Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of full-length cDNA for mRNA of adrenodoxin oxidoreductase from bovine adrenal cortex

Simultaneous expression of ferredoxin, ferredoxin reductase and P450 in COS7 cells

cDNA fragments encoding mouse ferredoxin and ferredoxin reductase were simultaneously introduced into COS7 cells by using an expression vector, pUC-SR alpha plasmid. When using the mitochondrial fraction prepared from the transfected cells, cytochrome-c reductase activity was detected. This activity was highest when 7.5 micrograms of the ferredoxin expression plasmid (pSR alpha F) and 2.5 micrograms of the ferredoxin reductase expression plasmid (pSR alpha FR) were transfected into COS7 cells. In this system, NADPH could be replaced by NADH as a cofactor for the reduction of cytochrome-c although the cytochrome-c reductase was more dependent on NADPH than NADH at a low concentration. When CYP24 expression plasmid was transfected into COS7 cells along with both pSR alpha F and pSR alpha FR, the transfected cells revealed a 3-fold higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-24-hydroxylase activity than COS7 cells transfected with CYP24 expression plasmid.

A gene encoding a yeast equivalent of mammalian NADPH-adrenodoxin oxidoreductases

Adrenodoxin oxidoreductase (ADR) and adrenodoxin (ADX) are the two proteins involved in electron transport to mammalian mitochondrial P-450s capable of steroid modifications. The cloning and sequencing of a S. cervisiae ADR homologue (YADR) is presented here. The YADR protein sequence shares 36 and 37% of identical amino acids with human and bovine ADR respectively. The physiological role of this ADR homologue in yeast is unknown. We intend to study the interaction of this YADR with bovine ADX in vitro and in vivo.

11 beta-hydroxylase activity in recombinant yeast mitochondria. In vivo conversion of 11-deoxycortisol to hydrocortisone

In mammals, the final 11 beta-hydroxylation step of the hydrocortisone biosynthesis pathway is performed by a mitochondrial enzyme, namely cytochrome P-450(11 beta), together with the electron carriers adrenodoxin and NADPH adrenodoxin oxidoreductase. Successful production of a functional steroid 11 beta-hydroxylase activity was obtained in recombinant yeast in vivo. This conversion was achieved by coexpression of a mitochondrially targeted adrenodoxin and a modified bovine P-450(11 beta) whose natural presequence was replaced by a yeast presequence, together with an unexpected yeast endogenous NADPH-adrenodoxin-reductase-like activity. Adrenodoxin and P-450(11 beta) behave as a mitochondrial matrix and membrane protein, respectively. Saccharomyces cerevisiae apparently produces a mitochondrial protein which is capable of transferring electrons to bovine adrenodoxin, which in turn transfers the electrons to P-450(11 beta). The endogenous adrenodoxin oxidoreductase gains electrons specifically from NADPH. The notion that a yeast microsomal NADPH P-450 oxidoreductase can transfer electrons to mammalian microsomal P-450s can be extended to mitochondria, where an NADPH adrenodoxin oxidoreductase protein transfers electrons to adrenodoxin and renders a mitochondrial mammalian P-450 functional in vivo. The physiological function of this yeast NADPH adrenodoxin oxidoreductase activity is not known.

cDNA cloning of mouse ferredoxin reductase from kidney

A cDNA encoding ferredoxin reductase has been isolated from a mouse kidney cDNA library using human ferredoxin reductase cDNA as a probe. Mouse ferredoxin reductase coded for 494 amino acid residues. The mouse mature enzyme which comprises 460 amino acid residues shared 87.8-89.1% amino acid identities with the bovine and human enzyme. Northern blot analysis showed that ferredoxin reductase mRNA was expressed in the adrenal, testis and ovary and to a lesser extent in the liver and kidney. However, this mRNA in the adrenal cell line, Y-1 cell, was not induced by adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) in contrast with ferredoxin mRNA.

Genetic diseases of steroid metabolism

All major classes of biologically active steroid hormones (progestins, mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and sex steroids) are synthesized from cholesterol through 11 different bioconversions. With the exception of 5 alpha-reductase, all the enzymes mediating these reactions fall into two classes, cytochromes P450 and short-chain dehydrogenases. Cytochromes P450 are heme-containing membrane-bound proteins with molecular weights of approximately 50,000 that utilize molecular oxygen and electrons from NADPH-dependent accessory proteins to hydroxylate substrates. Short-chain dehydrogenases have molecular weights of 30,000-40,000, have tyrosine and lysine residues at the active site, and remove a hydride from the substrate, transferring the electrons of the hydride to NAD+ or NADP+. In most cases, this reaction is reversible so that the dehydrogenase can also function as a reductase under appropriate conditions. Inherited disorders in enzymes required for steroid biosynthesis have varying effects. Defects that prevent cortisol from being synthesized are referred to collectively as congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Because the enzymes required for cortisol biosynthesis in the adrenal cortex are in many cases required for the synthesis of mineralocorticoids and/or sex steroids, these classes of steroids may also not be synthesized normally. Thus, cholesterol desmolase and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiencies affect synthesis of all classes of steroids in both the adrenals and gonads. Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency, the most common cause (> 90% of cases) of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, can affect both mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid synthesis, but androgen secretion is usually abnormally high due to shunting of accumulated precursors into this pathway. Excessive secretion of androgens and mineralocorticoids occurs in 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency (the second most frequent form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia). Mineralocorticoid excess is also seen in 17 alpha-hydroxylase deficiency, but in this disorder sex steroid synthesis is defective. All defects that affect estrogen synthesis (deficiencies of cholesterol desmolase, 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17 alpha-hydroxylase, aromatase, and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) are very rare, suggesting that the inability to synthesize placental estrogens may adversely affect fetal survival. A number of enzymes are expressed at sites of steroid action and regulate the amount of active steroid available to steroid receptors. Steroid 5 alpha-reductase converts testosterone to the more active dihydrotestosterone. Deficiency of this activity leads to incomplete development of male genitalia; 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency has similar phenotypic effects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Cytochrome b558: the flavin-binding component of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase

The phagocyte respiratory burst oxidase is a flavin-adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent dehydrogenase and an electron transferase that reduces molecular oxygen to superoxide anion, a precursor of microbicidal oxidants. Several proteins required for assembly of the oxidase have been characterized, but the identity of its flavin-binding component has been unclear. Oxidase activity was reconstituted in vitro with only the purified oxidase proteins p47phox, p67phox, Rac-related guanine nucleotide (GTP)-binding proteins, and membrane-bound cytochrome b558. The reconstituted oxidase required added FAD, and FAD binding was localized to cytochrome b558. Alignment of the amino acid sequence of the beta subunit of cytochrome b558 (gp91phox) with other flavoproteins revealed similarities to the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced) (NADPH)-binding domains. Thus flavocytochrome b558 is the only obligate electron transporting component of the NADPH oxidase.

Expression of bovine adrenodoxin and NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase cDNAs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Expression of both bovine adrenodoxin (ADX) and NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase (ADR) were examined in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three ADX and two ADR expression plasmids were constructed by inserting each of the corresponding cDNA fragments between the yeast alcohol dehydrogenase I promoter and terminator of the expression vector pAAH5N. Plasmids pAX and pMX contained the coding region for the precursor and mature ADX, respectively, while pCMX carried the mature ADX preceded by the mitochondrial signal of yeast cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV (COX IV). Similarly, pMR and pCMR coded for mature ADR without and with the mitochondrial signal of yeast COX IV, respectively. Transformed S. cerevisiae AH22[rho 0]/pAX cells produced the ADX precursor, while AH22[rho 0]/pMX and AH22[rho 0]/pCMX cells produced mature ADX (mat-ADX) and modified ADX (mat-COX/ADX), respectively. Mat-ADX and mat-COX/ADX were found mainly in the cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions, respectively, and showed cytochrome c reductase activity. AH22[rho+]/pMR and AH22[rho+]/pCMR cells produced mature ADR (mat-ADR) and modified ADR (mat-COX/ADR), respectively. Mat-ADR lacking the mitochondrial signal was found in the cytosolic fraction and exhibited cytochrome c reductase activity, while mat-COX/ADR was localized in the mitochondrial fraction, but showed no reductase activity. In an in vitro reconstituted system consisting of both mat-COX/ADX- and mat-ADR-containing fractions, bovine P450scc converted cholesterol into pregnenolone. Thus mat-COX/ADX and mat-ADR produced in the yeast can transfer electrons from NADPH to P450scc.

Expression of bovine cytochrome P450c21 and its fused enzymes with yeast NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Recombinant plasmids for expression of bovine cytochrome P450c21 (pA gamma 2), both P450c21 and yeast NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (pAR gamma 1), P450c21/yeast reductase fused enzymes (pAF gamma R1, pAF gamma R2, and pAF gamma R20), and yeast reductase/P450c21 fused enzymes (pAFR gamma 1 and pAFR gamma 2) were constructed by using expression vector pAAH5. The plasmids were each introduced into the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae AH22 cells. The recombinant yeast strains AH22/pA gamma 2 (Y21) and AH22/pAR gamma 1 (Y21R) produced 2-3 X 10(3) molecules of P450c21 per cell. The cultures of both strains converted progesterone and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone into 11-deoxycorticosterone and 11-deoxycortisol, respectively. The 21-hydroxylase activity per cell of the strain Y21R was about three times higher than that of the strain Y21, probably due to overproduction of yeast reductase. The recombinant yeast strains AH22/pAF gamma R1 (Y21RF1), AH22/pAF gamma R2 (Y21RF2), and AH22/pAF gamma R20 (Y21RF20) produced about 1.1-2.0 X 10(4) molecules per cell of the corresponding P450c21/yeast reductase fused enzymes. The specific 21-hydroxylase activity toward 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone per cell of the strains Y21RF1, Y21RF2, and Y21RF20 was about 21, 28, and 49 times higher than that of the strain Y21, respectively. Thus, the fused enzymes were superior to P450c21 in the specific activity and in the expression level in the yeast. The Km values for 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone of P450c21 in the strains Y21 and Y21R, and of the fused enzymes in the strains Y21RF1 and Y21RF2 were 0.29, 0.30, 0.67, and 0.65 microM, respectively. The Vmax values of P450c21 in the strains Y21 and Y21R, and of the fused enzymes in the strains Y21RF1 and Y21RF2 were 28, 124, 151, and 222 moles/min.mole P450c21 or fused enzyme, respectively. These results indicated that the fused enzymes showed lower affinity for the substrate, probably due to structural modification and higher reaction rates through efficient intramolecular electron transfer as compared with those of P450c21. While the strain AH22/pAFR gamma 2 (YR21F2) produced about 3 X 10(4) molecules per cell of the reductase/P450c21 fused enzyme, the specific 21-hydroxylase activity of the fused enzyme toward 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone was extremely low, suggesting that the structure of the fused enzyme might not be suited for electron transfer in yeast microsomes.

Rate enhancement of the electron transfer of the adrenodoxin-adrenodoxin reductase system by inorganic and nucleotide phosphates

Phosphate and pyrophosphate increased the rate of reduction of adrenodoxin by NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase and NADPH, pyrophosphate being one order more effective than the former. However, the cytochrome c reduction by the electron transport system was inhibited in the presence of inorganic (pyro)phosphate. On the other hand, ADP and ATP enhanced the rates of reduction of both adrenodoxin and cytochrome c through adrenodoxin by the electron transport system. GTP also enhanced the rate of reduction of cytochrome c by this system, whereas AMP showed no appreciable enhancement. These inorganic and nucleotide phosphates did not affect the rate of ferricyanide reduction by the reductase.

Rate enhancement of the electron transfer the adrenodoxin-adrenodoxin reductase system by dicarboxylic acids

The rate of electron transport in the cytochrome P-450 system in adrenocortical mitochondria was studied with purified adrenodoxin reductase, adrenodoxin and cytochrome c. Oxaloacetate enhanced the rate at concentrations of less than 1 mM; malate, succinate and fumarate enhanced the rate to a lesser extent; and pyruvate and alpha-ketoglutarate had no appreciable effect. The rate enhancement was observed when the reagents were preincubated with adrenodoxin, but not with adrenodoxin reductase. Rate enhancement was also evident when the rate limiting step was at adrenodoxin in the electron transport system.

Expression of bovine cytochrome P450c17 cDNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We constructed expression plasmids for bovine adrenal cytochrome P450c17 (P450c17) by inserting the corresponding cDNA between the yeast alcohol dehydrogenase I promoter and terminator of the expression vector pAAH5. Plasmids pA alpha 1 and pA alpha 2 contained the entire coding region for bovine P450c17, whereas pAC alpha 1 included the cDNA coding for chimeric P450c alpha consisting of the amino-terminal 45 amino acid residues of rat P450c and the carboxy-terminal 482 amino acid residues of bovine P450c17. The transformed Saccharomyces cerevisiae AH22/pA alpha 1, AH22/pA alpha 2, and AH22/pAC alpha 1 cells produced about 1 x 10(5), 1 x 10(5), and 2 x 10(4) molecules per cell of the corresponding P450 hemoproteins, respectively. On incubation with the cultures of each of the three strains, progesterone was specifically converted into 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, which was not further converted into androstenedione, indicating that the three strains showed 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity, but almost no C17,20-lyase activity. The microsomal fraction prepared from the AH22/pA alpha 1 cells showed 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity toward progesterone and pregnenolone to higher extents, and exhibited C17,20-lyase activity toward 17 alpha-hydroxypregnenolone to a lesser extent and almost no C17,20-lyase activity toward 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone. These results indicated that bovine P450c17 synthesized in S. cerevisiae cells manifests the 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity, but not the C17,20-lyase activity.

Survey of amino-terminal proteolytic cleavage sites in mitochondrial precursor proteins: leader peptides cleaved by two matrix proteases share a three-amino acid motif

We have compiled sequences of precursor proteins for 50 mitochondrial proteins for which the mature amino terminus has been determined by amino acid sequence analysis. Included in this set are 8 precursors that have leader peptides that are cleaved in two places by mitochondrial matrix proteases. When these eight leader peptides are aligned and compared, a highly conserved three-amino acid motif is identified as being common to this class of leader peptides. This motif includes an arginine at position -10, a hydrophobic residue at position -8, and serine, threonine, or glycine at position -5 relative to the mature amino terminus. The initial cleavage of these peptides by matrix processing protease occurs within the motif, between residues at -9 and -8, such that arginine at position -10 is at position -2 relative to the cleaved bond. The rest of the motif is within the octapeptide removed by subsequent cleavage catalyzed by intermediate-specific protease. An additional 14 leader peptides in this collection (all of those that contain an arginine at -10) conform to this motif. Assuming that these 14 precursors are matured in two steps, we compared the internal cleavage sites at position -8 with the ends of the other 30 leader peptides in the collection. We find that 74% of matrix processing protease cleavage sites follow an arginine at position -2 relative to cleavage.

Immunohistochemical demonstration of adrenodoxin reductase in bovine and human adrenals

Adrenodoxin reductase (ADR) was purified from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria and specific antibody was raised in rabbits. Immunohistochemical analysis of ADR was performed in the bovine and human adrenals. ADR was present in all of the zones in both bovine and non-pathological human adrenal cortex. In non-pathological human adrenals, the immunoreactivity was particularly prominent in the zona glomerulosa (ZG) and reticularis (ZR). Intensive immunoreactivity was observed in the ZG and some cells of the outer fasciculata and the ZR in the adrenal glands with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism. In adrenal glands with Cushing's disease, immunoreactivity was present in the compact cells of cortical micronodules. In all cases, sites of immunoreactivity correspond to sites of increased steroidogenesis. In aldosteronoma and cortical adenoma with Cushing's syndrome, the immunoreactivity was generally marked in compact cells but not in large cells with clear cytoplasm, ADR was present in the ZG and the ZR, and the ZG in the non-neoplastic adrenal glands attached to aldosteronoma and Cushing's adenoma, respectively. ADR was present in the compact cells in adrenocortical carcinoma clinically manifesting Cushing's syndrome.

cDNA sequence of adrenodoxin reductase. Identification of NADP-binding sites in oxidoreductases

Adrenodoxin reductase is an NADP dependent flavoenzyme which functions as the reductase of mitochondrial P 450 systems. We sequenced two adrenodoxin reductase cDNAs isolated from a bovine adrenal cortex cDNA library. The deduced amino acid sequence shows no similarity to the sequence of the microsomal P 450 systems or other known protein sequences. Nonetheless, by sequence analysis and c comparisons with known sequences of dinucleotide-binding folds of two NADP-binding flavoenzymes, two regions of adrenodoxin reductase sequence were identified as the FAD- and NADP-binding sites. These analyses revealed a consensus sequence for the NADP-binding dinucleotide fold (GXGXXAXXXAXXXXXXG, in one-letter amino acid code) that differs from FAD and NAD-binding dinucleotide-fold sequences. In the data base of protein sequences, the NADP-binding-site sequence appears solely in NADP-dependent enzymes, the binding sites of which were not known to date. Thus, this sequence may be used for identification of a certain type of NADP-binding site of enzymes that show no significant sequence similarity.

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of human placental ferredoxin

We have characterized several clones specific for the human iron-sulfur protein, ferredoxin, which is involved in electron transfer to mitochondrial cytochromes P-450. Clones were isolated from a human placental cDNA expression library in lambda gt11 by immunoscreening with antibody to bovine adrenal ferredoxin. One clone contained the entire amino acid coding sequence (552 bp) together with 27 bp at the 5'-terminus and approximately 0.9 kb at the 3'-terminus; this form appears to correspond to the major mRNA species of approximately 1.7 kb observed on Northern blots of placental mRNA. The deduced amino acid sequence suggests that human ferredoxin is synthesized as a precursor of 184 amino acids (Mr 19,371) which is cleaved to yield a polypeptide of 124 amino acids (Mr 13,546). The mature protein is highly acidic, and the sequence is very similar to those of bovine and porcine adrenodoxins with the exception of substitutions and variations in length at the C-terminus. The N-terminal precursor segment, on the other hand, is considerably diverged from that determined for bovine adrenodoxin, but is similar in overall basicity and the pattern of occurrence of arginine residues.

On the specificity of pig adrenal ferredoxin (adrenodoxin) and spinach ferredoxin in electron-transfer reactions

Spinach leaf ferredoxin and ferredoxin:NADP oxidoreductase as well as pig adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase have been purified to homogeneity. Ferredoxin-NADP reductase and adrenodoxin-NADP reductase can perform the same diaphorase reactions (dichloroindophenol, ferricyanide and cytochrome c reduction) albeit not with the same efficiency. Despite the differences in their redox potentials, animal and plant ferredoxins can be used as heterologous substrates by the ferredoxin-NADP reductases from both sources. In heterologous systems, however, the ferredoxin/adrenodoxin concentrations must be increased approximately 100-fold in order to reach rates similar to those obtained in homologous systems. Ferredoxin and adrenodoxin can form complexes with the heterologous reductases as demonstrated by binding experiments on ferredoxin-Sepharose or ferredoxin-NADP-reductase-Sepharose and by the realization of difference spectra. Adrenodoxin also weakly substitutes for ferredoxin in NADP photoreduction, and can be used as an electron carrier in the light activation of the chloroplastic enzyme NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase. In addition adrenodoxin is a good catalyst of pseudocyclic photophosphorylation, but not of cyclic phosphorylation and can serve as a substrate of glutamate synthase. These results are discussed with respect to the known structures of plant and animals ferredoxins and their respective reductases.

Quantitation of interaction between cytochrome P-450scc and adrenodoxin--analysis in the median UV-region by second derivative spectroscopy

Interaction between the essential protein components of the bovine adrenal mitochondrial enzyme system (cytochrome P-450scc, adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase) were studied in the median UV-region utilizing second derivative difference spectroscopy. Complex formation of cytochrome P-450scc with adrenodoxin induces a signal in the second derivative difference spectrum which can be attributed to tyrosine due to its minimum at 283 nm. Based on this signal cytochrome P-450scc was titrated with adrenodoxin in dependence on different effectors (reductase, phospholipid, cholesterol). The dissociation constants (Kd) of the P-450scc/adrenodoxin complexes derived therefrom revealed an increasing affinity between both components starting from titrations in buffer solution without additional components up to the completely reconstituted system. A high affinity between P-450scc and adrenodoxin corresponds to a high turnover rate of cholesterol. Dissociation constants of the P-450scc/adrenodoxin complex were also derived from spectral changes in the Soret region. But these data do not correlate with the substrate turnover.