Electrochemistry of P450cin: new insights into P450 electron transfer

Electrochemistry of bacterial cytochrome P450cin (CYP176A) reveals that, unusually, substrate binding does not affect the heme redox potential, although a marked pH dependence is consistent with a coupled single electron/single proton transfer reaction in the range 6 < pH < 10.     

Oxygen activation and electron transfer in flavocytochrome P450 BM3

In flavocytochrome P450 BM3, there is a conserved phenylalanine residue at position 393 (Phe393), close to Cys400, the thiolate ligand to the heme. Substitution of Phe393 by Ala, His, Tyr, and Trp has allowed us to modulate the reduction potential of the heme, while retaining the structural integrity of the enzyme's active site. Substrate binding triggers electron transfer in P450 BM3 by inducing a shift from a low- to high-spin ferric heme and a 140 mV increase in the heme reduction potential. Kinetic analysis of the mutants indicated that the spin-state shift alone accelerates the rate of heme reduction (the rate determining step for overall catalysis) by 200-fold and that the concomitant shift in reduction potential is only responsible for a modest 2-fold rate enhancement. The second step in the P450 catalytic cycle involves binding of dioxygen to the ferrous heme. The stabilities of the oxy-ferrous complexes in the mutant enzymes were also analyzed using stopped-flow kinetics. These were found to be surprisingly stable, decaying to superoxide and ferric heme at rates of 0.01-0.5 s(-)(1). The stability of the oxy-ferrous complexes was greater for mutants with higher reduction potentials, which had lower catalytic turnover rates but faster heme reduction rates. The catalytic rate-determining step of these enzymes can no longer be the initial heme reduction event but is likely to be either reduction of the stabilized oxy-ferrous complex, i.e., the second flavin to heme electron transfer or a subsequent protonation event. Modulating the reduction potential of P450 BM3 appears to tune the two steps in opposite directions; the potential of the wild-type enzyme appears to be optimized to maximize the overall rate of turnover. The dependence of the visible absorption spectrum of the oxy-ferrous complex on the heme reduction potential is also discussed.     

Gold sputtered electrode surfaces enhance direct electron transfer reactions of human cytochrome P450s

We immobilized human cytochrome P450 (CYP), a membrane-bound enzyme, onto both smooth and nanostructured surfaces of gold electrodes via a naphthalene thiolate monolayer film. Rapid electron transfer of CYP with an electrode as a redox partner took place when the enzyme was immobilized onto an electrode surface with nanostructures. This structure was easily prepared by conventional sputtering techniques. A well-defined pair of peaks was observed at ? 0.175 V (vs. SHE) with the largest heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant of 340 s^? 1 for human CYP. The positive redox potential shift of 45 mV upon drug (testosterone) binding was clearly detected, which corresponded to a change in the spin states of heme iron in CYP. The present study showed that gold sputtered surfaces are very useful for direct electron transfer reactions of human CYP isoforms.     

Cytochrome P450 Mediated Cyclization in Eunicellane Derived Diterpenoid Biosynthesis**

Terpene cyclization, one of the most complex chemical reactions in nature, is generally catalyzed by two classes of terpene cyclases (TCs). Cytochrome P450s that act as unexpected TC-like enzymes are known but are very rare. In this study, we genome-mined a cryptic bacterial terpenoid gene cluster, named ari, from the thermophilic actinomycete strain Amycolatopsis arida. By employing a heterologous production system, we isolated and characterized three highly oxidized eunicellane derived diterpenoids, aridacins A−C ( 1 – 3 ), that possess a 6/7/5-fused tricyclic scaffold. In vivo and in vitro experiments systematically established a noncanonical two-step biosynthetic pathway for diterpene skeleton formation. First, a class I TC (AriE) cyclizes geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) into a 6/10-fused bicyclic cis-eunicellane skeleton. Next, a cytochrome P450 (AriF) catalyzes cyclization of the eunicellane skeleton into the 6/7/5-fused tricyclic scaffold through C2−C6 bond formation. Based on the results of quantum chemical computations, hydrogen abstraction followed by electron transfer coupled to barrierless carbocation ring closure is shown to be a viable mechanism for AriF-mediated cyclization. The biosynthetic logic of skeleton construction in the aridacins is unprecedented, expanding the catalytic capacity and diversity of P450s and setting the stage to investigate the inherent principles of carbocation generation by P450s in the biosynthesis of terpenoids.     

Synthesis of oxygenated cineole derivatives from cineole: utility of cytochrome P450cin as an enantioselective catalyst

The oxidation of cineole to (1R)-6β-hydroxycineole by cytochrome P450_cin (CYP176A) is utilised as the initial step in the synthesis of a range of compounds, both novel and ones previously known only as racemates. The potential of P450_cin to provide useful, enantiopure building blocks is thus demonstrated. In particular, hydroxylation by this enzyme was used as the initial step in the synthesis of a range of functionalised cineole derivatives that could be used as mechanistic probes to elucidate the effect of substrate structure on the transformations mediated by P450_cin.     

支持向量机与KStar模型预测细胞色素P450酶催化的氧脱烃反应

分别以支持向量机(SVM)和KStar方法为基础, 构建了代谢产物的分子形状判别和代谢反应位点判别的嵌套预测模型. 分子形状判别模型是以272个分子为研究对象, 计算了包括分子拓扑、二维自相关、几何结构等在内的1280个分子描述符, 考查了支持向量机、决策树、贝叶斯网络、k最近邻这四种机器学习方法建立分类预测模型的准确性. 结果表明, 支持向量机优于其他方法, 此模型可用于预测分子能否被细胞色素P450酶催化发生氧脱烃反应. 代谢反应位点判别模型以538个氧脱烃反应代谢位点为研究对象, 计算了表征原子能量、价态、电荷等26个量子化学特征, 比较了决策树、贝叶斯网络、KStar、人工神经网络建模的准确率. 结果显示, KStar模型的准确率、敏感性、专一性均在90%以上, 对分子形状判别模型筛选出的分子, 此模型能较好地判断出哪个C―O键发生断裂. 本文以15个代谢反应明确的中药分子为验证集, 验证模型准确性, 研究结果表明基于SVM和KStar的嵌套预测模型具有一定的准确性, 有助于开展中药分子氧脱烃代谢产物的预测研究.     

Cytochrome P450-catalyzed oxidation of N-benzyl-N-cyclopropylamine generates both cyclopropanone hydrate and 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde via hydrogen abstraction, not single electron transfer

The suicide substrate activity of N-benzyl-N-cyclopropylamine (1) and N-benzyl-N-(1'-methylcyclopropyl)amine (2) toward cytochrome P450 and other enzymes has been explained by a mechanism involving single electron transfer (SET) oxidation, followed by ring-opening of the aminium radical cation (protonated aminyl radical) and reaction with the P450 active site. Although the SET oxidation of N-cyclopropyl-N-methylaniline (3) by horseradish peroxidase leads exclusively to ring-opened (non-cyclopropyl) products, P450 oxidation of 3 leads to formation of cyclopropanone hydrate and no ring-opened products, and 3 does not inactivate P450. To help reconcile these discrepant behaviors we have determined the complete metabolic fate of 1 with P450 in vitro. 3-Hydroxypropionaldehyde (3HP), the presumptive "signature metabolite" for SET oxidation of a cyclopropylamine, was observed for the first time in 57% yield, along with cyclopropanone hydrate (34%), cyclopropylamine (9%), benzaldehyde (6%), benzyl alcohol (12%), and benzaldoxime (19%). Unexpectedly, N-benzyl-N-cyclopropyl-N-methylamine (4) was found not to inactivate P450 and not to give rise to 3HP as a metabolite without first undergoing oxidative N-demethylation to 1. These and other observations argue against a role for SET mechanisms in the P450 oxidation of cyclopropylamines. We suggest that a conventional hydrogen abstraction/hydroxyl recombination mechanism (or its equivalent as a one-step "insertion" mechanism) at C-H bonds in 1-4 leads to nonrearranged carbinolamine intermediates and thereby to "ordinary" N-dealkylation products including cyclopropanone hydrate. Alternatively, hydrogen abstraction at the N-H bond of secondary cyclopropylamines 1 gives a neutral aminyl radical which could undergo rapid ring-opening leading either to enzyme inactivation or 3HP formation.     

Proximal ligand electron donation and reactivity of the cytochrome P450 ferric-peroxo anion

CYP125 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis catalyzes sequential oxidation of the cholesterol side-chain terminal methyl group to the alcohol, aldehyde, and finally acid. Here, we demonstrate that CYP125 simultaneously catalyzes the formation of five other products, all of which result from deformylation of the sterol side chain. The aldehyde intermediate is shown to be the precursor of both the conventional acid metabolite and the five deformylation products. The acid arises by protonation of the ferric-peroxo anion species and formation of the ferryl-oxene species, also known as Compound I, followed by hydrogen abstraction and oxygen transfer. The deformylation products arise by addition of the same ferric-peroxo anion to the aldehyde intermediate to give a peroxyhemiacetal that leads to C-C bond cleavage. This bifurcation of the catalytic sequence has allowed us to examine the effect of electron donation by the proximal ligand on the properties of the ferric-peroxo anion. Replacement of the cysteine thiolate iron ligand by a selenocysteine results in UV-vis, EPR, and resonance Raman spectral changes indicative of an increased electron donation from the proximal selenolate ligand to the iron. Analysis of the product distribution in the reaction of the selenocysteine substituted enzyme reveals a gain in the formation of the acid (Compound I pathway) at the expense of deformylation products. These observations are consistent with an increase in the pK(a) of the ferric-peroxo anion, which favors its protonation and, therefore, Compound I formation.     

Mediated electron transfer of cellobiose dehydrogenase and glucose oxidase at osmium polymer-modified nanoporous gold electrodes

Nanoporous and planar gold electrodes were utilised as supports for the redox enzymes Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase (GOx) and Corynascus thermophilus cellobiose dehydrogenase (CtCDH). Electrodes modified with hydrogels containing enzyme, Os-redox polymers and the cross-linking agent poly(ethylene glycol)diglycidyl ether were used as biosensors for the determination of glucose and lactose. Limits of detection of 6.0 (±0.4), 16.0 (±0.1) and 2.0 (±0.1) μM were obtained for CtCDH-modified lactose and glucose biosensors and GOx-modified glucose biosensors, respectively, at nanoporous gold electrodes. Biofuel cells composed of GOx- and CtCDH-modified gold electrodes were utilised as anodes, together with Myrothecium verrucaria bilirubin oxidase (MvBOD) or Melanocarpus albomyces laccase as cathodes, in biofuel cells. A maximum power density of 41 μW/cm² was obtained for a CtCDH/MvBOD biofuel cell in 5 mM lactose and O₂-saturated buffer (pH 7.4, 0.1 M phosphate, 150 mM NaCl).     

P450 fingerprinting method for rapid discovery of terpene hydroxylating P450 catalysts with diversified regioselectivity

Engineered P450 enzymes constitute attractive catalysts for the selective oxidation of unactivated C-H bonds in complex molecules. A current bottleneck in the use of P450 catalysis for chemical synthesis is the time and effort required to identify the P450 variant(s) with the desired level of activity and selectivity. In this report, we describe a method to map the active site configuration of engineered P450 variants in high throughput using a set of semisynthetic chromogenic probes. Through analysis of the resulting 'fingerprints', reliable predictions can be made regarding the reactivity of these enzymes toward complex substrates structurally related to the fingerprint probes. In addition, fingerprint analysis offers a convenient and time-effective means to assess the regioselectivity properties of the fingerprinted P450s. The described approach can represent a valuable tool to expedite the discovery of P450 oxidation catalysts for the functionalization of relevant natural products such as members of the terpene family.     

QM/MM and MD Studies of the First Proton Transfer for O_2 Activation in the Catalytic Cycle of Cytochrome P450cin

P450 cin(CYP176 A1) isolated from Citrobacter braakii is a biodegradation enzyme that catalyzes the enantiospecific conversion of 1,8-cineole to(1 R)-6β-hydroxycineole. In many P450 family members the mechanism of proton delivery for O_2 activation is proposed to require a conserved acid-alcohol dyad in the active area, while P450 cin has no such residue with alcohol but asparagine instead. In the present work, the mechanism of the first proton transfer of O_2 activation in P450 cin has been investigated by molecular dynamics(MD) and hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics(QM/MM) techniques. The MD simulation suggests there are two hydrogen bonding networks around the active site, one involving Asp241 and the other involving Glu356. According to our MD and QM/MM calculations, this Asp241 channel is proposed to be the energy accessible. MD results show that the hydrogen bonds around the substrate may contribute to regio-and stereo-oxidation of the substrate.     

Guanitrypmycin Biosynthetic Pathways Imply Cytochrome P450 Mediated Regio‐ and Stereospecific Guaninyl‐Transfer Reactions

Mining microbial genomes including those of Streptomyces reveals the presence of a large number of biosynthetic gene clusters. Unraveling this genetic potential has proved to be a useful approach for novel compound discovery. Here, we report the heterologous expression of two similar P450‐associated cyclodipeptide synthase‐containing gene clusters in Streptomyces coelicolor and identification of eight rare and novel natural products, the C3‐guaninyl indole alkaloids guanitrypmycins. Expression of different gene combinations proved that the cyclodipeptide synthases assemble cyclo‐l ‐Trp‐l ‐Phe and cyclo‐l ‐Trp‐l ‐Tyr, which are consecutively and regiospecifically modified by cyclodipeptide oxidases, cytochrome P450 enzymes, and N‐methyltransferases. In vivo and in vitro results proved that the P450 enzymes function as key biocatalysts and catalyze the regio‐ and stereospecific 3α‐guaninylation at the indole ring of the tryptophanyl moiety. Isotope‐exchange experiments provided evidence for the non‐enzymatic epimerization of the biosynthetic pathway products via keto–enol tautomerism. This post‐pathway modification during cultivation further increases the structural diversity of guanitrypmycins.     

Cytochrome P450 Database

Abstract

This paper describes a specialized database dedicated exclusively to the cytochrome P450 superfamily. The system provides the impression of superfamily's nomenclature and describes structure and function of different P450 enzymes. Information on P450-catalyzed reactions, substrate preferences, peculiarities of induction and inhibition is available through the database management system. Also the source genes and appropriate translated proteins can be retrieved together with corresponding literature references.

Developed programming solution provides the flexible interface for browsing, searching, grouping and reporting the information. Local version of database manager and required data files are distributed on a compact disk. Besides, there is a network version of the software available on Internet. The network version implies the original mechanism. which is useful for the permanent online extension of the data scope.     

An evaluation of molecular models of the cytochrome P450 Streptomyces griseolus enzymes P450SU1 and P450SU2

Summary P450SU1 and P450SU2 are herbicide-inducible bacterial cytochrome P450 enzymes from Streptomyces griseolus. They have two of the highest sequence identities to camphor hydroxylase (P450cam from Pseudomonas putida), the cytochrome P450 with the first known crystal structure. We have built several models of these two proteins to investigate the variability in the structures that can occur from using different modeling protocols. We looked at variability due to alignment methods, backbone loop conformations and refinement methods. We have constructed two models for each protein using two alignment algorithms, and then an additional model using an identical alignment but different loop conformations for both buried and surface loops. The alignments used to build the models were created using the Needleman-Wunsch method, adapted for multiple sequences, and a manual method that utilized both a dotmatrix search matrix and the Needleman-Wunsch method. After constructing the initial models, several energy minimization methods were used to explore the variability in the final models caused by the choice of minimization techniques. Features of cytochrome P450cam and the cytochrome P450 superfamily, such as the ferredoxin binding site, the heme binding site and the substrate binding site were used to evaluate the validity of the models. Although the final structures were very similar between the models with different alignments, active-site residues were found to be dependent on the conformations of buried loops and early stages of energy minimization. We show which regions of the active site are the most dependent on the particular methods used, and which parts of the structures seem to be independent of the methods.     

Reactions with electron transfer to N-acylheteroaromatic cations

The behavior of some benzoquinolines and imidazoles in reactions with acylating agents in the presence of zinc dust was investigated. The possibility of free-radical hetarylation under these conditions of organic compounds by the intermediately formed N-acylheteroaromatic radicals was established. The structure of 2,2-diacetyl-1,1,2,2-tetrahydro-1,1-diisoquinolyl was determined by means of x-ray diffraction analysis.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 229–237, February, 1977.     

Polarisation effects in electron transfer reactions with laser excited Na(3P) at medium energies

We report new experimental data for the investigation of the role of electronic orbital alignment and orientation in charge transfer processes, in the medium energy range where the collision velocityv _c and the velocity of the active electronv _e are of the same order of magnitude. The results obtained for the H ₂ ⁺ -Na(3p) and He⁺-Na(3p) collisions are discussed in comparison with the experimental and theoretical findings obtained for the H⁺-Na(3p) system. Recent time-of-flight measurements for charge transfer in Li⁺-Na(3s and 3p) collisions are also presented.