Infrared spectroscopy of photodissociated carboxymyoglobin at low temperatures

CO vibration as a probe of ligand dissociation and transfer in myoglobin

We report femtosecond visible pump, midinfrared probe, spectrally integrated experiments resolving the dynamics of CO in myoglobin upon photodissociation. Our results show a progressive change in absorption strength of the CO vibrational transition during its transfer from the heme to the docking site, whereas the vibrational frequency change is faster than our time resolution. A phenomenological model gives good qualitative agreement with our data for a time constant of 400 fs for the change in oscillator strength. Density-functional calculations demonstrate that indeed vibrational frequency and absorption strength are not linearly coupled and that the absorption strength varies in a slower manner due to charge transfer from the heme iron to CO.

The 'glass transition' in protein dynamics: what it is, why it occurs, and how to exploit it

All proteins undergo a dramatic change in their dynamical properties at approximately 200 K. Above this temperature, their dynamic behavior is dominated by large-scale collective motions of bonded and nonbonded groups of atoms. At lower temperatures, simple harmonic vibrations predominate. The transition has been described as a 'glass transition' to emphasize certain similarities between the change in dynamic behavior of individual protein molecules and the changes in viscosity and other properties of liquids when they form a glass. The glass transition may reflect the intrinsic temperature dependence of the motions of atoms in the protein itself, in the bound solvent on the surface of the protein, or it may reflect contributions from both. Protein function is significantly altered below this transition temperature; a fact that can be exploited to trap normally unstable intermediates in enzyme-catalyzed reactions and stabilize them for periods long enough to permit their characterization by high-resolution protein crystallography.

Ligand Binding in a Docking Site of Cytochrome c Oxidase: A Time-Resolved Step-Scan Fourier Transform Infrared Study

The description of reaction regulation in enzymes responsible for activating and catalyzing small molecules (O(2), NO) requires identification of ligand movement into the binding site and out of the enzyme through specific channels and docking sites. We have used time-resolved step-scan Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy on CO-photolyzed cytochrome c oxidase ba(3) from T. thermophilus, which is responsible for the activation and reduction of both O(2) and NO, to gain insight into the structure of ligand-binding intermediates at ambient temperature. We show that, upon dissociation, the photolyzed CO becomes trapped within a ligand docking site located near the ring A propionate of heme a(3). The 2131 cm(-1) mode of the "docked" CO we have detected corresponds to the B(1) state of Mb and persists for 35 micros. The release of CO from the docking site is not followed by recombination to the heme a(3) Fe. Our analysis indicates that this behavior reflects a mechanism in which the protein near ring A of heme a(3) propionate reorganizes about the released CO from the docking site, and establishes a transient barrier that inhibits the recombination process to the heme a(3) Fe for a few milliseconds. Rebinding to heme a(3) occurs with k(2) = 29.5 s(-1). These results have implications for understanding the role of ligand binding/escape through docking sites and channels in heme-copper oxidases and, thus, in respiration.

Structural dynamics of myoglobin: ligand migration and binding in valine 68 mutants

We have combined Fourier transform infrared/temperature derivative (FTIR-TDS) spectroscopy at cryogenic temperatures and flash photolysis at ambient temperature to examine the effects of polar and bulky amino acid replacements of the highly conserved distal valine 68 in sperm whale myoglobin. In FTIR-TDS experiments, the CO ligand can serve as an internal voltmeter that monitors the local electrostatic field not only at the active site but also at intermediate ligand docking sites. Mutations of residue 68 alter size, shape, and electric field of the distal pocket, especially in the vicinity of the primary docking site (state B). As a consequence, the infrared bands associated with the ligand at site B are shifted. The effect is most pronounced in mutants with large aromatic side chains. Polar side chains (threonine or serine) have only little effect on the peak frequencies. Ligands that migrate toward more remote sites C and D give rise to IR bands with altered frequencies. TDS experiments separate the photoproducts according to their recombination temperatures. The rates and extent of ligand migration among internal cavities at cryogenic temperatures can be used to interpret geminate and bimolecular O2 and CO recombination at room temperature. The kinetics of geminate recombination can be explained by steric arguments alone, whereas both the polarity and size of the position 68 side chain play major roles in regulating bimolecular ligand binding from the solvent.

Docking site dynamics of ba3-cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus

Ligand trajectories trapped within a docking site or within an internal cavity near the active site of proteins are important issues toward the elucidation of the mechanism of reaction of such complex systems, in which activity requires the shuttling of oriented ligands to and from their active site. The ligand motion within ba3-cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus has been investigated by measuring time-resolved step-scan Fourier transform infrared difference spectra of photodissociated CO from heme a3 at ambient temperature. Upon photodissociation, 15-20% of the CO is not covalently attached to CuB but is trapped within a docking site near the ring A of heme a3 propionate. Two trajectories of CO that are distinguished spectroscopically and kinetically (vCO = 2131 cm-1, td = 10-35 micros and vCO = 2146 cm-1, td = 85 micros) are observed. At later times (td = 110 micros) the docking site reorganizes about the CO and quickly establishes an energetic barrier that facilitates equilibration of the ligand with the protein solvent. The time-dependent shift of the CO trajectories we observe is attributed to a conformational motion of the docking site surrounding the ligand. The implications of these results with respect to the ability of the docking site to constrain ligand orientation and the reaction dynamics of the docking site are discussed herein.

Ligand dynamics in a protein internal cavity

We have studied the temperature dependence of the IR stretch bands of carbon monoxide (CO) in the Xe 4 internal cavity of myoglobin mutant L29W-S108L at cryogenic temperatures. Pronounced changes of band areas and positions were analyzed quantitatively by using a simple dynamic model in which CO rotation in the cavity is constrained by a static potential. The librational dynamics of the CO causes a decrease of the total spectral area. A strong local electric field splits the CO stretch absorption into a doublet, indicating that CO can assume opposite orientations in the cavity. With increasing temperature, the two peaks approach each other, because the average angle of the CO with respect to the electric field increases. A combined classical and quantum-mechanical analysis precisely reproduces the observed temperature dependencies of both spectral area and peak shifts. It yields the height of the energy barrier between the two wells associated with opposite CO orientations, V0 approximately 2 kJ/mol, and the frequency of oscillation within a well, omega approximately 25 cm(-1). The electric field in the protein cavity was estimated as 10 MV/cm.

Conformational substates and dynamic properties of carbonmonoxy hemoglobin

Heme pocket dynamics of human carbonmonoxy hemoglobin (HbCO) is studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The CO stretching band at various temperatures in the interval 300-10 K is analyzed in terms of three taxonomic A substates; however, in HbCO the band attributed to the A(1) taxonomic substate accounts for approximately 90% of the total intensity in the pH range 8.8-4.5. Two different regimes as a function of temperature are observed: below 160 K, the peak frequency and the bandwidth of the A(1) band have constant values whereas, above this temperature, a linear temperature dependence is observed, suggesting the occurrence of transitions between statistical substates within the A(1) taxonomic substate in this protein. The relationship between the heme pocket dynamics (as monitored by the thermal behavior of the CO stretching band), the overall dynamic properties of the protein matrix (as monitored by the thermal behavior of Amide II and Amide I' bands) and the glass transition of the solvent (as monitored by the thermal behavior of the bending band of water) is also investigated. From this analysis, we derive the picture of a very soft heme pocket of hemoglobin characterized by rather large anharmonic terms and strongly coupled to the dynamic properties of the solvent.

Hydration, slaving and protein function

Protein dynamics is crucial for protein function. Proteins in living systems are not isolated, but operate in networks and in a carefully regulated environment. Understanding the external control of protein dynamics is consequently important. Hydration and solvent viscosity are among the salient properties of the environment. Dehydrated proteins and proteins in a rigid environment do not function properly. It is consequently important to understand the effect of hydration and solvent viscosity in detail. We discuss experiments that separate the two effects. These experiments have predominantly been performed with wild-type horse and sperm whale myoglobin, using the binding of carbon monoxide over a broad range of temperatures as a tool. The experiments demonstrate that data taken only in the physiological temperature range are not sufficient to understand the effect of hydration and solvent on protein relaxation and function. While the actual data come from myoglobin, it is expected that the results apply to most or all globular proteins.

Structural dynamics of myoglobin: ligand migration among protein cavities studied by Fourier transform infrared/temperature derivative spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the CO stretch bands combined with temperature derivative spectroscopy (TDS) was used to characterize intermediate states obtained by photolysis of two sperm whale mutant myoglobins, YQR (L29(B10)Y, H64(E7)Q, T67(E10)R) and YQRF (with an additional I107(G8)F replacement). Both mutants assume two different bound-state conformations, A(0) and A(3), which can be distinguished by their different CO bands near 1965 and 1933 cm(-1). They most likely originate from different conformations of the Gln-64 side chain. Within each A substate, a number of photoproduct states have been characterized on the basis of the temperature dependence of recombination in TDS experiments. Different locations and orientations of the ligand within the protein can be distinguished by the infrared spectra of the photolyzed CO. Recombination from the primary docking site, B, near the heme dominates below 50 K. Above 60 K, ligand rebinding occurs predominantly from a secondary docking site, C', in which the CO is trapped in the Xe4 cavity on the distal side, as shown by crystallography of photolyzed YQR and L29W myoglobin CO. Another kinetic state (C") has been identified from which rebinding occurs around 130 K. Moreover, a population appearing above the solvent glass transition at approximately 180 K (D state) is assigned to rebinding from the Xe1 cavity, as suggested by the photoproduct structure of the L29W sperm whale myoglobin mutant. For both the YQR and YQRF mutants, rebinding from the B sites near the heme differs for the two A substates, supporting the view that the return of the ligand from the C', C", and D states is not governed by the recombination barrier at the heme iron but rather by migration to the active site. Comparison of YQR and YQRF shows that access to the Xe4 site (C') is severely restricted by introduction of the bulky Phe side chain at position 107.

Kinetic evidence for three photolyzable taxonomic conformational substates in oxymyoglobin

The kinetics of oxygen geminate binding with the taxonomic substates of MbO2 are reported. The maximum entropy method was used to analyze the rebinding kinetics of MbCO and MbO2 monitored in the Soret. The resulting rate distributions were found to consist of a small number of overlapping bands. A global parametric fit of a series of rate distributions recorded at several temperatures was performed using a Gaussian basis set to resolve the individual enthalpy distributions P(H). This approach was first validated by showing that the well-documented taxonomic substates of MbCO could be recovered. The method was then applied to MbO2. Three taxonomic substates were identified at pH 4.8, whereas only two of them contribute to oxygen geminate rebinding at pH 7.0. These findings show that, similarly to MbCO, MbO2 also exists as three photolyzable and kinetically different taxonomic substates and suggest reconsidering the issue of the photolysis quantum yield of MbO2.

The effect of ligand dynamics on heme electronic transition band III in myoglobin

Band III is a near-infrared electronic transition at ~13,000 cm(-1) in heme proteins that has been studied extensively as a marker of protein conformational relaxation after photodissociation of the heme-bound ligand. To examine the influence of the heme pocket structure and ligand dynamics on band III, we have studied carbon monoxide recombination in a variety of myoglobin mutants after photolysis at 3 K using Fourier transform infrared temperature-derivative spectroscopy with monitoring in three spectral ranges, (1) band III, the mid-infrared region of (2) the heme-bound CO, and (3) the photodissociated CO. Here we present data on mutant myoglobins V68F and L29W, which both exhibit pronounced ligand movements at low temperature. From spectral and kinetic analyses in the mid-infrared, a small number of photoproduct populations can be distinguished, differing in their distal heme pocket conformations and/or CO locations. We have decomposed band III into its individual photoproduct contributions. Each photoproduct state exhibits a different "kinetic hole-burning" (KHB) effect, a coupling of the activation enthalpy for rebinding to the position of band III. The analysis reveals that the heme pocket structure and the photodissociated CO markedly affect the band III transition. A strong kinetic hole-burning effect results only when the CO ligand resides in the docking site on top of the heme group. Migration of CO away from the heme group leads to an overall blue shift of band III. Consequently, band III can be used as a sensitive tool to study ligand dynamics after photodissociation in heme proteins.

Time-resolved hole-burning study on myoglobin: fluctuation of restricted water within distal pocket

We have studied the equilibrium fluctuation dynamics of Zn-substituted myoglobin and its His64-->Leu (H64L) mutant in the pH range from 5 to 9 by using time-resolved transient-hole-burning (TRTHB) spectroscopy. In the H64L mutant, we have observed a largely reduced width of the absorption spectrum and only a slight temporal shift of the hole-burning spectrum. These observations both reflect the suppressed conformational fluctuation in the mutant. On the other hand, the pH-dependent change in the absorption spectrum could not be solely explained by the change in the protonation state of His64 induced by the pH change. These results suggest that although the fluctuation dynamics observed by the TRTHB experiment of the native sample mainly reflects the conformational motion around His64, the interconversion process of His64 between its protonated and unprotonated states has a minor contribution. Instead, we have proposed a tentative interpretation that the motion of the water molecule around His64 is the main source of the observed dynamics in the TRTHB technique.

Ligand binding and conformational motions in myoglobin

Myoglobin, a small globular haem protein that binds gaseous ligands such as O2, CO and NO reversibly at the haem iron, serves as a model for studying structural and dynamic aspects of protein reactions. Time-resolved spectroscopic measurements after photodissociation of the ligand revealed a complex ligand-binding reaction with multiple kinetic intermediates, resulting from protein relaxation and movements of the ligand within the protein. To observe the structural changes induced by ligand dissociation, we have carried out X-ray crystallographic investigations of carbon monoxy-myoglobin (MbCO mutant L29W) crystals illuminated below and above 180 K, complemented by time-resolved infrared spectroscopy of CO rebinding. Here we show that below 180 K photodissociated ligands migrate to specific sites within an internal cavity--the distal haem pocket--of an essentially immobilized, frozen protein, from where they subsequently rebind by thermally activated barrier crossing. Upon photodissociation above 180 K, ligands escape from the distal pocket, aided by protein fluctuations that transiently open exit channels. We recover most of the ligands in a cavity on the opposite side of the haem group.

Structure of a ligand-binding intermediate in wild-type carbonmonoxy myoglobin

Small molecules such as NO, O2, CO or H2 are important biological ligands that bind to metalloproteins to function crucially in processes such as signal transduction, respiration and catalysis. A key issue for understanding the regulation of reaction mechanisms in these systems is whether ligands gain access to the binding sites through specific channels and docking sites, or by random diffusion through the protein matrix. A model system for studying this issue is myoglobin, a simple haem protein. Myoglobin has been studied extensively by spectroscopy, crystallography, computation and theory. It serves as an aid to oxygen diffusion but also binds carbon monoxide, a byproduct of endogenous haem catabolism. Molecular dynamics simulations, random mutagenesis and flash photolysis studies indicate that ligand migration occurs through a limited number of pathways involving docking sites. Here we report the 1.4 A resolution crystal structure of a ligand-binding intermediate in carbonmonoxy myoglobin that may have far-reaching implications for understanding the dynamics of ligand binding and catalysis.

Crystal structures of myoglobin-ligand complexes at near-atomic resolution

We have used x-ray crystallography to determine the structures of sperm whale myoglobin (Mb) in four different ligation states (unligated, ferric aquomet, oxygenated, and carbonmonoxygenated) to a resolution of better than 1.2 A. Data collection and analysis were performed in as much the same way as possible to reduce model bias in differences between structures. The structural differences among the ligation states are much smaller than previously estimated, with differences of <0.25 A root-mean-square deviation among all atoms. One structural parameter previously thought to vary among the ligation states, the proximal histidine (His-93) azimuthal angle, is nearly identical in all the ferrous complexes, although the tilt of the proximal histidine is different in the unligated form. There are significant differences, however, in the heme geometry, in the position of the heme in the pocket, and in the distal histidine (His-64) conformations. In the CO complex the majority conformation of ligand is at an angle of 18 +/- 3 degrees with respect to the heme plane, with a geometry similar to that seen in encumbered model compounds; this angle is significantly smaller than reported previously by crystallographic studies on monoclinic Mb crystals, but still significantly larger than observed by photoselection. The distal histidine in unligated Mb and in the dioxygenated complex is best described as having two conformations. Two similar conformations are observed in MbCO, in addition to another conformation that has been seen previously in low-pH structures where His-64 is doubly protonated. We suggest that these conformations of the distal histidine correspond to the different conformational substates of MbCO and MbO(2) seen in vibrational spectra. Full-matrix refinement provides uncertainty estimates of important structural parameters. Anisotropic refinement yields information about correlated disorder of atoms; we find that the proximal (F) helix and heme move approximately as rigid bodies, but that the distal (E) helix does not.

Computer simulations of carbon monoxide photodissociation in myoglobin: structural interpretation of the B states

The early diffusion processes of a photodissociated ligand (carbon monoxide) in sperm whale myoglobin and its Phe29 mutant are studied computationally. An explicit solvent model is employed in which the protein is embedded in a box of at least 2300 water molecules. Electrostatic interactions are accounted for by using the particle mesh Ewald. Two hundred seventy molecular dynamics trajectories are computed for 10 ps. Different models of solvation and the ligand, and their influence on the diffusion are examined. The two B states of the CO are identified as "docking" sites in the heme pocket. The sites have a similar angle with respect to the heme normal, but differ in the orientation in the plane. The computational detection of the B states is stable under a reasonable variation of simulation conditions. However, in some trajectories only one of the states is observed. It is therefore necessary to use extensive simulation data to probe these states. Comparison to diffraction experiments and spectroscopy is performed. The shape of the experimental infrared spectra is computed. The overall linewidth is in an agreement with experiment. The contributions to the linewidth (van der Waals and electrostatic interactions) are discussed.

A comparison between molecular dynamics and X-ray results for dissociated CO in myoglobin

The distribution of carbon monoxide after photodissociation in the myoglobin haem pocket has been investigated using molecular dynamics simulations at 300 K. The results show that both intermediates (one close to the haem iron and one further away) observed in recent low temperature X-ray studies of photodissociated CO have a high probability of occurrence, even at ambient temperatures. The fact that the O of CO is oriented toward the haem iron in the closer intermediate provides an explanation for the slow rate of CO geminate rebinding. A refinement against X-ray data generated from the molecular dynamics simulations indicates that the CO has a broader distribution in the haem pocket than is apparent from the experimental electron density. This effect is likely to be general for systems containing highly mobile groups.

Ultrafast rotation and trapping of carbon monoxide dissociated from myoglobin

The nature of ligand motion within proteins has been investigated by measuring femtosecond time-resolved infrared (IR) spectra of CO photodissociated from the haem of myoglobin. Upon dissociation, the CO rotates approximately 90 degrees and becomes trapped within a ligand docking site located near the binding site. Two trajectories, distinguished spectroscopically and kinetically with time constants of 0.20 +/- 0.05 ps and 0.52 +/- 0.10 ps, lead to CO located within the docking site with opposite orientations. The protein reorganizes about the "docked' CO with a time constant of 1.6 +/- 0.3 ps and quickly establishes an energetic barrier that inhibits the reverse rebinding process.

Ligand binding to heme proteins. VI. Interconversion of taxonomic substates in carbonmonoxymyoglobin

The kinetic properties of the three taxonomic A substates of sperm whale carbonmonoxy myoglobin in 75% glycerol/buffer are studied by flash photolysis with monitoring in the infrared stretch bands of bound CO at nu(A0) approximately 1967 cm-1, nu(A1) approximately 1947 cm-1, and nu(A3) approximately 1929 cm-1 between 60 and 300 K. Below 160 K the photodissociated CO rebinds from the heme pocket, no interconversion among the A substates is observed, and rebinding in each A substate is nonexponential in time and described by a different temperature-independent distribution of enthalpy barriers with a different preexponential. Measurements in the electronic bands, e.g., the Soret, contain contributions of all three A substates and can, therefore, be only approximately modeled with a single enthalpy distribution and a single preexponential. The bond formation step at the heme is fastest for the A0 substate, intermediate for the A1 substate, and slowest for A3. Rebinding between 200 and 300 K displays several processes, including geminate rebinding, rebinding after ligand escape to the solvent, and interconversion among the A substates. Different kinetics are measured in each of the A bands for times shorter than the characteristic time of fluctuations among the A substates. At longer times, fluctuational averaging yields the same kinetics in all three A substates. The interconversion rates between A1 and A3 are determined from the time when the scaled kinetic traces of the two substates merge. Fluctuations between A1 and A3 are much faster than those between A0 and either A1 or A3, so A1 and A3 appear as one kinetic species in the exchange with A0. The maximum-entropy method is used to extract the distribution of rate coefficients for the interconversion process A0 <--> A1 + A3 from the flash photolysis data. The temperature dependencies of the A substate interconversion processes are fitted with a non-Arrhenius expression similar to that used to describe relaxation processes in glasses. At 300 K the interconversion time for A0 <--> A1 + A3 is 10 microseconds, and extrapolation yields approximately 1 ns for A1 <--> A3. The pronounced kinetic differences imply different structural rearrangements. Crystallographic data support this conclusion: They show that formation of the A0 substate involves a major change of the protein structure; the distal histidine rotates about the C(alpha)-C(beta) bond, and its imidazole sidechain swings out of the heme pocket into the solvent, whereas it remains in the heme pocket in the A1 <--> A3 interconversion. The fast A1 <--> A3 exchange is inconsistent with structural models that involve differences in the protonation between A1 and A3.

Photoperturbation of the heme a3-CuB binuclear center of cytochrome c oxidase CO complex observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Purified cytochrome c oxidase CO complex from beef heart has been studied by Fourier transform infrared absorbance difference spectroscopy. Photolysis at 10-20 Kelvin results in dissociation of a3FeCO, formation of CuBCO, and perturbation of the a3-heme and CuB complex. The vibrational perturbation spectrum between 900 and 1700 cm-1 contains a wealth of information about the binuclear center. Appearance in infrared photoperturbation difference spectra of virtually all bands previously reported from resonance Raman spectra indicate the importance of polarization along the 4-vinyl:8-formyl axis, which results in the reduction of heme symmetry to C2v. Frequency-shifted bands due to the 8-formyl and 4-vinyl groups of the a3-heme have been identified and quantitated. The frequency shifts have been interpreted as being due to a change in porphyrin polarization with change in spin state of the iron by photodissociation of CO or perturbation of the CuB coordination complex.

Global mapping of structural solutions provided by the extended X-ray absorption fine structure ab initio code FEFF 6.01: structure of the cryogenic photoproduct of the myoglobin-carbon monoxide complex

X-ray methods based on synchrotron technology have the promise of providing time-resolved structural data based on the high flux and brightness of the X-ray beams. One of the most closely examined problems in this area of time-resolved structure determination has been the examination of intermediates in ligand binding to myoglobin. Recent crystallographic experiments using synchrotron radiation have identified the protein tertiary and heme structural changes that occur upon photolysis of the myoglobin--carbon monoxide complex at cryogenic temperatures [Schlichting, I., Berendzen, J., Phillips, G., & Sweet, R. (1994) Nature 371, 808--812]. However, the precision of protein crystallographic data (approximately 0.2 A) is insufficient to provide precise metrical details of the iron--ligand bond lengths. Since bond length changes on this scale can trigger reactivity changes of several orders of magnitude, such detail is critical to a full understanding of metalloprotein structure--function relationships. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy has the potential for analyzing bond distances to a precision of 0.02 A but is hampered by its relative insensitivity to the geometry of the backscattering atoms. Thus, it is often unable to provide a unique solution to the structure without ancillary structural information. We have developed a suite of computer programs that incorporate this ancillary structural information and compute the expected experimental spectra for a wide ranging series of Cartesian coordinate sets (global mapping). The programs systematically increment the distance of the metal to various coordinating ligands (along with their associated higher shells). Then, utilizing the ab initio EXAFS code FEFF 6.01, simulated spectra are generated and compared to the actual experimental spectra, and the differences are computed. Finally, the results for hundreds of simulations can be displayed (and compared) in a single plot. The power of this approach is demonstrated in the examination of high signal to noise EXAFS data from a photolyzed solution sample of the myoglobin--carbon monoxide complex at 10 K. Evaluation of these data using our global mapping procedures placed the iron to pyrrole nitrogen average distances close to the value for deoxymyoglobin (2.05 +/- 0.01 A), while the distance from iron to the proximal histidine nitrogen is seen to be 2.20 +/- 0.04 A. It is also shown that one cannot uniquely position the CO ligand on the basis of the EXAFS data alone, as a number of reasonable minima (from the perspective of the EXAFS) are observed. This provides a reasonable explanation for the multiplicity of solutions that have been previously reported. The results presented here are seen to be in complete agreement with the crystallographic results of Schlichting et al. (1994) within the respective errors of the two techniques; however, the extended X-ray absorption fine structure data allow the iron--ligand bond lengths to be precisely defined. An examination of the available spectroscopic data, including EXAFS, shows that the crystallographic results of Schlichting et al. (1994) are highly relevant to the physiological solution state and must be taken into account in any attempt to understand the incomplete relaxation process of the heme iron for the Mb*CO photoproduct at low temperature.

Theoretical study of the distal-side steric and electrostatic effects on the vibrational characteristics of the FeCO unit of the carbonylheme proteins and their models

The vibronic theory of activation and quantum chemical intermediate neglect of differential overlap (INDO) calculations are used to study the activation of carbon monoxide (change of the C-O bond index and force field constant) by the imidazole complex with heme in dependence on the distortion of the porphyrin ring, geometry of the CO coordination, iron-carbon and iron-imidazole distances, iron displacement out of the porphyrin plane, and presence of the charged groups in the heme environment. It is shown that the main contribution to the CO activation stems from the change in the sigma donation from the 5 sigma CO orbital to iron, and back-bonding from the iron to the 2 pi orbital of CO. It follows from the results that none of the studied distortions can explain, by itself, the wide variation of the C-O vibrational frequency in the experimentally studied model compounds and heme proteins. To study the dependence of the properties of the FeCO unit on the presence of charged groups in the heme environment, the latter are simulated by the homogeneous electric field and point charges of different magnitude and location. The results show that charged groups can strongly affect the strength of the C-O bond and its vibrational frequency. It is found that the charges located on the distal side of the heme plane can affect the Fe-C and C-O bond indexes (and, consequently, the Fe-C and C-O vibrational frequencies), both in the same and in opposite directions, depending on their position. The theoretical results allow us to understand the peculiarities of the effect of charged groups on the properties of the FeCO unit both in heme proteins and in their model compounds.

Binding of CO to myoglobin from a heme pocket docking site to form nearly linear Fe-C-O

The relative orientations of carbon monoxide (CO) bound to and photodissociated from myoglobin in solution have been determined with time-resolved infrared polarization spectroscopy. The bound CO is oriented < or = 7 degrees from the heme normal, corresponding to nearly linear FE-C-O. Upon dissociation from the Fe, CO becomes trapped in a docking site that orientationally constrains it to lie approximately in the plane of the heme. Because the bound and "docked" CO are oriented in nearly orthogonal directions CO binding from the docking site is suppressed. These solutions results help to establish how myoglobin discriminates against CO, a controversial issue dominated by the misconception that Fe-C-O is bent.

Crystal structure of photolysed carbonmonoxy-myoglobin

Myoglobin is a globular haem protein that reversibly binds ligands such as O2 and CO. Single photons of visible light can break the covalent bond between CO and the haem iron in carbon-monoxy-myoglobin (MbCO) and thus form an unstable intermediate, Mb*CO, with the CO inside the protein. The ensuing rebinding process has been extensively studied as a model for the interplay of dynamics, structure and function in protein reactions. We have used X-ray crystallography at liquid-helium temperatures to determine the structure of Mb*CO to a resolution of 1.5 A. The photodissociated CO lies on top of the haem pyrrole ring C. Comparison with the CO-bound and unligated myoglobin structures reveals that on photodissociation of the CO, the haem 'domes', the iron moves partially out of the haem plane, the iron-proximal histidine bonds is compressed, the F helix is strained and the distal histidine swings towards the outside of the ligand-binding pocket.

Ligand binding to heme proteins: II. Transitions in the heme pocket of myoglobin

Phenomena occurring in the heme pocket after photolysis of carbonmonoxymyoglobin (MbCO) below about 100 K are investigated using temperature-derivative spectroscopy of the infrared absorption bands of CO. MbCO exists in three conformations (A substrates) that are distinguished by the stretch bands of the bound CO. We establish connections among the A substates and the substates of the photoproduct (B substates) using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy together with kinetic experiments on MbCO solution samples at different pH and on orthorhombic crystals. There is no one-to-one mapping between the A and B substates; in some cases, more than one B substate corresponds to a particular A substate. Rebinding is not simply a reversal of dissociation; transitions between B substates occur before rebinding. We measure the nonequilibrium populations of the B substates after photolysis below 25 K and determine the kinetics of B substate transitions leading to equilibrium. Transitions between B substates occur even at 4 K, whereas those between A substates have only been observed above about 160 K. The transitions between the B substates are nonexponential in time, providing evidence for a distribution of substates. The temperature dependence of the B substate transitions implies that they occur mainly by quantum-mechanical tunneling below 10 K. Taken together, the observations suggest that the transitions between the B substates within the same A substate reflect motions of the CO in the heme pocket and not conformational changes. Geminate rebinding of CO to Mb, monitored in the Soret band, depends on pH. Observation of geminate rebinding to the A substates in the infrared indicates that the pH dependence results from a population shift among the substates and not from a change of the rebinding to an individual A substate.

Perturbations of the distal heme pocket in human myoglobin mutants probed by infrared spectroscopy of bound CO: correlation with ligand binding kinetics

The infrared spectra of CO bound to human myoglobin and myoglobin mutants at positions His-64, Val-68, Asp-60, and Lys-45 on the distal side have been measured between 100 and 300 K. Large differences are observed with mutations at His-64 and Val-68 as well as with temperature and pH. Although distal His-64 is found to affect CO bonding, Val-68 also plays a major role. The variations are analyzed qualitatively in terms of a simple model involving steric interaction between the bound CO and the distal residues. A strong correlation is found between the final barrier height to CO recombination and the CO stretch frequency: as compared to wild type, the barrier is smaller in those mutants that have a higher CO stretch frequency (vCO) and vice versa. Possible reasons for this correlation are discussed. It is emphasized that the temperature and pH dependence of both the kinetics and the infrared spectra must be measured to obtain a consistent picture.

Picosecond time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy using a regenerative amplifier

We demonstrate and characterize an apparatus for transient infrared spectroscopy with a 5-ps resolution. A visible pump and narrow-band mid-infrared probe are both derived from a source that is based on a pulsed Nd:YAG regenerative amplifier that operates at 540 Hz. We measure transient spectra in the range 1770-2250 cm(-1) with a 1-cm(-1) resolution and sensitivity to absorbance changes less than or equal to 1 x 10(-3). As an example, we present results from experiments to study ligand photodissociation from carboxymyoglobin in D(2)0.

Inhomogeneous broadening and kinetic carbon monoxide isotope effects in low-temperature carbon monoxide recombination with myoglobin and hemoglobin

We have analyzed the non-exponential kinetics, the temperature variation, and the CO isotope effects of the CO recombination reactions with myoglobin and single-chain hemoglobin. The analysis rests on multiphonon quantum-mechanical chemical-rate theory combined with static inhomogeneous broadening of either the reorganization free energy or the reaction Gibbs free energy. The simplest specific model which can account for all the data contains an inhomogeneous distribution function of width 0.2-0.3 eV, independent of temperature down to the tunnel transition at about 20 K, two discrete nuclear coordinates of low vibrational frequency (60-150 cm-1) representing iron-heme and CO bending motion, the CO stretching motion of frequency about 2000 cm-1, and additional inhomogeneous broadening of the protein and CO bending configuration below the tunnel transition temperature. The model appears somewhat involved but in return provides corresponding insight in the dynamics of this important class of processes.

Distal and proximal ligand interactions in heme proteins: correlations between C-O and Fe-C vibrational frequencies, oxygen-17 and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shifts, and oxygen-17 nuclear quadrupole coupling constants in C17O- and 13CO-labeled species

We have obtained the oxygen-17 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of a variety of C17O-labeled heme proteins, including sperm whale (Physeter catodon) myoglobin, two synthetic sperm whale myoglobin mutants (His E7----Val E7; His E7----Phe E7), adult human hemoglobin, rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) hemoglobin, horseradish (Cochlearia armoracia) peroxidase (E.C. 1.11.1.7) isoenzymes A and C, and Caldariomyces fumago chloroperoxidase (E.C. 1.11.1.10), in some cases as a function of pH, and have determined their isotropic 17O NMR chemical shifts, delta i, and spin-lattice relaxation times, T1. We have also obtained similar results on a picket fence prophyrin, [5,10,15,20-tetrakis(alpha, alpha, alpha, alpha, alpha-pivalamidophenyl)porphyrinato]iron(II) (1-MeIm)CO, both in solution and in the solid state. Our results show an excellent correlation between the infrared C-O vibrational frequencies, v(C-O), and delta i, between v(C-O) and the 17O nuclear quadrupole coupling constant (e2qQ/h, derived from T1), and as expected between e2qQ/h and delta i. Taken together with the work of others on the 13C NMR of 13CO-labeled proteins, where we find an excellent correlation between delta i(13C) and v(Fe-C), our results suggest that IR and NMR measurements reflect the same interaction, which is thought to be primarily the degree of pi-back-bonding from Fe d to CO pi* orbitals, as outlined previously [Li, X.-Y., & Spiro, T.G. (1988) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 110, 6024]. The modulation of this interaction by the local charge field of the distal heme residue (histidine, glutamine, arginine, and possibly lysine) in a variety of species and mutants, as reflected in the NMR and IR measurements, is discussed, as is the effect of cysteine as the proximal heme ligand.

Protein dynamics. Comparative investigation on heme-proteins with different physiological roles

We report the low temperature carbon monoxide recombination kinetics after photolysis and the temperature dependence of the visible absorption spectra of the isolated alpha SH-CO and beta SH-CO subunits from human hemoglobin A in ethylene glycol/water and in glycerol/water mixtures. Kinetic measurements on sperm whale (Physeter catodon) myoglobin and previously published optical spectroscopy data on the latter protein and on human hemoglobin A, in both solvents, (Cordone, L., A. Cupane, M. Leone, E. Vitrano, and D. Bulone. 1988. J. Mol. Biol. 199:312-218) are taken as reference. Low temperature flash photolysis data are analyzed within the multiple substates model proposed by Frauenfelder and co-workers (Austin, R. H., K. W. Beeson, L. Eisenstein, H. Frauenfelder, and I. C. Gunsalus. 1975. Biochemistry. 14:5355-5373). Within this model a distribution of activation enthalpies for ligand binding accounts for the structural heterogeneity of the protein, while the preexponential factor, containing also the entropic contribution to the free energy of the process, is considered to be constant for all conformational substates. Optical spectra are deconvoluted in gaussian components and the temperature dependence of the moments of the resulting bands is analyzed, within the harmonic Frank-Condon approximation, to obtain information on the stereodynamic properties of the heme pocket. The kinetic and spectral parameters thus obtained are found to be protein dependent also with respect to their sensitivity to changes in the composition of the external medium. A close correlation between the kinetic and spectral features is observed for the proteins examined under all experimental conditions studied. The results reported are discussed in terms of differences in the heme pocket structure and in the conformational heterogeneity among the various proteins, as related to their different capability to accommodate constraints imposed by the external medium.

Infrared spectra of carbonyl hemoglobins: characterization of dynamic heme pocket conformers

The infrared spectra for carbon monoxide complexed to hemoglobins were examined in the C-O stretch region. Deconvolution of the spectra requires four bands and supports the presence of four distinct conformers at the ligand binding site. Most typical hemoglobins exhibit only one predominant conformer for each subunit represented by a band at 1951 cm-1 in contrast to myoglobins, which typically exist in two major conformations. Several hemoglobins with an enlarged heme pocket are shown to shift the C-O frequency into the higher frequency conformer regions. Many factors, including pH, temperature, solvents, and divalent metals, are also shown to be capable of expanding the heme pocket. Only very specific structural changes that can reduce the size of the heme pocket will result in the lower frequency conformers. The weighted averages of the multiple CO vibrational frequencies are linearly related to the single 13CO NMR chemical shift values and to the exponential of fast CO on-rates. Conformer interconversion occurs at a rate greater than 10(4) s-1. The infrared C-O stretch spectra provide qualitative and quantitative information on the structural dynamics, stability, and ligand binding properties of hemoglobins.

O2 and CO reactions with heme proteins: quantum yields and geminate recombination on picosecond time scales

Picosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy and low-temperature studies have been undertaken in order to understand the nature of the intrinsic quantum yields and geminate recombination of carbon monoxide and oxygen to hemoglobin and myoglobin. We find that the photoproduct yields at 40 ps and long times (minutes) after photolysis at 8 K are similar; however, the yield of oxygen photoproducts is 0.4 +/- 0.1 while the yield of carbon monoxide photoproducts is 1.0 +/- 0.1 for both myoglobin and hemoglobin. Measurements in the Soret, near-infrared, and far-IR are used to quantitate the photoproduct yields. These results call into question previous cryogenic kinetic studies of O2 recombination. Significant subnanosecond geminate recombination is observed in oxyhemoglobin down to 150 K, while below 100 K this geminate recombination disappears. The lower photoproduct yields for oxyheme protein complexes can be attributed to both subnanosecond and subpicosecond recombination events which are ligand and protein dynamics dependent.

Redox-linked conformational changes in proteins detected by a combination of infrared spectroscopy and protein electrochemistry. Evaluation of the technique with cytochrome c

We have developed a new technique for the study of redox-linked conformational changes in proteins, by the combination of two established techniques. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy has been used together with direct electrochemistry of the protein at a modified metal electrode surface. The technique has been evaluated with cytochrome c, because of its well-characterized electrochemistry and because the availability of X-ray crystallographic and NMR studies of both redox states of the protein provides a reference against which our data can be compared. In electrochemical control experiments, it was confirmed that the spectroelectrochemical cell design allows fast, accurate and reproducible control of the redox poise of the protein. The resulting reduced-minus-oxidized infrared difference spectra show the changes in the frequencies and intensities of molecular vibrations which arise from the redox-linked conformational change. In contrast to the absolute infrared spectra of proteins, such difference spectra can be sufficiently straightforward to allow interpretation at the level of individual bonds. A complete interpretation of the spectra is beyond the scope of the present paper: however, on the basis of the data presented, we are able to suggest assignments for all except one of the major bands between 1500 cm-1 and 1800 cm-1.

Ligand dynamics in the photodissociation of carboxyhemoglobin by subpicosecond transient infrared spectroscopy

Time-resolved infrared spectroscopy with 0.5-ps resolution is used to track the evolution of the CO stretching vibration after visible photoexcitation of carboxyhemoglobin in water at room temperature. Polarization measurements determine that the iron-complexed CO is oriented nearly perpendicular to the porphyrin plane. The dissociation appears to proceed via a metastable excited state with 2 +/- 1 ps lifetime. The dissociated CO binds weakly in the heme pocket for at least 500 ps. This state correlates with the internally bound state observed by Frauenfelder et al. at low temperatures in myoglobin.

Temperature-derivative spectroscopy: a tool for protein dynamics

A relaxation method that measures the derivative of a population with respect to temperature is introduced and used to study the recombination of CO to sperm whale myoglobin after a photolyzing flash. Measurement of the geminate process in the infrared CO-stretch bands shows distributed activation enthalpies with different distributions for each band, transitions between two bands that correspond to photolyzed ligands, and kinetic hole burning. The data are well described by gaussian enthalpy distributions; the results match and complement those of isothermal methods. The temperature-derivative technique is further used to explore the recombination of CO from outside the heme pocket.

Direct observations of ligand dynamics in hemoglobin by subpicosecond infrared spectroscopy

The photodissociation of CO from HbCO at ambient temperature is studied by means of a femtosecond IR technique. The bleaching of the FeCO absorption and the appearance of a new IR absorption near that of free CO are both observed at 300 fs after optical excitation. The bleach does not recover on the time scale of a few picoseconds but does recover by approximately 4% within 1 ns, which suggests that a barrier to recombination is formed within a few picoseconds. The CO spectrum does not change significantly between 300 fs and 1 ns, suggesting that the CO quickly finds some locations in the heme pocket that are not more than a few angstroms from the iron. The de-ligated CO appears in its ground vibrational level. There is evidence that 85 +/- 10% of this CO remains in the heme pocket at 1 ns; it probably resides there for 50 ns. The flow of excess vibrational energy from the heme to the solvent was directly observed in the IR experiments. The heme cools within 1-2 ps while thermal disruption of the surrounding solvent structure requires approximately 30 ps.

Subpicosecond time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy by transient infrared absorption

A technique to record transient vibrational spectra with 0.5-psec resolution is reported. The apparatus is based on seeded optical parametric amplification. A study of the microscopic details of the photodissociation of carboxyhemoglobin is described as an example.