; Descatoire, V.; Beaune, P.; Letteron, P.; Larrey, D.; Pessayre, D.

    1989-01-01

    Incubation of rat liver microsomes with [3H]methoxsalen and NADPH resulted in the covalent binding of a methoxsalen intermediate to proteins comigrating with cytochromes P-450 UT-A, PB-B/D, ISF-G and PCN-E. Binding was increased by pretreatments with phenobarbital, beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF) and dexamethasone. Such pretreatments also increased the loss of CO-binding capacity either after administration of methoxsalen, or after incubation of hepatic microsomes with methoxsalen and NADPH. Immunoprecipitation of the methoxsalen metabolite-protein adducts in phenobarbital-induced microsomes was moderate with anti-UT-A antibodies, but marked with anti-PB-B/D and anti-PCN-E antibodies. Immunoprecipitation was observed also with anti-ISF-G (anti-beta NF-B) antibodies in beta NF-induced microsomes. Methoxsalen (0.25 mM) inhibited markedly the benzphetamine demethylase activity of phenobarbital-induced microsomes and the erythromycin demethylase activity of dexamethasone-induced microsomes. Whereas methoxsalen itself did not produce any binding spectrum, in contrast either in vivo administration of methoxsalen or incubation in vitro with methoxsalen and NADPH resulted in a low-to-high spin conversion of cytochrome P-450 as suggested by the appearance of a spectrum analogous to a type I binding spectrum. This low-to-high spin conversion was apparently due to a methoxsalen intermediate (probably, covalently bound to the protein and preventing partial sixth ligation of the iron). We conclude that suicide inactivation of cytochrome P-450 by methoxsalen is related to the covalent binding of a methoxsalen intermediate to the protein moiety of several cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes (including UT-A, PB-B/D, PCN-E as well as ISF-G and/or beta NF-B)

  12. Nitric oxide heme interactions in nitrophorin from Cimex lectularius

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Christmann, R.; Auerbach, H., E-mail: auerbach@physik.uni-kl.de [University of Kaiserslautern, Department of Physics (Germany); Berry, R. E.; Walker, F. A. [The University of Arizona, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States); Schünemann, V. [University of Kaiserslautern, Department of Physics (Germany)

    2016-12-15

    The nitrophorin from the bedbug Cimex lectularius (cNP) is a nitric oxide (NO) carrying protein. Like the nitrophorins (rNPs) from the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus, cNP forms a stable heme Fe(III)-NO complex, where the NO can be stored reversibly for a long period of time. In both cases, the NPs are found in the salivary glands of blood-sucking bugs. The insects use the nitrophorins to transport the NO to the victim’s tissues, resulting in vasodilation and reduced blood coagulation. However, the structure of cNP is significantly different to those of the rNPs from Rhodnius prolixus. Furthermore, the cNP can bind a second NO molecule to the proximal heme cysteine when present at higher concentrations. High field Mössbauer spectroscopy on {sup 57}Fe enriched cNP complexed with NO shows reduction of the heme iron and formation of a ferrous nitric oxide (Fe(II)-NO) complex. Density functional theory calculations reproduce the experimental Mössbauer parameters and confirm this observation.

  13. Temperature dependence of Q-band electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of nitrosyl heme proteins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Flores, Marco; Wajnberg, Eliane; Bemski, George

    1997-11-01

    The Q-band (35 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of nitrosyl hemoglobin (Hb N O) and nitrosyl myoglobin (Mb NO) were studied as a function of temperature between 19 K and 200 K. The spectra of both heme proteins show classes of variations as a function of temperature. The first one has previously been associated with the existence of two paramagnetic species, one with rhombic and the other with axial symmetry. The second one manifests itself in changes in the g-factors and linewidths of each species. These changes are correlated with the conformational substates model and associate the variations of g-values with changes in the angle of the N(his)-Fe-N (NO) bond in the rhombic species and with changes in the distance between Fe and N of the proximal (F8) histidine in the axial species. (author) 24 refs., 6 figs.

  14. Immunohistochemical detection of cytochrome P450 isoenzymes in cultured human epidermal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Pelt, F N; Meierink, Y J; Blaauboer, B J; Weterings, P J

    1990-12-01

    We used specific monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to human cytochrome P450 isoenzymes to determine the presence of these proteins in human epidermal cells. Two MAb (P450-5 and P450-8) recognize major forms of hepatic cytochrome P450 involved in biotransformation of xenobiotics. A third MAb, to cytochrome P450-9, is not fully characterized. The proteins were determined by the indirect immunoperoxidase technique after fixation with methanol and acetone. Biopsy materials for cultured keratinocytes, i.e., foreskin and hair follicles, contained the two major forms of cytochrome P450. In cultured keratinocytes derived from hair follicles the proteins were undetectable, whereas the keratinocytes derived from foreskin continued to express the two major forms of hepatic cytochrome P450. Cultured human fibroblasts and a human keratinocyte cell line (SVK14) showed staining similar to that of the foreskin keratinocytes. Cytochrome P450-9 was detectable only in human hepatocytes. The results indicate that, under the culture conditions applied, cultured human foreskin cells and the cell line SVK14 continue to express specific cytochrome P450 isoenzymes in culture, in contrast to hair follicle keratinocytes.

  15. Heme and erythropoieis: more than a structural role.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiabrando, Deborah; Mercurio, Sonia; Tolosano, Emanuela

    2014-06-01

    Erythropoiesis is the biological process that consumes the highest amount of body iron for heme synthesis. Heme synthesis in erythroid cells is finely coordinated with that of alpha (α) and beta (β)-globin, resulting in the production of hemoglobin, a tetramer of 2α- and 2β-globin chains, and heme as the prosthetic group. Heme is not only the structural component of hemoglobin, but it plays multiple regulatory roles during the differentiation of erythroid precursors since it controls its own synthesis and regulates the expression of several erythroid-specific genes. Heme is synthesized in developing erythroid progenitors by the stage of proerythroblast, through a series of eight enzymatic reactions divided between mitochondria and cytosol. Defects of heme synthesis in the erythroid lineage result in sideroblastic anemias, characterized by microcytic anemia associated to mitochondrial iron overload, or in erythropoietic porphyrias, characterized by porphyrin deposition in erythroid cells. Here, we focus on the heme biosynthetic pathway and on human erythroid disorders due to defective heme synthesis. The regulatory role of heme during erythroid differentiation is discussed as well as the heme-mediated regulatory mechanisms that allow the orchestration of the adaptive cell response to heme deficiency. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

  16. Multifunctional Cytochrome c: Learning New Tricks from an Old Dog.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez-Paggi, Damián; Hannibal, Luciana; Castro, María A; Oviedo-Rouco, Santiago; Demicheli, Veronica; Tórtora, Veronica; Tomasina, Florencia; Radi, Rafael; Murgida, Daniel H

    2017-11-08

    Cytochrome c (cyt c) is a small soluble heme protein characterized by a relatively flexible structure, particularly in the ferric form, such that it is able to sample a broad conformational space. Depending on the specific conditions, interactions, and cellular localization, different conformations may be stabilized, which differ in structure, redox properties, binding affinities, and enzymatic activity. The primary function is electron shuttling in oxidative phosphorylation, and is exerted by the so-called native cyt c in the intermembrane mitochondrial space of healthy cells. Under pro-apoptotic conditions, however, cyt c gains cardiolipin peroxidase activity, translocates into the cytosol to engage in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, and enters the nucleus where it impedes nucleosome assembly. Other reported functions include cytosolic redox sensing and involvement in the mitochondrial oxidative folding machinery. Moreover, post-translational modifications such as nitration, phosphorylation, and sulfoxidation of specific amino acids induce alternative conformations with differential properties, at least in vitro. Similar structural and functional alterations are elicited by biologically significant electric fields and by naturally occurring mutations of human cyt c that, along with mutations at the level of the maturation system, are associated with specific diseases. Here, we summarize current knowledge and recent advances in understanding the different structural, dynamic, and thermodynamic factors that regulate the primary electron transfer function, as well as alternative functions and conformations of cyt c. Finally, we present recent technological applications of this moonlighting protein.

  17. Single or functionalized fullerenes interacting with heme group

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Costa, Wallison Chaves; Diniz, Eduardo Moraes, E-mail: eduardo.diniz@ufma.br [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Avenida dos Portugueses, 1966, CEP 65080-805, São Luís - MA (Brazil)

    2014-09-15

    The heme group is responsible for iron transportation through the bloodstream, where iron participates in redox reactions, electron transfer, gases detection etc. The efficiency of such processes can be reduced if the whole heme molecule or even the iron is somehow altered from its original oxidation state, which can be caused by interactions with nanoparticles as fullerenes. To verify how such particles alter the geometry and electronic structure of heme molecule, here we report first principles calculations based on density functional theory of heme group interacting with single C{sub 60} fullerene or with C{sub 60} functionalized with small functional groups (−CH{sub 3}, −COOH, −NH{sub 2}, −OH). The calculations shown that the system heme + nanoparticle has a different spin state in comparison with heme group if the fullerene is functionalized. Also a functional group can provide a stronger binding between nanoparticle and heme molecule or inhibit the chemical bonding in comparison with single fullerene results. In addition heme molecule loses electrons to the nanoparticles and some systems exhibited a geometry distortion in heme group, depending on the binding energy. Furthermore, one find that such nanoparticles induce a formation of spin up states in heme group. Moreover, there exist modifications in density of states near the Fermi energy. Although of such changes in heme electronic structure and geometry, the iron atom remains in the heme group with the same oxidation state, so that processes that involve the iron might not be affected, only those that depend on the whole heme molecule.

  18. Insights on Heme Synthesis in the Malaria Parasite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagaraj, Viswanathan A; Padmanaban, Govindarajan

    2017-08-01

    The malaria parasite has a functional heme-biosynthetic pathway, although it can access host hemoglobin-heme. The heme pathway is dispensable for blood stages, but essential in the mosquito stages which do not acquire hemoglobin-heme. We propose that the blood stage parasites maintain a dynamic heme pool through multiple back-up mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The Haptoglobin-CD163-Heme Oxygenase-1 Pathway for Hemoglobin Scavenging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jens Haugbølle Thomsen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The haptoglobin- (Hp- CD163-heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1 pathway is an efficient captor-receptor-enzyme system to circumvent the hemoglobin (Hb/heme-induced toxicity during physiological and pathological hemolyses. In this pathway, Hb tightly binds to Hp leading to CD163-mediated uptake of the complex in macrophages followed by lysosomal Hp-Hb breakdown and HO-1-catalyzed conversion of heme into the metabolites carbon monoxide (CO, biliverdin, and iron. The plasma concentration of Hp is a limiting factor as evident during accelerated hemolysis, where the Hp depletion may cause serious Hb-induced toxicity and put pressure on backup protecting systems such as the hemopexin-CD91-HO pathway. The Hp-CD163-HO-1 pathway proteins are regulated by the acute phase mediator interleukin-6 (IL-6, but other regulatory factors indicate that this upregulation is a counteracting anti-inflammatory response during inflammation. The heme metabolites including bilirubin converted from biliverdin have overall an anti-inflammatory effect and thus reinforce the anti-inflammatory efficacy of the Hp-CD163-HO-1 pathway. Future studies of animal models of inflammation should further define the importance of the pathway in the anti-inflammatory response.

  20. IDENTIFIKASI DAGING BABI MENGGUNAKAN METODE PCR-RFLP GEN Cytochrome b DAN PCR PRIMER SPESIFIK GEN AMELOGENIN (Pork Identification Using PCR-RFLP of Cytochrome b Gene and Species Specific PCR of Amelogenin Gene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuny Erwanto

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available A polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP and species specific PCR methods had been applied for identifying pork in mixture of meat. Pork sample in various levels (1, 3, 5 and 10% was prepared in mixture with beef, chicken and mutton. The primary CYTb1 and CYTb2 were designed in the mitochondrial cytochrome b b (cytochrome b gene and PCR successfully amplified fragments of 359 bp. To distinguish pig species existence, the amplified PCR products of mitochondrial DNA were cut by BseDI restriction enzyme. The result showed that pig mitochondrial DNA was cut into 131 and 228 bp fragments. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR method based on the nucleotide sequence variation in the amelogenin gene has been chosen for the specific identification of pork DNAs in mixture meat. The primers designed generated specific fragments of 353 and 312 bp length for pork. The specificity of the primary designed was tested on 4 animal species including pig, cattle, chicken and goat species. Analysis of experimental mixture meat demonstrated that 1% of raw pork tissues could be detected using PCR-RFLP with BseDI restriction enzyme but detection using species-specific PCR showed the cross reactivity to beef, chicken and mutton. The cytochrome b PCR-RFLP species identification assay yielded excellent results for identification of pig species. PCR-RFLP is a potentially reliable technique for detection of the existence of pork in animal food product for Halal authentication. Keywords: Pork identification, cytochrome b, amelogenin, polymerase chain reaction   ABSTRAK   Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengaplikasikan metode deteksi daging babi dalam campuan daging dengan sapi, kambing dan ayam melalui PCR-RFLP dan PCR dengan primer spesifik untuk babi. Level kontaminasi daging babi dibuat sebesar 1, 3, 5 dan 10% dari total daging dalam campuran. Metode PCR-RFLP menggunakan sepasang primer yaitu gen cytochrome b dari mitokondria yang

  1. Heme oxygenase is not involved in the anti-proliferative effects of statins on pancreatic cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vanova, K.; Boukalova, S.; Gbelcova, H.; Muchova, L.; Neuzil, J.; Gurlich, R.; Ruml, T.; Vitek, L.

    2016-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is recognized as one of the most fatal tumors due to its aggressiveness and resistance to therapy. Statins were previously shown to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells via various signaling pathways. In healthy tissues, statins activate the heme oxygenase pathway, nevertheless the role of heme oxygenase in pancreatic cancer is still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate, whether anti-proliferative effects of statins in pancreatic cancer cells are mediated via the heme oxygenase pathway. In vitro effects of various statins and hemin, a heme oxygenase inducer, on cell proliferation were evaluated in PA-TU-8902, MiaPaCa-2 and BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cell lines. The effect of statins on heme oxygenase activity was assessed and heme oxygenase-silenced cells were used for pancreatic cancer cell proliferation studies. Cell death rate and reactive oxygen species production were measured in PA-TU-8902 cells, followed by evaluation of the effect of cerivastatin on GFP-K-Ras trafficking and expression of markers of invasiveness, osteopontin (SPP1) and SOX2. While simvastatin and cerivastatin displayed major anti-proliferative properties in all cell lines tested, pravastatin did not affect the cell growth at all. Strong anti-proliferative effect was observed also for hemin. Co-treatment of cerivastatin and hemin increased anti-proliferative potential of these agents, via increased production of reactive oxygen species and cell death compared to individual treatment. Heme oxygenase silencing did not prevent pancreatic cancer cells from the tumor-suppressive effect of cerivastatin or hemin. Cerivastatin, but not pravastatin, protected Ras protein from trafficking to the cell membrane and significantly reduced expressions of SPP1 (p < 0.05) and SOX2 (p < 0.01). Anti-proliferative effects of statins and hemin on human pancreatic cancer cell lines do not seem to be related to the heme oxygenase pathway. While hemin triggers reactive

  2. Allosteric control of internal electron transfer in cytochrome cd1 nitrite reductase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Farver, Ole; Kroneck, Peter M H; Zumft, Walter G

    2003-01-01

    Cytochrome cd1 nitrite reductase is a bifunctional multiheme enzyme catalyzing the one-electron reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide and the four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water. Kinetics and thermodynamics of the internal electron transfer process in the Pseudomonas stutzeri enzyme have...... been studied and found to be dominated by pronounced interactions between the c and the d1 hemes. The interactions are expressed both in dramatic changes in the internal electron-transfer rates between these sites and in marked cooperativity in their electron affinity. The results constitute a prime...... example of intraprotein control of the electron-transfer rates by allosteric interactions....

  3. Heme oxygenase-1: a metabolic nike.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wegiel, Barbara; Nemeth, Zsuzsanna; Correa-Costa, Matheus; Bulmer, Andrew C; Otterbein, Leo E

    2014-04-10

    Heme degradation, which was described more than 30 years ago, is still very actively explored with many novel discoveries on its role in various disease models every year. The heme oxygenases (HO) are metabolic enzymes that utilize NADPH and oxygen to break apart the heme moiety liberating biliverdin (BV), carbon monoxide (CO), and iron. Heme that is derived from hemoproteins can be toxic to the cells and if not removed immediately, it causes cell apoptosis and local inflammation. Elimination of heme from the milieu enables generation of three products that influences numerous metabolic changes in the cell. CO has profound effects on mitochondria and cellular respiration and other hemoproteins to which it can bind and affect their function, while BV and bilirubin (BR), the substrate and product of BV, reductase, respectively, are potent antioxidants. Sequestration of iron into ferritin and its recycling in the tissues is a part of the homeodynamic processes that control oxidation-reduction in cellular metabolism. Further, heme is an important component of a number of metabolic enzymes, and, therefore, HO-1 plays an important role in the modulation of cellular bioenergetics. In this review, we describe the cross-talk between heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and its products with other metabolic pathways. HO-1, which we have labeled Nike, the goddess who personified victory, dictates triumph over pathophysiologic conditions, including diabetes, ischemia, and cancer.

  4. Selenolate complexes of CYP101 and the heme-bound hHO-1/H25A proximal cavity mutant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Yongying; Ortiz de Montellano, Paul R

    2008-05-05

    Thiolate and selenolate complexes of CYP101 (P450cam) and the H25A proximal cavity mutant of heme-bound human heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1) have been examined by UV-vis spectroscopy. Both thiolate and selenolate ligands bound to the heme distal side in CYP101 and gave rise to characteristic hyperporphyrin spectra. Thiolate ligands also bound to the proximal side of the heme in the cavity created by the H25A mutation in hHO-1, giving a Soret absorption similar to that of the H25C hHO-1 mutant. Selenolate ligands also bound to this cavity mutant under anaerobic conditions but reduced the heme iron to the ferrous state, as shown by the formation of a ferrous CO complex. Under aerobic conditions, the selenolate ligand but not the thiolate ligand was rapidly oxidized. These results indicate that selenocysteine-coordinated heme proteins will not be stable species in the absence of a redox potential stabilizing effect.

  5. One ring to rule them all: trafficking of heme and heme synthesis intermediates in the metazoans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamza, Iqbal; Dailey, Harry A

    2012-09-01

    The appearance of heme, an organic ring surrounding an iron atom, in evolution forever changed the efficiency with which organisms were able to generate energy, utilize gasses and catalyze numerous reactions. Because of this, heme has become a near ubiquitous compound among living organisms. In this review we have attempted to assess the current state of heme synthesis and trafficking with a goal of identifying crucial missing information, and propose hypotheses related to trafficking that may generate discussion and research. The possibilities of spatially organized supramolecular enzyme complexes and organelle structures that facilitate efficient heme synthesis and subsequent trafficking are discussed and evaluated. Recently identified players in heme transport and trafficking are reviewed and placed in an organismal context. Additionally, older, well established data are reexamined in light of more recent studies on cellular organization and data available from newer model organisms. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cell Biology of Metals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Structural and Kinetic Studies of Novel Cytochrome P450 Small-Alkane Hydroxylases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arnold, Frances H.

    2012-02-27

    The goals of this project are to investigate (1) the kinetics and stabilities of engineered cytochrome P450 (P450) small alkane hydroxylases and their evolutionary intermediates, (2) the structural basis for catalytic proficiency on small alkanes of these engineered P450s, and (3) the changes in redox control resulting from protein engineering. To reach these goals, we have established new methods for determining the kinetics and stabilities of multicomponent P450s such as CYP153A6. Using these, we were able to determine that CYP153A6 is proficient for hydroxylation of alkanes as small as ethane, an activity that has never been observed previously in any natural P450. To elucidate the structures of the engineered P450s, we obtained x-ray diffraction data for two variants in the P450PMO (propane monooxygenase) lineage and a preliminary structure for the most evolved variant. This structure shows changes in the substrate binding regions of the enzyme and a reduction in active site volume that are consistent with the observed changes in substrate specificity from fatty acids in the native enzyme to small alkanes in P450PMO. We also constructed semi-rational designed libraries mutating only residues in the enzyme active site that in one round of mutagenesis and screening produced variants that achieved nearly half of the activity of the most evolved enzymes of the P450PMO lineage. Finally, we found that changes in redox properties of the laboratory-evolved P450 alkane hydroxylases did not reflect the improvement in their electron transfer efficiency. The heme redox potential remained constant throughout evolution, while activity increased and coupling efficiency improved from 10% to 90%. The lack of correlation between heme redox potential and enzyme activity and coupling efficiency led us to search for other enzyme properties that could be better predictors for activity towards small alkanes, specifically methane. We investigated the oxidation potential of the radical

  7. The reaction of neuroglobin with potential redox protein partners cytochrome b5  and cytochrome c

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fago, Angela; Mathews, A.J.; Moens, L.

    2006-01-01

    Previously identified, potentially neuroprotective reactions of neuroglobin require the existence of yet unknown redox partners. We show here that the reduction of ferric neuroglobin by cytochrome b5 is relatively slow (k=6×102M-1s-1 at pH 7.0) and thus is unlikely to be of physiological...... significance. In contrast, the reaction between ferrous neuroglobin and ferric cytochrome c is very rapid (k=2×107M-1s-1) with an apparent overall equilibrium constant of 1μM. Based on this data we propose that ferrous neuroglobin may well play a role in preventing apoptosis...

  8. Relationship between natural and heme-mediated antibody polyreactivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hadzhieva, Maya; Vassilev, Tchavdar [Stephan Angelov Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113 (Bulgaria); Bayry, Jagadeesh; Kaveri, Srinivas; Lacroix-Desmazes, Sébastien [Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR-S 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, F-75006 Paris (France); INSERM, UMR-S 1138, F-75006 Paris (France); Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMR-S 1138, F-75006 Paris (France); Dimitrov, Jordan D., E-mail: jordan.dimitrov@crc.jussieu.fr [Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR-S 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, F-75006 Paris (France); INSERM, UMR-S 1138, F-75006 Paris (France); Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMR-S 1138, F-75006 Paris (France)

    2016-03-25

    Polyreactive antibodies represent a considerable fraction of the immune repertoires. Some antibodies acquire polyreactivity post-translationally after interaction with various redox-active substances, including heme. Recently we have demonstrated that heme binding to a naturally polyreactive antibody (SPE7) results in a considerable broadening of the repertoire of recognized antigens. A question remains whether the presence of certain level of natural polyreactivity of antibodies is a prerequisite for heme-induced further extension of antigen binding potential. Here we used a second monoclonal antibody (Hg32) with unknown specificity and absence of intrinsic polyreactivity as a model to study the potential of heme to induce polyreactivity of antibodies. We demonstrated that exposure to heme greatly extends the antigen binding potential of Hg32, suggesting that the intrinsic binding promiscuity is not a prerequisite for the induction of polyreactivity by heme. In addition we compared the kinetics and thermodynamics of the interaction of heme-exposed antibodies with a panel of unrelated antigens. These analyses revealed that the two heme-sensitive antibodies adopt different mechanisms of binding to the same set of antigens. This study contributes to understanding the phenomenon of induced antibody polyreactivity. The data may also be of importance for understanding of physiological and pathological roles of polyreactive antibodies. - Highlights: • Exposure of certain monoclonal IgE antibodies to heme results in gain of antigen binding polyreactivity. • Natural polyreactivity of antibodies is dispensable for acquisition of polyreactivity through interaction with heme. • Heme-induced monoclonal IgE antibodies differ in their thermodynamic mechanisms of antigen recognition.

  9. Genome mining in Sorangium cellulosum So ce56: identification and characterization of the homologous electron transfer proteins of a myxobacterial cytochrome P450.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ewen, Kerstin Maria; Hannemann, Frank; Khatri, Yogan; Perlova, Olena; Kappl, Reinhard; Krug, Daniel; Hüttermann, Jürgen; Müller, Rolf; Bernhardt, Rita

    2009-10-16

    Myxobacteria, especially members of the genus Sorangium, are known for their biotechnological potential as producers of pharmaceutically valuable secondary metabolites. The biosynthesis of several of those myxobacterial compounds includes cytochrome P450 activity. Although class I cytochrome P450 enzymes occur wide-spread in bacteria and rely on ferredoxins and ferredoxin reductases as essential electron mediators, the study of these proteins is often neglected. Therefore, we decided to search in the Sorangium cellulosum So ce56 genome for putative interaction partners of cytochromes P450. In this work we report the investigation of eight myxobacterial ferredoxins and two ferredoxin reductases with respect to their activity in cytochrome P450 systems. Intriguingly, we found not only one, but two ferredoxins whose ability to sustain an endogenous So ce56 cytochrome P450 was demonstrated by CYP260A1-dependent conversion of nootkatone. Moreover, we could demonstrate that the two ferredoxins were able to receive electrons from both ferredoxin reductases. These findings indicate that S. cellulosum can alternate between different electron transport pathways to sustain cytochrome P450 activity.

  10. The mechanism by which oxygen and cytochrome c increase the rate of electron transfer from cytochrome a to cytochrome a3 of cytochrome c oxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bickar, D; Turrens, J F; Lehninger, A L

    1986-11-05

    When cytochrome c oxidase is isolated from mitochondria, the purified enzyme requires both cytochrome c and O2 to achieve its maximum rate of internal electron transfer from cytochrome a to cytochrome a3. When reductants other than cytochrome c are used, the rate of internal electron transfer is very slow. In this paper we offer an explanation for the slow reduction of cytochrome a3 when reductants other than cytochrome c are used and for the apparent allosteric effects of cytochrome c and O2. Our model is based on the conventional understanding of cytochrome oxidase mechanism (i.e. electron transfer from cytochrome a/CuA to cytochrome a3/CuB), but assumes a relatively rapid two-electron transfer between cytochrome a/CuA and cytochrome a3/CuB and a thermodynamic equilibrium in the "resting" enzyme (the enzyme as isolated) which favors reduced cytochrome a and oxidized cytochrome a3. Using the kinetic constants that are known for this reaction, we find that the activating effects of O2 and cytochrome c on the rate of electron transfer from cytochrome a to cytochrome a3 conform to the predictions of the model and so provide no evidence of any allosteric effects or control of cytochrome c oxidase by O2 or cytochrome c.

  11. Mechanisms of heme utilization by Francisella tularensis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helena Lindgren

    Full Text Available Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent facultative intracellular pathogen causing the severe disease tularemia in mammals. As for other bacteria, iron is essential for its growth but very few mechanisms for iron acquisition have been identified. Here, we analyzed if and how F. tularensis can utilize heme, a major source of iron in vivo. This is by no means obvious since the bacterium lacks components of traditional heme-uptake systems. We show that SCHU S4, the prototypic strain of subspecies tularensis, grew in vitro with heme as the sole iron source. By screening a SCHU S4 transposon insertion library, 16 genes were identified as important to efficiently utilize heme, two of which were required to avoid heme toxicity. None of the identified genes appeared to encode components of a potential heme-uptake apparatus. Analysis of SCHU S4 deletion mutants revealed that each of the components FeoB, the siderophore system, and FupA, contributed to the heme-dependent growth. In the case of the former two systems, iron acquisition was impaired, whereas the absence of FupA did not affect iron uptake but led to abnormally high binding of iron to macromolecules. Overall, the present study demonstrates that heme supports growth of F. tularensis and that the requirements for the utilization are highly complex and to some extent novel.

  12. Effects of tin-protoporphyrin administration on hepatic xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in the juvenile rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stout, D.L.; Becker, F.F.

    1988-01-01

    The heme analogue tin-protoporphyrin IX (SnP) is a potent inhibitor of microsomal heme oxygenase. Administration of SnP to neonatal rats can prevent hyperbilirubinemia by blocking the postnatal increase of heme oxygenase activity. Apparently innocuous at therapeutic doses, it is of potential clinical value for chemoprevention of neonatal jaundice. We found that when 50-g male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated daily with 50 mumol of SnP/kg sc for 6 days, hepatic microsomal cytochromes b5 and P-450 were significantly diminished. Cytochrome P-450 reductase, two P-450-dependent monooxygenases, aminopyrine demethylase and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase, and catalase, a peroxisomal hemoprotein, were also significantly diminished. These results suggested that SnP might significantly affect the metabolism of other xenobiotics. This possibility was confirmed by the finding that hexobarbital-induced sleep lasted 4 times longer in SnP-treated rats than in controls. Inhibition of protein synthesis by SnP was ruled out as the cause of hemoprotein loss when administration of [ 3 H]leucine to SnP-treated and control rats demonstrated that proteins of the microsomal, cytosolic, and plasma membrane fractions of the livers from both groups incorporated similar levels of leucine. When 55 FeCl 3 and [2- 14 C]glycine were administered to measure heme synthesis, heme extract from the livers of SnP-treated rats contained 4 times more label from iron and glycine than did heme from control livers. Despite the apparent increased rate of heme synthesis in SnP-treated rats, each of the three cell fractions demonstrated a significant loss of heme but contained sizable amounts of SnP. These findings suggest that SnP causes a decrease of functional hemoprotein and partial loss of enzymic activity by displacing intracellular heme

  13. P450 reductase and cytochrome b5 interactions with cytochrome P450: Effects on house fly CYP6A1 catalysis

    OpenAIRE

    Murataliev, Marat B.; Guzov, Victor M.; Walker, F. Ann; Feyereisen, René

    2008-01-01

    The interactions of protein components of the xenobiotic-metabolizing cytochrome P450 system, CYP6A1, P450 reductase, and cytochrome b5 from the house fly (Musca domestica) have been characterized. CYP6A1 activity is determined by the concentration of the CYP6A1-P450 reductase complex, regardless of which protein is present in excess. Both holo- and apo-b5 stimulated CYP6A1 heptachlor epoxidase and steroid hydroxylase activities and influenced the regioselectivity of testosterone hydroxylatio...

  14. Cytochrome P450BM-3 reduces aldehydes to alcohols through a direct hydride transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaspera, Rüdiger; Sahele, Tariku; Lakatos, Kyle; Totah, Rheem A.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Cytochrome P450BM-3 reduced aldehydes to alcohols efficiently (k cat ∼ 25 min −1 ). ► Reduction is a direct hydride transfer from R-NADP 2 H to the carbonyl moiety. ► P450 domain variants enhance reduction through potential allosteric/redox interactions. ► Novel reaction will have implications for metabolism of xenobiotics. -- Abstract: Cytochrome P450BM-3 catalyzed the reduction of lipophilic aldehydes to alcohols efficiently. A k cat of ∼25 min −1 was obtained for the reduction of methoxy benzaldehyde with wild type P450BM-3 protein which was higher than in the isolated reductase domain (BMR) alone and increased in specific P450-domain variants. The reduction was caused by a direct hydride transfer from preferentially R-NADP 2 H to the carbonyl moiety of the substrate. Weak substrate-P450-binding of the aldehyde, turnover with the reductase domain alone, a deuterium incorporation in the product from NADP 2 H but not D 2 O, and no inhibition by imidazole suggests the reductase domain of P450BM-3 as the potential catalytic site. However, increased aldehyde reduction by P450 domain variants (P450BM-3 F87A T268A) may involve allosteric or redox mechanistic interactions between heme and reductase domains. This is a novel reduction of aldehydes by P450BM-3 involving a direct hydride transfer and could have implications for the metabolism of endogenous substrates or xenobiotics.

  15. Stiffness, resilience, compressibility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leu, Bogdan M. [Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source (United States); Sage, J. Timothy, E-mail: jtsage@neu.edu [Northeastern University, Department of Physics and Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Complex Systems (United States)

    2016-12-15

    The flexibility of a protein is an important component of its functionality. We use nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS) to quantify the flexibility of the heme iron environment in the electron-carrying protein cytochrome c by measuring the stiffness and the resilience. These quantities are sensitive to structural differences between the active sites of different proteins, as illustrated by a comparative analysis with myoglobin. The elasticity of the entire protein, on the other hand, can be probed quantitatively from NRVS and high energy-resolution inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) measurements, an approach that we used to extract the bulk modulus of cytochrome c.

  16. Role of heme in bromine-induced lung injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Adam; Vetal, Nilam; Matalon, Sadis; Aggarwal, Saurabh

    2016-01-01

    Bromine (Br2) gas inhalation poses an environmental and occupational hazard resulting in high morbidity and mortality. In this review, we underline the acute lung pathology (within 24 hours of exposure) and potential therapeutic interventions that may be utilized to mitigate Br2-induced human toxicity. We will discuss our latest published data, which suggests that an increase in heme-dependent tissue injury underlies the pathogenesis of Br2 toxicity. Our study was based on previous findings that demonstrated that Br2 upregulates the heme-degrading enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which converts toxic heme into billiverdin. Interestingly, following Br2 inhalation, heme levels were indeed elevated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, plasma, and whole lung tissue in C57BL/6 mice. High heme levels correlated with increased lung oxidative stress, lung inflammation, respiratory acidosis, lung edema, higher airway resistance, and mortality. However, therapeutic reduction of heme levels, by either scavenging with hemopexin or degradation by HO-1, improved lung function and survival. Therefore, heme attenuation may prove a useful adjuvant therapy to treat patients after Br2 exposure. PMID:27244263

  17. Effect of x-irradiation on the activity of the key enzymes of the synthesis and degradation of heme in rat liver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deev, L.I.; Topchishvili, G.I.; Akhalaya, M.Ya.; Platonov, A.G.

    1985-01-01

    For Wistar rat males the effect of X radiation on the activity of delta-aminolevuminatesynthase and chemoxygenase - the rate of limiting enzymes of synthesis and catabolism of heme, as well as the level of ''free'' (non-utilized) heme in the rat liver are studied. The animals were irradiated using the X-ray device with the dose rate 0.5 Gy/min. X irradiation in the minimum lethal dose (7 Gy) caused evident changes in the activity of delta-aminolevuminatesynthase and chemoxygenase in the rat liver. Already one day after irradiation a noticeable decrease in the activity of delta-aminoleviminatesynthase (up to 81% of the normal one) was observed, and the maximum decrease took place on the third day (49% of the norm). On the 5-7-th day partial normalization of the activity of delta-aminoleviminatesynthase occurred. The chemoxygenase activity at the initial period after irradiation (1 day after) increased, after that (on the 5-7-th day), the phase of more than twofold and prolonged increase in the enzyme activity followed. Irradiation of animals by the dose of 5 Gy did not induce reliable changes in the activity of chemoxygenase and caused a considerably lower decrease in the activity of delta-aminolevunatesynthase. The observed suppression of synthesis and increase in heme catabolism do not result in the decrease in the level of ''free'' heme in the liver of irradiated animals. The conclusion is made on the presence of considerable violations of heme metabolism in the liver of irradiated animals, however, there is no final answer to the question on the role of detected effects in the decrease of microsomal level of cytochrome R-450

  18. Functional Characterization of the Canine Heme-Regulated eIF2α Kinase: Regulation of Protein Synthesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimon C. Kanelakis

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI negatively regulates protein synthesis by phosphorylating eukaryotic initiation factor-2α (eIF2α thereby inhibiting protein translation. The importance of HRI in regulating hemoglobin synthesis in erythroid cells makes it an attractive molecular target in need of further characterization. In this work, we have cloned and expressed the canine form of the HRI kinase. The canine nucleotide sequence has 86%, 82%, and 81% identity to the human, mouse, and rat HRI, respectively. It was noted that an isoleucine residue in the ATP binding site of human, rat, and mouse HRI is replaced by a valine in the canine kinase. The expression of canine HRI protein by in vitro translation using wheat germ lysate or in Sf9 cells using a baculovirus expression system was increased by the addition of hemin. Following purification, the canine protein was found to be 72 kD and showed kinase activity determined by its ability to phosphorylate a synthetic peptide substrate. Quercetin, a kinase inhibitor known to inhibit mouse and human HRI, inhibits canine HRI in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, quercetin is able to increase de novo protein synthesis in canine reticulocytes. We conclude that the canine is a suitable model species for studying the role of HRI in erythropoiesis.

  19. The protein inhibitor of nNOS (PIN/DLC1/LC8) binding does not inhibit the NADPH-dependent heme reduction in nNOS, a key step in NO synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parhad, Swapnil S.; Jaiswal, Deepa; Ray, Krishanu; Mazumdar, Shyamalava

    2016-01-01

    The neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is an essential enzyme involved in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), a potent neurotransmitter. Although previous studies have indicated that the dynein light chain 1 (DLC1) binding to nNOS could inhibit the NO synthesis, the claim is challenged by contradicting reports. Thus, the mechanism of nNOS regulation remained unclear. nNOS has a heme-bearing, Cytochrome P450 core, and the functional enzyme is a dimer. The electron flow from NADPH to Flavin, and finally to the heme of the paired nNOS subunit within a dimer, is facilitated upon calmodulin (CaM) binding. Here, we show that DLC1 binding to nNOS-CaM complex does not affect the electron transport from the reductase to the oxygenase domain. Therefore, it cannot inhibit the rate of NADPH-dependent heme reduction in nNOS, which results in L-Arginine oxidation. Also, the NO release activity does not decrease with increasing DLC1 concentration in the reaction mix, which further confirmed that DLC1 does not inhibit nNOS activity. These findings suggest that the DLC1 binding may have other implications for the nNOS function in the cell. - Highlights: • The effect of interaction of nNOS with DLC1 has been debatable with contradicting reports in literature. • Purified DLC1 has no effect on electron transport between reductase and oxygenase domain of purified nNOS-CaM. • The NO release activity of nNOS was not altered by DLC1, supporting that DLC1 does not inhibit the enzyme. • These findings suggest that the DLC1 binding may have other implications for the nNOS function in the cell.

  20. The protein inhibitor of nNOS (PIN/DLC1/LC8) binding does not inhibit the NADPH-dependent heme reduction in nNOS, a key step in NO synthesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parhad, Swapnil S. [Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400 005 (India); Jaiswal, Deepa [Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400 005 (India); TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, 21 Brundavan Colony, Narsingi, Hyderabad 500075 (India); Ray, Krishanu, E-mail: krishanu@tifr.res.in [Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400 005 (India); Mazumdar, Shyamalava, E-mail: shyamal@tifr.res.in [Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400 005 (India)

    2016-03-25

    The neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is an essential enzyme involved in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), a potent neurotransmitter. Although previous studies have indicated that the dynein light chain 1 (DLC1) binding to nNOS could inhibit the NO synthesis, the claim is challenged by contradicting reports. Thus, the mechanism of nNOS regulation remained unclear. nNOS has a heme-bearing, Cytochrome P450 core, and the functional enzyme is a dimer. The electron flow from NADPH to Flavin, and finally to the heme of the paired nNOS subunit within a dimer, is facilitated upon calmodulin (CaM) binding. Here, we show that DLC1 binding to nNOS-CaM complex does not affect the electron transport from the reductase to the oxygenase domain. Therefore, it cannot inhibit the rate of NADPH-dependent heme reduction in nNOS, which results in L-Arginine oxidation. Also, the NO release activity does not decrease with increasing DLC1 concentration in the reaction mix, which further confirmed that DLC1 does not inhibit nNOS activity. These findings suggest that the DLC1 binding may have other implications for the nNOS function in the cell. - Highlights: • The effect of interaction of nNOS with DLC1 has been debatable with contradicting reports in literature. • Purified DLC1 has no effect on electron transport between reductase and oxygenase domain of purified nNOS-CaM. • The NO release activity of nNOS was not altered by DLC1, supporting that DLC1 does not inhibit the enzyme. • These findings suggest that the DLC1 binding may have other implications for the nNOS function in the cell.

  1. Heme biosynthesis and its regulation : Toward understanding and improvement of heme biosynthesis in filamentous fungi.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    S. de Weert; P.J. Punt; Christien Lokman; C.A. van den Hondel; A.C. Franken; A.F. Ram

    2011-01-01

    Heme biosynthesis in fungal host strains has acquired considerable interest in relation to the production of secreted heme-containing peroxidases. Class II peroxidase enzymes have been suggested as eco-friendly replacements of polluting chemical processes in industry. These peroxidases are naturally

  2. Heme biosynthesis and its regulation: Towards understanding and improvement of heme biosynthesis in filamentous fungi

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Franken, A.C.W.; Lokman, B.C.; Ram, A.F.J.; Punt, P.J.; Hondel, C.A.M.J.J. van den; Weert, S. de

    2011-01-01

    Heme biosynthesis in fungal host strains has acquired considerable interest in relation to the production of secreted heme-containing peroxidases. Class II peroxidase enzymes have been suggested as eco-friendly replacements of polluting chemical processes in industry. These peroxidases are naturally

  3. Up-regulation of A1M/α1-microglobulin in skin by heme and reactive oxygen species gives protection from oxidative damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olsson, Magnus G; Allhorn, Maria; Larsson, Jörgen; Cederlund, Martin; Lundqvist, Katarina; Schmidtchen, Artur; Sørensen, Ole E; Mörgelin, Matthias; Akerström, Bo

    2011-01-01

    During bleeding the skin is subjected to oxidative insults from free heme and radicals, generated from extracellular hemoglobin. The lipocalin α(1)-microglobulin (A1M) was recently shown to have reductase properties, reducing heme-proteins and other substrates, and to scavenge heme and radicals. We investigated the expression and localization of A1M in skin and the possible role of A1M in the protection of skin tissue from damage induced by heme and reactive oxygen species. Skin explants, keratinocyte cultures and purified collagen I were exposed to heme, reactive oxygen species, and/or A1M and investigated by biochemical methods and electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that A1M is localized ubiquitously in the dermal and epidermal layers, and that the A1M-gene is expressed in keratinocytes and up-regulated after exposure to heme and reactive oxygen species. A1M inhibited the heme- and reactive oxygen species-induced ultrastructural damage, up-regulation of antioxidation and cell cycle regulatory genes, and protein carbonyl formation in skin and keratinocytes. Finally, A1M bound to purified collagen I (K(d) = 0.96×10(-6) M) and could inhibit and repair the destruction of collagen fibrils by heme and reactive oxygen species. The results suggest that A1M may have a physiological role in protection of skin cells and matrix against oxidative damage following bleeding.

  4. Silencing of Iron and Heme-Related Genes Revealed a Paramount Role of Iron in the Physiology of the Hematophagous Vector Rhodnius prolixus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana B. Walter-Nuno

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Iron is an essential element for most organisms However, free iron and heme, its complex with protoporphyrin IX, can be extremely cytotoxic, due to the production of reactive oxygen species, eventually leading to oxidative stress. Thus, eukaryotic cells control iron availability by regulating its transport, storage and excretion as well as the biosynthesis and degradation of heme. In the genome of Rhodnius prolixus, the vector of Chagas disease, we identified 36 genes related to iron and heme metabolism We performed a comprehensive analysis of these genes, including identification of homologous genes described in other insect genomes. We observed that blood-meal modulates the expression of ferritin, Iron Responsive protein (IRP, Heme Oxygenase (HO and the heme exporter Feline Leukemia Virus C Receptor (FLVCR, components of major pathways involved in the regulation of iron and heme metabolism, particularly in the posterior midgut (PM, where an intense release of free heme occurs during the course of digestion. Knockdown of these genes impacted the survival of nymphs and adults, as well as molting, oogenesis and embryogenesis at different rates and time-courses. The silencing of FLVCR caused the highest levels of mortality in nymphs and adults and reduced nymph molting. The oogenesis was mildly affected by the diminished expression of all of the genes whereas embryogenesis was dramatically impaired by the knockdown of ferritin expression. Furthermore, an intense production of ROS in the midgut of blood-fed insects occurs when the expression of ferritin, but not HO, was inhibited. In this manner, the degradation of dietary heme inside the enterocytes may represent an oxidative challenge that is counteracted by ferritins, conferring to this protein a major antioxidant role. Taken together these results demonstrate that the regulation of iron and heme metabolism is of paramount importance for R. prolixus physiology and imbalances in the levels of

  5. Calcium transport in vesicles energized by cytochrome oxidase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosier, Randy N. [Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States)

    1979-01-01

    Experiments on the reconstitution of cytochrome oxidase into phospholipid vesicles were carried out using techniques of selectivity energizing the suspensions with ascorbate and cytochrome c or ascorbate, PMS, and internally trapped cytochrome c. It was found that the K+ selective ionophore valinomycin stimulated the rate of respiration of cytochrome oxidase vesicles regardless of the direction of the K+ flux across the vesicle membranes. The stimulation occurred in the presence of protonophoric uncouplers and in the complete absence of potassium or in detergent-lysed suspensions. Gramicidin had similar effects and it was determined that the ionophores acted by specific interaction with cytochrome oxidase rather than by the previously assumed collapse of membrane potentials. When hydrophobic proteins and appropriate coupling factors were incorporated into the cytochrome oxidase, vesicles phosphorylation of ADP could be coupled to the oxidation reaction of cytochrome oxidase. Relatively low P:O, representing poor coupling of the system, were problematical and precluded measurements of protonmotive force. However the system was used to study ion translocation.

  6. Reduction of reversed micelle entrapped cytochrome c and cytochrome c3 by electrons generated by pulse radiolysis or by pyrene photoionization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vlsser, A.J.W.G.; Fendler, J.H.

    1982-01-01

    Horse heart cytochrome c and cytochrome c 3 , isolated from Desulfovibrio vulgaris, have been incorporated in sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) entrapped water pools in heptane. The absorption spectra of the cytochromes have been found to be strongly dependent on the water to AOT concentration ratios. The proteins solubilized in heptane by the AOT reversed micelles have retained their ability to mediate electron transfer. They reacted very rapidly with hydrated electrons, generated pulse radiolytically or, alternatively, formed in the laser photoionization of pyrene

  7. A Heme Oxygenase-1 Transducer Model of Degenerative and Developmental Brain Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyman M. Schipper

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1 is a 32 kDa protein which catalyzes the breakdown of heme to free iron, carbon monoxide and biliverdin. The Hmox1 promoter contains numerous consensus sequences that render the gene exquisitely sensitive to induction by diverse pro-oxidant and inflammatory stimuli. In “stressed” astroglia, HO-1 hyperactivity promotes mitochondrial iron sequestration and macroautophagy and may thereby contribute to the pathological iron deposition and bioenergetic failure documented in Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease and certain neurodevelopmental conditions. Glial HO-1 expression may also impact neuroplasticity and cell survival by modulating brain sterol metabolism and the proteasomal degradation of neurotoxic proteins. The glial HO-1 response may represent a pivotal transducer of noxious environmental and endogenous stressors into patterns of neural damage and repair characteristic of many human degenerative and developmental CNS disorders.

  8. Decreased expression of cytochrome P450 protein in non-malignant colonic tissue of patients with colonic adenoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergheim, I.; Bode, C.; Parlesak, Alexandr

    2005-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in epithelial cells lining the alimentary tract play an important role in both the elimination and activation of (pro-)carcinogens. To estimate the role of cytochrome P450 in carcinogenesis of the colon, expression patterns and protein levels of four...... representative CYPs (CYP2C, CYP2E1, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5) were determined in colon mucosa of normal and adenomatous colonic tissue of patients with adenomas and disease-free controls. METHODS: Expression of CYP2C, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5 in colon mucosa of normal and adenomatous colonic tissue of patients...... with adenoma and disease-free controls was determined by RT-PCR. Protein concentration of CYPs was determined using Western blot. RESULTS: With the exception of CYP3A5, expression of CYP mRNA was similar among groups and tissues (e.g. normal colon mucosa and adenoma). CYP3A5 mRNA expression was significantly...

  9. Unexpected dependence on pH of NO release from Paracoccus pantotrophus cytochrome cd1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sam, Katharine A.; Tolland, John D.; Fairhurst, Shirley A.; Higham, Christopher W.; Lowe, David J.; Thorneley, Roger N.F.; Allen, James W.A.; Ferguson, Stuart J.

    2008-01-01

    A previous study of nitrite reduction by Paracoccus pantotrophus cytochrome cd 1 at pH 7.0 identified early reaction intermediates. The c-heme rapidly oxidised and nitrite was reduced to NO at the d 1 -heme. A slower equilibration of electrons followed, forming a stable complex assigned as 55% cFe(III)d 1 Fe(II)-NO and 45% cFe(II)d 1 Fe(II)-NO + . No catalytically competent NO release was observed. Here we show that at pH 6.0, a significant proportion of the enzyme undergoes turnover and releases NO. An early intermediate, which was previously overlooked, is also identified; enzyme immediately following product release is a candidate. However, even at pH 6.0 a considerable fraction of the enzyme remains bound to NO so another component is required for full product release. The kinetically stable product formed at the end of the reaction differs significantly at pH 6.0 and 7.0, as does its rate of formation; thus the reaction is critically dependent on pH

  10. Effects of heme-PrP complex on cell-free conversion and peroxidase-linked immunodetection of prions in blood-based assays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soutyrine, Andrei; Yogasingam, Nishandan; Huang, Hongsheng; Mitchell, Gordon

    2015-08-01

    Prion protein (PrP) binding to natural and synthetic porphyrins has been previously demonstrated but the effects of endogenous heme interactions with PrP remain uncertain. This study investigated implications of this interaction in blood-based peroxidase-linked prion immunodetection and seeded conversion of cellular prion (PrP(C)) into disease associated form (PrP(Sc)). Heme binding to recombinant PrP(C) enhanced intrinsic peroxidase activity (POD) by 2.5-fold and POD inherent to denatured blood accounted for over 84% of luminol-based substrate oxidation in a prion immunodetection assay. An immuno-capture assay showed that 75-98% of blood POD was attributable to binding of PrP(C) with endogenous heme. Additionally, 10 μM heme inhibited (PPrP(C) to PrP(Sc) through the protein misfolding cycling amplification assay. We conclude that the observed effects can interfere with cell-free conversion and peroxidase-linked immunodetection of prions in blood-based assays. These results indicate that heme-PrP interactions could modulate intrinsic POD and protect PrP(C) from conversion into PrP(Sc). Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Increase on the initial soluble heme levels in acidic conditions is an important mechanism for spontaneous heme crystallization in vitro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Stiebler

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Hemozoin (Hz is a heme crystal that represents a vital pathway for heme disposal in several blood-feeding organisms. Recent evidence demonstrated that β-hematin (βH (the synthetic counterpart of Hz formation occurs under physiological conditions near synthetic or biological hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces. This seems to require a heme dimer acting as a precursor of Hz crystals that would be formed spontaneously in the absence of the competing water molecules bound to the heme iron. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of medium polarity on spontaneous βH formation in vitro. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We assessed the effect of water content on spontaneous βH formation by using the aprotic solvent dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO and a series of polyethyleneglycols (PEGs. We observed that both DMSO and PEGs (3.350, 6.000, 8.000, and 22.000 increased the levels of soluble heme under acidic conditions. These compounds were able to stimulate the production of βH crystals in the absence of any biological sample. Interestingly, the effects of DMSO and PEGs on βH formation were positively correlated with their capacity to promote previous heme solubilization in acidic conditions. Curiously, a short chain polyethyleneglycol (PEG 300 caused a significant reduction in both soluble heme levels and βH formation. Finally, both heme solubilization and βH formation strongly correlated with reduced medium water activity provided by increased DMSO concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The data presented here support the notion that reduction of the water activity is an important mechanism to support spontaneous heme crystallization, which depends on the previous increase of soluble heme levels.

  12. Expression and Purification of the Recombinant Cytochrome P450 CYP141 Protein of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis as a Diagnostic Tool and Vaccine Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heidari, Reza; Rabiee-Faradonbeh, Mohammad; Darban-Sarokhalil, Davood; Alvandi, Amirhooshang; Abdian, Narges; Aryan, Ehsan; Soleimani, Neda; Gholipour, Abolfazl

    2015-06-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) is regarded as a health problem worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) is the cause of this disease. Approximately two billion people worldwide are infected by M. tuberculosis and annually about two million individuals die in consequence. Forty million people are estimated to die because of M. tuberculosis over the next 25 years if the measures for controlling this infection are not extensively developed. In the vaccination field, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is still the most effective vaccine but it shows no efficacy in adult pulmonary patients. One of the other problems regarding TB is its appropriate diagnosis. In this experimental study, the recombinant cytochrome P450 CYP141 protein of M. tuberculosis was expressed and purified to be used as a vaccine candidate and diagnostic purpose in subsequent investigations. The optimization of the cytochrome P450 CYP141 protein expression was evaluated in different conditions. Then, this protein was purified with a resin column of nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid and investigated via Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western Blotting. The highest expression of the cytochrome P450 CYP141 protein was obtained by the addition of 1 mM of isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) to the bacterial culture grown to an optical density at 600 nm (OD600) of 0.6, 16 hours after induction. This protein was subsequently purified with a purification of higher than 80%. The results of Western Blotting indicated that the purified protein was specifically detected. In this experimental study, for the first time in Iran the expression and purification of this recombinant protein was done successfully. This recombinant protein could be used as a vaccine candidate and diagnostic purpose in subsequent investigations.

  13. Plastocyanin/cytochrome c6 interchange in Scenedesmus vacuolatus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miramar, M Dolores; Inda, Luis A; Saraiva, Lígia M; Peleato, M Luisa

    2003-12-01

    Plastocyanin and cytochrome c6 from the green alga Scenedesmus vacuolatus were immunoquantified in cells grown under different concentrations of copper and iron. Plastocyanin expression was constitutive, its synthesis was not significantly affected by iron availability, and increases with copper availability. On the contrary, cytochrome c6 synthesis is repressed by copper, and only residual amounts of the protein were detected at 0.1 micromol/L copper. Under copper deficiency, cytochrome c6 is slightly dependent on iron. In natural environments, plastocyanin seems to be the predominant electron donor to P700.

  14. Abscisic Acid Participates in the Control of Cell Cycle Initiation Through Heme Homeostasis in the Unicellular Red Alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Yuki; Ando, Hiroyuki; Hanaoka, Mitsumasa; Tanaka, Kan

    2016-05-01

    ABA is a phytohormone that is synthesized in response to abiotic stresses and other environmental changes, inducing various physiological responses. While ABA has been found in unicellular photosynthetic organisms, such as cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae, its function in these organisms is poorly understood. Here, we found that ABA accumulated in the unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae under conditions of salt stress and that the cell cycle G1/S transition was inhibited when ABA was added to the culture medium. A gene encoding heme-scavenging tryptophan-rich sensory protein-related protein (CmTSPO; CMS231C) was positively regulated by ABA, as in Arabidopsis, and CmTSPO bound heme in vitro. The intracellular content of total heme was increased by addition of ABA, but unfettered heme decreased, presumably due to scavenging by CmTSPO. The inhibition of DNA replication by ABA was negated by addition of heme to the culture medium. Thus, we propose a regulatory role for ABA and heme in algal cell cycle initiation. Finally, we found that a C. merolae mutant that is defective in ABA production was more susceptible to salt stress, indicating the importance of ABA to stress resistance in red algae. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. A rapid, simple method for obtaining radiochemically pure hepatic heme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonkowski, H.L.; Bement, W.J.; Erny, R.

    1978-01-01

    Radioactively-labelled heme has usually been isolated from liver to which unlabelled carrier has been added by long, laborious techniques involving organic solvent extraction followed by crystallization. A simpler, rapid method is devised for obtaining radiochemically-pure heme synthesized in vivo in rat liver from delta-amino[4- 14 C]levulinate. This method, in which the heme is extracted into ethyl acetate/glacial acetic acid and in which porphyrins are removed from the heme-containing organic phase with HCl washes, does not require addition of carrier heme. The new method gives better heme recoveries than and heme specific activities identical to, those obtained using the crystallization method. In this new method heme must be synthesized from delta-amino[4- 14 C]levulinate; it is not satisfactory to use [2- 14 C]glycine substrate because non-heme counts are isolated in the heme fraction. (Auth.)

  16. Models for cytochrome P450 prosthetic heme alkylation. Reaction of diazoacetophenone with (tetraphenylporphyrinato)iron(II) chloride

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komives, E.A.; Tew, D.; Olmstead, M.M.; Ortiz de Montellano, P.R.

    1988-01-01

    The reaction of diazoacetophenone with (tetraphenylporphyrinato)iron(II) yields [N-(2-phenyl-2-oxoethyl)tetraphenylporphyrinato]iron(II) chloride. The structure of this product has been established by spectroscopic methods and by x-ray crystallography. The crystal structure shows that the first carbon of the N-alkyl group is 2.94 angstrom from the iron atom and that the oxygen of the N-alkyl group points away from the iron. No evidence is seen for the Fe-C-N product expected from insertion of the diazo carbon into the metalloporphyrin iron-nitrogen bond or for intermediates in which the oxygen of the N-(2-phenyl-2-oxoethyl) group is coordinated to the iron. These results suggest it is unlikely that carbene-insertion or oxygen-coordinated intermediates will be detected during the N-alkylation of cytochrome P450 by diazo ketones. The results also rationalize the failure to detect iron-chelated enol species during N-alkylation of the prosthetic group of cytochrome P450 by catalytically activated phenylacetylene. 43 references, 5 figures, 4 tables

  17. Cyanide binding to human plasma heme-hemopexin: A comparative study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ascenzi, Paolo, E-mail: ascenzi@uniroma3.it [Laboratorio Interdipartimentale di Microscopia Elettronica, Universita Roma Tre, Roma (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Roma (Italy); Leboffe, Loris [Istituto Nazionale di Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Roma (Italy); Polticelli, Fabio [Dipartimento di Biologia, Universita Roma Tre, Roma (Italy)

    2012-11-16

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cyanide binding to ferric HHPX-heme-Fe. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cyanide binding to ferrous HHPX-heme-Fe. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dithionite-mediated reduction of ferric HHPX-heme-Fe-cyanide. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cyanide binding to HHPX-heme-Fe is limited by ligand deprotonation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cyanide dissociation from HHPX-heme-Fe-cyanide is limited by ligand protonation. -- Abstract: Hemopexin (HPX) displays a pivotal role in heme scavenging and delivery to the liver. In turn, heme-Fe-hemopexin (HPX-heme-Fe) displays heme-based spectroscopic and reactivity properties. Here, kinetics and thermodynamics of cyanide binding to ferric and ferrous hexa-coordinate human plasma HPX-heme-Fe (HHPX-heme-Fe(III) and HHPX-heme-Fe(II), respectively), and for the dithionite-mediated reduction of the HHPX-heme-Fe(III)-cyanide complex, at pH 7.4 and 20.0 Degree-Sign C, are reported. Values of thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for cyanide binding to HHPX-heme-Fe(III) and HHPX-heme-Fe(II) are K = (4.1 {+-} 0.4) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -6} M, k{sub on} = (6.9 {+-} 0.5) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 1} M{sup -1} s{sup -1}, and k{sub off} = 2.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} s{sup -1}; and H = (6 {+-} 1) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -1} M, h{sub on} = 1.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -1} M{sup -1} s{sup -1}, and h{sub off} = (7.1 {+-} 0.8) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -2} s{sup -1}, respectively. The value of the rate constant for the dithionite-mediated reduction of the HHPX-heme-Fe(III)-cyanide complex is l = 8.9 {+-} 0.8 M{sup -1/2} s{sup -1}. HHPX-heme-Fe reactivity is modulated by proton acceptor/donor amino acid residue(s) (e.g., His236) assisting the deprotonation and protonation of the incoming and outgoing ligand, respectively.

  18. Phosphorylation of Cytochrome c Threonine 28 Regulates Electron Transport Chain Activity in Kidney: IMPLICATIONS FOR AMP KINASE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahapatra, Gargi; Varughese, Ashwathy; Ji, Qinqin; Lee, Icksoo; Liu, Jenney; Vaishnav, Asmita; Sinkler, Christopher; Kapralov, Alexandr A.; Moraes, Carlos T.; Sanderson, Thomas H.; Stemmler, Timothy L.; Grossman, Lawrence I.; Kagan, Valerian E.; Brunzelle, Joseph S.; Salomon, Arthur R.; Edwards, Brian F. P.; Hüttemann, Maik

    2016-10-07

    Mammalian cytochrome c (Cytc) plays a key role in cellular life and death decisions, functioning as an electron carrier in the electron transport chain and as a trigger of apoptosis when released from the mitochondria. However, its regulation is not well understood. We show that the major fraction of Cytc isolated from kidneys is phosphorylated on Thr28, leading to a partial inhibition of respiration in the reaction with cytochrome c oxidase. To further study the effect of Cytc phosphorylation in vitro, we generated T28E phosphomimetic Cytc, revealing superior behavior regarding protein stability and its ability to degrade reactive oxygen species compared with wild-type unphosphorylated Cytc. Introduction of T28E phosphomimetic Cytc into Cytc knock-out cells shows that intact cell respiration, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and ROS levels are reduced compared with wild type. As we show by high resolution crystallography of wild-type and T28E Cytc in combination with molecular dynamics simulations, Thr28 is located at a central position near the heme crevice, the most flexible epitope of the protein apart from the N and C termini. Finally, in silico prediction and our experimental data suggest that AMP kinase, which phosphorylates Cytc on Thr28 in vitro and colocalizes with Cytc to the mitochondrial intermembrane space in the kidney, is the most likely candidate to phosphorylate Thr28 in vivo. We conclude that Cytc phosphorylation is mediated in a tissue-specific manner and leads to regulation of electron transport chain flux via “controlled respiration,” preventing ΔΨm hyperpolarization, a known cause of ROS and trigger of apoptosis.

  19. Structure and function of cytochrome c2 in electron transfer complexes with the photosynthetic reaction center of Rhodobacter sphaeroides: optical linear dichroism and EPR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drepper, F; Mathis, P

    1997-02-11

    The photosynthetic reaction center (RC) and its secondary electron donor the water-soluble cytochrome (cyt) c2 from the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides have been used in cross-linked and non-cross-linked complexes, oriented in compressed gels or partially dried multilayers, to study the respective orientation of the primary donor P (BChl dimer) and of cyt c2. Three methods were used: (i) Polarized optical absorption spectra at 295 and 10 K were measured and the linear dichroism of the two individual transitions (Qx, Qy), which are nearly degenerate within the alpha-band of reduced cyt c2, was determined. Attribution of the polarization directions to the molecular axes within the heme plane yielded the average cyt orientation in the complexes. (ii) Time-resolved flash absorption measurements using polarized light allowed determination of the orientation of cyt c2 in complexes which differ in their kinetics of electron transfer. (iii) EPR spectroscopy of ferricyt c2 in cross-linked RC-cyt c2 complexes was used to determine the angle between the heme and the membrane plane. The results suggest the following structural properties for the docking of cyt c2 to the RC: (i) In cross-linked complexes, the two cytochromes displaying half-lives of 0.7 and 60 micros for electron transfer to P+ are similarly oriented (difference plane is parallel to the symmetry axis of the RC (0 degrees +/- 10 degrees). Moreover, the Qy transition, which is assumed to be polarized within the ring III-ring I direction of the heme plane, makes an angle of 56 degrees +/- 1 degree with the symmetry axis. (iii) The dichroism spectrum for the fast phase (0.7 micros) for the non-cross-linked cyt c2-RC complex suggests an orientation similar to that of cross-linked cyt c2, but the heme plane is tilted about 20 degrees closer to the membrane. An alternative model is that two or more bound states of cyt c2 with heme plane tilt angles between 0 degrees and 30 degrees allow the fast electron

  20. Heme oxygenase-1 comes back to endoplasmic reticulum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Hong Pyo [School of Biological Sciences, Ulsan University (Korea, Republic of); Pae, Hyun-Ock [Department of Immunology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine (Korea, Republic of); Back, Sung Hun; Chung, Su Wol [School of Biological Sciences, Ulsan University (Korea, Republic of); Woo, Je Moon [Department of Opthalmology, Ulasn University Hospital (Korea, Republic of); Son, Yong [Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Wonkwang University School of Medicine (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Hun-Taeg, E-mail: chung@ulsan.ac.kr [School of Biological Sciences, Ulsan University (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-01-07

    Research highlights: {yields} Although multiple compartmentalization of HO-1 has been documented, the functional implication of this enzyme at these subcellular organelles is only partially elucidated. {yields} HO-1 expression at ER is induced by a diverse set of conditions that cause ER stressors. {yields} CO may induce HO-1 expression in human ECs by activating Nrf2 through PERK phosphorylation in a positive-feedback manner. {yields} ER-residing HO-1 and its cytoprotective activity against ER stress is discussed. -- Abstract: Originally identified as a rate-limiting enzyme for heme catabolism, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has expanded its roles in anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis and anti-proliferation for the last decade. Regulation of protein activity by location is well appreciated. Even though multiple compartmentalization of HO-1 has been documented, the functional implication of this enzyme at these subcellular organelles is only partially elucidated. In this review we discuss the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-residing HO-1 and its cytoprotective activity against ER stress.

  1. The novel cytochrome c6 of chloroplasts: a case of evolutionary bricolage?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howe, Christopher J; Schlarb-Ridley, Beatrix G; Wastl, Juergen; Purton, Saul; Bendall, Derek S

    2006-01-01

    Cytochrome c6 has long been known as a redox carrier of the thylakoid lumen of cyanobacteria and some eukaryotic algae that can substitute for plastocyanin in electron transfer. Until recently, it was widely accepted that land plants lack a cytochrome c6. However, a homologue of the protein has now been identified in several plant species together with an additional isoform in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. This form of the protein, designated cytochrome c6A, differs from the 'conventional' cytochrome c6 in possessing a conserved insertion of 12 amino acids that includes two absolutely conserved cysteine residues. There are conflicting reports of whether cytochrome c6A can substitute for plastocyanin in photosynthetic electron transfer. The evidence for and against this is reviewed and the likely evolutionary history of cytochrome c6A is discussed. It is suggested that it has been converted from a primary role in electron transfer to one in regulation within the chloroplast, and is an example of evolutionary 'bricolage'.

  2. Phosphorylation of Cytochrome c Threonine 28 Regulates Electron Transport Chain Activity in Kidney: IMPLICATIONS FOR AMP KINASE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahapatra, Gargi; Varughese, Ashwathy; Ji, Qinqin; Lee, Icksoo; Liu, Jenney; Vaishnav, Asmita; Sinkler, Christopher; Kapralov, Alexandr A; Moraes, Carlos T; Sanderson, Thomas H; Stemmler, Timothy L; Grossman, Lawrence I; Kagan, Valerian E; Brunzelle, Joseph S; Salomon, Arthur R; Edwards, Brian F P; Hüttemann, Maik

    2017-01-06

    Mammalian cytochrome c (Cytc) plays a key role in cellular life and death decisions, functioning as an electron carrier in the electron transport chain and as a trigger of apoptosis when released from the mitochondria. However, its regulation is not well understood. We show that the major fraction of Cytc isolated from kidneys is phosphorylated on Thr 28 , leading to a partial inhibition of respiration in the reaction with cytochrome c oxidase. To further study the effect of Cytc phosphorylation in vitro, we generated T28E phosphomimetic Cytc, revealing superior behavior regarding protein stability and its ability to degrade reactive oxygen species compared with wild-type unphosphorylated Cytc Introduction of T28E phosphomimetic Cytc into Cytc knock-out cells shows that intact cell respiration, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m ), and ROS levels are reduced compared with wild type. As we show by high resolution crystallography of wild-type and T28E Cytc in combination with molecular dynamics simulations, Thr 28 is located at a central position near the heme crevice, the most flexible epitope of the protein apart from the N and C termini. Finally, in silico prediction and our experimental data suggest that AMP kinase, which phosphorylates Cytc on Thr 28 in vitro and colocalizes with Cytc to the mitochondrial intermembrane space in the kidney, is the most likely candidate to phosphorylate Thr 28 in vivo We conclude that Cytc phosphorylation is mediated in a tissue-specific manner and leads to regulation of electron transport chain flux via "controlled respiration," preventing ΔΨ m hyperpolarization, a known cause of ROS and trigger of apoptosis. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  3. Modelling of three-dimensional structures of cytochromes P450 11B1 and 11B2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belkina, N V; Lisurek, M; Ivanov, A S; Bernhardt, R

    2001-12-15

    The final steps of the biosynthesis of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids in the adrenal cortex require the action of two different cytochromes P450--CYP11B1 and CYP11B2. Homology modelling of the three-dimensional structures of these cytochromes was performed based on crystallographic coordinates of two bacterial P450s, CYP102 (P450BM-3) and CYP108 (P450terp). Principal attention was given to the modelling of the active sites and a comparison of the active site structures of CYP11B1 and CYP11B2 was performed. It can be demonstrated that key residue contacts within the active site appear to depend on the orientation of the heme. The obtained 3D structures of CYP11B1 and CYP11B2 were used for investigation of structure-function relationships of these enzymes. Previously obtained results on naturally occurring mutants and on mutants obtained by site-directed mutagenesis are discussed.

  4. Heme and erythropoieis: more than a structural role

    OpenAIRE

    Chiabrando, Deborah; Mercurio, Sonia; Tolosano, Emanuela

    2014-01-01

    Erythropoiesis is the biological process that consumes the highest amount of body iron for heme synthesis. Heme synthesis in erythroid cells is finely coordinated with that of alpha (α) and beta (β)-globin, resulting in the production of hemoglobin, a tetramer of 2α- and 2β-globin chains, and heme as the prosthetic group. Heme is not only the structural component of hemoglobin, but it plays multiple regulatory roles during the differentiation of erythroid precursors since it controls its own ...

  5. Requirement of histidine 217 for ubiquinone reductase activity (Qi site) in the cytochrome bc1 complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, K A; Dutton, P L; Daldal, F

    1994-01-25

    Folding models suggest that the highly conserved histidine 217 of the cytochrome b subunit from the cytochrome bc1 complex is close to the quinone reductase (Qi) site. This histidine (bH217) in the cytochrome b polypeptide of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus has been replaced with three other residues, aspartate (D), arginine (R), and leucine (L). bH217D and bH217R are able to grow photoheterotrophically and contain active cytochrome bc1 complexes (60% of wild-type activity), whereas the bH217L mutant is photosynthetically incompetent and contains a cytochrome bc1 complex that has only 10% of the wild-type activity. Single-turnover flash-activated electron transfer experiments show that cytochrome bH is reduced via the Qo site with near native rates in the mutant strains but that electron transfer between cytochrome bH and quinone bound at the Qi site is greatly slowed. These results are consistent with redox midpoint potential (Em) measurements of the cytochrome b subunit hemes and the Qi site quinone. The Em values of cyt bL and bH are approximately the same in the mutants and wild type, although the mutant strains have a larger relative concentration of what may be the high-potential form of cytochrome bH, called cytochrome b150. However, the redox properties of the semiquinone at the Qi site are altered significantly. The Qi site semiquinone stability constant of bH217R is 10 times higher than in the wild type, while in the other two strains (bH217D and bH217L) the stability constant is much lower than in the wild type. Thus H217 appears to have major effects on the redox properties of the quinone bound at the Qi site. These data are incorporated into a suggestion that H217 forms part of the binding pocket of the Qi site in a manner reminiscent of the interaction between quinone bound at the Qb site and H190 of the L subunit of the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center.

  6. Cytochrome P450BM-3 reduces aldehydes to alcohols through a direct hydride transfer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaspera, Ruediger; Sahele, Tariku; Lakatos, Kyle [Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 357610, Seattle, WA 98195-7610 (United States); Totah, Rheem A., E-mail: rtotah@u.washington.edu [Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 357610, Seattle, WA 98195-7610 (United States)

    2012-02-17

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cytochrome P450BM-3 reduced aldehydes to alcohols efficiently (k{sub cat} {approx} 25 min{sup -1}). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Reduction is a direct hydride transfer from R-NADP{sup 2}H to the carbonyl moiety. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer P450 domain variants enhance reduction through potential allosteric/redox interactions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Novel reaction will have implications for metabolism of xenobiotics. -- Abstract: Cytochrome P450BM-3 catalyzed the reduction of lipophilic aldehydes to alcohols efficiently. A k{sub cat} of {approx}25 min{sup -1} was obtained for the reduction of methoxy benzaldehyde with wild type P450BM-3 protein which was higher than in the isolated reductase domain (BMR) alone and increased in specific P450-domain variants. The reduction was caused by a direct hydride transfer from preferentially R-NADP{sup 2}H to the carbonyl moiety of the substrate. Weak substrate-P450-binding of the aldehyde, turnover with the reductase domain alone, a deuterium incorporation in the product from NADP{sup 2}H but not D{sub 2}O, and no inhibition by imidazole suggests the reductase domain of P450BM-3 as the potential catalytic site. However, increased aldehyde reduction by P450 domain variants (P450BM-3 F87A T268A) may involve allosteric or redox mechanistic interactions between heme and reductase domains. This is a novel reduction of aldehydes by P450BM-3 involving a direct hydride transfer and could have implications for the metabolism of endogenous substrates or xenobiotics.

  7. Binding of bufuralol, dextromethorphan, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine to wild-type and F120A mutant cytochrome P450 2D6 studied by resonance Raman spectroscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bonifacio, A.; Keizers, P.H.J.; Commandeur, J.N.M.; Vermeulen, N.P.E.; Robert, B.; Gooijer, C.; van der Zwan, G.

    2006-01-01

    Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) is one of the most important drug-metabolizing enzymes in humans. Resonance Raman data, reported for the first time for CYP2D6, show that the CYP2D6 heme is found to be in a six-coordinated low-spin state in the absence of substrates, and it is perturbed to different

  8. Monoclonal antibodies to drosophila cytochrome P-450's

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sundseth, S.S.; Kennel, S.J.; Waters, L.C.

    1987-01-01

    Hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies were prepared by the fusion of SP2/0 myeloma cells and spleen cells from a female BALB/c mouse immunized by cytochrome P-450-A and P-450-B purified from Drosophila Hikone-R (BG) microsomes. P-450-A and P-450-B are electrophoretically distinct subsets of Drosophila P-450. P-450-A is ubiquitous among strains tested, while P-450-B is present in only a few strains displaying unique enzyme activities and increased insecticide resistance. The Oregon-R strain contains only cytochromes P-450-A and is susceptible to insecticides. The authors Hikone-R (BG) strain expresses both cytochromes P-450-A and P-450-B and is insecticide resistant. Antibody producing hybridomas were detected in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) by binding to Hikone-R (BG) or Oregon-R microsomes. Four independent hybridomas were identified as producing monoclonal antibodies that recognized proteins in the P-450 complex by immunoblot experiments. Three monoclonal antibodies recognized P-450-A proteins, while one monoclonal antibody bound predominantly P-450-B. This monoclonal antibody also recognized southern armyworm (Spodoptera eridania, Cramer) microsomal proteins

  9. Chemistry and Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Heme b-HemQ and Coproheme-HemQ.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofbauer, Stefan; Dalla Sega, Marco; Scheiblbrandner, Stefan; Jandova, Zuzana; Schaffner, Irene; Mlynek, Georg; Djinović-Carugo, Kristina; Battistuzzi, Gianantonio; Furtmüller, Paul G; Oostenbrink, Chris; Obinger, Christian

    2016-09-27

    Recently, a novel pathway for heme b biosynthesis in Gram-positive bacteria has been proposed. The final poorly understood step is catalyzed by an enzyme called HemQ and includes two decarboxylation reactions leading from coproheme to heme b. Coproheme has been suggested to act as both substrate and redox active cofactor in this reaction. In the study presented here, we focus on HemQs from Listeria monocytogenes (LmHemQ) and Staphylococcus aureus (SaHemQ) recombinantly produced as apoproteins in Escherichia coli. We demonstrate the rapid and two-phase uptake of coproheme by both apo forms and the significant differences in thermal stability of the apo forms, coproheme-HemQ and heme b-HemQ. Reduction of ferric high-spin coproheme-HemQ to the ferrous form is shown to be enthalpically favored but entropically disfavored with standard reduction potentials of -205 ± 3 mV for LmHemQ and -207 ± 3 mV for SaHemQ versus the standard hydrogen electrode at pH 7.0. Redox thermodynamics suggests the presence of a pronounced H-bonding network and restricted solvent mobility in the heme cavity. Binding of cyanide to the sixth coproheme position is monophasic but relatively slow (∼1 × 10(4) M(-1) s(-1)). On the basis of the available structures of apo-HemQ and modeling of both loaded forms, molecular dynamics simulation allowed analysis of the interaction of coproheme and heme b with the protein as well as the role of the flexibility at the proximal heme cavity and the substrate access channel for coproheme binding and heme b release. Obtained data are discussed with respect to the proposed function of HemQ in monoderm bacteria.

  10. Coordinate regulation of cytochrome and alternative pathway respiration in tobacco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanlerberghe, G C; McIntosh, L

    1992-12-01

    In suspension cells of NT1 tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv bright yellow), inhibition of the cytochrome pathway of respiration with antimycin A induced a large increase in the capacity of the alternative pathway over a period of approximately 12 h, as confirmed in both whole cells and isolated mitochondria. The increase in alternative pathway capacity required de novo RNA and protein synthesis and correlated closely with the increase of a 35-kD alternative oxidase protein. When the cytochrome pathway of intact cells was inhibited by antimycin A, respiration proceeded exclusively through the alternative pathway, reached rates significantly higher than before antimycin A addition, and was not stimulated by p-trifluoromethoxycarbonylcyanide (FCCP). When inhibition of the cytochrome pathway was relieved, alternative pathway capacity and the level of the 35-kD alternative oxidase protein declined. Respiration rate also declined and could once again be stimulated by FCCP. These observations show that the capacities of the mitochondrial electron transport pathways can be regulated in a coordinate fashion.

  11. Oxidase uncoupling in heme monooxygenases: Human cytochrome P450 CYP3A4 in Nanodiscs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grinkova, Yelena V.; Denisov, Ilia G.; McLean, Mark A. [Departments of Biochemistry and Chemistry, University of Illinois, 505 South Goodwin Avenue (United States); Sligar, Stephen G., E-mail: s-sligar@illinois.edu [Departments of Biochemistry and Chemistry, University of Illinois, 505 South Goodwin Avenue (United States)

    2013-01-25

    Highlights: ► Substantial reducing equivalents are lost in human P450 CYP3A4 via an oxidase channel. ► Substrate binding has a pronounced effect on uncoupling in cytochrome P450. ► Anionic phospholipids improve the overall coupling in CYP3A4 Nanodiscs. -- Abstract: The normal reaction mechanism of cytochrome P450 operates by utilizing two reducing equivalents to reduce atmospheric dioxygen, producing one molecule of water and an oxygenated product in an overall stoichiometry of 2 electrons:1 dioxygen:1 product. However, three alternate unproductive pathways exist where the intermediate iron–oxygen states in the catalytic cycle can yield reduced oxygen products without substrate metabolism. The first involves release of superoxide from the oxygenated intermediate while the second occurs after input of the second reducing equivalent. Superoxide rapidly dismutates and hence both processes produce hydrogen peroxide that can be cytotoxic to the organism. In both cases, the formation of hydrogen peroxide involves the same overall stoichiometry as oxygenases catalysis. The key step in the catalytic cycle of cytochrome P450 involves scission of the oxygen–oxygen bond of atmospheric dioxygen to produce a higher valent iron-oxo state termed “Compound I”. This intermediate initiates a radical reaction in the oxygenase pathway but also can uptake two additional reducing equivalents from reduced pyridine nucleotide (NADPH) and the flavoprotein reductase to produce a second molecule of water. This non-productive decay of Compound I thus yields an overall oxygen to NADPH ratio of 1:2 and does not produce hydrocarbon oxidation. This water uncoupling reaction provides one of a limited means to study the reactivity of the critical Compound I intermediate in P450 catalysis. We measured simultaneously the rates of NADPH and oxygen consumption as a function of substrate concentration during the steady-state hydroxylation of testosterone catalyzed by human P450 CYP3A4

  12. Quantum Computational Studies of Electron Transfer in Respiratory Complex III and its Application for Designing New Mitocan Drugs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagras, Muhammad Ahmed

    electron of a bound QH2 molecule transfers to [2Fe-2S] cluster of the Rieske domain, docked at the proximal docking site, and another electron transfers to heme b L , which subsequently passes it to heme bH , and finally to Q or SQ molecule bound at the Qi-site 4. Rieske domain undergoes a domain movement 22 A to bind at the distal docking site, where [2Fe-2S] cluster passes its electron to heme c1, which in turn passes it to heme c of the water-soluble cytochrome c carrier 3c, 5 (which shuttles it to cytochrome c oxidase, complex IV). In the current compiled work presented in the subsequent chapters, we deployed a stacking tiers hierarchy where each chapter's work presents a foundation for the next one. In chapter 1, we first present different methods to calculate tunneling currents in proteins including a new derivation method for the inter-atomic tunneling current method. In addition, we show the results of the inter-atomic tunneling current theory on models based on heme bL-heme bH redox pair system in bc1 complex. Afterwards, in chapter 2, we examine the electron tunneling pathways 6 between different intra-monomeric and inter-monomeric redox centers of bc1 complex, including its electron carriers - ubiquinol, ubiquinone, and cytochrome c molecules, using the well-studied coarse-grained interatomic method of the tunneling current theory 7. Going through the different tunneling pathways in bc1 complex, we discovered a pair of internal switches that modulate the electron transfer rate which we discuss in full details in chapter 3. Motivated by the discovery of those internal switches, we discuss in chapter 4 the discovery of a new binding pocket (designated as NonQ-site or NQ-site for short) in bc 1 complex which is located at the opposite side of the enzyme with respect to Qo site. In contrast to Qo site, however, the NQ-site penetrates deeply in the cytochrome b domain and reaches very closely the LH region. Hence the NQ-site provides a suitable binding pocket for

  13. Effects of membrane curvature and pH on proton pumping activity of single cytochrome bo3 enzymes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Mengqiu; Khan, Sanobar; Rong, Honglin

    2017-01-01

    The molecular mechanism of proton pumping by heme-copper oxidases (HCO) has intrigued the scientific community since it was first proposed. We have recently reported a novel technology that enables the continuous characterisation of proton transport activity of a HCO and ubiquinol oxidase from...... Escherichia coli, cytochrome bo3, for hundreds of seconds on the single enzyme level (Li et al. J Am Chem Soc 137 (2015) 16055–16063). Here, we have extended these studies by additional experiments and analyses of the proton transfer rate as a function of proteoliposome size and pH at the N- and P......-side of single HCOs. Proton transport activity of cytochrome bo3 was found to decrease with increased curvature of the membrane. Furthermore, proton uptake at the N-side (proton entrance) was insensitive to pH between pH 6.4–8.4, while proton release at the P-side had an optimum pH of ~ 7.4, suggesting...

  14. Heme requirement and intracellular trafficking in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lara, F.A.; Sant'Anna, C.; Lemos, D.; Laranja, G.A.T.; Coelho, M.G.P.; Reis Salles, I.; Michel, A.; Oliveira, P.L.; Cunha-e-Silva, N.; Salmon, D.; Paes, M.C.

    2007-01-01

    Epimastigotes multiplies in the insect midgut by taking up nutrients present in the blood meal including heme bound to hemoglobin of red blood cell. During blood meal digestion by vector proteases in the posterior midgut, hemoglobin is clipped off into amino acids, peptides, and free heme. In this paper, we compared the heme and hemoglobin uptake kinetics and followed their intracellular trafficking. Addition of heme to culture medium increased epimastigote proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, while medium supplemented with hemoglobin enhanced growth after 3-day lag phase. Medium supplemented with globin-derived peptides stimulated cell proliferation in a dose-independent way. Using Palladium mesoporphyrin IX (Pd-mP) as a fluorescent heme-analog, we observed that heme internalization proceeded much faster than that observed by hemoglobin-rhodamine. Binding experiments showed that parasites accumulated the Pd-mP into the posterior region of the cell whereas hemoglobin-rhodamine stained the anterior region. Finally, using different specific inhibitors of ABC transporters we conclude that a P-glycoprotein homologue transporter is probably involved in heme transport through the plasma membrane

  15. The induction of heme oxygenase-1 suppresses heat shock protein 90 and the proliferation of human breast cancer cells through its byproduct carbon monoxide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Wen-Ying [Department of Pathology, Chi-Mei Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Chen, Yen-Chou [Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Shih, Chwen-Ming; Lin, Chun-Mao; Cheng, Chia-Hsiung; Chen, Ku-Chung [Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Lin, Cheng-Wei, E-mail: cwlin@tmu.edu.tw [Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China)

    2014-01-01

    Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 is an oxidative stress-response enzyme which catalyzes the degradation of heme into bilirubin, ferric ion, and carbon monoxide (CO). Induction of HO-1 was reported to have antitumor activity; the inhibitory mechanism, however, is still unclear. In the present study, we found that treatment with [Ru(CO){sub 3}Cl{sub 2}]{sub 2} (RuCO), a CO-releasing compound, reduced the growth of human MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Analysis of growth-related proteins showed that treatment with RuCO down-regulated cyclinD1, CDK4, and hTERT protein expressions. Interestingly, RuCO treatment resulted in opposite effects on wild-type and mutant p53 proteins. These results were similar to those of cells treated with geldanamycin (a heat shock protein (HSP)90 inhibitor), suggesting that RuCO might affect HSP90 activity. Moreover, RuCO induced mutant p53 protein destabilization accompanied by promotion of ubiquitination and proteasome degradation. The induction of HO-1 by cobalt protoporphyrin IX (CoPP) showed consistent results, while the addition of tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPP), an HO-1 enzymatic inhibitor, diminished the RuCO-mediated effect. RuCO induction of HO-1 expression was reduced by a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor (SB203580). Additionally, treatment with a chemopreventive compound, curcumin, induced HO-1 expression accompanied with reduction of HSP90 client protein expression. The induction of HO-1 by curcumin inhibited 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA)-elicited matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and tumor invasion. In conclusion, we provide novel evidence underlying HO-1's antitumor mechanism. CO, a byproduct of HO-1, suppresses HSP90 protein activity, and the induction of HO-1 may possess potential as a cancer therapeutic. - Highlights: • CO and HO-1 inhibited the growth of human breast cancer cells. • CO and HO-1 attenuated HSP90 and its client proteins expression. • CO induced mutant p53 protein

  16. 50 Hz electric field effects on protein carbonyl (PCO), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and hydroxyproline levels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozgur, Elcin; Goknur, Guler; Seyhan, Nesrin

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Non-ionizing electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation sources, such as power lines and other Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) sources have become one of the most ubiquitous components of the spectrum of the human environment, and the possibility that they may have hazardous effects on human health is a major a public concern. Although it is well documented that EMFs have biological effects, the degree to which these exposures constitute a human health hazard is not clear yet. Today relation between production of oxidative stress resulted by reactive oxygen species and electrical stimulus, also the protective effects of antioxidant treatments are mentioned in many researches. In this study, it was aimed to determine both oxidation of proteins and protein collagen levels under 50 Hz 12 kV/m vertical Electric (E) Field exposure and the N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) administration which is a well-known antioxidant. To this end, protein carbonyl levels (PCO) as bio-markers of oxidative stress and Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of heme analyzed to figure out the protein oxidation. Hydroxyproline level, a major component of the protein collagen was measured in order to express the level of collagen in lung tissue. Guinea pigs, weighted 250-300 g, were used in the study. A total forty male guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups which are composed of 10 guinea pigs each for groups: 1) Group I (Sham); 2) Group II (NAC-administrated group); 3) Group III (E Field Exposure group); 4) Group IV (NAC administrated + E Field exposed group). One week exposure period for 8 hours per daily was conducted for each exposure groups (Group III, Group IV ). The electric field exposure period was from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After the last exposure day, the guinea pigs were anesthetized by the injection of ketamine and xylazine. The guinea pigs were killed by decapitation. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS software (SPSS 11.5 for windows

  17. Moessbauer spectroscopic study of polymer-bound heme complexes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuchida, Eishun; Nishide, Hiroyuki; Yokoyama, Hiroyuki; Inoue, Hidenari; Shirai, Tsuneo.

    1984-01-01

    Moessbauer spectra were measured on the heme complexes of poly(1-vinyl- and 1-vinyl-2-methylimidazole)(PVI and PMI) and heme derivatives with covalently bound imidazoleligand (IH) and 2-methylimidazole-ligand (MIH) embedded in poly(1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) film. Quadrupole splitting (ΔE sub(Q)) for the carbon monoxide adduct of PMI-heme indicated large electronic field gradient at the iron nucleus, probably due to steric hindrance of the polymer chain, and this behavior agreed with its low affinity with carbon monoxide. PMI-heme formed an oxygen adduct and its isomer shift and ΔE sub(Q) values were obtained. (author)

  18. Challenging Density Functional Theory Calculations with Hemes and Porphyrins

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Visser, Sam P.; Stillman, Martin J.

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we review recent advances in computational chemistry and specifically focus on the chemical description of heme proteins and synthetic porphyrins that act as both mimics of natural processes and technological uses. These are challenging biochemical systems involved in electron transfer as well as biocatalysis processes. In recent years computational tools have improved considerably and now can reproduce experimental spectroscopic and reactivity studies within a reasonable error margin (several kcal·mol−1). This paper gives recent examples from our groups, where we investigated heme and synthetic metal-porphyrin systems. The four case studies highlight how computational modelling can correctly reproduce experimental product distributions, predicted reactivity trends and guide interpretation of electronic structures of complex systems. The case studies focus on the calculations of a variety of spectroscopic features of porphyrins and show how computational modelling gives important insight that explains the experimental spectra and can lead to the design of porphyrins with tuned properties. PMID:27070578

  19. Challenging Density Functional Theory Calculations with Hemes and Porphyrins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sam P. de Visser

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we review recent advances in computational chemistry and specifically focus on the chemical description of heme proteins and synthetic porphyrins that act as both mimics of natural processes and technological uses. These are challenging biochemical systems involved in electron transfer as well as biocatalysis processes. In recent years computational tools have improved considerably and now can reproduce experimental spectroscopic and reactivity studies within a reasonable error margin (several kcal·mol−1. This paper gives recent examples from our groups, where we investigated heme and synthetic metal-porphyrin systems. The four case studies highlight how computational modelling can correctly reproduce experimental product distributions, predicted reactivity trends and guide interpretation of electronic structures of complex systems. The case studies focus on the calculations of a variety of spectroscopic features of porphyrins and show how computational modelling gives important insight that explains the experimental spectra and can lead to the design of porphyrins with tuned properties.

  20. Covalent modification of cytochrome c by reactive metabolites of furan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Martin B; Sullivan, Mathilde M; Villalta, Peter W; Peterson, Lisa A

    2014-01-21

    Metabolism of the hepatotoxicant furan leads to protein adduct formation in the target organ. The initial bioactivation step involves cytochrome P450-catalyzed oxidation of furan, generating cis-2-butene-1,4-dial (BDA). BDA reacts with lysine to form pyrrolin-2-one adducts. Metabolic studies indicate that BDA also reacts with glutathione (GSH) to generate 2-(S-glutathionyl)butanedial (GSH-BDA), which then reacts with lysine to form GSH-BDA-lysine cross-links. To explore the relative reactivity of these two reactive intermediates, cytochrome c was reacted with BDA in the presence and absence of GSH. As judged by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, BDA reacts extensively with cytochrome c to form adducts that add 66 Da to the protein, consistent with the formation of pyrrolinone adducts. Addition of GSH to the reaction mixture reduced the overall extent of adduct formation. The mass of the adducted protein was shifted by 355 Da as expected for GSH-BDA-protein cross-link formation. LC-MS/MS analysis of the tryptic digests of the alkylated protein indicated that the majority of adducts occurred on lysine residues, with BDA reacting less selectively than GSH-BDA. Both types of adducts may contribute to the toxic effects of furan.

  1. Tyrosine oxidation in heme oxygenase: examination of long-range proton-coupled electron transfer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smirnov, Valeriy V; Roth, Justine P

    2014-10-01

    Heme oxygenase is responsible for the degradation of a histidine-ligated ferric protoporphyrin IX (Por) to biliverdin, CO, and the free ferrous ion. Described here are studies of tyrosyl radical formation reactions that occur after oxidizing Fe(III)(Por) to Fe(IV)=O(Por(·+)) in human heme oxygenase isoform-1 (hHO-1) and the structurally homologous protein from Corynebacterium diphtheriae (cdHO). Site-directed mutagenesis on hHO-1 probes the reduction of Fe(IV)=O(Por(·+)) by tyrosine residues within 11 Å of the prosthetic group. In hHO-1, Y58· is implicated as the most likely site of oxidation, based on the pH and pD dependent kinetics. The absence of solvent deuterium isotope effects in basic solutions of hHO-1 and cdHO contrasts with the behavior of these proteins in the acidic solution, suggesting that long-range proton-coupled electron transfer predominates over electron transfer.

  2. Biological significance of lysine mono-, di- and trimethylation on histone and non-histone proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez-Burgos, L.

    2006-01-01

    Histones are the proteins that compact DNA into the repeating unit of chromatin known as the nucleosome. The N-termini of histones are subject to a series of post-translational modifications, one of which is methylation. This modification is termed 'epigenetic' because it extends the information encoded in the genome. Lysines can be mono-, di- or tri-methylated at different positions on histones H1, H3 and H4. In order to study the biological role of histone lysine methylation, antibodies were generated against mono-, di- and trimethylated H3-K9 and H3-27. Indeed, different chromatin domains in the mouse nucleus are enriched in distinct forms of histone lysine methylation, such as pericentric heterochromatin and the inactive X chromosome. Interestingly, heterochromatin in Arabidopsis thaliana is enriched in the mono- and di-, but not the trimethylated form of H3-K9. Furthermore, there exists a hierarchy of epigenetic modifications in which H3-K9 trimethylation is found to be upstream of DNA methylation on mouse major satellites. Histone lysine methylation is also involved in gene regulation upon development. One example is the chicken 61538;-globin locus, a region of facultative chromatin that undergoes a loss of di- and trimethylated H3-K27 in mature red blood cells, concomitant with expression of the 61538;-globin genes. SET-domain proteins are enzymes that methylate histones, but some of them are also able to methylate non-histone substrates. In particular, p53 is methylated by Set9 on lysine 372, G9a and Glp-1 on lysine 373 and by Smyd2 on lysine 370. Smyd2 transcript levels are greatly increased upon irradiation and dimethylated p53-370 specifically binds to 53BP1, a protein involved in recognizing DNA double-stranded breaks upon ionizing radiation. These results argue for a novel role of p53-K370 methylation in the biology of DNA damage. In summary, lysine methylation is a post-translational modification that can occur both on histone and non-histone proteins

  3. High resolution structure of the ba3 cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus in a lipidic environment.

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    Theresa Tiefenbrunn

    Full Text Available The fundamental chemistry underpinning aerobic life on Earth involves reduction of dioxygen to water with concomitant proton translocation. This process is catalyzed by members of the heme-copper oxidase (HCO superfamily. Despite the availability of crystal structures for all types of HCO, the mode of action for this enzyme is not understood at the atomic level, namely how vectorial H(+ and e(- transport are coupled. Toward addressing this problem, we report wild type and A120F mutant structures of the ba(3-type cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus at 1.8 Å resolution. The enzyme has been crystallized from the lipidic cubic phase, which mimics the biological membrane environment. The structures reveal 20 ordered lipid molecules that occupy binding sites on the protein surface or mediate crystal packing interfaces. The interior of the protein encloses 53 water molecules, including 3 trapped in the designated K-path of proton transfer and 8 in a cluster seen also in A-type enzymes that likely functions in egress of product water and proton translocation. The hydrophobic O(2-uptake channel, connecting the active site to the lipid bilayer, contains a single water molecule nearest the Cu(B atom but otherwise exhibits no residual electron density. The active site contains strong electron density for a pair of bonded atoms bridging the heme Fe(a3 and Cu(B atoms that is best modeled as peroxide. The structure of ba(3-oxidase reveals new information about the positioning of the enzyme within the membrane and the nature of its interactions with lipid molecules. The atomic resolution details provide insight into the mechanisms of electron transfer, oxygen diffusion into the active site, reduction of oxygen to water, and pumping of protons across the membrane. The development of a robust system for production of ba(3-oxidase crystals diffracting to high resolution, together with an established expression system for generating mutants, opens the

  4. Modulation of Na+/K+ ATPase Activity by Hydrogen Peroxide Generated through Heme in L. amazonensis.

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    Nathália Rocco-Machado

    Full Text Available Leishmania amazonensis is a protozoan parasite that occurs in many areas of Brazil and causes skin lesions. Using this parasite, our group showed the activation of Na+/K+ ATPase through a signaling cascade that involves the presence of heme and protein kinase C (PKC activity. Heme is an important biomolecule that has pro-oxidant activity and signaling capacity. Reactive oxygen species (ROS can act as second messengers, which are required in various signaling cascades. Our goal in this work is to investigate the role of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 generated in the presence of heme in the Na+/K+ ATPase activity of L. amazonensis. Our results show that increasing concentrations of heme stimulates the production of H2O2 in a dose-dependent manner until a concentration of 2.5 μM heme. To confirm that the effect of heme on the Na+/K+ ATPase is through the generation of H2O2, we measured enzyme activity using increasing concentrations of H2O2 and, as expected, the activity increased in a dose-dependent manner until a concentration of 0.1 μM H2O2. To investigate the role of PKC in this signaling pathway, we observed the production of H2O2 in the presence of its activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA and its inhibitor calphostin C. Both showed no effect on the generation of H2O2. Furthermore, we found that PKC activity is increased in the presence of H2O2, and that in the presence of calphostin C, H2O2 is unable to activate the Na+/K+ ATPase. 100 μM of Mito-TEMPO was capable of abolishing the stimulatory effect of heme on Na+/K+ ATPase activity, indicating that mitochondria might be the source of the hydrogen peroxide production induced by heme. The modulation of L. amazonensis Na+/K+ ATPase by H2O2 opens new possibilities for understanding the signaling pathways of this parasite.

  5. Histidine at Position 195 is Essential for Association of Heme-b in Lcp1VH2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oetermann, Sylvia; Vivod, Robin; Hiessl, Sebastian; Hogeback, Jens; Holtkamp, Michael; Karst, Uwe; Steinbüchel, Alexander

    2018-03-01

    The latex clearing protein (Lcp) is the key enzyme of polyisoprene degradation in actinomycetes (Yikmis and Steinbüchel in Appl Environ Microbiol 78:4543-4551, https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00001-12, 2012). In this study it was shown that Lcp from Gordonia polyisoprenivorans VH2 (Lcp1VH2) harbors a non-covalently bound heme b as cofactor, which was identified by pyridine hemochrome spectra and confirmed by LC/ESI-ToF-MS. It contains iron, most likely in the Fe3+ state. We focused on the characterization of the heme-cofactor, its accessibility with respect to the conformation of Lcp1VH2, and the identification of putative histidine residues involved in the coordination of heme. A change was detectable in UV/Vis-spectra of reduced Lcp1VH2 when imidazole was added, showing that Lcp1VH2 "as isolated" occurs in an open state, directly being accessible for external ligands. In addition, three highly conserved histidines (H195, H200 and H228), presumably acting as ligands coordinating the heme within the heme pocket, were replaced with alanines by site-directed mutagenesis. The effect of these changes on in vivo rubber-mineralization was investigated. The lcp- deletion mutant complemented with the H195A variant of lcp1 VH2 was unable to mineralize poly(cis-1,4-isoprene). In vitro analyses of purified, recombinant Lcp1VH2H195A confirmed the loss of enzyme activity, which could be ascribed to the loss of heme. Hence, H195 is essential for the association of heme-b in the central region of Lcp1VH2.

  6. Histidine at Position 195 is Essential for Association of Heme- b in Lcp1VH2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oetermann, Sylvia; Vivod, Robin; Hiessl, Sebastian; Hogeback, Jens; Holtkamp, Michael; Karst, Uwe; Steinbüchel, Alexander

    2018-05-01

    The latex clearing protein (Lcp) is the key enzyme of polyisoprene degradation in actinomycetes (Yikmis and Steinbüchel in Appl Environ Microbiol 78:4543-4551, https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00001-12 , 2012). In this study it was shown that Lcp from Gordonia polyisoprenivorans VH2 (Lcp1VH2) harbors a non-covalently bound heme b as cofactor, which was identified by pyridine hemochrome spectra and confirmed by LC/ESI-ToF-MS. It contains iron, most likely in the Fe3+ state. We focused on the characterization of the heme-cofactor, its accessibility with respect to the conformation of Lcp1VH2, and the identification of putative histidine residues involved in the coordination of heme. A change was detectable in UV/Vis-spectra of reduced Lcp1VH2 when imidazole was added, showing that Lcp1VH2 "as isolated" occurs in an open state, directly being accessible for external ligands. In addition, three highly conserved histidines (H195, H200 and H228), presumably acting as ligands coordinating the heme within the heme pocket, were replaced with alanines by site-directed mutagenesis. The effect of these changes on in vivo rubber-mineralization was investigated. The lcp- deletion mutant complemented with the H195A variant of lcp1 VH2 was unable to mineralize poly( cis-1,4-isoprene). In vitro analyses of purified, recombinant Lcp1VH2H195A confirmed the loss of enzyme activity, which could be ascribed to the loss of heme. Hence, H195 is essential for the association of heme- b in the central region of Lcp1VH2.

  7. Genes Important for Catalase Activity in Enterococcus faecalis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baureder, Michael; Hederstedt, Lars

    2012-01-01

    Little in general is known about how heme proteins are assembled from their constituents in cells. The Gram-positive bacterium Enterococcus faecalis cannot synthesize heme and does not depend on it for growth. However, when supplied with heme in the growth medium the cells can synthesize two heme proteins; catalase (KatA) and cytochrome bd (CydAB). To identify novel factors important for catalase biogenesis libraries of E. faecalis gene insertion mutants were generated using two different types of transposons. The libraries of mutants were screened for clones deficient in catalase activity using a colony zymogram staining procedure. Analysis of obtained clones identified, in addition to katA (encoding the catalase enzyme protein), nine genes distributed over five different chromosomal loci. No factors with a dedicated essential role in catalase biogenesis or heme trafficking were revealed, but the results indicate the RNA degradosome (srmB, rnjA), an ABC-type oligopeptide transporter (oppBC), a two-component signal transducer (etaR), and NADH peroxidase (npr) as being important for expression of catalase activity in E. faecalis. It is demonstrated that catalase biogenesis in E. faecalis is independent of the CydABCD proteins and that a conserved proline residue in the N-terminal region of KatA is important for catalase assembly. PMID:22590595

  8. Acquisition of iron from transferrin regulates reticulocyte heme synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ponka, P.; Schulman, H.M.

    1985-01-01

    Fe-salicylaldehyde isonicotinoylhydrazone (SIH), which can donate iron to reticulocytes without transferrin as a mediator, has been utilized to test the hypothesis that the rate of iron uptake from transferrin limits the rate of heme synthesis in erythroid cells. Reticulocytes take up 59 Fe from [ 59 Fe]SIH and incorporate it into heme to a much greater extent than from saturating concentrations of [ 59 Fe]transferrin. Also, Fe-SIH stimulates [2- 14 C]glycine into heme when compared to the incorporation observed with saturating levels of Fe-transferrin. In addition, delta-aminolevulinic acid does not stimulate 59 Fe incorporation into heme from either [ 59 Fe]transferrin or [ 59 Fe]SIH but does reverse the inhibition of 59 Fe incorporation into heme caused by isoniazid, an inhibitor of delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase. Taken together, these results suggest the hypothesis that some step(s) in the pathway of iron from extracellular transferrin to intracellular protoporphyrin limits the overall rate of heme synthesis in reticulocytes

  9. Heme oxygenase-2 gene deletion attenuates oxidative stress in neurons exposed to extracellular hemin

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    Benvenisti-Zarom Luna

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hemin, the oxidized form of heme, accumulates in intracranial hematomas and is a potent oxidant. Growing evidence suggests that it contributes to delayed injury to surrounding tissue, and that this process is affected by the heme oxygenase enzymes. In a prior study, heme oxygenase-2 gene deletion increased the vulnerability of cultured cortical astrocytes to hemin. The present study tested the effect of HO-2 gene deletion on protein oxidation, reactive oxygen species formation, and cell viability after mixed cortical neuron/astrocyte cultures were incubated with neurotoxic concentrations of hemin. Results Continuous exposure of wild-type cultures to 1–10 μM hemin for 14 h produced concentration-dependent neuronal death, as detected by both LDH release and fluorescence intensity after propidium iodide staining, with an EC50 of 1–2 μM; astrocytes were not injured by these low hemin concentrations. Cell death was consistently reduced by at least 60% in knockout cultures. Exposure to hemin for 4 hours, a time point that preceded cell lysis, increased protein oxidation in wild-type cultures, as detected by staining of immunoblots for protein carbonyl groups. At 10 μM hemin, carbonylation was increased 2.3-fold compared with control sister cultures subjected to medium exchanges only; this effect was reduced by about two-thirds in knockout cultures. Cellular reactive oxygen species, detected by fluorescence intensity after dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR staining, was markedly increased by hemin in wild-type cultures and was localized to neuronal cell bodies and processes. In contrast, DHR fluorescence intensity in knockout cultures did not differ from that of sham-washed controls. Neuronal death in wild-type cultures was almost completely prevented by the lipid-soluble iron chelator phenanthroline; deferoxamine had a weaker but significant effect. Conclusions These results suggest that HO-2 gene deletion protects neurons in mixed

  10. Coordinate expression of heme and globin is essential for effective erythropoiesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doty, Raymond T; Phelps, Susan R; Shadle, Christina; Sanchez-Bonilla, Marilyn; Keel, Siobán B; Abkowitz, Janis L

    2015-12-01

    Erythropoiesis requires rapid and extensive hemoglobin production. Heme activates globin transcription and translation; therefore, heme synthesis must precede globin synthesis. As free heme is a potent inducer of oxidative damage, its levels within cellular compartments require stringent regulation. Mice lacking the heme exporter FLVCR1 have a severe macrocytic anemia; however, the mechanisms that underlie erythropoiesis dysfunction in these animals are unclear. Here, we determined that erythropoiesis failure occurs in these animals at the CFU-E/proerythroblast stage, a point at which the transferrin receptor (CD71) is upregulated, iron is imported, and heme is synthesized--before ample globin is produced. From the CFU-E/proerythroblast (CD71(+) Ter119(-) cells) stage onward, erythroid progenitors exhibited excess heme content, increased cytoplasmic ROS, and increased apoptosis. Reducing heme synthesis in FLVCR1-defient animals via genetic and biochemical approaches improved the anemia, implying that heme excess causes, and is not just associated with, the erythroid marrow failure. Expression of the cell surface FLVCR1 isoform, but not the mitochondrial FLVCR1 isoform, restored normal rbc production, demonstrating that cellular heme export is essential. Together, these studies provide insight into how heme is regulated to allow effective erythropoiesis, show that erythropoiesis fails when heme is excessive, and emphasize the importance of evaluating Ter119(-) erythroid cells when studying erythroid marrow failure in murine models.

  11. Binding of bufuralol, dextromethorphan, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine to wild-type and F120A mutant cytochrome P450 2D6 studied by resonance Raman spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonifacio, Alois; Keizers, Peter H.J.; Commandeur, Jan N.M.; Vermeulen, Nico P.E.; Robert, Bruno; Gooijer, Cees; Zwan, Gert van der

    2006-01-01

    Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) is one of the most important drug-metabolizing enzymes in humans. Resonance Raman data, reported for First time for CYP2D6, show that the CYP2D6 heme is found to be in a six-coordinated low-spin state in the absence of substrates, and it is perturbed to different extents by bufuralol, dextromethorphan, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA). Dextromethorphan and MDMA induce in CYP2D6 a significant amount of five-coordinated high-spin heme species and reduce the polarity of its heme-pocket, whereas bufuralol does not. Spectra of the F120A mutant CYP2D6 suggest that Phe 12 is involved in substrate-binding of dextromethorphan and MDMA, being responsible for the spectral differences observed between these two compounds and bufuralol. These differences could be explained postulating a different substrate mobility for each compound in the CYP2D6 active site, consistently with the role previously suggested for Phe 12 in binding dextromethorphan and MDMA

  12. A Cytochrome P450 3A4 Biosensor Based on Generation 4.0 PAMAM Dendrimers for the Detection of Caffeine

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    Michael Müller

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Cytochromes P450 (CYP, P450 are a large family of heme-active-site proteins involved in many catalytic processes, including steroidogenesis. In humans, four primary enzymes are involved in the metabolism of almost all xenobiotics. Among these enzymes, CYP3A4 is responsible for the inactivation of the majority of used drugs which makes this enzyme an interesting target for many fields of research, especially pharmaceutical research. Since the late 1970s, attempts have been made to construct and develop electrochemical sensors for the determination of substrates. This paper is concerned with the establishment of such a CYP3A4-containing biosensor. The sensor was constructed by adsorption of alternating layers of sub-nanometer gold particle-modified PAMAM (poly-amido-amine dendrimers of generation 4.0, along with the enzyme by a layer-by-layer assembly technique. Atomic force microscopy (AFM, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM, and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR were employed to elucidate the sensor assembly. Additionally, the biosensor was tested by cyclic voltammetry using caffeine as a substrate.

  13. Understanding the determinants of selectivity in drug metabolism through modeling of dextromethorphan oxidation by cytochrome P450

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oláh, Julianna; Mulholland, Adrian J.; Harvey, Jeremy N.

    2011-01-01

    Cytochrome P450 enzymes play key roles in the metabolism of the majority of drugs. Improved models for prediction of likely metabolites will contribute to drug development. In this work, two possible metabolic routes (aromatic carbon oxidation and O-demethylation) of dextromethorphan are compared using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT). The DFT results on a small active site model suggest that both reactions might occur competitively. Docking and MD studies of dextromethorphan in the active site of P450 2D6 show that the dextromethorphan is located close to heme oxygen in a geometry apparently consistent with competitive metabolism. In contrast, calculations of the reaction path in a large protein model [using a hybrid quantum mechanical–molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method] show a very strong preference for O-demethylation, in accordance with experimental results. The aromatic carbon oxidation reaction is predicted to have a high activation energy, due to the active site preventing formation of a favorable transition-state structure. Hence, the QM/MM calculations demonstrate a crucial role of many active site residues in determining reactivity of dextromethorphan in P450 2D6. Beyond substrate binding orientation and reactivity of Compound I, successful metabolite predictions must take into account the detailed mechanism of oxidation in the protein. These results demonstrate the potential of QM/MM methods to investigate specificity in drug metabolism. PMID:21444768

  14. From Cholesterogenesis to Steroidogenesis: Role of Riboflavin and Flavoenzymes in the Biosynthesis of Vitamin D12

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, John T.; Cooper, Arthur J. L.

    2014-01-01

    Flavin-dependent monooxygenases and oxidoreductases are located at critical branch points in the biosynthesis and metabolism of cholesterol and vitamin D. These flavoproteins function as obligatory intermediates that accept 2 electrons from NAD(P)H with subsequent 1-electron transfers to a variety of cytochrome P450 (CYP) heme proteins within the mitochondria matrix (type I) and the (microsomal) endoplasmic reticulum (type II). The mode of electron transfer in these systems differs slightly in the number and form of the flavin prosthetic moiety. In the type I mitochondrial system, FAD-adrenodoxin reductase interfaces with adrenodoxin before electron transfer to CYP heme proteins. In the microsomal type II system, a diflavin (FAD/FMN)-dependent cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase [NAD(P)H-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR)] donates electrons to a multitude of heme oxygenases. Both flavoenzyme complexes exhibit a commonality of function with all CYP enzymes and are crucial for maintaining a balance of cholesterol and vitamin D metabolites. Deficits in riboflavin availability, imbalances in the intracellular ratio of FAD to FMN, and mutations that affect flavin binding domains and/or interactions with client proteins result in marked structural alterations within the skeletal and central nervous systems similar to those of disorders (inborn errors) in the biosynthetic pathways that lead to cholesterol, steroid hormones, and vitamin D and their metabolites. Studies of riboflavin deficiency during embryonic development demonstrate congenital malformations similar to those associated with genetic alterations of the flavoenzymes in these pathways. Overall, a deeper understanding of the role of riboflavin in these pathways may prove essential to targeted therapeutic designs aimed at cholesterol and vitamin D metabolism. PMID:24618756

  15. Increased Heme Levels in the Heart Lead to Exacerbated Ischemic Injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawicki, Konrad Teodor; Shang, Meng; Wu, Rongxue; Chang, Hsiang-Chun; Khechaduri, Arineh; Sato, Tatsuya; Kamide, Christine; Liu, Ting; Naga Prasad, Sathyamangla V; Ardehali, Hossein

    2015-07-31

    Heme is an essential iron-containing molecule for cardiovascular physiology, but in excess it may increase oxidative stress. Failing human hearts have increased heme levels, with upregulation of the rate-limiting enzyme in heme synthesis, δ-aminolevulinic acid synthase 2 (ALAS2), which is normally not expressed in cardiomyocytes. We hypothesized that increased heme accumulation (through cardiac overexpression of ALAS2) leads to increased oxidative stress and cell death in the heart. We first showed that ALAS2 and heme levels are increased in the hearts of mice subjected to coronary ligation. To determine the causative role of increased heme in the development of heart failure, we generated transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of ALAS2. While ALAS2 transgenic mice have normal cardiac function at baseline, their hearts display increased heme content, higher oxidative stress, exacerbated cell death, and worsened cardiac function after coronary ligation compared to nontransgenic littermates. We confirmed in cultured cardiomyoblasts that the increased oxidative stress and cell death observed with ALAS2 overexpression is mediated by increased heme accumulation. Furthermore, knockdown of ALAS2 in cultured cardiomyoblasts exposed to hypoxia reversed the increases in heme content and cell death. Administration of the mitochondrial antioxidant MitoTempo to ALAS2-overexpressing cardiomyoblasts normalized the elevated oxidative stress and cell death levels to baseline, indicating that the effects of increased ALAS2 and heme are through elevated mitochondrial oxidative stress. The clinical relevance of these findings was supported by the finding of increased ALAS2 induction and heme accumulation in failing human hearts from patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy compared to nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Heme accumulation is detrimental to cardiac function under ischemic conditions, and reducing heme in the heart may be a novel approach for protection against the

  16. Immobilized unfolded cytochrome c acts as a catalyst for dioxygen reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavagnacco, Claudio; Monari, Stefano; Ranieri, Antonio; Bortolotti, Carlo Augusto; Peressini, Silvia; Borsari, Marco

    2011-10-21

    Unfolding turns immobilized cytochrome c into a His-His ligated form endowed with catalytic activity towards O(2), which is absent in the native protein. Dioxygen could be used by naturally occurring unfolded cytochrome c as a substrate for the production of partially reduced oxygen species (PROS) contributing to the cell oxidative stress.

  17. Novel Insights in Mammalian Catalase Heme Maturation: Effect of NO and Thioredoxin-1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakravarti, Ritu; Gupta, Karishma; Majors, Alana; Ruple, Lisa; Aronica, Mark; Stuehr, Dennis J.

    2016-01-01

    Catalase is a tetrameric heme-containing enzyme with essential antioxidant functions in biology. Multiple factors including nitric oxide (NO) have been shown to attenuate its activity. However, the possible impact of NO in relation to the maturation of active catalase, including its heme acquisition and tetramer formation, has not been investigated. We found that NO attenuates heme insertion into catalase in both short-term and long-term incubations. The NO inhibition in catalase heme incorporation was associated with defective oligomerization of catalase, such that inactive catalase monomers and dimers accumulated in place of the mature tetrameric enzyme. We also found that GAPDH plays a key role in mediating these NO effects on the structure and activity of catalase. Moreover, the NO sensitivity of catalase maturation could be altered up or down by manipulating the cellular expression level or activity of thioredoxin-1, a known protein-SNO denitrosylase enzyme. In a mouse model of allergic inflammatory asthma, we found that lungs from allergen-challenged mice contained a greater percentage of dimeric catalase relative to tetrameric catalase in the unchallenged control, suggesting that the mechanisms described here are in play in the allergic asthma model. Together, our study shows how maturation of active catalase can be influenced by NO, S-nitrosylated GAPDH, and thioredoxin-1, and how maturation may become compromised in inflammatory conditions such as asthma. PMID:25659933

  18. AMOEBA Polarizable Force Field Parameters of the Heme Cofactor in Its Ferrous and Ferric Forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiaojing; Clavaguera, Carine; Lagardère, Louis; Piquemal, Jean-Philip; de la Lande, Aurélien

    2018-04-16

    We report the first parameters of the heme redox cofactors for the polarizable AMOEBA force field in both the ferric and ferrous forms. We consider two types of complexes, one with two histidine side chains as axial ligands and one with a histidine and a methionine side chain as ligands. We have derived permanent multipoles from second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). The sets of parameters have been validated in a first step by comparison of AMOEBA interaction energies of heme and a collection of biologically relevant molecules with MP2 and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. In a second validation step, we consider interaction energies with large aggregates comprising around 80 H 2 O molecules. These calculations are repeated for 30 structures extracted from semiempirical PM7 DM simulations. Very encouraging agreement is found between DFT and the AMOEBA force field, which results from an accurate treatment of electrostatic interactions. We finally report long (10 ns) MD simulations of cytochromes in two redox states with AMOEBA testing both the 2003 and 2014 AMOEBA water models. These simulations have been carried out with the TINKER-HP (High Performance) program. In conclusion, owing to their ubiquity in biology, we think the present work opens a wide array of applications of the polarizable AMOEBA force field on hemeproteins.

  19. Role of the NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase NQR and the cytochrome b AIR12 in controlling superoxide generation at the plasma membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biniek, Catherine; Heyno, Eiri; Kruk, Jerzy; Sparla, Francesca; Trost, Paolo; Krieger-Liszkay, Anja

    2017-04-01

    The quinone reductase NQR and the b-type cytochrome AIR12 of the plasma membrane are important for the control of reactive oxygen species in the apoplast. AIR12 and NQR are two proteins attached to the plant plasma membrane which may be important for generating and controlling levels of reactive oxygen species in the apoplast. AIR12 (Auxin Induced in Root culture) is a single gene of Arabidopsis that codes for a mono-heme cytochrome b. The NADPH quinone oxidoreductase NQR is a two-electron-transferring flavoenzyme that contributes to the generation of O 2 •- in isolated plasma membranes. A. thaliana double knockout plants of both NQR and AIR12 generated more O 2 •- and germinated faster than the single mutant affected in AIR12. To test whether NQR and AIR12 are able to interact functionally, recombinant purified proteins were added to plasma membranes isolated from soybean hypocotyls. In vitro NADH-dependent O 2 •- production at the plasma membrane in the presence of NQR was reduced upon addition of AIR12. Electron donation from semi-reduced menadione to AIR12 was shown to take place. Biochemical analysis showed that purified plasma membrane from soybean hypocotyls or roots contained phylloquinone and menaquinone-4 as redox carriers. This is the first report on the occurrence of menaquinone-4 in eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms. We propose that NQR and AIR12 interact via the quinone, allowing an electron transfer from cytosolic NAD(P)H to apoplastic monodehydroascorbate and control thereby the level of reactive oxygen production and the redox state of the apoplast.

  20. Water Complexes of Cytochrome P450: Insights from Energy Decomposition Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hajime Hirao

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Water is a small molecule that nevertheless perturbs, sometimes significantly, the electronic properties of an enzyme’s active site. In this study, interactions of a water molecule with the ferric heme and the compound I (Cpd I intermediate of cytochrome P450 are studied. Energy decomposition analysis (EDA schemes are used to investigate the physical origins of these interactions. Localized molecular orbital EDA (LMOEDA implemented in the quantum chemistry software GAMESS and the EDA method implemented in the ADF quantum chemistry program are used. EDA reveals that the electrostatic and polarization effects act as the major driving force in both of these interactions. The hydrogen bonding in the Cpd I•••H2O complex is similar to that in the water dimer; however, the relative importance of the electrostatic effect is somewhat larger in the water dimer.

  1. Cyanide binding to ferrous and ferric microperoxidase-11.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ascenzi, Paolo; Sbardella, Diego; Santucci, Roberto; Coletta, Massimo

    2016-07-01

    Microperoxidase-11 (MP11) is an undecapeptide derived from horse heart cytochrome c (cytc). MP11 is characterized by a covalently linked solvent-exposed heme group, the heme-Fe atom being axially coordinated by a histidyl residue. Here, the reactions of ferrous and ferric MP11 (MP11-Fe(II) and MP11-Fe(III), respectively) with cyanide have been investigated from the kinetic and thermodynamic viewpoints, at pH 7.0 and 20.0 °C. Values of the second-order rate constant for cyanide binding to MP11-Fe(II) and MP11-Fe(III) are 4.5 M(-1) s(-1) and 8.9 × 10(3) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. Values of the first-order rate constant for cyanide dissociation from ligated MP11-Fe(II) and MP11-Fe(III) are 1.8 × 10(-1) s(-1) and 1.5 × 10(-3) s(-1), respectively. Values of the dissociation equilibrium constant for cyanide binding to MP11-Fe(II) and MP11-Fe(III) are 3.7 × 10(-2) and 1.7 × 10(-7) M, respectively, matching very well with those calculated from kinetic parameters so that no intermediate species seem to be involved in the ligand-binding process. The pH-dependence of cyanide binding to MP11-Fe(III) indicates that CN(-) is the only binding species. Present results have been analyzed in parallel with those of several heme-proteins, suggesting that (1) the ligand accessibility to the metal center and cyanide ionization may modulate the formation of heme-Fe-cyanide complexes, and (2) the general polarity of the heme pocket and/or hydrogen bonding of the heme-bound ligand may affect cyanide exit from the protein matrix. Microperoxidase-11 (MP11) is an undecapeptide derived from horse heart cytochrome c. Penta-coordinated MP11 displays a very high reactivity towards cyanide, whereas the reactivity of hexa-coordinated horse heart cytochrome c is very low.

  2. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of human liver cytochrome(s) P450

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shrivas, Kamlesh; Mindaye, Samuel T.; Getie-Kebtie, Melkamu; Alterman, Michail A., E-mail: Michail.Alterman@fda.hhs.gov

    2013-02-15

    The major objective of personalized medicine is to select optimized drug therapies and to a large degree such mission is determined by the expression profiles of cytochrome(s) P450 (CYP). Accordingly, a proteomic case study in personalized medicine is provided by the superfamily of cytochromes P450. Our knowledge about CYP isozyme expression on a protein level is very limited and based exclusively on DNA/mRNA derived data. Such information is not sufficient because transcription and translation events do not lead to correlated levels of expressed proteins. Here we report expression profiles of CYPs in human liver obtained by mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic approach. We analyzed 32 samples of human liver microsomes (HLM) of different sexes, ages and ethnicity along with samples of recombinant human CYPs. We have experimentally confirmed that each CYP isozyme can be effectively differentiated by their unique isozyme-specific tryptic peptide(s). Trypsin digestion patterns for almost 30 human CYP isozymes were established. Those findings should assist in selecting tryptic peptides suitable for MS-based quantitation. The data obtained demonstrate remarkable differences in CYP expression profiles. CYP2E1, CYP2C8 and CYP4A11 were the only isozymes found in all HLM samples. Female and pediatric HLM samples revealed much more diverse spectrum of expressed CYPs isozymes compared to male HLM. We have confirmed expression of a number of “rare” CYP (CYP2J2, CYP4B1, CYP4V2, CYP4F3, CYP4F11, CYP8B1, CYP19A1, CYP24A1 and CYP27A1) and obtained first direct experimental data showing expression of such CYPs as CYP2F1, CYP2S1, CYP2W1, CYP4A22, CYP4X1, and CYP26A1 on a protein level. - Highlights: ► First detailed proteomic analysis of CYP isozymes expression in human liver ► Trypsin digestion patterns for almost 30 human CYP isozymes established ► The data obtained demonstrate remarkable differences in CYP expression profiles. ► Female HLM samples revealed more

  3. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of human liver cytochrome(s) P450

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shrivas, Kamlesh; Mindaye, Samuel T.; Getie-Kebtie, Melkamu; Alterman, Michail A.

    2013-01-01

    The major objective of personalized medicine is to select optimized drug therapies and to a large degree such mission is determined by the expression profiles of cytochrome(s) P450 (CYP). Accordingly, a proteomic case study in personalized medicine is provided by the superfamily of cytochromes P450. Our knowledge about CYP isozyme expression on a protein level is very limited and based exclusively on DNA/mRNA derived data. Such information is not sufficient because transcription and translation events do not lead to correlated levels of expressed proteins. Here we report expression profiles of CYPs in human liver obtained by mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic approach. We analyzed 32 samples of human liver microsomes (HLM) of different sexes, ages and ethnicity along with samples of recombinant human CYPs. We have experimentally confirmed that each CYP isozyme can be effectively differentiated by their unique isozyme-specific tryptic peptide(s). Trypsin digestion patterns for almost 30 human CYP isozymes were established. Those findings should assist in selecting tryptic peptides suitable for MS-based quantitation. The data obtained demonstrate remarkable differences in CYP expression profiles. CYP2E1, CYP2C8 and CYP4A11 were the only isozymes found in all HLM samples. Female and pediatric HLM samples revealed much more diverse spectrum of expressed CYPs isozymes compared to male HLM. We have confirmed expression of a number of “rare” CYP (CYP2J2, CYP4B1, CYP4V2, CYP4F3, CYP4F11, CYP8B1, CYP19A1, CYP24A1 and CYP27A1) and obtained first direct experimental data showing expression of such CYPs as CYP2F1, CYP2S1, CYP2W1, CYP4A22, CYP4X1, and CYP26A1 on a protein level. - Highlights: ► First detailed proteomic analysis of CYP isozymes expression in human liver ► Trypsin digestion patterns for almost 30 human CYP isozymes established ► The data obtained demonstrate remarkable differences in CYP expression profiles. ► Female HLM samples revealed more

  4. Importance of poly(ethylene oxide)-modification and chloride anion for the electron transfer reaction of cytochrome c in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohno, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Chiiko; Fujita, Kyoko

    2006-01-01

    Horse heart cytochrome c (cyt c) was chemically modified with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) to dissolve it in room temperature ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([emim][TFSI]). The redox response of the modified cyt c, hereafter PEO-cyt c, was analyzed in [emim][TFSI]. PEO modification to the surface of cyt c, which exceeded 60% of the total mass of the PEO-cyt c, was an effective method to solubilize the cyt c. In spite of the high ion density and sufficient ionic conductivity of [emim][TFSI], no redox response of pure PEO-cyt c was detected. However, a reversible redox response of PEO-cyt c was observed after adding a simple electrolyte such as KCl to [emim][TFSI]. The redox response of PEO-cyt c was sensitive to the anion radius of the added salt, and the chloride anion was found to be the best anion species to produce a redox response of PEO-cyt c in [emim][TFSI]. However, above a certain salt concentration, the resulting increase in solution viscosity would suppress the redox reaction. The results strongly indicate that the chloride anions, because of their mobility in the polypeptide matrix, compensate the charge change of heme during the electron transfer reaction. Larger anions did not show such an effect due to sterical restrictions on the migration through the protein shell to the heme pocket of cyt c

  5. Role of cytochrome B in the processing of the subunits of complex III in the yeast mitochondria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, K.G.

    1986-01-01

    The work described in this dissertation deals with the effect of cytochrome b on the biogenesis and assembly of the subunits of complex III in the mitochondrial membrane of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The cytochrome b-mutants (Box mutants of S. cerevisiae form an excellent system to study such a role of cytochome B. The amounts of cytochrome c 1 in the mitochrondria, as determined both spectroscopically and immunologically, were not affected by the absence of cytochrome b. Pulse labelling of the cells with ( 35 S) methionine in the presence of CCCP showed the accumulation of the precursors to the core protein I and the iron-sulfur protein in similar amounts in the mutant Box 6-2 and the wild type cells. Synthesis of the iron sulfur protein and the cytochrome c 1 by in vitro translation of mRNA isolated from wild type and mutant Box 6-2 in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system, also confirmed that the synthesis of the nuclear encoded subunits was not affected in the mutants. Pulse labeling of the cells in the absence of CCCP and subsequent chase with cold methionine, however, showed much less of the mature subunits of core protein I and the iron-sulfur protein in the mitochrondria of the mutant cells relative to the wild type. These results indicate that cytochrome b is necessary for the proper processing of certain subunits of complex III

  6. Heme and blood-feeding parasites: friends or foes?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glanfield Amber

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Hemoparasites, like malaria and schistosomes, are constantly faced with the challenges of storing and detoxifying large quantities of heme, released from their catabolism of host erythrocytes. Heme is an essential prosthetic group that forms the reactive core of numerous hemoproteins with diverse biological functions. However, due to its reactive nature, it is also a potentially toxic molecule. Thus, the acquisition and detoxification of heme is likely to be paramount for the survival and establishment of parasitism. Understanding the underlying mechanism involved in this interaction could possibly provide potential novel targets for drug and vaccine development, and disease treatment. However, there remains a wide gap in our understanding of these mechanisms. This review summarizes the biological importance of heme for hemoparasite, and the adaptations utilized in its sequestration and detoxification.

  7. Heme and blood-feeding parasites: friends or foes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Hemoparasites, like malaria and schistosomes, are constantly faced with the challenges of storing and detoxifying large quantities of heme, released from their catabolism of host erythrocytes. Heme is an essential prosthetic group that forms the reactive core of numerous hemoproteins with diverse biological functions. However, due to its reactive nature, it is also a potentially toxic molecule. Thus, the acquisition and detoxification of heme is likely to be paramount for the survival and establishment of parasitism. Understanding the underlying mechanism involved in this interaction could possibly provide potential novel targets for drug and vaccine development, and disease treatment. However, there remains a wide gap in our understanding of these mechanisms. This review summarizes the biological importance of heme for hemoparasite, and the adaptations utilized in its sequestration and detoxification. PMID:21087517

  8. The amino acid sequence of cytochrome c from Cucurbita maxima L. (pumpkin)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, E. W.; Richardson, M.; Boulter, D.

    1971-01-01

    The amino acid sequence of pumpkin cytochrome c was determined on 2μmol of protein. Some evidence was found for the occurrence of two forms of cytochrome c, whose sequences differed in three positions. Pumpkin cytochrome c consists of 111 residues and is homologous with mitochondrial cytochromes c from other plants. Experimental details are given in a supplementary paper that has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50005 at the National Lending Library for Science and Technology, Boston Spa, Yorks. LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1971), 121, 7. PMID:5131733

  9. Polarography of cytochrome c in ammoniacal buffers containing cobalt ions. The effect of the protein conformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brabec, V

    1985-12-01

    Catalytic currents yielded by cytochrome c in ammoniacal buffers containing cobalt ions at a dropping mercury electrode (Brdicka's catalytic currents) were investigated by means of direct current, differential pulse, normal pulse (NP) and phase-selective alternating current polarography. It was found that Brdicka's catalytic current of cytochrome c, (the more negative part of Brdicka's double wave, wave B) is influenced by the presence of cytochrome c denaturants in the background solution. The wave B rose with the increasing concentrations of urea and sodium perchlorate, and increased in parallel with absorbance changes at 409 and 695 nm measured for identical cytochrome c solutions. The latter absorbance changes reflect unfolding of cytochrome c molecules in the bulk of solution by these denaturants. The results of NP polarography (a technique working with large potential excursion during the drop lifetime) indicate that in Brdicka's solution cytochrome c could extensively be unfolded due to its adsorption at the mercury electrode, polarized to potentials around that of zero charge.

  10. Effect of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether and diethylene glycol monomethyl ether on hepatic metabolizing enzymes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawamoto, T; Matsuno, K; Kayama, F; Hirai, M; Arashidani, K; Yoshikawa, M; Kodama, Y

    1990-06-01

    Glycol ethers have been extensively used in industry over the past 40-50 years. Numerous studies on the toxicity of glycol ethers have been performed, however, the effects of glycol ethers on the hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes are still unknown. We studied the changes of the putative metabolic enzymes, that is, the hepatic microsomal mixed function oxidase system and cytosolic alcohol dehydrogenase, by the oral administration of diEGME and EGME. Adult male Wistar rats were used. DiEGME was administered orally; 500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg for 1, 2, 5 or 20 days and EGME was 100, 300 mg/kg for 1, 2, 5 or 20 days. Decreases in liver weights were produced by highest doses of diEGME (2000 mg/kg body wt/day for 20 days) and EGME (300 mg/kg body wt/day for 20 days). DiEGME increased hepatic microsomal protein contents and induced cytochrome P-450, but not cytochrome b5 or NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. The activity of cytosolic ADH was not affected by diEGME administration. On the other hand, EGME did not change cytochrome P-450, cytochrome b5 or NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. The activity of cytosolic ADH was increased by repeated EGME treatment. Therefore it is suspected that the enzyme which takes part in the metabolism of diEGME is different from that of EGME, although diEGME is a structural homologue of EGME.

  11. Mechanism of Cytochrome P450 17A1-Catalyzed Hydroxylase and Lyase Reactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bonomo, Silvia; Jorgensen, Flemming Steen; Olsen, Lars

    2017-01-01

    Cytochrome P450 17A1 (CYP17A1) catalyzes C17 hydroxylation of pregnenolone and progesterone and the subsequent C17–C20 bond cleavage (lyase reaction) to form androgen precursors. Compound I (Cpd I) and peroxo anion (POA) are the heme-reactive species underlying the two reactions. We have characte...... the concept that the selectivity of the steroidogenic CYPs is ruled by direct interactions with the enzyme, in contrast to the selectivity of drug-metabolizing CYPs, where the reactivity of the substrates dominates....... characterized the reaction path for both the hydroxylase and lyase reactions using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and the enzyme–substrate interactions by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Activation barriers for positions subject to hydroxylase reaction have values close to each other and span...

  12. Radiation effects and metalloproteins studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wurzbach, J.A.

    1975-07-01

    X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to study the bonding structure at the iron site of cytochrome c and the bonding of rare earth ions to the phosphate oxygens of ATP. Radiation effects are studied on several amino acid and simple peptide model systems. The emission spectrum of the x-ray source is calculated from literature references. The distributions of photon energy as a function of photon frequency and as a function of take-off angle are obtained. From these distributions, the radiation dose absorbed by an organic sample is found to be 10 6 rads/sec. The C 1s and N 1s spectra of amino acids and peptides are studied to characterize an internal reference standard for protein XPS spectra. Samples of native cytochrome c prepared from solutions of pH 1.5, 3, 7, and 11 are studied. Control samples include porphyrin cytochrome c (PCC), the metal free analogue of the native protein, and microperoxidase (MP), a mixture of heme peptides derived from the peptic digestion of cytochrome c. These samples show two S 2p peaks. The first peak has a binding energy (BE) of 163 eV, which corresponds to the S containing amino acids; the second peak is shifted to 167 eV. This large shift may be the result of Fe-S binding, or oxidation, or both. Low spin ferricytochrome c and ferri-MP were found to have Fe 3p BE's that are unusually low (51 eV) compared to other ferric compounds (54 to 58 eV) and even Fe metal (53 eV). X-ray crystal structures of these compounds show that low spin heme Fe lies in the porphyrin plane; while, high spin heme Fe is displaced above the plane. The N 1s and P 2p spectra of ATP show no change except slight broadening when Nd 3+ is substituted for Na + . Thus, there is no inconsistency with proposals that rare earth ions might be useful as substitutes for alkali metal ions and alkaline earth ions in proteins

  13. Novel insights in mammalian catalase heme maturation: effect of NO and thioredoxin-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakravarti, Ritu; Gupta, Karishma; Majors, Alana; Ruple, Lisa; Aronica, Mark; Stuehr, Dennis J

    2015-05-01

    Catalase is a tetrameric heme-containing enzyme with essential antioxidant functions in biology. Multiple factors including nitric oxide (NO) have been shown to attenuate its activity. However, the possible impact of NO in relation to the maturation of active catalase, including its heme acquisition and tetramer formation, has not been investigated. We found that NO attenuates heme insertion into catalase in both short-term and long-term incubations. The NO inhibition in catalase heme incorporation was associated with defective oligomerization of catalase, such that inactive catalase monomers and dimers accumulated in place of the mature tetrameric enzyme. We also found that GAPDH plays a key role in mediating these NO effects on the structure and activity of catalase. Moreover, the NO sensitivity of catalase maturation could be altered up or down by manipulating the cellular expression level or activity of thioredoxin-1, a known protein-SNO denitrosylase enzyme. In a mouse model of allergic inflammatory asthma, we found that lungs from allergen-challenged mice contained a greater percentage of dimeric catalase relative to tetrameric catalase in the unchallenged control, suggesting that the mechanisms described here are in play in the allergic asthma model. Together, our study shows how maturation of active catalase can be influenced by NO, S-nitrosylated GAPDH, and thioredoxin-1, and how maturation may become compromised in inflammatory conditions such as asthma. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Structural characterization of human heme oxygenase-1 in complex with azole-based inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Mona N; Vlahakis, Jason Z; Roman, Gheorghe; Vukomanovic, Dragic; Szarek, Walter A; Nakatsu, Kanji; Jia, Zongchao

    2010-03-01

    The development of inhibitors specific for heme oxygenases (HO) aims to provide powerful tools in understanding the HO system. Based on the lead structure (2S, 4S)-2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]-2-[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]-4-[((4-aminophenyl)thio)methyl]-1,3-dioxolane (azalanstat, QC-1) we have synthesized structural modifications to develop novel and selective HO inhibitors. The structural study of human HO-1 (hHO-1) in complex with a select group of the inhibitors was initiated using X-ray crystallographic techniques. Comparison of the structures of four such compounds each in complex with hHO-1 revealed a common binding mode, despite having different structural fragments. The compounds bind to the distal side of heme through an azole "anchor" which coordinates with the heme iron. An expansion of the distal pocket, mainly due to distal helix flexibility, allows accommodation of the compounds without displacing heme or the critical Asp140 residue. Rather, binding displaces a catalytically critical water molecule and disrupts an ordered hydrogen-bond network involving Asp140. The presence of a triazole "anchor" may provide further stability via a hydrogen bond with the protein. A hydrophobic pocket acts to stabilize the region occupied by the phenyl or adamantanyl moieties of these compounds. Further, a secondary hydrophobic pocket is formed via "induced fit" to accommodate bulky substituents at the 4-position of the dioxolane ring. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Kidney injury and heme oxygenase-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hai-xing MAI

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available     Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1 is one of the main pathways to degrade heme in mammals, and the main degradation products are free iron (Fe2+, carbon monoxide (CO, and bilirubin. Heme plays an important role in promoting cell survival, circulation of intracellular substrates, and immune regulation. Previous studies suggest that HO-1 pathway is an important internal factor in determining the susceptibility and severity of acute kidney injury (AKI. The induction of HO-1 expression can attenuate the severity of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI, and the inhibition of HO-1 expression will aggravate IRI. The present article summarizes the latest advances in research abroad and at home on protective mechanism by which HO-1 prevents AKI to further deepen our understanding of the role of HO-1 in the treatment of AKI.   

  16. Alteration by irradiation and storage at amount of heme iron in poultry meat; Alteracoes provocadas pela irradiacao e armazenamento nos teores de ferro heme em carne de frango

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Souza, Adriana Regia Marques de; Arthur, Valter Arthur [Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Lab. de Irradiacao de Alimentos e Radioentomologia; Canniatti-Brazaca, Solange Guidolin [Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Dept. de Agroindustria, Alimentos e Nutricao]. E-mail: sgcbraza@esalq.usp.br

    2007-04-15

    Studies of irradiation and storage effects in chicken were carried out to discover the influence in iron heme, non-heme amount, color and total pigments. Chicken thighs and chicken breast were studied. These were irradiated to 0, 1 and 2 kGy stored by 14 days to 4 deg C in refrigerator. Determining the heme content and non-heme of meat was done using the colorimeter method and the Ferrozine reagent. The values of iron heme were influenced both by the irradiation and the storage, reducing the amount throughout the course of time. The iron non-heme was also influenced by the doses and the storage time, however the values increased throughout the course of time, because of the conversion of iron heme in non-heme. The color did not show that it was influenced by the studied doses, except for the storage, and the total number of pigments was affected by the irradiation and the time, reducing the values with the increase of storage. Irradiation was shown to be a good method to conserve iron. (author)

  17. Photochemical organic oxidations and dechlorinations with a mu-oxo bridged heme/non-heme diiron complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wasser, Ian M; Fry, H Christopher; Hoertz, Paul G; Meyer, Gerald J; Karlin, Kenneth D

    2004-12-27

    Steady state and laser flash photolysis studies of the heme/non-heme mu-oxo diiron complex [((6)L)Fe(III)-O-Fe(III)-Cl](+) (1) have been undertaken. The anaerobic photolysis of benzene solutions of 1 did not result in the buildup of any photoproduct. However, the addition of excess triphenylphosphine resulted in the quantitative photoreduction of 1 to [((6)L)Fe(II)...Fe(II)-Cl](+) (2), with concomitant production by oxo-transfer of 1 equiv of triphenylphosphine oxide. Under aerobic conditions and excess triphenylphosphine, the reaction produces multiple turnovers (approximately 28) before the diiron complex is degraded. The anaerobic photolysis of tetrahydrofuran (THF) or toluene solutions of 1 likewise results in the buildup of 2. The oxidation products from these reactions included gamma-butyrolactone (approximately 15%) for the reaction in THF and benzaldehyde (approximately 23%) from the reaction in toluene. In either case, the O-atom which is incorporated into the carbonyl product is derived from dioxygen present under workup or under aerobic photolysis conditions. Transient absorption measurements of low-temperature THF solutions of 1 revealed the presence of an (P)Fe(II)-like [P = tetraaryl porphyrinate dianion] species suggesting that the reactive species is a formal (heme)Fe(II)/Fe(IV)=O(non-heme) pair. The non-heme Fe(IV)=O is thus most likely responsible for C-H bond cleavage and subsequent radical chemistry. The photolysis of 1 in chlorobenzene or 1,2-dichlorobenzene resulted in C-Cl cleavage reactions and the formation of [[((6)L)Fe(III)-Cl...Fe(III)-Cl](2)O](2+) (3), with chloride ligands that are derived from solvent dehalogenation chemistry. The resulting organic products are biphenyl trichlorides or biphenyl monochlorides, derived from dichlorobenzene and chlorobenzene, respectively. Similarly, product 3 is obtained by the photolysis of benzene-benzyl chloride solutions of 1; the organic product is benzaldehyde (approximately 70%). A brief

  18. Inactivation of Dengue and Yellow Fever viruses by heme, cobalt-protoporphyrin IX and tin-protoporphyrin IX.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assunção-Miranda, I; Cruz-Oliveira, C; Neris, R L S; Figueiredo, C M; Pereira, L P S; Rodrigues, D; Araujo, D F F; Da Poian, A T; Bozza, M T

    2016-03-01

    To investigate the effect of heme, cobalt-protoporphyrin IX and tin-protoporphyrin IX (CoPPIX and SnPPIX), macrocyclic structures composed by a tetrapyrrole ring with a central metallic ion, on Dengue Virus (DENV) and Yellow Fever Virus (YFV) infection. Treatment of HepG2 cells with heme, CoPPIX and SnPPIX after DENV infection reduced infectious particles without affecting viral RNA contents in infected cells. The reduction of viral load occurs only with the direct contact of DENV with porphyrins, suggesting a direct effect on viral particles. Previously incubation of DENV and YFV with heme, CoPPIX and SnPPIX resulted in viral particles inactivation in a dose-dependent manner. Biliverdin, a noncyclical porphyrin, was unable to inactivate the viruses tested. Infection of HepG2 cells with porphyrin-pretreated DENV2 results in a reduced or abolished viral protein synthesis, RNA replication and cell death. Treatment of HepG2 or THP-1 cell lineage with heme or CoPPIX after DENV infection with a very low MOI resulted in a decreased DENV replication and protection from death. Heme, CoPPIX and SnPPIX possess a marked ability to inactivate DENV and YFV, impairing its ability to infect and induce cytopathic effects on target cells. These results open the possibility of therapeutic application of porphyrins or their use as models to design new antiviral drugs against DENV and YFV. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  19. Endoplasmic reticulum protein targeting of phospholamban: a common role for an N-terminal di-arginine motif in ER retention?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parveen Sharma

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Phospholamban (PLN is an effective inhibitor of the sarco(endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+-ATPase, which transports Ca(2+ into the SR lumen, leading to muscle relaxation. A mutation of PLN in which one of the di-arginine residues at positions 13 and 14 was deleted led to a severe, early onset dilated cardiomyopathy. Here we were interested in determining the cellular mechanisms involved in this disease-causing mutation.Mutations deleting codons for either or both Arg13 or Arg14 resulted in the mislocalization of PLN from the ER. Our data show that PLN is recycled via the retrograde Golgi to ER membrane traffic pathway involving COP-I vesicles, since co-immunoprecipitation assays determined that COP I interactions are dependent on an intact di-arginine motif as PLN RDelta14 did not co-precipitate with COP I containing vesicles. Bioinformatic analysis determined that the di-arginine motif is present in the first 25 residues in a large number of all ER/SR Gene Ontology (GO annotated proteins. Mutations in the di-arginine motif of the Sigma 1-type opioid receptor, the beta-subunit of the signal recognition particle receptor, and Sterol-O-acyltransferase, three proteins identified in our bioinformatic screen also caused mislocalization of these known ER-resident proteins.We conclude that PLN is enriched in the ER due to COP I-mediated transport that is dependent on its intact di-arginine motif and that the N-terminal di-arginine motif may act as a general ER retrieval sequence.

  20. Red meat and colon cancer : how dietary heme initiates hyperproliferation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    IJssennagger, N.

    2012-01-01

    Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in Western countries. The risk to develop colorectal cancer is associated with the intake of red meat. Red meat contains the porphyrin pigment heme. Heme is an irritant for the colonic wall and it is previously shown that the addition of heme

  1. Plasma protein haptoglobin modulates renal iron loading

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fagoonee, Sharmila; Gburek, Jakub; Hirsch, Emilio

    2005-01-01

    Haptoglobin is the plasma protein with the highest binding affinity for hemoglobin. The strength of hemoglobin binding and the existence of a specific receptor for the haptoglobin-hemoglobin complex in the monocyte/macrophage system clearly suggest that haptoglobin may have a crucial role in heme...... distribution of hemoglobin in haptoglobin-deficient mice resulted in abnormal iron deposits in proximal tubules during aging. Moreover, iron also accumulated in proximal tubules after renal ischemia-reperfusion injury or after an acute plasma heme-protein overload caused by muscle injury, without affecting...... morphological and functional parameters of renal damage. These data demonstrate that haptoglobin crucially prevents glomerular filtration of hemoglobin and, consequently, renal iron loading during aging and following acute plasma heme-protein overload....

  2. Cytochrome and Alternative Pathway Respiration in Tobacco (Effects of Salicylic Acid).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhoads, D. M.; McIntosh, L.

    1993-11-01

    In suspension cultures of NT1 tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Bright Yellow) cells the cytochrome pathway capacity increased between d 3 and d 4 following subculturing and reached the highest level observed on d 7. The capacity decreased significantly by d 10 and was at the same level on d 14. Both alternative pathway capacity and the amount of the 35-kD alternative oxidase protein increased significantly between d 5 and d 6, reached the highest point observed on d 7, remained constant until d 10, and decreased by d 14. The highest capacities of the alternative and cytochrome pathways and the highest amount of the 35-kD protein were attained on the day that cell cultures reached a stationary phase of growth. Addition of salicylic acid to cell cultures on d 4 caused a significant increase in alternative pathway capacity and a dramatic accumulation of the 35-kD protein by 12 h. The alternative pathway capacity and the protein level reached the highest level observed by 16 h after salicylic acid addition, and the cytochrome pathway capacity was at about the same level at each time point. The accumulation of the 35-kD alternative oxidase protein was significantly decreased by addition of actinomycin D 1 h before salicylic acid and was blocked by addition of cycloheximide. These results indicate that de novo transcription and translation were necessary for salicylic acid to cause the maximum accumulation of the 35-kD protein.

  3. Genetic polymorphism of human cytochrome P-450 (S)-mephenytoin 4-hydroxylase. Studies with human autoantibodies suggest a functionally altered cytochrome P-450 isozyme as cause of the genetic deficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meier, U.T.; Meyer, U.A.

    1987-01-01

    The metabolism of the anticonvulsant mephenytoin is subject to a genetic polymorphism. In 2-5% of Caucasians and 18-23% of Japanese subjects a specific cytochrome P-450 isozyme, P-450 meph, is functionally deficient or missing. The authors have accumulated evidence that autoimmune antibodies observed in sera of patients with tienilic acid induced hepatitis (anti-liver kidney microsome 2 or anti-LKM2 antibodies) specifically recognize the cytochrome P-450 involved in the mephrenytoin hydroxylation polymorphism. This is demonstrated by immunoinhibition and immunoprecipitation of microsomal (S)-mephenytoin 4-hydroxylation activity and by the recognition by anti-LKM2 antibodies of a single [ 125 I]-protein band on immunoblots of human liver microsomes after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or isoelectric focusing. The cytochrome P-450 recognized by anti-LKM2 antibodies was immunopurified from microsomes derived from livers of extensive (EM) or poor metabolizers (PM) of (S)-mephenytoin. Comparison of the EM-type cytochrome P-450 to that isolated from PM livers revealed no difference in regard to immuno-cross-reactivity, molecular weight, isoelectric point, relative content in microsomes, two-dimensional tryptic peptide maps, one-dimensional peptide maps with three proteases, amino acid composition, and amino-terminal protein sequence. Finally, the same protein was precipitated from microsomes prepared from the liver biopsy of a subject phenotyped in vivo as a poor metabolizer of mephenytoin. These data strongly suggest that the mephenytoin hydroxylation deficiency is caused by a minor structural change leading to a functionally altered cytochrome P-450 isozyme

  4. The Schistosoma mansoni Cytochrome P450 (CYP3050A1 Is Essential for Worm Survival and Egg Development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter D Ziniel

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Schistosomiasis affects millions of people in developing countries and is responsible for more than 200,000 deaths annually. Because of toxicity and limited spectrum of activity of alternatives, there is effectively only one drug, praziquantel, available for its treatment. Recent data suggest that drug resistance could soon be a problem. There is therefore the need to identify new drug targets and develop drugs for the treatment of schistosomiasis. Analysis of the Schistosoma mansoni genome sequence for proteins involved in detoxification processes found that it encodes a single cytochrome P450 (CYP450 gene. Here we report that the 1452 bp open reading frame has a characteristic heme-binding region in its catalytic domain with a conserved heme ligating cysteine, a hydrophobic leader sequence present as the membrane interacting region, and overall structural conservation. The highest sequence identity to human CYP450s is 22%. Double stranded RNA (dsRNA silencing of S. mansoni (SmCYP450 in schistosomula results in worm death. Treating larval or adult worms with antifungal azole CYP450 inhibitors results in worm death at low micromolar concentrations. In addition, combinations of SmCYP450-specific dsRNA and miconazole show additive schistosomicidal effects supporting the hypothesis that SmCYP450 is the target of miconazole. Treatment of developing S. mansoni eggs with miconazole results in a dose dependent arrest in embryonic development. Our results indicate that SmCYP450 is essential for worm survival and egg development and validates it as a novel drug target. Preliminary structure-activity relationship suggests that the 1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl-2-(1H-imidazol-1-ylethan-1-ol moiety of miconazole is necessary for activity and that miconazole activity and selectivity could be improved by rational drug design.

  5. Modeling of interaction between cytochrome c and the WD domains of Apaf-1: bifurcated salt bridges underlying apoptosome assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalaeva, Daria N; Dibrova, Daria V; Galperin, Michael Y; Mulkidjanian, Armen Y

    2015-05-27

    Binding of cytochrome c, released from the damaged mitochondria, to the apoptotic protease activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) is a key event in the apoptotic signaling cascade. The binding triggers a major domain rearrangement in Apaf-1, which leads to oligomerization of Apaf-1/cytochrome c complexes into an apoptosome. Despite the availability of crystal structures of cytochrome c and Apaf-1 and cryo-electron microscopy models of the entire apoptosome, the binding mode of cytochrome c to Apaf-1, as well as the nature of the amino acid residues of Apaf-1 involved remain obscure. We investigated the interaction between cytochrome c and Apaf-1 by combining several modeling approaches. We have applied protein-protein docking and energy minimization, evaluated the resulting models of the Apaf-1/cytochrome c complex, and carried out a further analysis by means of molecular dynamics simulations. We ended up with a single model structure where all the lysine residues of cytochrome c that are known as functionally-relevant were involved in forming salt bridges with acidic residues of Apaf-1. This model has revealed three distinctive bifurcated salt bridges, each involving a single lysine residue of cytochrome c and two neighboring acidic resides of Apaf-1. Salt bridge-forming amino acids of Apaf-1 showed a clear evolutionary pattern within Metazoa, with pairs of acidic residues of Apaf-1, involved in bifurcated salt bridges, reaching their highest numbers in the sequences of vertebrates, in which the cytochrome c-mediated mechanism of apoptosome formation seems to be typical. The reported model of an Apaf-1/cytochrome c complex provides insights in the nature of protein-protein interactions which are hard to observe in crystallographic or electron microscopy studies. Bifurcated salt bridges can be expected to be stronger than simple salt bridges, and their formation might promote the conformational change of Apaf-1, leading to the formation of an apoptosome. Combination of

  6. Evidence that cytochrome b5 acts as a redox donor in CYP17A1 mediated androgen synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duggal, Ruchia; Liu, Yilin; Gregory, Michael C.; Denisov, Ilia G.; Kincaid, James R.; Sligar, Stephen G.

    2016-01-01

    Cytochrome P450 17A1 (CYP17A1) is an important drug target for castration resistant prostate cancer. It is a bi-functional enzyme, catalyzing production of glucocorticoid precursors by hydroxylation of pregnene-nucleus, and androgen biosynthesis by a second C−C lyase step, at the expense of glucocorticoid production. Cytochrome b 5 (cyt b 5 ) is known to be a key regulator of the androgen synthesis reaction in vivo, by a mechanism that is not well understood. Two hypotheses have been proposed for the mechanism by which cyt b 5 increases androgen biosynthesis. Cyt b 5 could act as an allosteric effector, binding to CYP17A1 and either changing its selective substrate affinity or altering the conformation of the P450 to increase the catalytic rate or decrease unproductive uncoupling channels. Alternatively, cyt b 5 could act as a redox donor for supply of the second electron in the P450 cycle, reducing the oxyferrous complex to form the reactive peroxo-intermediate. To understand the mechanism of lyase enhancement by cyt b 5 , we generated a redox-inactive form of cyt b 5 , in which the heme is replaced with a Manganese-protoporphyrin IX (Mn-b 5 ), and investigated enhancement of androgen producing lyase reaction by CYP17A1. Given the critical significance of a stable membrane anchor for all of the proteins involved and the need for controlled stoichiometric ratios, we employed the Nanodisc system for this study. The redox inactive form was observed to have no effect on the lyase reaction, while reactions with the normal heme-iron containing cyt b 5 were enhanced ∼5 fold as compared to reactions in the absence of cyt b 5 . We also performed resonance Raman measurements on ferric CYP17A1 bound to Mn-b 5 . Upon addition of Mn-b 5 to Nanodisc reconstituted CYP17A1, we observed clear evidence for the formation of a b 5 -CYP17A1 complex, as noted by changes in the porphyrin modes and alteration in the proximal Fe−S vibrational frequency. Thus, although Mn-b 5 binds

  7. Cytochromes c': Structure, Reactivity and Relevance to Haem-Based Gas Sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hough, Michael A; Andrew, Colin R

    2015-01-01

    Cytochromes c' are a group of class IIa cytochromes with pentacoordinate haem centres and are found in photosynthetic, denitrifying and methanotrophic bacteria. Their function remains unclear, although roles in nitric oxide (NO) trafficking during denitrification or in cellular defence against nitrosoative stress have been proposed. Cytochromes c' are typically dimeric with each c-type haem-containing monomer folding as a four-α-helix bundle. Their hydrophobic and crowded distal sites impose severe restrictions on the binding of distal ligands, including diatomic gases. By contrast, NO binds to the proximal haem face in a similar manner to that of the eukaryotic NO sensor, soluble guanylate cyclase and bacterial analogues. In this review, we focus on how structural features of cytochromes c' influence haem spectroscopy and reactivity with NO, CO and O2. We also discuss the relevance of cytochrome c' to understanding the mechanisms of gas binding to haem-based sensor proteins. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Fasciola spp: Mapping of the MF6 epitope and antigenic analysis of the MF6p/HDM family of heme-binding proteins.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria Martínez-Sernández

    Full Text Available MF6p/FhHDM-1 is a small cationic heme-binding protein which is recognized by the monoclonal antibody (mAb MF6, and abundantly present in parenchymal cells and secreted antigens of Fasciola hepatica. Orthologs of this protein (MF6p/HDMs also exist in other causal agents of important foodborne trematodiasis, such as Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini and Paragonimus westermani. Considering that MF6p/FhHDM-1 is relevant for heme homeostasis in Fasciola and was reported to have immunomodulatory properties, this protein is expected to be a useful target for vaccination. Thus, in this study we mapped the epitope recognized by mAb MF6 and evaluated its antigenicity in sheep. The sequence of the MF6p/FhHDM-1 ortholog from F. gigantica (MF6p/FgHDM-1 was also reported. By means of ELISA inhibitions with overlapping synthetic peptides, we determined that the epitope recognized by mAb MF6 is located within the C-terminal moiety of MF6p/FhHDM-1, which is the most conserved region of MF6p/HDMs. By immunoblotting analysis of parasite extracts and ELISA inhibitions with synthetic peptides we also determined that mAb MF6 reacted with the same intensity with F. hepatica and F. gigantica, and in decreasing order of intensity with C. sinensis, O.viverrini and P. westermani orthologs. On the contrary, mAb MF6 showed no reactivity against Dicrocoelium dendriticum and Schistosoma mansoni. The study of the recognition of peptides covering different regions of MF6p/FhHDM-1 by sera from immunized sheep revealed that the C-terminal moiety is the most antigenic, thus being of potential interest for vaccination. We also demonstrated that the production of antibodies to MF6p/FhHDM-1 in sheep infected by F. hepatica occurs relatively early and follows the same pattern as those produced against L-cathepsins.

  9. Spray nozzle pattern test for the DWPF HEME Task QA Plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, L.

    1991-01-01

    The DWPF melter off-gas systems have two High Efficiency Mist Eliminators (HEME) upstream of the High-Efficiency Particulates Air filters (HEPA) to remove fine mists and particulates from the off-gas. To have an acceptable filter life and an efficient operation, an air atomized water is spray on the HEME. The water spray keeps the HEME wet and dissolves the soluble particulates and enhances and HEME efficiency. DWPF Technical asked SRL to determine the conditions which will give satisfactory atomization and distribution of water so that the HEME will operate efficiently. The purpose of this document is to identify, QA controls to be applied in the pursuit of this task (WSRC-RP-91-1151)

  10. In vitro studies on heme oxygenase-1 and P24 antigen HIV-1 level ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a protein secreted by immune cells as a part of immune response mechanism.HO-1 can be induced by variety agents that causingoxidative stress, such as exposure to 100% oxygenat2,4 ATA pressure.It plays a vital role in maintaining cellular homeostasis.This study was ...

  11. Cyanide binding to hexacoordinate cyanobacterial hemoglobins: hydrogen-bonding network and heme pocket rearrangement in ferric H117A Synechocystis hemoglobin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vu, B Christie; Nothnagel, Henry J; Vuletich, David A; Falzone, Christopher J; Lecomte, Juliette T J

    2004-10-05

    The truncated hemoglobin (Hb) from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is a bis-histidyl hexacoordinate complex in the absence of exogenous ligands. This protein can form a covalent cross-link between His117 in the H-helix and the heme 2-vinyl group. Cross-linking, the physiological importance of which has not been established, is avoided with the His117Ala substitution. In the present work, H117A Hb was used to explore exogenous ligand binding to the heme group. NMR and thermal denaturation data showed that the replacement was of little consequence to the structural and thermodynamic properties of ferric Synechocystis Hb. It did, however, decelerate the association of cyanide ions with the heme iron. Full complexation required hours, instead of minutes, of incubation at optical and NMR concentrations. At neutral pH and in the presence of excess cyanide, binding occurred with a first-order dependence on cyanide concentration, eliminating distal histidine decoordination as the rate-limiting step. The cyanide complex of the H117A variant was characterized for the conformational changes occurring as the histidine on the distal side, His46 (E10), was displaced. Extensive rearrangement allowed Tyr22 (B10) to insert in the heme pocket and Gln43 (E7) and Gln47 (E11) to come in contact with it. H-bond formation to the bound cyanide was identified in solution with the use of (1)H(2)O/(2)H(2)O mixtures. Cyanide binding also resulted in a change in the ratio of heme orientational isomers, in a likely manifestation of heme environment reshaping. Similar observations were made with the related Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 H117A Hb, except that cyanide binding was rapid in this protein. In both cases, the (15)N chemical shift of bound cyanide was reminiscent of that in peroxidases and the orientation of the proximal histidine was as in other truncated Hbs. The ensemble of the data provided insight into the structural cooperativity of the heme pocket scaffold and pointed

  12. Cytochrome c biosensor for determination of trace levels of cyanide and arsenic compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuku, Xolile; Iftikar, Faiza; Hess, Euodia; Iwuoha, Emmanuel; Baker, Priscilla

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Cytochrome c biosensor for detection of KCN, As 2 O 3 and Fe 2 K (CN) was constructed. ► Detection limits in the range of 4.3–9.1 μM for the analytes were obtained using CV, SWV and EIS. ► The detection limits for the biosensor were significantly lower than current EPA and WHO guidelines. - Abstract: An electrochemical method based on a cytochrome c biosensor was developed, for the detection of selected arsenic and cyanide compounds. Boron doped diamond (BDD) electrode was used as a transducer, onto which cytochrome c was immobilised and used for direct determination of Prussian blue, potassium cyanide and arsenic trioxide. The sensitivity as calculated from cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV), for each analyte in phosphate buffer (pH = 7) was found to be in the range of (1.1–4.5) × 10 −8 A μM −1 and the detection limits ranged from 4.3 to 9.1 μM. The biosensor is therefore able to measure significantly lower than current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, for these types of analytes. The protein binding was monitored as a decrease in biosensor peak currents by SWV and as an increase in biosensor charge transfer resistance by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). EIS provided evidence that the electrocatalytic advantage of BDD electrode was not lost upon immobilisation of cytochrome c. The interfacial kinetics of the biosensor was modelled as equivalent electrical circuit based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data. UV–vis spectroscopy was used to confirm the binding of the protein in solution by monitoring the intensity of the soret bands and the Q bands. FTIR was used to characterise the protein in the immobilised state and to confirm that the protein was not denatured upon binding to the pre-treated bare BDD electrode. SNFTIR of cyt c immobilised at platinum electrode, was used to study the effect of oxidation state on the surface bond

  13. A human cytochrome P-450 is recognized by anti-liver/kidney microsome antibodies in autoimmune chronic hepatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiffel, L; Loeper, J; Homberg, J C; Leroux, J P

    1989-02-28

    1- Anti-liver/kidney microsome autoantibodies type 1 (anti-LKM1), observed in some children with chronic active hepatitis, were used to isolate their antigen in human liver microsomes. A protein, called P-LKM1 was thus purified. This protein was recognized by a rabbit antiserum directed against the related human cytochromes P-450 bufI and P-450 bufII. 2- A human liver microsomal protein immunoprecipitated with anti-LKM1 sera was also recognized by anti cytochromes P-450 bufI/II antibodies. 3- Anti-LKM1 antibodies potently inhibited microsomal bufuralol 1'-hydroxylation. These results displayed the possible identity between cytochrome P-450 bufI/II and LKM1 antigen.

  14. In Situ Spectral Kinetics of Cr(VI) Reduction by c-Type Cytochromes in A Suspension of Living Shewanella putrefaciens 200

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Tongxu; Li, Xiaomin; Li, Fangbai; Han, Rui; Wu, Yundang; Yuan, Xiu; Wang, Ying

    2016-07-01

    Although c-type cytochromes (c-Cyts) mediating metal reduction have been mainly investigated with in vitro purified proteins of dissimilatory metal reducing bacteria, the in vivo behavior of c-Cyts is still unclear given the difficulty in measuring the proteins of intact cells. Here, c-Cyts in living Shewanella putrefaciens 200 (SP200) was successfully quantified using diffuse-transmission UV/Vis spectroscopy due to the strong absorbance of hemes, and the in situ spectral kinetics of Cr(VI) reduction by c-Cyts were examined over time. The reduced product Cr(III) observed on the cell surface may play a role in inhibiting the Cr(VI) reduction and reducing the cell numbers with high concentrations (>200 μM) of Cr(VI) evidenced by the 16S rRNA analysis. A brief kinetic model was established with two predominant reactions, redox transformation of c-Cyts and Cr(VI) reduction by reduced c-Cyts, but the fitting curves were not well-matched with c-Cyts data. The Cr(III)-induced inhibitory effect to the cellular function of redox transformation of c-Cyts was then added to the model, resulting in substantially improved the model fitting. This study provides a case of directly examining the reaction properties of outer-membrane enzyme during microbial metal reduction processes under physiological conditions.

  15. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange of multiply-protonated cytochrome c ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wood, T.D.; Guan, Ziqiang; O'Connor, P.B.

    1995-01-01

    Low resolution measurements show gaseous multiply-protonated cytochrome c ions undergo hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange with pseudo first-order kinetics at three distinct exchange levels, suggesting the co-existence of gaseous protein conformations. Although exchange levels first increase with increasing charge values, they decrease at the highest charge values, consistent with solution-phase behavior of cytochrome c, where the native structure unfolds with decreasing pH until folding into a compact A-state at lowest pH. High resolution measurements indicate the presence of at least six H/D exchange levels. Infrared (IR) laser heating and fast collisions via quadrupolar excitation (QE) increase H/D exchange levels (unfolding) while charge-stripping ions to lower charge values can increase or decrease H/D exchange levels (unfolding or folding). Wolynes has suggested studying proteins in vacuo could play an important role in delineating the contributions various forces play in the protein folding process, provided appropriate comparisons can be made between gas-phase and solution-phase structures

  16. Gene Duplication Leads to Altered Membrane Topology of a Cytochrome P450 Enzyme in Seed Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renault, Hugues; De Marothy, Minttu; Jonasson, Gabriella; Lara, Patricia; Nelson, David R; Nilsson, IngMarie; André, François; von Heijne, Gunnar; Werck-Reichhart, Danièle

    2017-08-01

    Evolution of the phenolic metabolism was critical for the transition of plants from water to land. A cytochrome P450, CYP73, with cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H) activity, catalyzes the first plant-specific and rate-limiting step in this pathway. The CYP73 gene is absent from green algae, and first detected in bryophytes. A CYP73 duplication occurred in the ancestor of seed plants and was retained in Taxaceae and most angiosperms. In spite of a clear divergence in primary sequence, both paralogs can fulfill comparable cinnamate hydroxylase roles both in vitro and in vivo. One of them seems dedicated to the biosynthesis of lignin precursors. Its N-terminus forms a single membrane spanning helix and its properties and length are highly constrained. The second is characterized by an elongated and variable N-terminus, reminiscent of ancestral CYP73s. Using as proxies the Brachypodium distachyon proteins, we show that the elongation of the N-terminus does not result in an altered subcellular localization, but in a distinct membrane topology. Insertion in the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum via a double-spanning open hairpin structure allows reorientation to the lumen of the catalytic domain of the protein. In agreement with participation to a different functional unit and supramolecular organization, the protein displays modified heme proximal surface. These data suggest the evolution of divergent C4H enzymes feeding different branches of the phenolic network in seed plants. It shows that specialization required for retention of gene duplicates may result from altered protein topology rather than change in enzyme activity. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  17. Photo-excitation of electrons in cytochrome c oxidase as a theory of the mechanism of the increase of ATP production in mitochondria by laser therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zielke, Andrzej

    2014-02-01

    The hypothesis explains the molecular basis for restoring mitochondrial function by laser therapy. It also explains how laser therapy reverses both excessive oxidation (lack of NADH/FADH2) and excessive reduction (lack of O2) states of cytochrome c oxidase complex. It is proposed that photons interact with heme molecules of cytochrome c oxidase. A molecule of heme contains a porphyrin ring and an atom of iron in the center. The iron atom (Fe) can switch oxidation states back and forth between ferrous (Fe2+) and ferric (Fe3+) by accepting or releasing an electron. The porphyrin ring is a complex aromatic molecule that has 26 pi electrons which are "delocalized", spinning in the carbon rings creating a resonating electromagnetic cloud. Photons with similar wavelengths are absorbed by the cloud increasing its energy. The energy is then passed on to the centrally located atom of iron existing in a reduced state (Fe2+). The electrons on the orbits of the iron atom accept this electromagnetic energy, and change orbitals to a higher energetic level. If the energy is sufficient, electrons leave the atom entirely. If this occurs, Fe2+ become oxidized to Fe3+ releasing electrons, thus restoring electron flow and the production of ATP. At the same time, electrons freed from complex IV may have sufficient energy to be picked by NAD+/FADH and re-enter the chain at the complex I or II amplifying the flow of electrons.

  18. Bacterial Nitric Oxide Synthase Is Required for the Staphylococcus aureus Response to Heme Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surdel, Matthew C; Dutter, Brendan F; Sulikowski, Gary A; Skaar, Eric P

    2016-08-12

    Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Within the vertebrate host, S. aureus requires heme as a nutrient iron source and as a cofactor for multiple cellular processes. Although required for pathogenesis, excess heme is toxic. S. aureus employs a two-component system, the heme sensor system (HssRS), to sense and protect against heme toxicity. Upon activation, HssRS induces the expression of the heme-regulated transporter (HrtAB), an efflux pump that alleviates heme toxicity. The ability to sense and respond to heme is critical for the pathogenesis of numerous Gram-positive organisms, yet the mechanism of heme sensing remains unknown. Compound '3981 was identified in a high-throughput screen as an activator of staphylococcal HssRS that triggers HssRS independently of heme accumulation. '3981 is toxic to S. aureus; however, derivatives of '3981 were synthesized that lack toxicity while retaining HssRS activation, enabling the interrogation of the heme stress response without confounding toxic effects of the parent molecule. Using '3981 derivatives as probes of the heme stress response, numerous genes required for '3981-induced activation of HssRS were uncovered. Specifically, multiple genes involved in the production of nitric oxide were identified, including the gene encoding bacterial nitric oxide synthase (bNOS). bNOS protects S. aureus from oxidative stress imposed by heme. Taken together, this work identifies bNOS as crucial for the S. aureus heme stress response, providing evidence that nitric oxide synthesis and heme sensing are intertwined.

  19. Wiring of heme enzymes by methylene-blue labeled dendrimers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Álvarez-Martos, Isabel; Shahdost-fard, Faezeh; Ferapontova, Elena

    2017-01-01

    Redox-modified branched 3D dendrimeric nanostructures may be considered as perspective wires for electrical connection between redox enzymes and electrodes. Here, we studied electron transfer (ET) reactions and bioelectrocatalysis of heme-containing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and heme- and moli......Redox-modified branched 3D dendrimeric nanostructures may be considered as perspective wires for electrical connection between redox enzymes and electrodes. Here, we studied electron transfer (ET) reactions and bioelectrocatalysis of heme-containing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and heme......- and molibdopterin-containing sulfite oxidase (SOx), wired to gold by the methylene blue (MB)-labeled polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. The enzymes’ electrochemical transformation and bioelectrocatalytic function could be followed at both unlabeled and MB-labeled dendrimer-modified electrodes with the formal redox......, optimization of bioelectrocatalysis of complex intermembrane and, possibly, membrane enzymes....

  20. Solution NMR study of the yeast cytochrome c peroxidase: cytochrome c interaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Volkov, Alexander N., E-mail: ovolkov@vub.ac.be; Nuland, Nico A. J. van [Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jean Jeener NMR Centre, Structural Biology Brussels (Belgium)

    2013-07-15

    Here we present a solution NMR study of the complex between yeast cytochrome c (Cc) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP), a paradigm for understanding the biological electron transfer. Performed for the first time, the CcP-observed heteronuclear NMR experiments were used to probe the Cc binding in solution. Combining the Cc- and CcP-detected experiments, the binding interface on both proteins was mapped out, confirming that the X-ray structure of the complex is maintained in solution. Using NMR titrations and chemical shift perturbation analysis, we show that the interaction is independent of the CcP spin-state and is only weakly affected by the Cc redox state. Based on these findings, we argue that the complex of the ferrous Cc and the cyanide-bound CcP is a good mimic of the catalytically-active Cc-CcP compound I species. Finally, no chemical shift perturbations due to the Cc binding at the low-affinity CcP site were observed at low ionic strength. We discuss possible reasons for the absence of the effects and outline future research directions.

  1. Cytochrome P450 3A expression and activity in the rabbit lacrimal gland: glucocorticoid modulation and the impact on androgen metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attar, Mayssa; Ling, Kah-Hiing John; Tang-Liu, Diane D-S; Neamati, Nouri; Lee, Vincent H L

    2005-12-01

    Cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) is an enzyme of paramount importance to drug metabolism. The expression and activity of CYP3A, an enzyme responsible for active androgen clearance, was investigated in the rabbit lacrimal gland. Analysis of CYP3A expression and activity was performed on lacrimal gland tissues obtained from naïve untreated and treated New Zealand White rabbits. For 5 days, treated rabbits received daily administration of vehicle or 0.1% or 1.0% dexamethasone, in the lower cul-de-sac of each eye. Changes in mRNA expression were monitored by real-time RT-PCR. Protein expression was confirmed by Western blot. Functional activity was measured by monitoring the metabolism of CYP3A probe substrates-namely, 7-benzyloxyquinoline (BQ) and [3H]testosterone. Cytochrome P450 heme protein was detected at a concentration of 44.6 picomoles/mg protein, along with its redox partner NADPH reductase and specifically CYP3A6 in the naïve rabbit lacrimal gland. Genes encoding CYP3A6, in addition to the pregnane-X-receptor (PXR) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) were expressed in the untreated tissue. BQ dealkylation was measured in the naïve rabbit lacrimal gland at a rate of 14 +/- 7 picomoles/mg protein per minute. Changes in CYP3A6, P-gp, and androgen receptor mRNA expression levels were detected after dexamethasone treatment. In addition, dexamethasone treatment resulted in significant increases in BQ dealkylation and CYP3A6-mediated [3H]testosterone metabolism. Concomitant increases in CYP3A6-mediated hydroxylated testosterone metabolites were observed in the treated rabbits. Furthermore, ketoconazole, all-trans retinoic acid, and cyclosporine inhibited CYP3A6 mediated [3H]testosterone 6beta hydroxylation in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 ranging from 3.73 to 435 microM. The results demonstrate, for the first time, the expression and activity of CYP3A6 in the rabbit lacrimal gland. In addition, this pathway was shown to be subject to modulation by a commonly

  2. NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Paramagnetic Macromolecules

    CERN Document Server

    1995-01-01

    Since A. Kowalsky's first report of the spectrum of cytochrome c in 1965, interest in the detection, assignment and interpretation of paramagnetic molecules has surged, especially in the last decade. Two classes of systems have played a key role in the development of the field: heme proteins and iron-sulfur proteins. These two systems are unique in many respects, one of which is that they contain well-defined chromophores, each of which can be studied in detail outside the protein matrix. They are the most successfully studied macromolecules, and the first eight and last six of the seventeen contributions to this book deal with heme and/or iron-sulfur proteins. The middle three chapters survey the progress on, and significant promise of, more difficult systems which do not possess a chromophore, but which have nevertheless yielded remarkable insights into their structure.

  3. Artificial Self-Sufficient P450 in Reversed Micelles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teruyuki Nagamune

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Cytochrome P450s are heme-containing monooxygenases that require electron transfer proteins for their catalytic activities. They prefer hydrophobic compounds as substrates and it is, therefore, desirable to perform their reactions in non-aqueous media. Reversed micelles can stably encapsulate proteins in nano-scaled water pools in organic solvents. However, in the reversed micellar system, when multiple proteins are involved in a reaction they can be separated into different micelles and it is then difficult to transfer electrons between proteins. We show here that an artificial self-sufficient cytochrome P450, which is an enzymatically crosslinked fusion protein composed of P450 and electron transfer proteins, showed micelle-size dependent catalytic activity in a reversed micellar system. Furthermore, the presence of thermostable alcohol dehydrogenase promoted the P450-catalyzed reaction due to cofactor regeneration.

  4. Removal of Bound Triton X-100 from Purified Bovine Heart Cytochrome bc1

    OpenAIRE

    Varhač, Rastislav; Robinson, Neal C.; Musatov, Andrej

    2009-01-01

    Cytochrome bc1 isolated from Triton X-100 solubilized mitochondrial membranes contains up to 120 nmol of Triton X-100 bound per nmol of the enzyme. Purified cytochrome bc1 is fully active; however, protein bound Triton X-100 significantly interferes with structural studies of the enzyme. Removal of Triton X-100 bound to bovine cytochrome bc1 was accomplished by incubation with Bio-Beads SM-2 in presence of sodium cholate. Sodium cholate is critical since it does not interfere with the adsorpt...

  5. Convergence of hepcidin deficiency, systemic iron overloading, heme accumulation, and REV-ERBα/β activation in aryl hydrocarbon receptor-elicited hepatotoxicity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fader, Kelly A.; Nault, Rance [Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Kirby, Mathew P.; Markous, Gena [Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Matthews, Jason [Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo 0316 (Norway); Zacharewski, Timothy R., E-mail: tzachare@msu.edu [Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States)

    2017-04-15

    Persistent aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists elicit dose-dependent hepatic lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis in mice. Iron (Fe) promotes AhR-mediated oxidative stress by catalyzing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. To further characterize the role of Fe in AhR-mediated hepatotoxicity, male C57BL/6 mice were orally gavaged with sesame oil vehicle or 0.01–30 μg/kg 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) every 4 days for 28 days. Duodenal epithelial and hepatic RNA-Seq data were integrated with hepatic AhR ChIP-Seq, capillary electrophoresis protein measurements, and clinical chemistry analyses. TCDD dose-dependently repressed hepatic expression of hepcidin (Hamp and Hamp2), the master regulator of systemic Fe homeostasis, resulting in a 2.6-fold increase in serum Fe with accumulating Fe spilling into urine. Total hepatic Fe levels were negligibly increased while transferrin saturation remained unchanged. Furthermore, TCDD elicited dose-dependent gene expression changes in heme biosynthesis including the induction of aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (Alas1) and repression of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (Urod), leading to a 50% increase in hepatic hemin and a 13.2-fold increase in total urinary porphyrins. Consistent with this heme accumulation, differential gene expression suggests that heme activated BACH1 and REV-ERBα/β, causing induction of heme oxygenase 1 (Hmox1) and repression of fatty acid biosynthesis, respectively. Collectively, these results suggest that Hamp repression, Fe accumulation, and increased heme levels converge to promote oxidative stress and the progression of TCDD-elicited hepatotoxicity. - Highlights: • TCDD represses hepatic hepcidin expression, leading to systemic iron overloading. • Dysregulation of heme biosynthesis is consistent with heme and porphyrin accumulation. • Heme-activated REV-ERBα/β repress circadian-regulated hepatic lipid metabolism. • Disruption of iron

  6. Role of distal arginine in early sensing intermediates in the heme domain of the oxygen sensor FixL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jasaitis, Audrius; Hola, Klara; Bouzhir-Sima, Latifa; Lambry, Jean-Christophe; Balland, Veronique; Vos, Marten H; Liebl, Ursula

    2006-05-16

    FixL is a bacterial heme-based oxygen sensor, in which release of oxygen from the sensing PAS domain leads to activation of an associated kinase domain. Static structural studies have suggested an important role of the conserved residue arginine 220 in signal transmission at the level of the heme domain. To assess the role of this residue in the dynamics and properties of the initial intermediates in ligand release, we have investigated the effects of R220X (X = I, Q, E, H, or A) mutations in the FixLH heme domain on the dynamics and spectral properties of the heme upon photolysis of O(2), NO, and CO using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Comparison of transient spectra for CO and NO dissociation with steady-state spectra indicated less strain on the heme in the ligand dissociation species for all mutants compared to the wild type (WT). For CO and NO, the kinetics were similar to those of the wild type, with the exception of (1) a relatively low yield of picosecond NO rebinding to R220A, presumably related to the increase in the free volume of the heme pocket, and (2) substantial pH-dependent picosecond to nanosecond rebinding of CO to R220H, related to formation of a hydrogen bond between CO and histidine 220. Upon excitation of the complex bound with the physiological sensor ligand O(2), a 5-8 ps decay phase and a nondecaying (>4 ns) phase were observed for WT and all mutants. The strong distortion of the spectrum associated with the decay phase in WT is substantially diminished in all mutant proteins, indicating an R220-induced role of the heme in the primary intermediate in signal transmission. Furthermore, the yield of dissociated oxygen after this phase ( approximately 10% in WT) is increased in all mutants, up to almost unity in R220A, indicating a key role of R220 in caging the oxygen near the heme through hydrogen bonding. Molecular dynamics simulations corroborate these findings and suggest motions of O(2) and arginine 220 away from the heme

  7. Heme oxygenase-1 prevents hyperthyroidism induced hepatic damage via an antioxidant and antiapoptotic pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giriş, Murat; Erbil, Yeşim; Depboylu, Bilge; Mete, Ozgür; Türkoğlu, Umit; Abbasoğlu, Semra Doğru; Uysal, Müjdat

    2010-12-01

    The exact pathogenesis of hepatic dysfunction in hyperthyroidism is still unknown. We aimed to investigate the pathogenesis of liver dysfunction caused by hyperthyroidism through inducing heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression, which has antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties. Rats were divided into six groups: untreated (group 1), treated with zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) (group 2), treated with hemin (group 3), treated with tri-iodothyronine (T3) (group 4), treated with T3 and ZnPP (group 5), and treated with T3 and hemin (group 6). After 22 d, oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes and the expression of HO-1, mitochondrial permeability transition, cytochrome c, Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-3 activity, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay were examined. Hyperthyroidism induced oxidative stress of liver tissue was ameliorated by HO-1 induction. Administration of hemin (HO-1 inducer) increased Bcl-2 expression. Decreased expression of cytochrome c was accompanied by a decrease in caspase-3, caspase-8, Bax expression, and caspase-3 activity. The apoptotic activity and oxidative damage were found to be increased by the administration of ZnPP (HO-1 inhibitor). Immunohistochemistry findings supported these results. HO-1 induction plays a protective role in the pathogenesis of the liver dysfunction in hyperthyroidism. This effect is dependent on modulation of the antiapoptotic and antioxidative pathways by HO-1 expression. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Metabolism and binding of cyclophosphamide and its metabolite acrolein to rat hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marinello, A.J.; Bansal, S.K.; Paul, B.; Koser, P.L.; Love, J.; Struck, R.F.; Gurtoo, H.L.

    1984-01-01

    The hepatic cytochrome P-450-mediated metabolism and metabolic activation of [chloroethyl-3H]cyclophosphamide [( chloroethyl-3H]CP) and [4-14C]cyclophosphamide [( 4-14C]CP) were investigated in vitro in the reconstituted system containing cytochrome P-450 isolated from phenobarbital-treated rats. In addition, hepatic microsomal binding and the hepatic microsome-mediated metabolism of [14C]acrolein, a metabolite of [4-14C]CP, were also investigated. The metabolism of [chloroethyl-3H]CP and [4-14C]CP to polar metabolites was found to depend on the presence of NADPH and showed concentration dependence with respect to cytochrome P-450 and NADPH:cytochrome P-450 reductase. Km and Vmax values were essentially similar. The patterns of inhibition by microsomal mixed-function oxidase inhibitors, anti-cytochrome P-450 antibody, and heat denaturation of the cytochrome P-450 were essentially similar, with subtle differences between [4-14C]CP and [chloroethyl-3H]CP metabolism. The in vitro metabolic activation of CP in the reconstituted system demonstrated predominant binding of [chloroethyl-3H]CP to nucleic acids and almost exclusive binding of [4-14C]CP to proteins. Gel electrophoresis-fluorography of the proteins in the reconstituted system treated with [4-14C]CP demonstrated localization of the 14C label in the cytochrome P-450 region. To examine this association further, hepatic microsomes were modified with [14C]acrolein in the presence and the absence of NADPH. The results confirmed covalent association between [14C]acrolein and cytochrome P-450 in the microsomes and also demonstrated further metabolism of [14C]acrolein, apparently to an epoxide, which is capable of binding covalently to proteins. The results of these investigations not only confirm the significance of primary metabolism but also emphasize the potential role of the secondary metabolism of cyclophosphamide in some of its toxic manifestations

  9. ESTIMASI SISA NASI KONSUMEN DI BEBERAPA JENIS RUMAH MAKAN DI KOTA BOGOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dini Anriany

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACTThis study aimed to estimate waste of cooked rice not consumed by customer at various restaurants in Bogor. Cross sectional study design was implemented in this study. The number of subjects were 279 consumers from 32 restaurants. Food weighing method was used to measure cooked rice waste and the weight was then converted into rice weight using a conversion factor. The calculations show that rice loss from sunda restaurant was the highest with an average of 4.7 g/capita/day of rice equivalent, while the smallest in padang restaurant with the average of 2.5 g/capita/day of rice equivalent. For java and warung tenda restaurant were equal to 3.6 g/capita/day of rice equivalent and 4.2 g/capita/day of rice equivalent. Respectively loss of nutrients per meal from sunda restaurant was equal to 8.3 kcal/capita (0.4% of energy RDA, 0.1 g/capita (0.2% of the protein RDA. While the loss of nutrients from padang restaurant was as much as 4.5 kcal/capita (0.2% of energy RDA, 0.05 g/capita (0.1% of the protein RDA. Loss of nutrients from java restaurant was 6.3 kcal/capita (0.3% of energy RDA, 0.07 g/capita (0.1% of the protein RDA. For warung tenda, loss of nutrients was 7.5 kcal/capita (0.4% of energy RDA, 0.09 g/capita (0.2% of the protein RDA. It seems that the loss of the waste of the rice on sunda restaurant by serving in a bakul, has not been able to reduce of rice waste.Keywords: cooked rice, restaurant, waste consumptionABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengestimasi sisa nasi yang tidak terkonsumsi oleh konsumen di beberapa jenis rumah makan di Kota Bogor. Desain penelitian adalah cross sectional. Objek dalam penelitian ini adalah konsumen di 32 rumah makan. Subjek dalam penelitian sebanyak 279 orang. Data sisa nasi diperoleh dengan metode food weighing. Berat sisa nasi dikonversi ke dalam berat beras dengan menggunakan faktor konversi sehingga beratnya setara dengan berat beras. Hasil perhitungan menunjukkan bahwa kehilangan sisa nasi

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lukat, G.S.; Rodgers, K.R.; Jabro, M.N.; Goff, H.M.

    1989-01-01

    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, the authors characterize the H 2 O 2 -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 Caprinus 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

  11. Evidence that cytochrome b{sub 5} acts as a redox donor in CYP17A1 mediated androgen synthesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duggal, Ruchia [Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL (United States); Liu, Yilin [Department of Chemistry, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI (United States); Gregory, Michael C.; Denisov, Ilia G. [Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL (United States); Kincaid, James R. [Department of Chemistry, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI (United States); Sligar, Stephen G., E-mail: s-sligar@illinois.edu [Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL (United States); Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL (United States)

    2016-08-19

    Cytochrome P450 17A1 (CYP17A1) is an important drug target for castration resistant prostate cancer. It is a bi-functional enzyme, catalyzing production of glucocorticoid precursors by hydroxylation of pregnene-nucleus, and androgen biosynthesis by a second C−C lyase step, at the expense of glucocorticoid production. Cytochrome b{sub 5} (cyt b{sub 5}) is known to be a key regulator of the androgen synthesis reaction in vivo, by a mechanism that is not well understood. Two hypotheses have been proposed for the mechanism by which cyt b{sub 5} increases androgen biosynthesis. Cyt b{sub 5} could act as an allosteric effector, binding to CYP17A1 and either changing its selective substrate affinity or altering the conformation of the P450 to increase the catalytic rate or decrease unproductive uncoupling channels. Alternatively, cyt b{sub 5} could act as a redox donor for supply of the second electron in the P450 cycle, reducing the oxyferrous complex to form the reactive peroxo-intermediate. To understand the mechanism of lyase enhancement by cyt b{sub 5}, we generated a redox-inactive form of cyt b{sub 5}, in which the heme is replaced with a Manganese-protoporphyrin IX (Mn-b{sub 5}), and investigated enhancement of androgen producing lyase reaction by CYP17A1. Given the critical significance of a stable membrane anchor for all of the proteins involved and the need for controlled stoichiometric ratios, we employed the Nanodisc system for this study. The redox inactive form was observed to have no effect on the lyase reaction, while reactions with the normal heme-iron containing cyt b{sub 5} were enhanced ∼5 fold as compared to reactions in the absence of cyt b{sub 5}. We also performed resonance Raman measurements on ferric CYP17A1 bound to Mn-b{sub 5}. Upon addition of Mn-b{sub 5} to Nanodisc reconstituted CYP17A1, we observed clear evidence for the formation of a b{sub 5}-CYP17A1 complex, as noted by changes in the porphyrin modes and alteration in the proximal

  12. A quantum chemical study of the mechanism for proton-coupled electron transfer leading to proton pumping in cytochrome c oxidase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blomberg, Margareta R. A.; Siegbahn, Per E. M.

    2010-10-01

    The proton pumping mechanism in cytochrome c oxidase, the terminal enzyme in the respiratory chain, has been investigated using hybrid DFT with large chemical models. In previous studies, a gating mechanism was suggested based on electrostatic interpretations of kinetic experiments. The predictions from that analysis are tested here. The main result is that the suggestion of a positively charged transition state for proton transfer is confirmed, while some other suggestions for the gating are not supported. It is shown that a few critical relative energy values from the earlier studies are reproduced with quite high accuracy using the present model calculations. Examples are the forward barrier for proton transfer from the N-side of the membrane to the pump-loading site when the heme a cofactor is reduced, and the corresponding back leakage barrier when heme a is oxidised. An interesting new finding is an unexpected double-well potential for proton transfer from the N-side to the pump-loading site. In the intermediate between the two transition states found, the proton is bound to PropD on heme a. A possible purpose of this type of potential surface is suggested here. The accuracy of the present values are discussed in terms of their sensitivity to the choice of dielectric constant. Only one energy value, which is not critical for the present mechanism, varies significantly with this choice and is therefore less certain.

  13. Anti-inflammatory effect of transduced PEP-1-heme oxygenase-1 in Raw 264.7 cells and a mouse edema model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwon, Soon Won; Sohn, Eun Jeong; Kim, Dae Won; Jeong, Hoon Jae; Kim, Mi Jin; Ahn, Eun Hee; Kim, Young Nam; Dutta, Suman; Kim, Duk-Soo; Park, Jinseu; Eum, Won Sik; Hwang, Hyun Sook; Choi, Soo Young

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Recombinant PEP-1 heme oxygenase-1 expression vector was constructed and overexpressed. → We investigated transduction efficiency of PEP-1-HO-1 protein in Raw 264.7 cells. → PEP-1-HO-1 was efficiently transduced into Raw 264.7 cells in a dose and time dependent manner. → PEP-1-HO-1 exerted anti-inflammatory activity in Raw 264.7 cells and in a mice edema model. → PEP-1-HO-1 could be used as a therapeutic drug against inflammatory diseases. -- Abstract: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which catalyzes the degradation of free heme to biliverdin, carbon monoxide (CO), and free iron (Fe 2+ ), is up-regulated by several cellular stress and cell injuries, including inflammation, ischemia and hypoxia. In this study, we examined whether fusion of HO-1 with PEP-1, a protein transduction domain that is able to deliver exogenous molecules to living cells or tissues, would facilitate HO-1 delivery to target cells and tissues, and thereby effectively exert a therapeutically useful response against inflammation. Western blot analysis demonstrated that PEP-1-HO-1 fusion proteins were transduced into Raw 264.7 cells in time- and dose-dependent manners, and were stably maintained in the cells for about 60 h. In addition, fluorescence analysis revealed that only PEP-1-HO-1 fusion proteins were significantly transduced into the cytoplasm of cells, while HO-1 proteins failed to be transduced. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse edema model, transduced PEP-1-HO-1 fusion proteins effectively inhibited the overexpression of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines. Also, histological analysis demonstrated that PEP-1-HO-1 remarkably suppressed ear edema. The results suggest that the PEP-1-HO-1 fusion protein can be used as a therapeutic molecule against reactive oxygen species-related inflammatory diseases.

  14. Aspirin Induces Apoptosis through Release of Cytochrome c from Mitochondria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katja C. Zimmermann

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID reduce the risk for cancer, due to their anti proliferative and apoptosis-inducing effects. A critical pathway for apoptosis involves the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, which then interacts with Apaf-1 to activate caspase proteases that orchestrate cell death. In this study we found that treatment of a human cancer cell line with aspirin induced caspase activation and the apoptotic cell morphology, which was blocked by the caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk. Further analysis of the mechanism underlying this apoptotic event showed that aspirin induces translocation of Bax to the mitochondria and triggers release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. The release of cytochrome c from mitochondria was inhibited by overexpression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and cells that lack Apaf-1 were resistant to aspirin-induced apoptosis. These data provide evidence that the release of cytochrome c is an important part of the apoptotic mechanism of aspirin.

  15. Human Cytochrome P450 3A4 as a Biocatalyst: Effects of the Engineered Linker in Modulation of Coupling Efficiency in 3A4-BMR Chimeras.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Degregorio, Danilo; D'Avino, Serena; Castrignanò, Silvia; Di Nardo, Giovanna; Sadeghi, Sheila J; Catucci, Gianluca; Gilardi, Gianfranco

    2017-01-01

    Human liver cytochrome P450 3A4 is the main enzyme involved in drug metabolism. This makes it an attractive target for biocatalytic applications, such as the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and drug metabolites. However, its poor solubility, stability and low coupling have limited its application in the biotechnological context. We previously demonstrated that the solubility of P450 3A4 can be increased by creating fusion proteins between the reductase from Bacillus megaterium BM3 (BMR) and the N-terminally modified P450 3A4 (3A4-BMR). In this work, we aim at increasing stability and coupling efficiency by varying the length of the loop connecting the two domains to allow higher inter-domain flexibility, optimizing the interaction between the domains. Starting from the construct 3A4-BMR containing the short linker Pro-Ser-Arg, two constructs were generated by introducing a 3 and 5 glycine hinge (3A4-3GLY-BMR and 3A4-5GLY-BMR). The three fusion proteins show the typical absorbance at 450 nm of the reduced heme-CO adduct as well as the correct incorporation of the FAD and FMN cofactors. Each of the three chimeric proteins were more stable than P450 3A4 alone. Moreover, the 3A4-BMR-3-GLY enzyme showed the highest NADPH oxidation rate in line with the most positive reduction potential. On the other hand, the 3A4-BMR-5-GLY fusion protein showed a V max increased by 2-fold as well as a higher coupling efficiency when compared to 3A4-BMR in the hydroxylation of the marker substrate testosterone. This protein also showed the highest rate value of cytochrome c reduction when this external electron acceptor is used to intercept electrons from BMR to P450. The data suggest that the flexibility and the interaction between domains in the chimeric proteins is a key parameter to improve turnover and coupling efficiency. These findings provide important guidelines in engineering catalytically self-sufficient human P450 for applications in biocatalysis.

  16. Alteration by irradiation and storage at amount of heme iron in poultry meat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souza, A.R.M. de; Arthur, V.; Canniatti-Brazaca, S.G.

    2007-01-01

    Studies of irradiation and storage effects in chicken were carried out to discover the influence in iron heme, non-heme amount, color and total pigments. Chicken thighs and chicken breast were studied. These were irradiated to 0, 1 and 2 kGy stored by 14 days to 4 °C in refrigerator. Determining the heme content and non-heme of meat was done using the colorimeter method and the Ferrozine reagent. The values of iron heme were influenced both by the irradiation and the storage, reducing the amount throughout the course of time. The iron non-heme was also influenced by the doses and the storage time, however the values increased throughout the course of time, because of the conversion of iron heme in non-heme. The color did not show that it was influenced by the studied doses, except for the storage, and the total number of pigments was affected by the irradiation and the time, reducing the values with the increase of storage. Irradiation was shown to be a good method to conserve iron. (author) [pt

  17. Alteration by irradiation and storage at amount of heme iron in poultry meat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souza, Adriana Regia Marques de; Arthur, Valter Arthur; Canniatti-Brazaca, Solange Guidolin

    2007-01-01

    Studies of irradiation and storage effects in chicken were carried out to discover the influence in iron heme, non-heme amount, color and total pigments. Chicken thighs and chicken breast were studied. These were irradiated to 0, 1 and 2 kGy stored by 14 days to 4 deg C in refrigerator. Determining the heme content and non-heme of meat was done using the colorimeter method and the Ferrozine reagent. The values of iron heme were influenced both by the irradiation and the storage, reducing the amount throughout the course of time. The iron non-heme was also influenced by the doses and the storage time, however the values increased throughout the course of time, because of the conversion of iron heme in non-heme. The color did not show that it was influenced by the studied doses, except for the storage, and the total number of pigments was affected by the irradiation and the time, reducing the values with the increase of storage. Irradiation was shown to be a good method to conserve iron. (author)

  18. Cytochrome b5 and NADH cytochrome b5 reductase: genotype-phenotype correlations for hydroxylamine reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacco, James C; Trepanier, Lauren A

    2010-01-01

    NADH cytochrome b5 reductase (b5R) and cytochrome b5 (b5) catalyze the reduction of sulfamethoxazole hydroxylamine (SMX-HA), which can contribute to sulfonamide hypersensitivity, to the parent drug sulfamethoxazole. Variability in hydroxylamine reduction could thus play a role in adverse drug reactions. The aim of this study was to characterize variability in SMX-HA reduction in 111 human livers, and investigate its association with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in b5 and b5R cDNA. Liver microsomes were assayed for SMX-HA reduction activity, and b5 and b5R expression was semiquantified by immunoblotting. The coding regions of the b5 (CYB5A) and b5R (CYB5R3) genes were resequenced. Hepatic SMX-HA reduction displayed a 19-fold range of individual variability (0.06-1.11 nmol/min/mg protein), and a 17-fold range in efficiency (Vmax/Km) among outliers. SMX-HA reduction was positively correlated with b5 and b5R protein content (Phydroxylamine reduction activities, these low-frequency cSNPs seem to only minimally impact overall observed phenotypic variability. Work is underway to characterize polymorphisms in other regions of these genes to further account for individual variability in hydroxylamine reduction.

  19. The development and application of engineered proteins for bioremediation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trewhella, J. [ed.

    1995-09-26

    Clean up of the toxic legacy of the Cold War is projected to be the most expensive domestic project the nation has yet undertaken. Remediation of the Department of Energy and Department of Defense toxic waste sites alone are projected to cost {approximately}$1 trillion over a 20-30 year period. New, cost effective technologies are needed to attack this enormous problem. Los Alamos has put together a cross-divisional team of scientist to develop science based bioremediation technology to work toward this goal. In the team we have expertise in: (1) molecular, ecosystem and transport modeling; (2) genetic and protein engineering; (3) microbiology and microbial ecology; (4) structural biology; and (5) bioinorganic chemistry. This document summarizes talks at a workshop of different aspects of bioremediation technology including the following: Introducing novel function into a Heme enzyme: engineering by excavation; cytochrome P-450: ideal systems for bioremediation?; selection and development of bacterial strains for in situ remediation of cholorinated solvents; genetic analysis and preparation of toluene ortho-monooxygenase for field application in remediation of trichloroethylene; microbial ecology and diversity important to bioremediation; engineering haloalkane dehalogenase for bioremediation; enzymes for oxidative biodegradation; indigenous bacteria as hosts for engineered proteins; performance of indigenous bacterial, hosting engineered proteins in microbial communities.

  20. {sup 13}C-Methyl isocyanide as an NMR probe for cytochrome P450 active sites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McCullough, Christopher R.; Pullela, Phani Kumar [Marquette University, Chemical Proteomics Facility at Marquette, Department of Chemistry (United States); Im, Sang-Choul; Waskell, Lucy [University of Michigan and VA Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology (United States); Sem, Daniel S. [Marquette University, Chemical Proteomics Facility at Marquette, Department of Chemistry (United States)], E-mail: Daniel.sem@marquette.edu

    2009-03-15

    The cytochromes P450 (CYPs) play a central role in many biologically important oxidation reactions, including the metabolism of drugs and other xenobiotic compounds. Because they are often assayed as both drug targets and anti-targets, any tools that provide: (a) confirmation of active site binding and (b) structural data, would be of great utility, especially if data could be obtained in reasonably high throughput. To this end, we have developed an analog of the promiscuous heme ligand, cyanide, with a {sup 13}CH{sub 3}-reporter attached. This {sup 13}C-methyl isocyanide ligand binds to bacterial (P450cam) and membrane-bound mammalian (CYP2B4) CYPs. It can be used in a rapid 1D experiment to identify binders, and provides a qualitative measure of structural changes in the active site.

  1. Identification of human cytochrome P450s as autoantigens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manns, M P; Johnson, E F

    1991-01-01

    Antimicrosomal antibodies in inflammatory liver diseases all seem to be directed against members of the cytochrome P450 family of proteins. These autoantigens seem to be genetically polymorphic, the autoantibodies are inhibitory, and the autoepitopes are generally conserved among species. Anti-P450 autoantibodies share these characteristics with other autoantibodies, for example, antinuclear antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus. The identification of P450s as human autoantigens is clinically important. Diagnostic tests will be developed on the basis of cloned antigen, facilitating a better diagnosis of drug-induced and idiopathic autoimmune hepatitis. It is unknown what triggers autoantibody production against cytochrome P450 proteins. Furthermore, their pathogenetic role and thus their involvement in tissue destruction is unclear. In this context LKM1 autoantibodies may serve as a model. Although LKM1 antibodies are inhibitory, all LKM1 antibody-positive patients tested so far are extensive metabolizers for drug metabolism mediated by P450IID6 and express this protein in their livers. Thus, the inhibitory LKM1 autoantibody does not sufficiently penetrate through the intact liver cell membrane to inhibit enzyme function in vivo. Presumably, tissue destruction in autoimmune hepatitis is mediated by liver-infiltrating T lymphocytes. T lymphocytes have been cloned from liver tissue that specifically proliferate in the presence of recombinant cytochrome P450IID6. The construction of overlapping cDNA subclones is also valuable to identify immunodominant B cell as well as relevant T cell epitopes.

  2. Out of plane distortions of the heme b of Escherichia coli succinate dehydrogenase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Quang M Tran

    Full Text Available The role of the heme b in Escherichia coli succinate dehydrogenase is highly ambiguous and its role in catalysis is questionable. To examine whether heme reduction is an essential step of the catalytic mechanism, we generated a series of site-directed mutations around the heme binding pocket, creating a library of variants with a stepwise decrease in the midpoint potential of the heme from the wild-type value of +20 mV down to -80 mV. This difference in midpoint potential is enough to alter the reactivity of the heme towards succinate and thus its redox state under turnover conditions. Our results show both the steady state succinate oxidase and fumarate reductase catalytic activity of the enzyme are not a function of the redox potential of the heme. As well, lower heme potential did not cause an increase in the rate of superoxide production both in vitro and in vivo. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR spectrum of the heme in the wild-type enzyme is a combination of two distinct signals. We link EPR spectra to structure, showing that one of the signals likely arises from an out-of-plane distortion of the heme, a saddled conformation, while the second signal originates from a more planar orientation of the porphyrin ring.

  3. Role of α-globin H helix in the building of tetrameric human hemoglobin: interaction with α-hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP) and heme molecule.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domingues-Hamdi, Elisa; Vasseur, Corinne; Fournier, Jean-Baptiste; Marden, Michael C; Wajcman, Henri; Baudin-Creuza, Véronique

    2014-01-01

    Alpha-Hemoglobin Stabilizing Protein (AHSP) binds to α-hemoglobin (α-Hb) or α-globin and maintains it in a soluble state until its association with the β-Hb chain partner to form Hb tetramers. AHSP specifically recognizes the G and H helices of α-Hb. To investigate the degree of interaction of the various regions of the α-globin H helix with AHSP, this interface was studied by stepwise elimination of regions of the α-globin H helix: five truncated α-Hbs α-Hb1-138, α-Hb1-134, α-Hb1-126, α-Hb1-123, α-Hb1-117 were co-expressed with AHSP as two glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins. SDS-PAGE and Western Blot analysis revealed that the level of expression of each truncated α-Hb was similar to that of the wild type α-Hb except the shortest protein α-Hb1-117 which displayed a decreased expression. While truncated GST-α-Hb1-138 and GST-α-Hb1-134 were normally soluble; the shorter globins GST-α-Hb1-126 and GST-α-Hb1-117 were obtained in very low quantities, and the truncated GST-α-Hb1-123 provided the least material. Absorbance and fluorescence studies of complexes showed that the truncated α-Hb1-134 and shorter forms led to modified absorption spectra together with an increased fluorescence emission. This attests that shortening the H helix leads to a lower affinity of the α-globin for the heme. Upon addition of β-Hb, the increase in fluorescence indicates the replacement of AHSP by β-Hb. The CO binding kinetics of different truncated AHSPWT/α-Hb complexes showed that these Hbs were not functionally normal in terms of the allosteric transition. The N-terminal part of the H helix is primordial for interaction with AHSP and C-terminal part for interaction with heme, both features being required for stability of α-globin chain.

  4. Structure of octaheme cytochrome c nitrite reductase from Thioalkalivibrio nitratireducens in a complex with phosphate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trofimov, A. A.; Polyakov, K. M., E-mail: kostya@eimb.relarn.ru [Russian Academy of Sciences, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology (Russian Federation); Boiko, K. M.; Filimonenkov, A. A. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Bach Institute of Biochemistry (Russian Federation); Dorovatovskii, P. V. [Kurchatov Center for Synchrotron Radiation and Nanotechnology (Russian Federation); Tikhonova, T. V.; Popov, V. O. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Bach Institute of Biochemistry (Russian Federation); Koval' chuk, M. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography (Russian Federation)

    2010-01-15

    Octaheme cytochrome c nitrite reductase from Thioalkalivibrio nitratireducens (TvNiR) catalyzes the reduction of nitrite and hydroxylamine to ammonia. The structures of the free enzyme and of the enzyme in complexes with the substrate (nitrite ion) and the inhibitor (azide ion) have been solved previously. In this study we report the structures of the oxidized complex of TvNiR with phosphate and of this complex reduced by europium(II) chloride (1.8- and 2.0-A resolution, the R factors are 15.9 and 16.7%, respectively) and the structure of the enzyme in the complex with cyanide (1.76-A resolution, the R factor is 16.5%), which was prepared by soaking a crystal of the oxidized phosphate complex of TvNiR. In the active site of the enzyme, the phosphate ion binds to the iron ion of the catalytic heme and to the side chains of the catalytic residues Arg131, Tyr303, and His361. The cyanide ion is coordinated to the heme-iron ion and is hydrogen bonded to the residue His361. In the structure of reduced TvNiR, the phosphate ion is bound in the same manner as in the structure of oxidized TvNiR, and the nine{sub c}oordinated europium ion is located on the surface of one of the crystallographically independent monomers of the enzyme.

  5. Structure of octaheme cytochrome c nitrite reductase from Thioalkalivibrio nitratireducens in a complex with phosphate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trofimov, A. A.; Polyakov, K. M.; Boiko, K. M.; Filimonenkov, A. A.; Dorovatovskii, P. V.; Tikhonova, T. V.; Popov, V. O.; Koval'chuk, M. V.

    2010-01-01

    Octaheme cytochrome c nitrite reductase from Thioalkalivibrio nitratireducens (TvNiR) catalyzes the reduction of nitrite and hydroxylamine to ammonia. The structures of the free enzyme and of the enzyme in complexes with the substrate (nitrite ion) and the inhibitor (azide ion) have been solved previously. In this study we report the structures of the oxidized complex of TvNiR with phosphate and of this complex reduced by europium(II) chloride (1.8- and 2.0-A resolution, the R factors are 15.9 and 16.7%, respectively) and the structure of the enzyme in the complex with cyanide (1.76-A resolution, the R factor is 16.5%), which was prepared by soaking a crystal of the oxidized phosphate complex of TvNiR. In the active site of the enzyme, the phosphate ion binds to the iron ion of the catalytic heme and to the side chains of the catalytic residues Arg131, Tyr303, and His361. The cyanide ion is coordinated to the heme-iron ion and is hydrogen bonded to the residue His361. In the structure of reduced TvNiR, the phosphate ion is bound in the same manner as in the structure of oxidized TvNiR, and the nine c oordinated europium ion is located on the surface of one of the crystallographically independent monomers of the enzyme.

  6. Cloning, DNA sequence, and expression of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides cytochrome c/sub 2/ gene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Donohue, T.J.; McEwan, A.G.; Kaplan, S.

    1986-11-01

    The Rhodobacter sphaeroides cytochrome c/sub 2/ functions as a mobile electron carrier in both aerobic and photosynthetic electron transport chains. Synthetic deoxyoligonucleotide probes, based on the known amino acid sequence of this protein (M/sub r/ 14,000), were used to identify and clone the cytochrome c/sub 2/ structural gene (cycA). DNA sequence analysis of the cycA gene indicated the presence of a typical procaryotic 21-residue signal sequence, suggesting that this periplasmic protein is synthesized in vivo as a precursor. Synthesis of an immunoreactive cytochrome c/sub 2/ precursor protein (M/sub r/ 15,500) was observed in vitro when plasmids containing the cycA gene were used as templates in an R. sphaeroides coupled transcription-translation system. Approximately 500 base pairs of DNA upstream of the cycA gene was sufficient to allow expression of this gene product in vitro. Northern blot analysis with an internal cycA-specific probe identified at least two possibly monocistronic transcripts present in both different cellular levels and relative stoichiometries in steady-state cells grown under different physiological conditions. The ratio of the small (740-mucleotide) and large (920-nucleotide) cycA-specific mRNA species was dependent on cultural conditions but was not affected by light intensity under photosynthetic conditions. These results suggest that the increase in the cellular level of the cytochrome c/sub 2/ protein found in photosynthetic cells was due, in part, to increased transcription of the single-copy cyc operon.

  7. Engineering human cytochrome P450 enzymes into catalytically self-sufficient chimeras using molecular Lego.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodhia, Vikash Rajnikant; Fantuzzi, Andrea; Gilardi, Gianfranco

    2006-10-01

    The membrane-bound human cytochrome P450s have essential roles in the metabolism of endogenous compounds and drugs. Presented here are the results on the construction and characterization of three fusion proteins containing the N-terminally modified human cytochrome P450s CYP2C9, CY2C19 and CYP3A4 fused to the soluble NADPH-dependent oxidoreductase domain of CYP102A1 from Bacillus megaterium. The constructs, CYP2C9/BMR, CYP2C19/BMR and CYP3A4/BMR are well expressed in Escherichia coli as holo proteins. The chimeras can be purified in the absence of detergent and the purified enzymes are both active and correctly folded in the absence of detergent, as demonstrated by circular dichroism and functional studies. Additionally, in comparison with the parent P450 enzyme, these chimeras have greatly improved solubility properties. The chimeras are catalytically self-sufficient and present turnover rates similar to those reported for the native enzymes in reconstituted systems, unlike previously reported mammalian cytochrome P450 fusion proteins. Furthermore the specific activities of these chimeras are not dependent on the enzyme concentration present in the reaction buffer and they do not require the addition of accessory proteins, detergents or phospholipids to be fully active. The solubility, catalytic self-sufficiency and wild-type like activities of these chimeras would greatly simplify the studies of cytochrome P450 mediated drug metabolism in solution.

  8. Acrolein, A Reactive Product of Lipid Peroxidation, Induces Oxidative Modification of Cytochrome c

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Jung Hoon [Cheongju Univ., Cheongju (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-11-15

    Acrolein (ACR) is a well-known carbonyl toxin produced by lipid peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In Alzheimer's brain, ACR was found to be elevated in hippocampus and temporal cortex where oxidative stress is high. In this study, we evaluated oxidative modification of cytochrome c occurring after incubation with ACR. When cytochrome c was incubated with ACR, protein aggregation increased in a dose-dependent manner. The formation of carbonyl compounds and the release of iron were obtained in ACR-treated cytochrome c. Reactive oxygen species scavengers and iron specific chelator inhibited the ACR-mediated cytochrome c modification and carbonyl compound formation. Our data demonstrate that oxidative damage of cytochrome c by ACR might induce disruption of cyotochrome c structure and iron mishandling as a contributing factor to the pathology of AD.

  9. Acrolein, A Reactive Product of Lipid Peroxidation, Induces Oxidative Modification of Cytochrome c

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Jung Hoon

    2013-01-01

    Acrolein (ACR) is a well-known carbonyl toxin produced by lipid peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In Alzheimer's brain, ACR was found to be elevated in hippocampus and temporal cortex where oxidative stress is high. In this study, we evaluated oxidative modification of cytochrome c occurring after incubation with ACR. When cytochrome c was incubated with ACR, protein aggregation increased in a dose-dependent manner. The formation of carbonyl compounds and the release of iron were obtained in ACR-treated cytochrome c. Reactive oxygen species scavengers and iron specific chelator inhibited the ACR-mediated cytochrome c modification and carbonyl compound formation. Our data demonstrate that oxidative damage of cytochrome c by ACR might induce disruption of cyotochrome c structure and iron mishandling as a contributing factor to the pathology of AD

  10. Oxygen Atom Transfer Using an Iron(IV)-Oxo Embedded in a Tetracyclic N-Heterocyclic Carbene System: How Does the Reactivity Compare to Cytochrome P450 Compound I?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantú Reinhard, Fabián G; de Visser, Sam P

    2017-02-24

    N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) are commonly featured as ligands in transition metal catalysis. Recently, a cyclic system containing four NHC groups with a central iron atom was synthesized and its iron(IV)-oxo species, [Fe IV (O)(cNHC 4 )] 2+ , was characterized. This tetracyclic NHC ligand system may give the iron(IV)-oxo species unique catalytic properties as compared to traditional non-heme and heme iron ligand systems. Therefore, we performed a computational study on the structure and reactivity of the [Fe IV (O)(cNHC 4 )] 2+ complex in substrate hydroxylation and epoxidation reactions. The reactivity patterns are compared with cytochrome P450 Compound I and non-heme iron(IV)-oxo models and it is shown that the [Fe IV (O)(cNHC 4 )] 2+ system is an effective oxidant with oxidative power analogous to P450 Compound I. Unfortunately, in polar solvents, a solvent molecule will bind to the sixth ligand position and decrease the catalytic activity of the oxidant. A molecular orbital and valence bond analysis provides insight into the origin of the reactivity differences and makes predictions of how to further exploit these systems in chemical catalysis. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. In vitro inhibitory effects of pulvinic acid derivatives isolated from Chinese edible mushrooms, Boletus calopus and Suillus bovinus, on cytochrome P450 activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yu-Ting; Onose, Jun-ichi; Abe, Naoki; Yoshikawa, Kunie

    2009-04-23

    Increasing attention has been focused on food-drug interactions. We have investigated the inhibitory effect of Chinese edible mushrooms, Boletus calopus and Suillus bovinus, on cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2, 2C9, 2D6, and 3A4, the main drug-metabolizing enzymes. Three pulvinic acid derivatives, atromentic acid (1), variegatic acid (2), and xerocomic acid (3), isolated from Boletus calopus and Suillus bovinus, revealed nonspecific inhibitory effects on all four CYPs. Using these compounds, the maximum IC50 values obtained with CYP3A4 in vitro were atromentic acid (1), 65.1+/-3.9 microM; variegatic acid (2), 2.2+/-0.1 microM; and xerocomic acid (3), 2.4+/-0.1 microM. Variegatic acid (2) and xerocomic acid (3) were effective inhibitors, comparable to cimetidine, dicoumarol, erythromycin, safrole, and uniconazole. Variegatic acid (2) and xerocomic acid (3) efficiently reduced ferryl myoglobin in CYPs. Reduction of ferryl heme to ferric heme is likely the mechanism of the nonspecific inhibitory effects of these compounds on CYPs.

  12. Nitrite to nitric oxide interconversion by heme FeII complex assisted by [CuI(tmpa)]+

    KAUST Repository

    Turias, Francesc; Solà , Miquel; Falivene, Laura; Cavallo, Luigi; Poater, Albert

    2015-01-01

    The present computational study complements the recent experimental efforts by Karlin and coworkers to describe the interconversion of nitrite to nitric oxide by means of an iron porphyrin complex together with a Cu chemical system, i.e., the iron(II) complex (F8TPP)FeII [F8TPP = tetrakis(2,6-difluorophenyl)porphyrinate(2−)] and a preformed copper(II)–nitrito complex [(tmpa)CuII(NO2)][B(C6F5)4] [tmpa = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine], being the latter an oxidized species of [(tmpa)CuI(MeCN)]+. By DFT calculations, we unravel how the reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide takes place through a μ-oxo heme-FeIII–O–CuII complex, following a mimetic path as in the cytochrome c oxidase. Mayer bond order (MBO) and energy decomposition analyses are used to analyze the bonding strength of such nitro derivatives to either copper or iron. © 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

  13. Nitrite to nitric oxide interconversion by heme FeII complex assisted by [CuI(tmpa)]+

    KAUST Repository

    Turias, Francesc

    2015-09-09

    The present computational study complements the recent experimental efforts by Karlin and coworkers to describe the interconversion of nitrite to nitric oxide by means of an iron porphyrin complex together with a Cu chemical system, i.e., the iron(II) complex (F8TPP)FeII [F8TPP = tetrakis(2,6-difluorophenyl)porphyrinate(2−)] and a preformed copper(II)–nitrito complex [(tmpa)CuII(NO2)][B(C6F5)4] [tmpa = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine], being the latter an oxidized species of [(tmpa)CuI(MeCN)]+. By DFT calculations, we unravel how the reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide takes place through a μ-oxo heme-FeIII–O–CuII complex, following a mimetic path as in the cytochrome c oxidase. Mayer bond order (MBO) and energy decomposition analyses are used to analyze the bonding strength of such nitro derivatives to either copper or iron. © 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

  14. Over-expression of heme oxygenase-1 promotes oxidative mitochondrial damage in rat astroglia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Wei; Su, Haixiang; Song, Sisi; Paudel, Hemant K; Schipper, Hyman M

    2006-03-01

    Glial heme oxygenase-1 is over-expressed in the CNS of subjects with Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Up-regulation of HO-1 in rat astroglia has been shown to facilitate iron sequestration by the mitochondrial compartment. To determine whether HO-1 induction promotes mitochondrial oxidative stress, assays for 8-epiPGF(2alpha) (ELISA), protein carbonyls (ELISA) and 8-OHdG (HPLC-EC) were used to quantify oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, respectively, in mitochondrial fractions and whole-cell compartments derived from cultured rat astroglia engineered to over-express human (h) HO-1 by transient transfection. Cell viability was assessed by trypan blue exclusion and the MTT assay, and cell proliferation was determined by [3H] thymidine incorporation and total cell counts. In rat astrocytes, hHO-1 over-expression (x 3 days) resulted in significant oxidative damage to mitochondrial lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, partial growth arrest, and increased cell death. These effects were attenuated by incubation with 1 microM tin mesoporphyrin, a competitive HO inhibitor, or the iron chelator, deferoxamine. Up-regulation of HO-1 engenders oxidative mitochondrial injury in cultured rat astroglia. Heme-derived ferrous iron and carbon monoxide (CO) may mediate the oxidative modification of mitochondrial lipids, proteins and nucleic acids in these cells. Glial HO-1 hyperactivity may contribute to cellular oxidative stress, pathological iron deposition, and bioenergetic failure characteristic of degenerating and inflamed neural tissues and may constitute a rational target for therapeutic intervention in these conditions. Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  15. Cytochrome P450-2E1 is involved in aging-related kidney damage in mice through increased nitroxidative stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdelmegeed, Mohamed A; Choi, Youngshim; Ha, Seung-Kwoon; Song, Byoung-Joon

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the role of cytochrome P450-2E1 (CYP2E1) in aging-dependent kidney damage since it is poorly understood. Young (7 weeks) and aged female (16-17 months old) wild-type (WT) and Cyp2e1-null mice were used. Kidney histology showed that aged WT mice exhibited typical signs of kidney aging such as cell vacuolation, inflammatory cell infiltration, cellular apoptosis, glomerulonephropathy, and fibrosis, along with significantly elevated levels of renal TNF-α and serum creatinine than all other groups. Furthermore, the highest levels of renal hydrogen peroxide, protein carbonylation and nitration were observed in aged WT mice. These increases in the aged WT mice were accompanied by increased levels of iNOS and mitochondrial nitroxidative stress through altered amounts and activities of the mitochondrial complex proteins and significantly reduced levels of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH). In contrast, the aged Cyp2e1-null mice exhibited significantly higher antioxidant capacity with elevated heme oxygenase-1 and catalase activities compared to all other groups, while maintaining normal GSH levels with significantly less mitochondrial nitroxidative stress compared to the aged WT mice. Thus, CYP2E1 is important in causing aging-related kidney damage most likely through increasing nitroxidative stress and that CYP2E1 could be a potential target in preventing aging-related kidney diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. The catalytic function of cytochrome P450 is entwined with its membrane-bound nature [version 1; referees: 4 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Barnaba

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Cytochrome P450, a family of monooxygenase enzymes, is organized as a catalytic metabolon, which requires enzymatic partners as well as environmental factors that tune its complex dynamic. P450 and its reducing counterparts—cytochrome P450-reductase and cytochrome b5—are membrane-bound proteins located in the cytosolic side of the endoplasmic reticulum. They are believed to dynamically associate to form functional complexes. Increasing experimental evidence signifies the role(s played by both protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions in P450 catalytic function and efficiency. However, the biophysical challenges posed by their membrane-bound nature have severely limited high-resolution understanding of the molecular interfaces of these interactions. In this article, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on cytochrome P450, highlighting the environmental factors that are entwined with its metabolic function. Recent advances in structural biophysics are also discussed, setting up the bases for a new paradigm in the study of this important class of membrane-bound enzymes.

  17. Emergence of the acute-phase protein hemopexin in jawed vertebrates

    OpenAIRE

    Dooley, Helen; Buckingham, E. Bryan; Criscitiello, Michael F.; Flajnik, Martin F.

    2010-01-01

    When released from damaged erythrocytes free heme not only provides a source of iron for invading bacteria but is also highly toxic due to its ability to catalyze free radical formation. Hemopexin (Hx) binds free heme with very high affinity and thus protects against heme toxicity, sequesters heme from pathogens, and helps conserve valuable iron. Hx is also an acute-phase serum protein (APP), whose expression is induced by inflammation. To date Hx has been identified as far back in phylogeny ...

  18. In vivo and in vitro olefin cyclopropanation catalyzed by heme enzymes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coelho, Pedro S; Brustad, Eric M; Arnold, Frances H; Wang, Zhan; Lewis, Jared C

    2015-03-31

    The present invention provides methods for catalyzing the conversion of an olefin to any compound containing one or more cyclopropane functional groups using heme enzymes. In certain aspects, the present invention provides a method for producing a cyclopropanation product comprising providing an olefinic substrate, a diazo reagent, and a heme enzyme; and admixing the components in a reaction for a time sufficient to produce a cyclopropanation product. In other aspects, the present invention provides heme enzymes including variants and fragments thereof that are capable of carrying out in vivo and in vitro olefin cyclopropanation reactions. Expression vectors and host cells expressing the heme enzymes are also provided by the present invention.

  19. The Effect of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid on Cytochrome P450-Mediated Prodrug Activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mai Miura

    Full Text Available Of late, numerous prodrugs are widely used for therapy. The hemeprotein cytochrome P450 (CYP catalyzes the activation of prodrugs to form active metabolites. Therefore, the activation of CYP function might allow the use of lower doses of prodrugs and decrease toxicity. We hypothesized that the addition of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA, a precursor in the porphyrin biosynthetic pathway, enhances the synthesis of heme, leading to the up-regulation of CYP activity. To test this hypothesis, we treated a human gastric cancer cell line with ALA and determined the effect on CYP-dependent prodrug activation. For this purpose, we focused on the anticancer prodrug tegafur, which is converted to its active metabolite 5-fluorouracil (5-FU mainly by CYP2A6. We show here that ALA increased CYP2A6-dependent tegafur activation, suggesting that ALA elevated CYP activity and potentiated the activation of the prodrug.

  20. Heme in pathophysiology: a matter of scavenging, metabolism and trafficking across cell membranes

    OpenAIRE

    Chiabrando, Deborah; Vinchi, Francesca; Fiorito, Veronica; Mercurio, Sonia; Tolosano, Emanuela

    2014-01-01

    Heme (iron-protoporphyrin IX) is an essential co-factor involved in multiple biological processes: oxygen transport and storage, electron transfer, drug and steroid metabolism, signal transduction, and micro RNA processing. However, excess free-heme is highly toxic due to its ability to promote oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, thus leading to membrane injury and, ultimately, apoptosis. Thus, heme metabolism needs to be finely regulated. Intracellular heme amount is controlled at multi...