Steady state kinetics and binding of eukaryotic cytochromes c with yeast cytochrome c peroxidase

Constraints on the Radical Cation Center of Cytochrome c Peroxidase for Electron Transfer from Cytochrome c

The tryptophan 191 cation radical of cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) compound I (Cpd I) mediates long-range electron transfer (ET) to cytochrome c (Cc). Here we test the effects of chemical substitution at position 191. CcP W191Y forms a stable tyrosyl radical upon reaction with peroxide and produces spectral properties similar to those of Cpd I but has low reactivity toward reduced Cc. CcP W191G and W191F variants also have low activity, as do redox ligands that bind within the W191G cavity. Crystal structures of complexes between Cc and CcP W191X (X = Y, F, or G), as well as W191G with four bound ligands reveal similar 1:1 association modes and heme pocket conformations. The ligands display structural disorder in the pocket and do not hydrogen bond to Asp235, as does Trp191. Well-ordered Tyr191 directs its hydroxyl group toward the porphyrin ring, with no basic residue in the range of interaction. CcP W191X (X = Y, F, or G) variants substituted with zinc-porphyrin (ZnP) undergo photoinduced ET with Cc(III). Their slow charge recombination kinetics that result from loss of the radical center allow resolution of difference spectra for the charge-separated state [ZnP(+), Cc(II)]. The change from a phenyl moiety at position 191 in W191F to a water-filled cavity in W191G produces effects on ET rates much weaker than the effects of the change from Trp to Phe. Low net reactivity of W191Y toward Cc(II) derives either from the inability of ZnP(+) or the Fe-CcP ferryl to oxidize Tyr or from the low potential of the resulting neutral Tyr radical.

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

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

"Bind and Crawl" Association Mechanism of Leishmania major Peroxidase and Cytochrome c Revealed by Brownian and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Leishmania major, the parasitic causative agent of leishmaniasis, produces a heme peroxidase (LmP), which catalyzes the peroxidation of mitochondrial cytochrome c (LmCytc) for protection from reactive oxygen species produced by the host. The association of LmP and LmCytc, which is known from kinetics measurements to be very fast (∼10(8) M(-1) s(-1)), does not involve major conformational changes and has been suggested to be dominated by electrostatic interactions. We used Brownian dynamics simulations to investigate the mechanism of formation of the LmP-LmCytc complex. Our simulations confirm the importance of electrostatic interactions involving the negatively charged D211 residue at the LmP active site, and reveal a previously unrecognized role in complex formation for negatively charged residues in helix A of LmP. The crystal structure of the D211N mutant of LmP reported herein is essentially identical to that of wild-type LmP, reinforcing the notion that it is the loss of charge at the active site, and not a change in structure, that reduces the association rate of the D211N variant of LmP. The Brownian dynamics simulations further show that complex formation occurs via a "bind and crawl" mechanism, in which LmCytc first docks to a location on helix A that is far from the active site, forming an initial encounter complex, and then moves along helix A to the active site. An atomistic molecular dynamics simulation confirms the helix A binding site, and steady state activity assays and stopped-flow kinetics measurements confirm the role of helix A charges in the association mechanism.

Binding of Yeast Cytochrome c to Forty-Four Charge-Reversal Mutants of Yeast Cytochrome c Peroxidase: Isothermal Titration Calorimetry

Previously, we constructed, expressed, and purified 46 charge-reversal mutants of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) and determined their electronic absorption spectra, their reaction with H2O2, and their steady-state catalytic properties [ Pearl , N. M. et al. (2008) Biochemistry 47 , 2766 - 2775 ]. Forty-four of the mutants involve the conversion of either an aspartate or glutamate residue to a lysine residue, while two are positive-to-negative mutations, R31E and K149D. In this paper, we report on a calorimetric study of the interaction of each charge-reversal mutant (excluding the internal mutants D76K and D235K) with recombinant yeast iso-1 ferricytochrome c(C102T) (yCc) under conditions where only one-to-one yCc/CcP complex formation is observed. Thirteen of the 44 surface-site charge-reversal mutants decrease the binding affinity for yCc by a factor of 2 or more. Eight of the 13 mutations (E32K, D33K, D34K, E35K, E118K, E201K, E290K, E291K) occur within, or on the immediate periphery, of the crystallographically defined yCc binding site [ Pelletier , H. and Kraut , J. (1992) Science 258 , 1748 - 1755 ], three of the mutations (D37K, E98K, E209K) are slightly removed from the crystallographic site, and two of the mutations (D165K, D241K) occur on the "back-side" of CcP. The current study is consistent with a model for yCc binding to CcP in which yCc binds predominantly near the region defined by crystallographic structure of the 1:1 yCc-CcP complex, whether as a stable electron-transfer active complex or as part of a dynamic encounter complex.

Enzymatic Mechanism of Leishmania major Peroxidase and the Critical Role of Specific Ionic Interactions

Leishmania major peroxidase (LmP) is very similar to the well-known yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP). Both enzymes catalyze the peroxidation of cytochrome c. Like CcP, LmP reacts with H2O2 to form Compound I, which consists of a ferryl heme and a Trp radical, Fe(IV)═O;Trp(•+). Cytochrome c (Cytc) reduces the Trp radical to give Compound II, Fe(IV)═O;Trp, which is followed by an intramolecular electron transfer to give Fe(III)-OH;Trp(•+), and in the last step, Cytc reduces the Trp radical. In this study, we have used steady-state and single-turnover kinetics to improve our understanding of the overall mechanism of LmP catalysis. While the activity of CcP greatly increases with ionic strength, the kcat for LmP remains relatively constant at all ionic strengths tested. Therefore, unlike CcP, where dissociation of oxidized Cytc is limiting at low ionic strengths, association/dissociation reactions are not limiting at any ionic strength in LmP. We conclude that in LmP, the intramolecular electron transfer reaction, Fe(IV)═O;Trp to Fe(III)-OH;Trp(•+), is limiting at all ionic strengths. Unlike CcP, LmP depends on key intermolecular ion pairs to form the electron transfer competent complex. Mutating these sites causes the initial rate of association to decrease by 2 orders of magnitude and a substantial decrease in kcat. The drop in kcat is due to a switch in the rate-limiting step of the mutants from intramolecular electron transfer to the rate of association in forming the LmP-LmCytc complex. These studies show that while LmP and CcP form very similar complexes and exhibit similar activities, they substantially differ in how their activity changes as a function of ionic strength. This difference is primarily due to the heavy reliance of LmP on highly specific intermolecular ion pairs, while CcP relies mainly on nonpolar interactions.

Control of cyclic photoinitiated electron transfer between cytochrome c peroxidase (W191F) and cytochrome c by formation of dynamic binary and ternary complexes

Extensive studies of the physiological protein-protein electron-transfer (ET) complex between yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) and cytochrome c (Cc) have left unresolved questions about how formation and dissociation of binary and ternary complexes influence ET. We probe this issue through a study of the photocycle of ET between Zn-protoporphyrin IX-substituted CcP(W191F) (ZnPCcP) and Cc. Photoexcitation of ZnPCcP in complex with Fe(3+)Cc initiates the photocycle: charge-separation ET, [(3)ZnPCcP, Fe(3+)Cc] → [ZnP(+)CcP, Fe(2+)Cc], followed by charge recombination, [ZnP(+)CcP, Fe(2+)Cc] → [ZnPCcP, Fe(3+)Cc]. The W191F mutation eliminates fast hole hopping through W191, enhancing accumulation of the charge-separated intermediate and extending the time scale for binding and dissociation of the charge-separated complex. Both triplet quenching and the charge-separated intermediate were monitored during titrations of ZnPCcP with Fe(3+)Cc, Fe(2+)Cc, and redox-inert CuCc. The results require a photocycle that includes dissociation and/or recombination of the charge-separated binary complex and a charge-separated ternary complex, [ZnP(+)CcP, Fe(2+)Cc, Fe(3+)Cc]. The expanded kinetic scheme formalizes earlier proposals of "substrate-assisted product dissociation" within the photocycle. The measurements yield the thermodynamic affinity constants for binding the first and second Cc: KI = 10(-7) M(-1), and KII = 10(-4) M(-1). However, two-site analysis of the thermodynamics of formation of the ternary complex reveals that Cc binds at the weaker-binding site with much greater affinity than previously recognized and places upper bounds on the contributions of repulsion between the two Cc's of the ternary complex. In conjunction with recent nuclear magnetic resonance studies, the analysis further suggests a dynamic view of the ternary complex, wherein neither Cc necessarily faithfully adopts the crystal-structure configuration because of Cc-Cc repulsion.

Ascorbate peroxidase acts as a novel determiner of redox homeostasis in Leishmania

SIGNIFICANCE

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced as natural byproducts of metabolism and respiration. While physiological levels of ROS are required for vital cellular functions (e.g., development and proliferation), a living organism is faced with constant challenges due to accumulation or overproduction of ROS throughout its life. The life cycle of Leishmania parasite has led it to confront the highly oxidizing environment in the macrophage phagosomes, necessitating ROS homeostasis and signaling as key strategies for successful survival and pathogenicity.

RECENT ADVANCES

Ascorbate peroxidase from Leishmania major (LmAPX) is the only heme peroxidase identified so far in Leishmania. Structural analysis and functional characterization of LmAPX have yielded interesting and novel insight on this enzyme. The protein has been found to be a hybrid of cytochrome c peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase. This enzyme is colocalized with cytochrome c in the inner mitochondrial membrane facing the intermembrane space and shows higher activity toward cytochrome c oxidation.

CRITICAL ISSUES

Overexpression of LmAPX in L. major cells confers tolerance to oxidative stress-mediated cardiolipin oxidation and consequently protects cells from extensive protein damage. LmAPX-/- mutants show higher intracellular hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which might signal for cellular transformation from noninfective procyclic to infective metacyclic form and ultimately apoptosis.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Manipulation of LmAPX expression has significantly added to the present understanding of the parasite's defense network against oxidative damage caused by H₂O₂. The future investigations will address more exactly the signaling pathways involved in redox homeostasis.

Crystal structure of the Leishmania major peroxidase-cytochrome c complex

The causative agent of leishmaniasis is the protozoan parasite Leishmania major. Part of the host protective mechanism is the production of reactive oxygen species including hydrogen peroxide. In response, L. major produces a peroxidase, L. major peroxidase (LmP), that helps to protect the parasite from oxidative stress. LmP is a heme peroxidase that catalyzes the peroxidation of mitochondrial cytochrome c. We have determined the crystal structure of LmP in a complex with its substrate, L. major cytochrome c (LmCytc) to 1.84 Å, and compared the structure to its close homolog, the yeast cytochrome c peroxidase-cytochrome c complex. The binding interface between LmP and LmCytc has one strong and one weak ionic interaction that the yeast system lacks. The differences between the steady-state kinetics correlate well with the Lm redox pair being more dependent on ionic interactions, whereas the yeast redox pair depends more on nonpolar interactions. Mutagenesis studies confirm that the ion pairs at the intermolecular interface are important to both k(cat) and K(M). Despite these differences, the electron transfer path, with respect to the distance between hemes, along the polypeptide chain is exactly the same in both redox systems. A potentially important difference, however, is the side chains involved. LmP has more polar groups (Asp and His) along the pathway compared with the nonpolar groups (Leu and Ala) in the yeast system, and as a result, the electrostatic environment along the presumed electron transfer path is substantially different.

Leishmania major peroxidase is a cytochrome c peroxidase

Leishmania major peroxidase (LmP) exhibits both ascorbate and cytochrome c peroxidase activities. Our previous results illustrated that LmP has a much higher activity against horse heart cytochrome c than ascorbate, suggesting that cytochrome c may be the biologically important substrate. To elucidate the biological function of LmP, we have recombinantly expressed, purified, and determined the 2.08 Å crystal structure of L. major cytochrome c (LmCytc). Like other types of cytochrome c, LmCytc has an electropositive surface surrounding the exposed heme edge that serves as the site of docking with redox partners. Kinetic assays performed with LmCytc and LmP show that LmCytc is a much better substrate for LmP than horse heart cytochrome c. Furthermore, unlike the well-studied yeast system, the reaction follows classic Michaelis-Menten kinetics and is sensitive to an increasing ionic strength. Using the yeast cocrystal as a control, protein-protein docking was performed using Rosetta to develop a model for the binding of LmP and LmCytc. These results suggest that the biological function of LmP is to act as a cytochrome c peroxidase.

Shifting the equilibrium between the encounter state and the specific form of a protein complex by interfacial point mutations

Recent experimental studies have confirmed a long-held view that protein complex formation proceeds via a short-lived encounter state. The population of this transient intermediate, stabilized mainly by long-range electrostatic interactions, varies among different complexes. Here we show that the occupancy of the encounter state can be modulated across a broad range by single point mutations of interfacial residues. Using a combination of Monte Carlo simulations and paramagnetic relaxation enhancement NMR spectroscopy, we illustrate that it is possible to both enhance and diminish the binding specificity in an electron transfer complex of yeast cytochrome c (Cc) and cytochrome c peroxidase. The Cc T12A mutation decreases the population of the encounter to 10% as compared with 30% in the wild-type complex. More dramatically, the Cc R13A substitution reverses the relative occupancies of the stereospecific and the encounter forms, with the latter now being the dominant species with the population of 80%. This finding indicates that the encounter state can make a large contribution to the stability of a protein complex. Also, it appears that by adjusting the amount of the encounter through a judicious choice of point mutations, we can remodel the energy landscape of a protein complex and tune its binding specificity.

Thirty years of heme peroxidase structural biology

The following is a brief review of peroxidase structural biology since the initial structure determination of cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP) 30 years ago. An emphasis will be placed on what CCP has taught us about peroxidase mechanisms, especially Compound I formation and electron transfer.

Effect of single-site charge-reversal mutations on the catalytic properties of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase: evidence for a single, catalytically active, cytochrome c binding domain

Forty-six charge-reversal mutants of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) have been constructed in order to determine the effect of localized charge on the catalytic properties of the enzyme. The mutants include the conversion of all 20 glutamate residues and 24 of the 25 aspartate residues in CcP, one at a time, to lysine residues. In addition, two positive-to-negative charge-reversal mutants, R31E and K149D, are included in the study. The mutants have been characterized by absorption spectroscopy and hydrogen peroxide reactivity at pH 6.0 and 7.5 and by steady-state kinetic studies using recombinant yeast iso-1 ferrocytochrome c (C102T) as substrate at pH 7.5. Many of the charge-reversal mutations cause detectable changes in the absorption spectrum of the enzyme reflecting increased amounts of hexacoordinate heme compared to wild-type CcP. The increase in hexacoordinate heme in the mutant enzymes correlates with an increase in H 2O 2-inactive enzyme. The maximum velocity of the mutants decreases with increasing hexacoordination of the heme group. Steady-state velocity studies indicate that 5 of the 46 mutations (R31E, D34K, D37K, E118K, and E290K) cause large increases in the Michaelis constant indicating a reduced affinity for cytochrome c. Four of the mutations occur within the cytochrome c binding site identified in the crystal structure of the 1:1 complex of yeast cytochrome c and CcP [Pelletier, H., and Kraut, J. (1992) Science 258, 1748-1755] while the fifth mutation site lies outside, but near, the crystallographic site. These data support the hypothesis that the CcP has a single, catalytically active cytochrome c binding domain, that observed in the crystal structures of the cytochrome c/CcP complex.

Yeast cytochrome c peroxidase: mechanistic studies via protein engineering

Cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) is a yeast mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide to water by ferrocytochrome c. It was the first heme enzyme to have its crystallographic structure determined and, as a consequence, has played a pivotal role in developing ideas about structural control of heme protein reactivity. Genetic engineering of the active site of CcP, along with structural, spectroscopic, and kinetic characterization of the mutant proteins has provided considerable insight into the mechanism of hydrogen peroxide activation, oxygen-oxygen bond cleavage, and formation of the higher-oxidation state intermediates in heme enzymes. The catalytic mechanism involves complex formation between cytochrome c and CcP. The cytochrome c/CcP system has been very useful in elucidating the complexities of long-range electron transfer in biological systems, including protein-protein recognition, complex formation, and intracomplex electron transfer processes.

A mutational epitope for cytochrome C binding to the apoptosis protease activation factor-1

Cytochrome c (Cc) binding to apoptosis protease activation factor-1 (Apaf-1) is a critical activation step in the execution phase of apoptosis. Here we report studies that help define the Cc:Apaf-1 binding surface. It is shown that a large number of Cc residues, including residues 7, 25, 39, 62-65, and 72, are involved in the Cc:Apaf-1 interaction. Mutation of residue 72 eliminated Cc activity whereas mutations of residues 7, 25, 39, and 62-65 showed reduced activity in an additive fashion. The implications of this binding model for both recognition and modulation of protein-protein interactions are briefly discussed.

Conversion of an engineered potassium-binding site into a calcium-selective site in cytochrome c peroxidase

We have previously shown that the K(+) site found in ascorbate peroxidase can be successfully engineered into the closely homologous peroxidase, cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP) (Bonagura, C. A. , Sundaramoorthy, M., Pappa, H. S., Patterson, W. R., and Poulos, T. L. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 6107-6115; Bonagura, C. A., Sundaramoorthy, M., Bhaskar, B., and Poulos, T. L. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 5538-5545). All other peroxidases bind Ca(2+) rather than K(+). Using the K(+)-binding CCP mutant (CCPK2) as a template protein, together with observations from structural modeling, mutants were designed that should bind Ca(2+) selectively. The crystal structure of the first generation mutant, CCPCA1, showed that a smaller cation, perhaps Na(+), is bound instead of Ca(2+). This is probably because the full eight-ligand coordination sphere did not form owing to a local disordering of one of the essential cation ligands. Based on these observations, a second mutant, CCPCA2, was designed. The crystal structure showed Ca(2+) binding in the CCPCA2 mutant and a well ordered cation-binding loop with the full complement of eight protein to cation ligands. Because cation binding to the engineered loop results in diminished CCP activity and destabilization of the essential Trp(191) radical as measured by EPR spectroscopy, these measurements can be used as sensitive methods for determining cation-binding selectivity. Both activity and EPR titration studies show that CCPCA2 binds Ca(2+) more effectively than K(+), demonstrating that an iterative protein engineering-based approach is important in switching protein cation selectivity.

The structure of an electron transfer complex containing a cytochrome c and a peroxidase

Efficient biological electron transfer may require a fluid association of redox partners. Two noncrystallographic methods (a new molecular docking program and 1H NMR spectroscopy) have been used to study the electron transfer complex formed between the cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP) of Paracoccus denitrificans and cytochromes c. For the natural redox partner, cytochrome c550, the results are consistent with a complex in which the heme of a single cytochrome lies above the exposed electron-transferring heme of the peroxidase. In contrast, two molecules of the nonphysiological but kinetically competent horse cytochrome bind between the two hemes of the peroxidase. These dramatically different patterns are consistent with a redox active surface on the peroxidase that may accommodate more than one cytochrome and allow lateral mobility.

Enforced interaction of one molecule of plastocyanin with two molecules of cytochrome c and an electron-transfer reaction involving the hydrophobic patch on the plastocyanin surface

Laser flash photolysis is used to study the photoinduced electron-transfer reaction cyt(III)//pc(II) + 3Zncyt --> cyt(III)//pc(I) + Zincyt+ at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees. In the covalent (symbol//) complex cyt(III)//pc(II) the acidic patch in cupriplastocyanin is directly cross-linked to the basic patch in ferricytochrome c. The triplet state of zinc cytochrome c reduces the pc(II) moiety, not the cyt(III) moiety, of the covalent complex. The reaction is strictly bimolecular in the entire range of ionic strength studied, from 1.25 mM to 1.00 M. The two reactants interact only transiently, in a collisional complex, and do not form a persistent complex cyt(III)//pc(II)/Zncyt. Because noncovalent (symbol/) association of three separate protein molecules is far less probable than association of the covalent complex and another protein molecule, we conclude that, without the aid of covalent cross-links, one molecule of plastocyanin will not form a ternary complex with two molecules of cytochrome c, cyt/pc/cyt. Dependence of the rate constant on ionic strength is analyzed in terms of van Leeuwen theory of electrostatic interactions, which recognizes the importance of dipole moments of the proteins. This analysis shows that 3Zncyt reacts with the hydrophobic patch in the pc(II) moiety of the covalent complex cyt(III)//pc(II). At high ionic strength, at which electrostatic interactions are practically abolished, the blue copper site is reduced with approximately equal rates via the hydrophobic patch in the pc(II) moiety of the complex and via the acidic patch in free pc(II). This is evidence that the two distinct patches on the plastocyanin surface are comparable in their intrinsic "conductivity" for electrons coming to the copper site. Positively charged and electroneutral redox partners tend to react at the acidic patch (although not necessarily at the initial docking site in this broad patch) for electrostatic, not electronic, reasons. Earlier theorectical studies disagreed about the relative electronic conductivities of the two patches. This experimental study corroborates very recent theoretical studies that found the two patches to be comparable in the efficiency of electron transfer.

A comparison of spectral and physicochemical properties of yeast iso-1 cytochrome c and Cys 102-modified derivatives of the protein

Derivatives of yeast iso-1 cytochrome c, chemically modified at Cys-102 (Cys-102 acetamide-derivatized monomer, Cys-102 thionitrobenzoate-derivatized monomer, Cys-102 S-methylated monomer, and the disulfide dimer), exhibit different spectral and physicochemical properties relative to the native, unmodified protein, depending on the nature of the modifying group. The results of proton NMR studies on the Cys-102 acetamide-derivatized monomer of iso-1 ferricytochrome c indicate that the conformational characteristics of the heme environment in this protein derivative are intermediate between those of the unmodified monomer and disulfide dimer forms of the protein. Measurements of the pKa of the alkaline transitions of the five forms of iso-1 ferricytochrome c provided values of 8.89, 8.82, 8.67, 8.47, and 8.50 for the unmodified monomer, S-methylated monomer, acetamide-derivatized monomer, thionitrobenzoate-derivatized monomer, and disulfide dimer, respectively. The results of proton NMR studies of the reduced form of these proteins suggest that the heme environments of the unmodified monomer and disulfide dimer derivatives of iso-1 ferrocytochrome c are similar and indicate that treatment of the thionitrobenzoate-derivatized and disulfide dimer forms of the protein with sodium dithionite results in cleavage of the disulfide bonds at position 102. Circular dichroism studies reveal that only the disulfide dimer form of iso-1 ferricytochrome c exhibits a Soret CD spectrum which differs from the native, unmodified monomer in that the intensity of the negative band at approximately 420 nm is diminished in the spectrum of the dimer relative to the spectrum of the monomer. Soret CD spectra of the ascorbate-reduced form of all protein derivatives are similar. The process of "autoreduction" of yeast iso-1 ferricytochrome c is shown to occur in the absence of a free sulfhydryl group at position 102 and is exacerbated under moderately high pH conditions. These results are suggestive of the presence of a redox-active amino acid, perhaps a tyrosine, in yeast iso-1 cytochrome c.

Cytochrome c peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of yeast iso-1 ferrocytochrome c by hydrogen peroxide. Ionic strength dependence of the steady-state parameters

The cytochrome c peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of yeast iso-1 ferrocytochrome c by hydrogen peroxide can be understood on the basis of a mechanism involving two cytochrome c-binding sites on cytochrome c peroxidase. Values of the equilibrium dissociation constants for both the high- and low-affinity binding sites determined from the steady-state kinetic measurements agree well with published values obtained by vastly different techniques, providing strong support for the two-binding site mechanism. Maximum enzyme turnover via oxidation of cytochrome c bound at the high-affinity site increases from 2 to 860 s-1 as the ionic strength is increased from 0.010 to 0.20 M. Oxidation of yeast iso-1 ferrocytochrome c is faster in the 2:1 complexes of cytochrome c peroxidase compounds I and II in comparison to the 1:1 complexes. The oxidation rates in the 2:1 complex are macroscopic rate constants equal to the sum of the oxidation rates via both the high- and low-affinity sites. The maximum enzyme turnover via the 2:1 complex increases from 1100 to 2700 s-1 over the ionic strength range 0.010-0.070 M.

Inhibitor-enhanced electron transfer: copper cytochrome c as a redox-inert probe of ternary complexes

Copper-substituted cytochrome c (CuCc) has been used as a structurally faithful, redoxinert inhibitor to probe the mechanism of electron transfer (ET) between Cc molecules and cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP). This inhibitor enhances photoinduced ET quenching of the triplet excited state of a zinc-substituted protein (ZnCcP or ZnCc) by its iron(III) partner (Fe3+Cc or Fe3+CcP). These results show that CcP and Cc form a ternary complex in which one Cc molecule binds tightly at a surface domain of CcP having low ET reactivity, whereas the second Cc molecule binds weakly to the 1:1 complex at a second domain with markedly greater (approximately 10(3)) reactivity. These results also rule out the possibility that Cc bound at the second domain cooperatively enhances ET to Cc at the first domain. The multiphasic kinetics observed for the photoproduced ET intermediate do not reflect electron self-exchange between two Cc molecules within the ternary complex.

Calorimetric studies on the interaction of horse ferricytochrome c and yeast cytochrome c peroxidase

The binding of horse ferricytochrome c to yeast cytochrome c peroxidase at pH 6.0 in 8.7 mM phosphate buffer (0.0100 M ionic strength) is characterized by a small, unfavorable enthalpy change (+1.91 +/- 0.16 kcal mol-1) and a large, positive entropy change (+37 +/- 1 eu). The free energy of binding depends strongly upon ionic strength, increasing from -9.01 to -4.51 kcal mol-1 between 0.0100 and 0.200 M ionic strength. The increase in free energy is due solely to the change in entropy over this ionic strength range, with the entropy change decreasing from 37 +/- 1 to 22 +/- 3 eu between 0.0100 and 0.200 M ionic strength. The observed enthalpy change remains constant over the same ionic strength range. At 0.0100 M ionic strength, complex formation is accompanied by the release of 0.54 +/- 0.11 proton, causing a variation in the observed enthalpy of reaction depending upon the buffer. After accounting for proton binding to the buffer, the corrected values for the enthalpy and entropy of binding are +2.84 +/- 0.26 kcal mol-1 and +21 +/- 3 eu, respectively. At 0.05 M ionic strength, the observed change in heat capacity, delta Cp, for the reaction between horse ferricytochrome c and cytochrome c peroxidase is essentially zero, 1.6 +/- 9.6 cal mol-1 K-1. The corrected delta Cp for binding is -28 +/- 10 cal mol-1 K-1 after accounting for proton binding to the buffer. No evidence for formation of a 2:1 horse ferricytochrome c/cytochrome c peroxidase complex was obtained in this study.

Electron transfer between cytochrome c and cytochrome c peroxidase

The reaction between cytochrome c (CC) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) is a very attractive system for investigating the fundamental mechanism of biological electron transfer. The resting ferric state of CcP is oxidized by hydrogen peroxide to compound I (CMPI) containing an oxyferryl heme and an indolyl radical cation on Trp-191. CMPI is sequentially reduced to CMPII and then to the resting state CcP by two molecules of CC. In this review we discuss the use of a new ruthenium photoreduction technique and other rapid kinetic techniques to address the following important questions: (1) What is the initial electron acceptor in CMPI? (2) What are the true rates of electron transfer from CC to the radical cation and to the oxyferryl heme? (3) What are the binding domains and pathways for electron transfer from CC to the radical cation and the oxyferryl heme? (4) What is the mechanism for the complete reaction under physiological conditions?

Circular dichroism studies of the binding of mammalian and non-mammalian cytochromes c to cytochrome c oxidase, cytochrome c peroxidase, and polyanions

The effects of binding of Candida krusei, Drosophila melanogaster, horse, human, and rat cytochromes c to beef cytochrome c oxidase (ferrocytochrome c: oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.9.3.1) and yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (ferricytochrome c: hydrogen-peroxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.5) on their circular dichroism spectra were determined. The binding to cytochrome oxidase results in a positive increase in the ellipticities of the positive and negative Cotton effects at 404 nm and 417 nm of cytochrome c. The horse, human, and rat cytochromes c display less of an increase in the ellipticity of the positive Cotton effect at 404 nm, but more of a positive change in the negative Cotton effect at 417 nm than the C. krusei or D. melanogaster proteins. Interaction with yeast cytochrome c peroxidase elicits only a positive change in the ellipticity of the positive Cotton effect at 404 nm. No significant change is observed in the negative Cotton effect at 417 nm. Rat cytochrome c variants with a phenylalanine in place of tyrosine-67 and/or an alanine in place of proline-30 all display circular dichroism spectral changes upon binding to cytochrome c oxidase or cytochrome c peroxidase identical to those of the unaltered protein. The increase in ellipticity at 404 nm upon binding occurs even though replacement of tyrosine-67 results in the loss of the positive Cotton effect at this position. Polyglutamate and phosvitin complexes of cytochrome c show changes in the circular dichroism spectrum similar to those observed with cytochrome c peroxidase. However, the magnitudes of the spectral changes were considerably less. A model is proposed in which the main cause of the circular dichroism spectral changes observed upon complexation arise from the exclusion of solvent from the exposed front heme edge. According to this model, the exclusion of solvent changes the relative asymmetry of the environment of the electronic transitions of the heme prosthetic group of cytochrome c, resulting in observed circular dichroic effects.

Stern-volmer in reverse: 2:1 stoichiometry of the cytochrome c-cytochrome c peroxidase electron-transfer complex

A reverse protocol for measurements of molecular binding and reactivity by excited-state quenching has been developed in which the quencher, held at a fixed concentration, is titrated by a photoexcitable probe molecule whose decay is monitored. The binding stoichiometries, affinities, and reactivities of the electron-transfer complexes between cytochrome c (Cc) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) were determined over a wide range of ionic strengths (4.5 to 118 millimolar) by the study of photoinduced electron-transfer quenching of the triplet excited state of zinc-substituted Cc (ZnCc) by Fe3+CcP. The 2:1 stoichiometry seen for the binding of Cc to CcP at low ionic strength persists at the physiologically relevant ionic strengths and likely has functional significance. Analysis of the stoichiometric binding and rate constants confirms that one surface domain of CcP binds Cc with a high affinity but with poor electron-transfer quenching of triplet-state ZnCc, whereas a second binds weakly but with a high rate of electron-transfer quenching.

Oxidation of ferrocytochrome c by lignin peroxidase

We demonstrate direct oxidation of ferrocytochrome c by lignin peroxidase (LiP) from the lignin-degrading basidiomycete, Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Steady-state kinetic data fit a peroxidase ping-pong mechanism rather than an ordered bi-bi ping-pong mechanism, suggesting that the reductions of LiP compounds I and II by ferrocytochrome c are irreversible. The pH dependence of the overall reaction apparently is controlled by two factors, the pH dependence of the electron-transfer rate and the pH dependence of enzyme inactivation in the presence of H2O2. In the presence of 100 microM H2O2, veratryl alcohol (VA) significantly enhanced cytochrome c oxidation at pH 3.0 but had little effect above pH 4.5. In the presence of < 10 microM H2O2, the stimulating effect of VA on the reaction is greatly diminished. As with cytochrome c peroxidase reactions, LiP oxidation of ferrocytochrome c decreased as the ionic strength increased, implying the involvement of electrostatic interactions between the polymeric substrate and enzyme. The reaction product ferricytochrome c inhibited VA oxidation by LiP in a noncompetitive manner, suggesting that cytochrome c binds to LiP at a site different from the small aromatic substrate binding site. Recent crystallographic studies show that the heme is buried in the LiP protein and unavailable for direct interaction with polymeric substrates, suggesting that electron transfer from ferrocytochrome c to LiP occurs over a relatively long range. The role of VA in this electron-transfer reaction is discussed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Structural dynamics in an electron-transfer complex

The dynamic behaviour of the complex of horse cytochrome c with cytochrome c peroxidase, an electron-transfer complex, was studied in solution by a hydrogen exchange labelling method together with two-dimensional NMR analysis. Although cytochrome c hydrogens in the expected binding region exhibit slowed exchange, the measured slowing factors are very small, indicating that hydrogen-exchange occurs with little hindrance from within the binding interface. The complex in solution must therefore be highly mobile rather than rigidly defined, as implied by the crystalline complex. This result is in conflict with the concept that biological electron transfer occurs by way of predetermined covalent pathways.

Use of laser flash photolysis time-resolved spectrophotometry to investigate interprotein and intraprotein electron transfer mechanisms

A description is given of the methodology developed in our laboratory for the application of laser flash photolysis to the elucidation of the kinetics and mechanism of electron transfer processes which occur intermolecularly between two protein molecules within a collisional complex, or intramolecularly between two redox centers within a single multisubunit or multidomain protein. This involves the use of flavin analogs, excited to their lowest triplet state by a laser flash, to initiate electron transfer, either by oxidation of a sacrificial donor followed by redox protein reduction via the flavin semiquinone, or by direct oxidation of a reduced redox protein by the flavin triplet. Time-resolved spectrophotometry is used to follow the course of the sequence of electron transfer events initiated by the laser flash. The application of this methodology to the following systems is described: cytochrome c/cytochrome c peroxidase; ferredoxin/ferredoxin NADP+ reductase; cytochrome c/plastocyanin; flavocytochrome b2; and sulfite oxidase.

Species-specific differences in covalently crosslinked complexes of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase with horse and yeast iso-1 ferricytochromes c

1. The results of chemically crosslinking yeast cytochrome c peroxidase with both horse and yeast iso-1 ferricytochromes c have been studied by a combination of gel electrophoresis and proton NMR spectroscopy. 2. The complexes were formed at a variety of potassium phosphate concentrations ranging from 10 to 300 mM using the water soluble crosslinking agent, EDC (1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-carbodiimide). 3. The primary crosslinking product in both cases is the 1:1 covalent complex, but, for each pair of partner proteins the yield of the 1:1 crosslinked complex varies with the salt concentration. 4. Furthermore, at low salt concentrations the yield of the 1:1 covalent complex involving horse cytochrome c is much larger than the yield of the 1:1 covalent complex formed with yeast iso-1 cytochrome c, whereas at high salt concentrations the situation is reversed. 5. Proton NMR spectroscopy, in combination with gel electrophoresis, provides evidence for the formation of different types of 1:1 complexes for the peroxidase/yeast cytochrome c pair and has been used to study the effect of changes in the solution ionic strength upon both the peroxidases/horse cytochrome c and the peroxidase/yeast cytochrome c complexes. 6. This work indicates that electrostatic interactions between proteins play a dominant role in formation of complexes between cytochrome c peroxidase and horse ferricytochrome c, whereas the hydrophobic effect plays a comparatively larger role in stabilizing complexes between cytochrome c peroxidase and yeast iso-1 ferricytochrome c.

Effects of surface amino acid replacements in cytochrome c peroxidase on intracomplex electron transfer from cytochrome c

Transient absorption techniques were used to measure the intracomplex electron transfer rates between four recombinant yeast cytochrome c peroxidases and iso-1 cytochrome c (cytc). The binding affinities and catalytic activities with cytc were previously examined [Corin et al. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 11585]. The four include a wild-type peroxidase (ECcP) and three others, each of which has one surface aspartic acid converted to lysine at position 37, 79, or 217. These sites have been suggested to be within or proximal to the recognition site for cytc. These mutants conduct electron transfer with cytc but differ with respect to the ionic strength profiles of their limiting rate constants. At pH and mu = 114 mM, ECcP and D217K show similar limiting rate constants for electron transfer with cytc, k(lim), of ca. 2000 s-1. In the same peroxidase concentration range, the D37K mutant exhibits a k(obs) of ca. 100 s-1. Instability of the compound I form of D79K prevented a complete study of the intracomplex kinetics of this mutant by this technique. At pH 6 and low ionic strength (8 mM), D37K exhibits a dramatic increase in k(obs) to ca. 800 s-1 while the other two recombinants show a marked decrease to values < 150 s-1. D37K displays much lower affinity for cytc than do the other peroxidases at higher ionic strengths [Hake et al. (1992) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114, 5442], thus preventing adequate complexation necessary for efficient electron transfer. Variations in binding affinity do not explain the more subtle ionic strength kinetic profile observed for D217K.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Laser flash photolysis studies of the kinetics of reduction of ferredoxins and ferredoxin-NADP+ reductases from Anabaena PCC 7119 and spinach: electrostatic effects on intracomplex electron transfer

The influence of electrostatic forces on the formation of, and electron transfer within, transient complexes between redox proteins was examined by comparing ionic strength effects on the kinetics of the electron transfer reaction between reduced ferredoxins (Fd) and oxidized ferredoxin-NADP+ reductases (FNR) from Anabaena and from spinach, using laser flash photolysis techniques. With the Anabaena proteins, direct reduction by laser-generated flavin semiquinone of the FNR component was inhibited by complex formation at low ionic strength, whereas Fd reduction was not. The opposite results were obtained with the spinach system. These observations clearly indicate structural differences between the cyanobacterial and higher plant complexes. For the complex formed by the Anabaena proteins, the results indicate that electrostatic forces are not a major contributor to complex stability. However, the rate constant for intracomplex electron transfer had a biphasic dependence on ionic strength, suggesting that structural rearrangements within the transient complex facilitate electron transfer. In contrast to the Anabaena complex, electrostatic forces are important for the stabilization of the spinach Fd:FNR complex, and changes in ionic strength had little effect on the limiting rate constant for intracomplex electron transfer. This suggests that in this case the geometry of the initial collisional complex is optimal for reaction. These results provide a clear illustration of the differing roles that electrostatic interactions may play in controlling electron transfer between two redox proteins.

Proton-NMR studies of the effects of ionic strength and pH on the hyperfine-shifted resonances and phenylalanine-82 environment of three species of mitochondrial ferricytochrome c

Ferricytochromes c from three species (horse, tuna, yeast) display sensitivity to variations in solution ionic strength or pH that is manifested in significant changes in the proton NMR spectra of these proteins. Irradiation of the heme 3-CH3 resonances in the proton NMR spectra of tuna, horse and yeast iso-1 ferricytochromes c is shown to give NOE connectivities to the phenyl ring protons of Phe82 as well as to the beta-CH2 protons of this residue. This method was used to probe selectively the Phe82 spin systems of the three cytochromes c under a variety of solution conditions. This phenylalanine residue has previously been shown to be invariant in all mitochondrial cytochromes c, located near the exposed heme edge in proximity to the heme 3-CH3, and may function as a mediator in electron transfer reactions [Louie, G. V., Pielak, G. J., Smith, M. & Brayer, G. D. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 7870-7876]. Ferricytochromes c from all three species undergo a small but specific structural rearrangement in the environment around the heme 3-CH3 group upon changing the solution conditions from low to high ionic strength. This structural change involves a decrease in the distance between the Phe82 beta-CH2 group and the heme 3-CH3 substituent. In addition, studies of the effect of pH on the 1H-NMR spectrum of yeast iso-1 ferricytochrome c show that the heme 3-CH3 proton resonance exhibits a pH-dependent shift with an apparent pK in the range of 6.0-7.0. The chemical shift change of the yeast iso-1 ferricytochrome c heme 3-CH3 resonance is not accompanied by an increase in the linewidth as previously described for horse ferricytochrome c [Burns, P. D. & La Mar, G. N. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 4934-4939]. These spectral changes are interpreted as arising from an ionization of His33 near the C-terminus. In general, the larger spectral changes observed for the resonances in the vicinity of the heme 3-CH3 group in yeast iso-1 ferricytochrome c with changes in solution conditions, relative to the tuna and horse proteins, suggest that the region around Phe82 is more open and that movement of the Phe82 residue is less constrained in yeast ferricytochrome c. Finally, it is demonstrated here that both the heme 8-CH3 and the 7 alpha-CH resonances of yeast ferricytochrome c titrate with p2H and exhibit apparent pK values of approximately 7.0. The titrating group responsible for these spectral changes is proposed to be His39.

Cytochrome c peroxidase catalyzed oxidation of ferrocytochrome c by hydrogen peroxide: ionic strength dependence of the steady-state rate parameters

The steady-state kinetics of the cytochrome c peroxidase catalyzed oxidation of horse heart ferrocytochrome c by hydrogen peroxide have been studied at both pH 7.0 and pH 7.5 as a function of ionic strength. Plots of the initial velocity versus hydrogen peroxide concentration at fixed cytochrome c are hyperbolic. The limiting slope at low hydrogen peroxide give apparent bimolecular rate constants for the cytochrome c peroxidase-hydrogen peroxide reaction identical with those determined directly by stopped-flow techniques. Plots of the initial velocity versus cytochrome c concentration at saturating hydrogen peroxide (200 microM) are nonhyperbolic. The rate expression requires squared terms in cytochrome c concentration. The maximum turnover rate of the enzyme is independent of ionic strength, with values of 470 +/- 50 s-1 and 290 +/- 30 s-1 at pH 7.0 and 7.5, respectively. The limiting slope of velocity versus cytochrome c concentration plots provides a lower limit for the association rate constant between cytochrome c and the oxidized intermediates of cytochrome c peroxidase. The limiting slope varies from 10(6) M-1 s-1 at 300 mM ionic strength to 10(8) M-1 s-1 at 20 mM ionic strength and extrapolates to 5 x 10(8) M-1 s-1 at zero ionic strength. The data are discussed in terms of both a two-binding-site mechanism and a single-binding-site, multiple-pathway mechanism.

Site-directed mutagenesis of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase shows histidine 181 is not required for oxidation of ferrocytochrome c

The long-distance electron transfer observed in the complex formed between ferrocytochrome c and compound I, the peroxide-oxidized form of cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP), has been proposed to occur through the participation of His 181 of CCP and Phe 87 of yeast iso-1 cytochrome c [Poulos, T. L., & Kraut, J. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 10322-10330]. We have examined the role of His 181 of CCP in this process through characterization of a mutant CCP in which His 181 has been replaced by glycine through site-directed mutagenesis. Data from single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, as well as the visible spectra of the mutant CCP and its 2-equiv oxidation product, compound I, show that at pH 6.0 the protein is not dramatically altered by the His 181----Gly mutation. The rate of peroxide-dependent oxidation of ferrocytochrome c by the mutant CCP is reduced only 2-fold relative to that of the parental CCP, under steady-state conditions. Transient kinetic measurements of the intracomplex electron transfer rate from ferrous cytochrome c to compound I indicate that the rate of electron transfer within the transiently formed complex at high ionic strength (mu = 114 mM, pH = 6) is also reduced by approximately 2-fold in the mutant CCP protein. The relatively minor effect of the loss of the imidazole side chain at position 181 on the kinetics of electron transfer in the CCP-cytochrome c complex precludes an obligatory participation of His 181 in electron transfer from ferrous cytochrome c to compound I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hydrogen Peroxide Metabolism in Yeasts

A catalase-negative mutant of the yeast Hansenula polymorpha consumed methanol in the presence of glucose when the organism was grown in carbon-limited chemostat cultures. The organism was apparently able to decompose the H 2 O 2 generated in the oxidation of methanol by alcohol oxidase. Not only H 2 O 2 generated intracellularly but also H 2 O 2 added extracellularly was effectively destroyed by the catalase-negative mutant. From the rate of H 2 O 2 consumption during growth in chemostat cultures on mixtures of glucose and H 2 O 2 , it appeared that the mutant was capable of decomposing H 2 O 2 at a rate as high as 8 mmol · g of cells −1 · h −1 . Glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) was absent under all growth conditions. However, cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP; EC 1.11.1.5) increased to very high levels in cells which decomposed H 2 O 2 . When wild-type H. polymorpha was grown on mixtures of glucose and methanol, the CCP level was independent of the rate of methanol utilization, whereas the level of catalase increased with increasing amounts of methanol in the substrate feed. Also, the wild type decomposed H 2 O 2 at a high rate when cells were grown on mixtures of glucose and H 2 O 2 . In this case, an increase of both CCP and catalase was observed. When Saccharomyces cerevisiae was grown on mixtures of glucose and H 2 O 2 , the level of catalase remained low, but CCP increased with increasing rates of H 2 O 2 utilization. From these observations and an analysis of cell yields under the various conditions, two conclusions can be drawn. (i) CCP is a key enzyme of H 2 O 2 detoxification in yeasts. (ii) Catalase can effectively compete with mitochondrial CCP for hydrogen peroxide only if hydrogen peroxide is generated at the site where catalase is located, namely in the peroxisomes.

Brownian dynamics of cytochrome c and cytochrome c peroxidase association

Brownian dynamics computer simulations of the diffusional association of electron transport proteins cytochrome c (cyt c) and cytochrome c peroxidase (cyt c per) were performed. A highly detailed and realistic model of the protein structures and their electrostatic interactions was used that was based on an atomic-level spatial description. Several structural features played a role in enhancing and optimizing the electron transfer efficiency of this reaction. Favorable electrostatic interactions facilitated long-lived nonspecific encounters between the proteins that allowed the severe orientational criteria for reaction to be overcome by rotational diffusion during encounters. Thus a "reduction-in-dimensionality" effect operated. The proteins achieved plausible electron transfer orientations in a multitude of electrostatically stable encounter complexes, rather than in a single dominant complex.

Kinetics of intracomplex electron transfer and of reduction of the components of covalent and noncovalent complexes of cytochrome c and cytochrome c peroxidase by free flavin semiquinones

The kinetics of reduction of free flavin semiquinones of the individual components of 1:1 covalent and electrostatic complexes of yeast ferric and ferryl cytochrome c peroxidase and ferric horse cytochrome c have been studied. Covalent cross-linking between the peroxidase and cytochrome c at low ionic strength results in a complex that has kinetic properties both similar to and different from those of the electrostatic complex. Whereas the cytochrome c heme exposure to exogenous reductants is similar in both complexes, the apparent electrostatic environment near the cytochrome c heme edge is markedly different. In the electrostatic complex, a net positive charge is present, whereas in the covalent complex, an essentially neutral electrostatic charge is found. Intracomplex electron transfer within the two complexes is also different. For the covalent complex, electron transfer from ferrous cytochrome c to the ferryl peroxidase has a rate constant of 1560 s-1, which is invariant with respect to changes in the ionic strength. The rate constant for intracomplex electron transfer within the electrostatic complex is highly ionic strength dependent. At mu = 8 mM a value of 750 s-1 has been obtained [Hazzard, J. T., Poulos, T. L., & Tollin, G. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 2836-2848], whereas at mu = 30 mM the value is 3300 s-1. This ionic strength dependency for the electrostatic complex has been interpreted in terms of the rearrangement of the two proteins comprising the complex to a more favorable orientation for electron transfer. In the case of the covalent complex, such reorientation is apparently impeded.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Formation of electrostatically-stabilized complex at low ionic strength inhibits interprotein electron transfer between yeast cytochrome c and cytochrome c peroxidase

Electron transfer from yeast ferrous cytochrome c to H2O2-oxidized yeast cytochrome c peroxidase has been studied using flash photoreduction methods. At low ionic strength (mu less than 10 mM), where a strong complex is formed between cytochrome c and peroxidase, electron transfer occurs rather slowly (k approximately 200s-1). However, at high ionic strength where the electrostatic complex is largely dissociated, the observed first-order rate constant for peroxidase reduction increases significantly reaching a concentration independent limit of k approximately 1500 s-1. Thus, at least in some cases, formation of an electrostatically-stabilized complex can actually impede electron transfer between proteins.

Binding of horse heart cytochrome c to yeast porphyrin cytochrome c peroxidase: a fluorescence quenching study on the ionic strength dependence of the interaction

The binding of horse heart cytochrome c to yeast cytochrome c peroxidase in which the heme group was replaced by protoporphyrin IX was determined by a fluorescence quenching technique. The association between ferricytochrome c and cytochrome c peroxidase was investigated at pH 6.0 in cacodylate/KNO3 buffers. Ionic strength was varied between 3.5 mM and 1.0 M. No binding occurs at 1.0 M ionic strength although there was a substantial decrease in fluorescence intensity due to the inner filter effect. After correcting for the inner filter effect, significant quenching of porphyrin cytochrome c peroxidase fluorescence by ferricytochrome c was observed at 0.1 M ionic strength and below. The quenching could be described by 1:1 complex formation between the two proteins. Values of the equilibrium dissociation constant determined from the fluorescence quenching data are in excellent agreement with those determined previously for the native enzyme-ferricytochrome c complex at pH 6.0 by difference spectrophotometry (J. E. Erman and L. B. Vitello (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 225, 6224-6227). The binding of both ferri- and ferrocytochrome c to cytochrome c peroxidase was investigated at pH 7.5 as functions of ionic strength in phosphate/KNO3 buffers using the fluorescence quenching technique. The binding in independent of the redox state of cytochrome c between 10 and 20 mM ionic strength, but ferricytochrome c binds with greater affinity at 30 mM ionic strength and above.