Elucidation of the differences between the 430- and 455-nm absorbing forms of P450-isocyanide adducts by resonance Raman spectroscopy

The synthesis, characterization, and application of ¹³C-methyl isocyanide as an NMR probe of heme protein active sites

The cytochromes P450 (CYPs) play a central role in a variety of important biological oxidations, such as steroid synthesis and the metabolism of xenobiotic compounds, including most drugs. Because CYPs are frequently assayed as drug targets or as anti-targets, tools that provide confirmation of active-site binding and information on binding orientation would be of great utility. Of greatest value are assays that are reasonably high throughput. Other heme proteins, too-such as the nitric oxide synthases (NOSs), with their importance in signaling, regulation of blood pressure, and involvement in the immune response-often display critical roles in the complex functions of many higher organisms, and also require improved assay methods. To this end, we have developed an analog of cyanide, with a (13)CH3-reporter group attached to make methyl isocyanide. We describe the synthesis and use of (13)C-methyl isocyanide as a probe of both bacterial (P450cam) and membrane-bound mammalian (CYP2B4) CYPs. The (13)C-methyl isocyanide probe can be used in a relatively high-throughput 1-D experiment to identify binders, but it can also be used to detect structural changes in the active site based on chemical shift changes, and potentially nuclear Overhauser effects between probe and inhibitor.

Cytochrome P450 is present in both ferrous and ferric forms in the resting state within intact Escherichia coli and hepatocytes

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) are exceptionally versatile monooxygenases, mediating hydroxylations of unactivated C-H bonds, epoxidations, dealkylations, and N- and S-oxidations as well as other less common reactions. In the conventional view of the catalytic cycle, based upon studies of P450s in vitro, substrate binding to the Fe(III) resting state facilitates the first 1-electron reduction of the heme. However, the resting state of P450s in vivo has not been examined. In the present study, whole cell difference spectroscopy of bacterial (CYP101A1 and CYP176A1, i.e. P450cam and P450cin) and mammalian (CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2A6, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4) P450s expressed within intact Escherichia coli revealed that both Fe(III) and Fe(II) forms of the enzyme are present in the absence of substrates. The relevance of this finding was supported by similar observations of Fe(II) P450 heme in intact rat hepatocytes. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of the bacterial forms in intact cells showed that a proportion of the P450 in cells was in an EPR-silent form in the native state consistent with the presence of Fe(II) P450. Coexpression of suitable cognate electron donors increased the degree of endogenous reduction to over 80%. A significant proportion of intracellular P450 remained in the Fe(II) form after vigorous aeration of cells. The addition of substrates increased the proportion of Fe(II) heme, suggesting a kinetic gate to heme reduction in the absence of substrate. In summary, these observations suggest that the resting state of P450s should be regarded as a mixture of Fe(III) and Fe(II) forms in both aerobic and oxygen-limited conditions.

Spectroscopic features of cytochrome P450 reaction intermediates

Cytochromes P450 constitute a broad class of heme monooxygenase enzymes with more than 11,500 isozymes which have been identified in organisms from all biological kingdoms [1]. These enzymes are responsible for catalyzing dozens chemical oxidative transformations such as hydroxylation, epoxidation, N-demethylation, etc., with very broad range of substrates [2,3]. Historically these enzymes received their name from 'pigment 450' due to the unusual position of the Soret band in UV-vis absorption spectra of the reduced CO-saturated state [4,5]. Despite detailed biochemical characterization of many isozymes, as well as later discoveries of other 'P450-like heme enzymes' such as nitric oxide synthase and chloroperoxidase, the phenomenological term 'cytochrome P450' is still commonly used as indicating an essential spectroscopic feature of the functionally active protein which is now known to be due to the presence of a thiolate ligand to the heme iron [6]. Heme proteins with an imidazole ligand such as myoglobin and hemoglobin as well as an inactive form of P450 are characterized by Soret maxima at 420nm [7]. This historical perspective highlights the importance of spectroscopic methods for biochemical studies in general, and especially for heme enzymes, where the presence of the heme iron and porphyrin macrocycle provides rich variety of specific spectroscopic markers available for monitoring chemical transformations and transitions between active intermediates of catalytic cycle.

13C-Methyl isocyanide as an NMR probe for cytochrome P450 active sites

The cytochromes P450 (CYPs) play a central role in many biologically important oxidation reactions, including the metabolism of drugs and other xenobiotic compounds. Because they are often assayed as both drug targets and anti-targets, any tools that provide: (a) confirmation of active site binding and (b) structural data, would be of great utility, especially if data could be obtained in reasonably high throughput. To this end, we have developed an analog of the promiscuous heme ligand, cyanide, with a (13)CH(3)-reporter attached. This (13)C-methyl isocyanide ligand binds to bacterial (P450cam) and membrane-bound mammalian (CYP2B4) CYPs. It can be used in a rapid 1D experiment to identify binders, and provides a qualitative measure of structural changes in the active site.

Resonance Raman studies of cytochrome P450 2B4 in its interactions with substrates and redox partners

Resonance Raman studies of P450 2B4 are reported for the substrate-free form and when bound to the substrates, benzphetamine (BZ) or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), the latter representing a substrate capable of inducing an especially effective conversion to the high-spin state. In addition to studies of the ferric resting state, spectra are acquired for the ferrous CO ligated form. Importantly, for the first time, the RR technique is effectively applied to interrogate the changes in active site structure induced by binding of cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) and Mn(III) cytochrome b 5 (Mn cyt b 5); the manganese derivative of cyt b 5 was employed to avoid spectroscopic interferences. The results, consistent with early work on mammalian P450s, demonstrate that substrate structure has minimal effects on heme structure or the FeCO fragment of the ferrous CO derivatives. Similarly, the data indicate that the protein is flexible and that substrate binding does not exert significant strain on the heme peripheral groups, in contrast to P450 cam, where substantial effects on heme peripheral groups are seen. However, significant differences are observed in the RR spectra of P450 2B4 when bound with the different redox partners, indicating that the heme structure is clearly sensitive to perturbations near the proximal heme binding site. The most substantial changes are displacements of the peripheral vinyl groups toward planarity with the heme macrocycle by cyt b 5 but away from planarity by CPR. These changes can have an impact on heme reduction potential. Most interestingly, these RR results support an earlier observation that the combination of benzphetamine and cyt b 5 binding produce a synergy leading to unique active site structural changes when both are bound.

Spectroscopic investigation of isonitrile complexes of ferric and ferrous microperoxidase 8

Microperoxidase 8 (MP8) is able to react with alkyl- and aryl-isonitriles (RNC) both in its reduced and oxidized states, to form MP8Fe(II)- and MP8Fe(III)-CNR complexes. The coordination and spin states of these complexes have been fully characterized by UV-visible and resonance Raman spectroscopies. Both MP8Fe(II)- and MP8Fe(III)-CNR complexes are hexacoordinate low-spin complexes, which bear a single RNC ligand on the distal face of the heme and keep the His 18 ligand on its proximal face, trans to the RNC ligand. A comparison of these characteristics with those of the Fe-CNR complexes of other hemoproteins suggests that both MP8Fe(II)- and MP8Fe(III)-CNR complexes present a Fe-C-N linear arrangement. This may be due to the lack of any interactions of the RNC ligand with the octapeptide of MP8 that is mainly located over the opposite face of the heme. Finally the formation of hexacoordinate low-spin MP8Fe(II)- and MP8Fe(III)-CNR complexes constitutes a new example of the reactivity of MP8 with a new class of weak sigma-donating and strong pi-accepting ligands, which adds to its already very rich coordination chemistry.