Structural and chemical trapping of flavin-oxide intermediates reveals substrate-directed reaction multiplicity

Dual activities of oxidation and oxidative decarboxylation by flavoenzymes

Specific flavoenzyme oxidases catalyze oxidative decarboxylation in addition to their classical oxidation reactions in the same active sites. The mechanisms underlying oxidative decarboxylation by these enzymes and how they control their two activities are not clearly known. This article reviews the current state of knowledge of four enzymes from the l-amino acid oxidase and l-hydroxy acid oxidase families, including l-tryptophan 2-monooxygenase, l-phenylalanine 2-oxidase and l-lysine oxidase/monooxygenase and lactate monooxygenase which catalyze substrate oxidation and oxidative decarboxylation. Apart from specific interactions to allow substrate oxidation by the flavin cofactor, specific binding of oxidized product in the active sites appears to be important for enabling subsequent decarboxylation by these enzymes. Based on recent findings of l-lysine oxidase/monooxygenase, we propose that nucleophilic attack of H2O2 on the imino acid product is the mechanism enabling oxidative decarboxylation.

Flavoprotein monooxygenases: Versatile biocatalysts

Flavoprotein monooxygenases (FPMOs) are single- or two-component enzymes that catalyze a diverse set of chemo-, regio- and enantioselective oxyfunctionalization reactions. In this review, we describe how FPMOs have evolved from model enzymes in mechanistic flavoprotein research to biotechnologically relevant catalysts that can be applied for the sustainable production of valuable chemicals. After a historical account of the development of the FPMO field, we explain the FPMO classification system, which is primarily based on protein structural properties and electron donor specificities. We then summarize the most appealing reactions catalyzed by each group with a focus on the different types of oxygenation chemistries. Wherever relevant, we report engineering strategies that have been used to improve the robustness and applicability of FPMOs.

The devil is in the details: The chemical basis and mechanistic versatility of flavoprotein monooxygenases

The ubiquitous flavoenzymes commonly catalyze redox chemistry such as the monooxygenation of organic substrates and are both widely utilized in nature (e.g., in primary and secondary metabolism) and of significant industrial interest. In this work, we highlight the structural and mechanistic characteristics of the distinct types of flavoprotein monooxygenases (FPMOs). We thereby illustrate the chemical basis of FPMO catalysis, which enables reactions such as (aromatic) hydroxylation, epoxidation, (de)halogenation, heteroatom oxygenation, Baeyer-Villiger oxidation, α-hydroxylation of ketones, or non-oxidative carbon-hetero bond cleavage. This seemingly unmatched versatility in oxygenation chemistry results from extensive fine-tuning and regiospecific functionalization of the flavin cofactor that is tightly controlled by the surrounding protein matrix. Accordingly, FPMOs steer the formation of covalent flavin-oxygen adducts for oxygen transfer in the form of the classical flavin-C4a-(hydro)peroxide or the recently discovered N5-functionalized flavins (i.e. the flavin-N5-oxide and the flavin-N5-peroxide), while in rare cases covalent oxygen adduct formation may be foregone entirely. Finally, we speculate about hitherto undiscovered flavin-mediated oxygenation reactions and compare FPMOs to cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, before addressing open questions and challenges for the future investigation of FPMOs.

Structural and chemical trapping of flavin-oxide intermediates reveals substrate-directed reaction multiplicity

Though reactive flavin‐N5/C4α‐oxide intermediates can be spectroscopically profiled for some flavin‐assisted enzymatic reactions, their exact chemical configurations are hardly visualized. Structural systems biology and stable isotopic labelling techniques were exploited to correct this stereotypical view. Three transition‐like complexes, the α‐ketoacid…N5‐FMN_ox complex (I), the FMN_ox‐N5‐aloxyl‐C′α⁻‐C4α⁺ zwitterion (II), and the FMN‐N5‐ethenol‐N5‐C4α‐epoxide (III), were determined from mandelate oxidase (Hmo) or its mutant Y128F (monooxygenase) crystals soaked with monofluoropyruvate (a product mimic), establishing that N5 of FMN_ox an alternative reaction center can polarize to an ylide‐like mesomer in the active site. In contrast, four distinct flavin‐C4α‐oxide adducts (IV–VII) from Y128F crystals soaked with selected substrates materialize C4α of FMN an intrinsic reaction center, witnessing oxidation, Baeyer–Villiger/peroxide‐assisted decarboxylation, and epoxidation reactions. In conjunction with stopped‐flow kinetics, the multifaceted flavin‐dependent reaction continuum is physically dissected at molecular level for the first time.

PDB Code(s): 5ZZT, 6A24, 6A1W, 6A01, 6A1N, 6A1B, 6A0B, 6A36, 6A4H, 6A4G, 6A3D, and 7BSR