Purification and active-site characterization of equine plasma amine oxidase

An improved purification scheme for an amine oxidase from equine plasma (EPAO), a nonruminant source, is described and the protein's active-site is characterized. EPAO is dimeric and contains one Type-2 Cu(II) ion per monomer. The EPAO Cu(II) site is spectroscopically very similar to the Cu(II) sites in other amine oxidases. Unlike the extensively investigated nonruminant amine oxidase from porcine plasma, EPAO does not display half-of-the-sites reactivity; titrations with p-nitrophenylhydrazine and phenylhydrazine indicate two active cofactors per dimer. This cofactor is determined to be the same as that of other copper-containing amine oxidases, 6-hydroxydopa quinone (topa quinone). Upon anaerobic reduction with substrate at ambient temperature, the EPR spectrum of EPAO exhibits a sharp signal at g congruent to 2, attributable to the topa semiquinone. Equine plasma amine oxidase possesses novel in vitro substrate specificity; while other mammalian amine oxidases oxidize norepinephrine only slowly or not at all, EPAO displays significant activity toward this biogenic amine.

Purification and characterization of pea seedling amine oxidase for crystallization studies

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedling amine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6) is the first amine oxidase to be crystallized that diffracts to atomic resolution (2.5 A). Extensive modifications of a published purification procedure were necessary to obtain protein that would give diffraction-quality crystals. Here we report the improved purification and also use this high-purity protein to reexamine some fundamental characteristics of pea seedling amine oxidase. The extinction coefficient at 280 nm (epsilon 1%(280)) and the molecular mass of the protein are investigated by a variety of techniques, yielding epsilon 1%(280) = 20 cm-1 and a mass 150 +/- 6 kD. In addition, the stoichiometry of the metal and organic cofactors, Cu(II) and 6-hydroxy dopa (Topa) quinone, respectively, is examined. The ratio of Cu(II):Topa:protein monomer is found to be 1:1:1.

Structure and mechanism of galactose oxidase. The free radical site

Crystallographic and spectroscopic studies on galactose oxidase have shown that the active site involves a free radical on tyrosine 272, one of the ligands coordinated to the Cu2+ cofactor. A novel thioether bond between tyrosine 272 and cysteine 228, and a stacking tryptophan 290, over this bond, are features of the crystal structure. The present study describes the development of a high level heterologous expression system for galactose oxidase and the construction of mutational variants at these key active site residues. The expressed wild-type enzyme and mutational variants (W290H and C228G) have been characterized by x-ray crystallography, visible spectroscopy, and catalytic activity measurements. A further variant protein, Y272F, could not be purified. The data establish that the thioether bond and stacking tryptophan are essential for activity and further support a role for tryptophan 290 as a component of the free radical site.

Intramolecular electron transfer rate between active-site copper and topa quinone in pea seedling amine oxidase

The equilibrium between the two substrate-reduced forms of pea seedling amine oxidase, one containing Cu(II) and reduced 3-(2,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-L-alanine (topa) cofactor and one containing Cu(I) and topa semi-quinone, was investigated by visible spectroscopy as a function of temperature. To determine the rate of interconversion between the two species, temperature jump relaxation studies were performed on the substrate-reduced enzyme near room temperature. The yellow radical species was found to approach its equilibrium concentration with a maximum rate constant of 43,000 +/- 3,000 s-1. This rapid equilibration is attributed to intramolecular electron transfer between copper and topa. The data indicate that the Cu(I)/topaSQ species is a kinetically competent intermediate in the reaction of amine oxidases with substrates. Furthermore, the extremely rapid electron transfer rate (kET congruent to 20,000 s-1) suggests that the topa cofactor is in close proximity to the copper atom.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic characterization of the copper-containing amine oxidase from pea seedlings

The copper-containing amine oxidase from pea seedlings has been crystallized using lithium sulfate as precipitant at pH 5.2. The unit cell is orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with dimensions a = 89.3 A, b = 113.4 A, c = 199.0 A. The mass of the asymmetric unit is 131(+/- 13) kDa, consistent with independent evidence that the molecule has two approximately 66 kDa subunits. The crystals diffract to 2.5 A in a synchrotron X-ray beam.

Identification of topaquinone and its consensus sequence in copper amine oxidases

The nature of the active site cofactor and the amino acid sequence flanking this structure have been determined in a range of copper amine oxidases. For enzymes from porcine plasma, porcine kidney, and pea seedlings, proteolytic digestion was performed on phenylhydrazone or p-nitrophenylhydrazone derivatives. Thermolysin treatment leads to relatively small active site peptides, which have been characterized by Edman degradation and by resonance Raman spectroscopy. Resonance Raman spectra of peptides show identical peak positions and intensities relative to each other and to a model p-nitrophenylhydrazone derivative of topaquinone hydantoin, establishing topaquinone as the cofactor in each instance. Edman degradation of peptides provides active site sequences for comparison to previous determinations with bovine serum and yeast amine oxidases. The available data establish a consensus sequence of Asn, Topa, Asp/Glu. Trypsin leads to significantly longer peptides, which reveal a high degree of sequence identity between plasma proteins from bovine and porcine sources (89%), with significantly decreased identity between the porcine serum and intracellular amine oxidases (56%). A lower degree of identity (45%) is observed between the pea seedling and mammalian enzymes. As an alternative to the isolation of active site peptides for topaquinone identification, visible spectra of intact proteins have been investigated. It is shown that p-nitrophenylhydrazone derivatives of native enzymes, active site-derived peptides, and a topaquinone model exhibit identical behavior, absorbing at 457-463 nm at neutral pH (pH 7.2) and at 575-587 nm in basic solution (1-2 M KOH). These spectral properties, which appear unique to topaquinone, provide a rapid and simple test for the presence of this cofactor in intact enzymes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evidence for copper and 3,4,6-trihydroxyphenylalanine quinone cofactors in an amine oxidase from the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli K-12

The cofactors present in a amine oxidase induced in Escherichia coli K-12 by growth on 2-phenylethylamine have been studied by spectroscopic methods. E.s.r. spectroscopy establishes the presence of cupric copper while resonance Raman spectroscopy on the phenylhydrazine derivative of the enzyme provides strong evidence for the oxidized form of 3,4,6-trihydroxyphenylalanine (TOPA) quinone. The amine oxidase should accordingly be classified as EC 1.4.3.6. This is the first report of such an amine oxidase in a Gram-negative bacterium.

Tyrosine codon corresponds to topa quinone at the active site of copper amine oxidases

The recently discovered organic cofactor of bovine serum amine oxidase, topa quinone, is an uncommon amino acid residue in the polypeptide backbone (Janes, S. M., Mu, D., Wemmer, D., Smith, A. J., Kaur, S., Maltby, D., Burlingame, A. L., and Klinman, J. P. (1990) Science 248, 981-987). The amine oxidase gene from the yeast Hansenula polymorpha has been cloned and sequenced (Bruinenberg, P. G., Evers, M., Waterham, H. R., Kuipers, J., Arnberg, A. C., and Geert, A. B. (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1008, 157-167). In order to understand the incorporation of topa quinone in eukaryotes, we have isolated yeast amine oxidase from H. polymorpha. Following protocols established with bovine serum amine oxidase, yeast amine oxidase was derivatized with [14C]phenylhydrazine, followed by thermolytic digestion and isolation of a dominant radiolabeled peptide by high pressure liquid chromatography. Comparison of resonance Raman spectra for this peptide to spectra of a model compound demonstrates that topa quinone is the cofactor. By alignment of a DNA-derived yeast amine oxidase sequence with the topa quinone-containing peptide sequence, it is found that the tyrosine codon, UAC, corresponds to topa quinone in the mature protein. In a similar manner, alignment of a tryptic peptide from bovine serum amine oxidase implicates tyrosine as the precursor to topa quinone in mammals.

A model of the copper centres of nitrous oxide reductase (Pseudomonas stutzeri). Evidence from optical, EPR and MCD spectroscopy

Nitrous oxide reductase (N2OR), Pseudomonas stutzeri, catalyses the 2 electron reduction of nitrous oxide to di-nitrogen. The enzyme has 2 identical subunits (Mr approximately 70,000) of known amino acid sequence and contains approximately 4 Cu ions per subunit. By measurement of the optical absorption, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of the oxidised state, a semi-reduced form and the fully reduced state of the enzyme it is shown that the enzyme contains 2 distinct copper centres of which one is assigned to an electron-transfer function, centre A, and the other to a catalytic site, centre Z. The latter is a binuclear copper centre with at least 1 cysteine ligand and cycles between oxidation levels Cu(II)/Cu(II) and Cu(II)/Cu(I) in the absence of substrate or inhibitors. The state Cu(II)/Cu(I) is enzymatically inactive. The MCD spectra provide evidence for a second form of centre Z, which may be enzymatically active, in the oxidised state of the enzyme. Centre A is structurally similar to that of CuA in bovine and bacterial cytochrome c oxidase and also contains copper ligated by cysteine. This centre may also be a binuclear copper complex.

Status of the cofactor identity in copper oxidative enzymes

Much conflicting data have appeared in the literature regarding the nature of the active site structures responsible for catalysis in three classes of copper enzymes: the copper amine oxidases, dopamine beta-monooxygenase and galactose oxidase. Although pyrroloquinoline quinone has been proposed to be the active site cofactor in each instance, new findings indicate this is not the case. Instead, recently available data indicate a spectrum of strategies for substrate activation, which range from direct metal catalysis (dopamine beta-monooxygenase) to the involvement of protein-derived radicals (galactose oxidase) and protein-derived quinones (copper amine oxidases).

The organic functional group in copper-containing amine oxidases. Resonance Raman spectra are consistent with the presence of topa quinone (6-hydroxydopa quinone) in the active site

Resonance Raman spectroscopy has been used to probe the structure of the organic cofactor in copper-containing amine oxidases from bovine plasma, porcine kidney, pea seedlings, and the bacterium Arthrobacter P1. The enzymes were first derivatized with phenylhydrazine or p-nitrophenylhydrazine; resonance Raman spectra were obtained on the intact derivatized enzymes and on a derivatized active-site peptide isolated from bovine plasma amine oxidase. Spectra of the intact amine oxidase phenylhydrazones are practically identical, consistent with the enzymes examined containing a similar cofactor. Only minor frequency shifts and some intensity variations are detected between the resonance Raman spectra of intact bovine plasma amine oxidase and the isolated peptide. These spectral perturbations are attributable to differences in the micro-environment between the intact, folded protein and the isolated small peptide in aqueous solution. This rules out the possibility that a new structure is formed during the isolation of the derivatized active-site peptide. Importantly, the resonance Raman spectra of the phenylhydrazine and p-nitrophenylhydrazine derivatives of the bovine plasma amine oxidase peptide are identical to the spectra of the corresponding derivatives of topa quinone (6-hydroxydopa quinone). Hence these data provide strong, independent support for the recent identification of topa as the organic functional group in bovine plasma amine oxidase (Janes, S. M., Mu, D., Wemmer, D., Smith, A. J., Kaur, S., Maltby, D., Burlingame, A. L., and Klinman, J.P. (1990) Science 248, 981-987).

A Cu(I)-semiquinone state in substrate-reduced amine oxidases

The role of copper in copper-containing amine oxidases has long been a source of debate and uncertainty. Numerous electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments, including rapid freeze-quench studies, have failed to detect changes in the copper oxidation state in the presence of substrate amines. One suggestion that copper reduction might occur, has never been confirmed. Copper amine oxidases contain another cofactor, recently identified as 6-hydroxydopa quinone (topa quinone), which is reduced by substrates. Copper has been implicated in the reoxidation of the substrate-reduced enzyme, but the failure to detect any copper redox change has led to proposals that Cu(II) acts as a Lewis acid, that it has an indirect role in catalysis, or that it serves a structural role. We present evidence for the generation of a Cu(I)-semiquinone state by substrate reduction of several amine oxidases under anaerobic conditions, and suggest that the Cu(I)-semiquinone may be the catalytic intermediate that reacts directly with oxygen.

Resonance Raman spectroscopy of methylamine dehydrogenase from bacterium W3A1

Resonance Raman spectroscopy has been used to probe the structure of the covalently bound quinone cofactor in methylamine dehydrogenase from the bacterium W3A1. Spectra were obtained on the phenylhydrazine and 2-pyridylhydrazine derivatives of the native enzyme, on the quinone-containing subunit labeled with phenylhydrazine, and on an active-site peptide also labeled with phenylhydrazine. Comparisons of these spectra to the corresponding spectra of copper-containing amine oxidase derivatives indicate that the quinones in these two classes of quinoproteins are not identical. The resonance Raman spectra of the native enzyme and small subunit have also been measured. 16O/18O exchange permitted the carbonyl modes of the quinone to be identified in the resonance Raman spectrum of oxidized methylamine dehydrogenase: a band at 1614 cm-1, together with a shoulder at 1630 cm-1, are assigned as modes containing substantial C = O stretching character. D2O/H2O exchange has pronounced effects on the resonance Raman spectrum of the oxidized enzyme, suggesting that the quinone may have numerous hydrogen bonds to the protein or that it is unusually sensitive to the local environment. Resonance Raman spectra of the isolated small subunit, and its phenylhydrazine derivative, are considerably different from the corresponding spectra of the intact protein. An attractive explanation for these observations is that the quinone cofactor in methylamine dehydrogenase from W3A1 is located at the interface between the large and small subunits, as found for the enzyme from Thiobacillus versutus [Vellieux, F. M. D., Huitema, F., Groendijk, H., Kalk, K. H., Frank, J. Jzn., Jongejan, J. A., & Duine, J. A. (1989) EMBO J. 8, 2171-2178].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Methylamine oxidase from Arthrobacter P1 as a prototype of eukaryotic plasma amine oxidase and diamine oxidase

Methylamine oxidase (MAOx) from Gram-positive soil bacterium Arthrobacter P1 catalyzes the oxidation of CH3NH2 to H2C = O and NH4+ via reduction of O2 to H2O2. Past work indicates that MAOx is similar to mammalian plasma amine oxidase (PAO) and diamine oxidase (DAO), plant DAO, and yeast peroxisomal amine oxidase (YAO). All have Mr congruent to 170,000 and are composed of 2 identical subunits, each of which contains 1 atom of Cu(II) and one molecule of quinonoid cofactor. Herein, we report further evidence as to the striking similarity of these enzymes, and describe properties of MAOx which offer insights into understanding the eukaryotic oxidases. It is our belief that the structure of the quinone cofactor, and the Cu(II) site in MAOx are identical to these sites in PAO and DAO.

Studies on the active site of pig plasma amine oxidase

Amine oxidase from pig plasma (PPAO) has two bound Cu2+ ions and at least one pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) moiety as cofactors. It is shown that recovery of activity by copper-depleted PPAO is linear with respect to added Cu2+ ions. Recovery of e.s.r. and optical spectral characteristics of active-site copper parallel the recovery of catalytic activity. These results are consistent with both Cu2+ ions contributing to catalysis. Further e.s.r. studies indicate that the two copper sites in PPAO, unlike those in amine oxidases from other sources, are chemically distinct. These comparative studies establish that non-identity of the Cu2+ ions in PPAO is not a requirement for amine oxidase activity. It is shown through the use of a new assay procedure that there are two molecules of PQQ bound per molecule of protein in PPAO; only the more reactive of these PQQ moieties is required for activity.

Pseudomonas stutzeri N2O reductase contains CuA-type sites

N2O reductase (N2O----N2) is the terminal enzyme in the energy-conserving denitrification pathway of soil and marine denitrifying bacteria. The protein is composed of two identical subunits and contains eight copper ions per enzyme molecule. The magnetic circular dichroism spectrum of resting (oxidized) N2O reductase is strikingly similar to the magnetic circular dichroism spectrum of the CuA site in mammalian cytochrome c oxidase [Greenwood, C., Hull, B. C., Barber, D., Eglinton, D. G. & Thomson, A. J. (1983) Biochem. J. 215, 303-316] and is unlike the magnetic circular dichroism spectra of all other biological copper chromophores obtained to date. Sulfur (or chlorine) scatterers are required to fit the copper extended x-ray absorption fine structure data of both the oxidized and reduced forms of N2O reductase. Satisfactory fits require a Cu-N or Cu-O [denoted Cu-(N, O)] interaction at 2.0 A, a Cu-(S, Cl) interaction at 2.3 A and an additional Cu(S, Cl) interaction at approximately 2.6 A (oxidized) or approximately 2.7 A (reduced). Approximately eight sulfur ions (per eight copper ions) at approximately 2.3 A are required to fit the extended x-ray absorption fine structure data for both the oxidized and reduced N2O reductase. The 2.3-A Cu-(S, Cl) distance is nearly identical to that previously determined for the CuA site in cytochrome c oxidase. A 2.6-2.7 A Cu-(S, Cl) interaction is also present in resting and fully reduced cytochrome c oxidase. Comparison of the N2O reductase sequence, determined by translating the structural NosZ gene, with cytochrome c oxidase subunit II sequences from several sources indicates that a Gly-Xaa-Xaa-Xaa-Xaa-Xaa-Cys-Ser-Xaa-Xaa-Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Xaa-His stretch is highly conserved. This sequence contains three of the probable ligands (two cysteines and one histidine) in a CuA-type site. Collectively these data establish that Pseudomonas stutzeri N2O reductase contains CuA-type sites.

Resonance Raman spectra of the copper-sulfur chromophores in Achromobacter cycloclastes nitrite reductase

Resonance Raman spectroscopy at ambient temperature and 77 K has been used to probe the structures of the copper sites in Achromobacter cycloclastes nitrite reductase. This enzyme contains three copper ions per protein molecule and has two principal electronic absorption bands with lambda max values of 458 and 585 nm. Comparisons between the resonance Raman spectra of nitrite reductase and blue copper proteins establish that both the 458 and 585 nm bands are associated with Cu(II)-S(Cys) chromophores. A histidine ligand probably is also present. Different sets of vibrational frequencies are observed with 457.9 nm (ambient) or 476.1 nm (77 K) excitation as compared with 590 nm (ambient) or 593 nm (77 K) excitation. Excitation profiles indicate that the 458 and 585 nm absorption bands are associated with separate [Cu(II)-S(Cys)N(His)] sites or with inequivalent and uncoupled cysteine ligands in the same site. The former possibility is considered to be more likely.

The generation of an organic free radical in substrate-reduced pig kidney diamine oxidase-cyanide

When the cyanide complex of the copper protein, pig kidney diamine oxidase, is reduced anaerobically by cadaverine (1,5-diaminopentane), the broad, 480 nm, absorption band characteristic of the resting enzyme is bleached and a new absorption spectrum with features at 457, 429, 403 (shoulder), 360 (shoulder) and 332 nm appears. Concomitantly, the EPR spectrum of the enzyme Cu(II)-CN complex decreases in intensity and a new signal is observed that is attributable to an organic free radical. The g values and hyperfine splittings are similar to those previously assigned to a free radical observed when the cyanide complex of lentil seedling diamine oxidase is reacted with the substrate p-dimethylaminomethylbenzylamine [(1984) FEBS Lett. 176, 378-380]. The optical absorption and EPR spectra of the organic radical observed in both proteins are consistent with the same semiquinone-type structure, as expected if pyrroloquinolinequinone (PQQ) is the bound cofactor found in both enzymes.

The organic cofactor in plasma amine oxidase: evidence for pyrroloquinoline quinone and against pyridoxal phosphate

Plasma amine oxidases (EC 1.4.3.6) are classified as containing the organic cofactor pyridoxal phosphate. Biochemical and bioassays on the pig plasma amine oxidase fail to reveal the presence of pyridoxal phosphate and 31P n.m.r. evidence is also inconsistent with pyridoxal phosphate in the enzyme. Resonance Raman spectral studies on phenylhydrazone derivatives of the pig and bovine plasma enzymes have been carried out and comparisons made with the corresponding derivatives of pyridoxal phosphate and pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ). The resonance Raman evidence indicates that the cofactor in both plasma amine oxidases is PQQ or a closely related species and not pyridoxal phosphate. The results substantiate earlier reports concerning the identity of the organic cofactor.

Evidence for pyrroloquinolinequinone as the carbonyl cofactor in lysyl oxidase by absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopy

The present study investigated the possibility that pyrroloquinolinequinone (PQQ), an aromatic carbonyl recently indicated to be the carbonyl cofactor in bovine plasma amine oxidase, may also be present at the active site of lysyl oxidase. The absorption and resonance Raman spectra of the phenylhydrazones of bovine plasma amine oxidase, of peptides derived from the active site of bovine aorta lysyl oxidase, and of PQQ were very similar, indicating that the carbonyl cofactor of lysyl oxidase is PQQ or a compound which closely resembles PQQ.

Evidence for methoxatin (pyrroloquinolinequinone) as the cofactor in bovine plasma amine oxidase from resonance Raman spectroscopy

Resonance Raman spectra of the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine derivatives of bovine plasma amine oxidase [amine:oxygen oxidoreductase (deaminating) (copper-containing), EC 1.4.3.6] have been measured. Detailed comparisons to the spectra of the corresponding derivatives of methoxatin (pyrroloquinolinequinone), pyridoxal, and other aldehydes and diones provide further evidence that covalently bound methoxatin or a closely similar derivative is the organic cofactor in copper-containing amine oxidases.

Inactivation of beef plasma amine oxidase by sulfide

Sulfide irreversibly inactivates beef plasma amine oxidase in a time-dependent reaction. Mercaptoacetic acid and 2-mercaptoethanol do not inactivate the enzyme. The sulfide complex displayed an intense absorption band at 360 nm (epsilon = 6000 M-1 cm-1, per mol of copper) that is assigned as sigma S leads to Cu(II) ligand to metal charge-transfer transition. However, this band slowly decreased in intensity; the final spectrum resembles the spectrum of the dithionite-reduced enzyme. Bleaching at approximately 450-500 nm specifically indicates that the organic cofactor is reduced. EPR parameters for the sulfide complex differ significantly from those observed for the native amine oxidase. Superhyperfine structure, attributable to coordinated nitrogens, is clearly evident. Time-dependent reduction of Cu(II) that parallels the kinetics and absorbance changes was also observed by EPR. The amine oxidaseazide complex was inactivated by sulfide at a considerably slower rate than the resting enzyme. Since azide is known to coordinate to Cu(II) in beef plasma amine oxidase, the data strongly suggest that enzyme-bound copper is the site of action for inhibition by sulfide.