Lee CWZ, Mubarak MQE, Green AP, de Visser SP. How Does Replacement of the Axial Histidine Ligand in Cytochrome
c Peroxidase by N
δ-Methyl Histidine Affect Its Properties and Functions? A Computational Study.
Int J Mol Sci 2020;
21:ijms21197133. [PMID:
32992593 PMCID:
PMC7583937 DOI:
10.3390/ijms21197133]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Heme peroxidases have important functions in nature related to the detoxification of H2O2. They generally undergo a catalytic cycle where, in the first stage, the iron(III)-heme-H2O2 complex is converted into an iron(IV)-oxo-heme cation radical species called Compound I. Cytochrome c peroxidase Compound I has a unique electronic configuration among heme enzymes where a metal-based biradical is coupled to a protein radical on a nearby Trp residue. Recent work using the engineered Nδ-methyl histidine-ligated cytochrome c peroxidase highlighted changes in spectroscopic and catalytic properties upon axial ligand substitution. To understand the axial ligand effect on structure and reactivity of peroxidases and their axially Nδ-methyl histidine engineered forms, we did a computational study. We created active site cluster models of various sizes as mimics of horseradish peroxidase and cytochrome c peroxidase Compound I. Subsequently, we performed density functional theory studies on the structure and reactivity of these complexes with a model substrate (styrene). Thus, the work shows that the Nδ-methyl histidine group has little effect on the electronic configuration and structure of Compound I and little changes in bond lengths and the same orbital occupation is obtained. However, the Nδ-methyl histidine modification impacts electron transfer processes due to a change in the reduction potential and thereby influences reactivity patterns for oxygen atom transfer. As such, the substitution of the axial histidine by Nδ-methyl histidine in peroxidases slows down oxygen atom transfer to substrates and makes Compound I a weaker oxidant. These studies are in line with experimental work on Nδ-methyl histidine-ligated cytochrome c peroxidases and highlight how the hydrogen bonding network in the second coordination sphere has a major impact on the function and properties of the enzyme.
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