PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Paracoccus”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

Kinetics of oxidative phosphorylation in Paracoccus denitrificans. 1. Mechanism of ATP synthesis at the active site(s) of F0F1-ATPase.

(1) The rate of ATP synthesis during NADH-driven aerobic respiration has been measured in plasma membrane vesicles from Paracoccus denitrificans as a function of the concentration of the substrates, ADP and inorganic phosphate (Pi). In both cases, the response of the reaction to changes in the degree of saturation of the F0F1-ATPase generated a perfect Micaelian dependence which allowed the determination of the corresponding Michaelis constants, KmADP and KmPi. (2) These kinetic parameters possess a real mechanistic significance, as concluded from the partial reduction of the rate of phosphorylation by the energy-transfer inhibitor venturicidin and the consequent analysis of the results within the framework of the theory of metabolic control. (3) The same membrane vesicles, which catalyze very high rates of ATP synthesis, have been shown to support much lower rates of the exchange ATP in equilibrium Pi and negligible rates of ATP hydrolysis. Under similar conditions, the preparations are also capable of generating phosphorylation potentials, delta Gp, of 60-61 kJ.mol-1. (4) These properties have allowed analysis of the synthetic reaction in the presence of significant concentrations of the product, ATP, using integrated forms of the Michaelis-Menten rate equations. (5) It has been shown that ATP produces pure competitive product inhibition of the forward reaction with a value of KiATP = 16 +/- 1 microM, thus indicating that the affinity of the nucleotide for the active site(s) of the F0F1-ATPase, during net ATP synthesis, is significantly higher than previously thought. (6) The order of binding of the substrates, ADP and Pi, to the active site(s) has been determined as random. (7) At very low concentrations of ADP, a second and much smaller Michaelis constant for this substrate has been identified, with an estimated value of KmADP approximately equal to 50 nM, associated with a maximal rate of only 2% of that measured at a higher range of concentrations. (8) The results obtained are discussed in relation to the presence of two or three equivalent catalytic sites operating in the cooperative manner explicitly described by the binding change mechanism.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Kinetics of oxidative phosphorylation in Paracoccus denitrificans. 2. Evidence for a kinetic and thermodynamic modulation of F0F1-ATPase by the activity of the respiratory chain.

(1) The affinity of the F0F1-ATPase from Paracoccus denitrificans for ATP during NADH-driven oxidative phosphorylation has been analyzed under different conditions by examining the type and extent of product inhibition. (2) A limited collapse of the protonmotive force (delta p) due to partial uncoupling does not increase the affinity for ATP at the active site(s) of the enzyme; instead, a partial noncompetitive inhibition becomes apparent, compatible with the binding of ATP to a noncatalytic site (or sites) with high affinity. (3) In contrast, partial inhibition of the electron-transport chain increases the extent of pure competitive product inhibition and, therefore, the affinity for ATP at the active site(s). (4) The results are interpreted as indicative of a modulation of the rate of ATP release from the active site(s) of the F0F1-ATPase which is controlled by the activity of the electron-transport chain and not by delta p.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

pH-dependent semiquinone formation by methylamine dehydrogenase from Paracoccus denitrificans. Evidence for intermolecular electron transfer between quinone cofactors.

The quinonoid confactors of Paracoccus denitrificans methylamine dehydrogenase exhibited a pH-dependent redistribution of electrons from the 50% reduced plus 50% oxidized to the 100% semiquinone redox form. This phenomenon was only observed at pH values greater than 7.5. The semiquinone was not readily reduced by addition of methylamine, consistent with the view that this substrate donates two electrons at a time to each cofactor during catalysis. Once formed at pH 9.0, no change in redox state from 100% semiquinone was observed when the pH was shifted to 7.5, suggesting that the requirement of high pH was for formation and not stability of the semiquinone. The rate of semiquinone formation exhibited a first-order dependence on the concentration of methylamine dehydrogenase, indicating that this phenomenon was a bimolecular process involving intermolecular electron transfer between reduced and oxidized cofactors. The rate of semiquinone formation decreased with decreasing ionic strength, suggesting a role for hydrophobic interactions in facilitating electron transfer between methylamine dehydrogenase molecules. Methylamine dehydrogenase was covalently modified with norleucine methyl ester in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide (EDC). This modification did not affect the catalytic activity of the enzyme but greatly inhibited the intermolecular redistribution of electrons at high pH. This modification also prevented subsequent cross-linking by EDC of the large subunit of methylamine dehydrogenase to amicyanin, the natural electron acceptor for this enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bacterial Proteins↗

Resonance Raman spectra of cytochromes c and b in Paracoccus denitrificans membranes: evidence for heme--heme interactions.

Resonance Raman (RR) scattering from cytochromes b and c in the bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans was recorded by exciting with the 568.2-, 530.9-, and 520.8-nm lines of a Kr+ laser. The main features of the spectra were similar to those of the analogous cytochrome b-c1 complex derived from pigeon breast mitochondria. Differences in the 1300-cm-1 region were interpreted in terms of marker bands for heme type and spectral coupling of the hemes on the membranes. It is difficult to explain the results without invoking sharing of electronic and vibrational wave functions among the hemes. This conclusion documents the potential to study the physics of electron transport in functioning membrane by monitoring the RR spectra.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Charge translocation coupled to electron injection into oxidized cytochrome c oxidase from Paracoccus denitrificans.

Electrons were discretely injected into oxidized cytochrome c oxidase in liposomes by laser flash excitation of bound ruthenium [II] bispyridyl, and the membrane potential was recorded by time-resolved electrometry. Membrane potential is generated in a fast phase when an electron is transferred from the excited dye, via the CuA center, to heme a at a relative dielectric depth d inside the membrane [Zaslavsky, D., Kaulen, A. D., Smirnova, I. A., Vygodina, T., and Konstantinov, A. A. (1993) FEBS Lett. 336, 389-393]. Subsequently, membrane potential may develop further in a slower event, which is due to proton transfer into the enzyme from the opposite side of the membrane [Ruitenberg, M., Kannt, A., Bamberg, E., Ludwig, B., Michel, H., and Fendler, K. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 97, 4632-4636]. Here, we confirm that injection of the first electron into the fully oxidized cytochrome c oxidase from Paracoccus denitrificans is associated with a fast electrogenic 11 micros phase, but there is no further electrogenic phase up to 100 milliseconds when special care is taken to ensure that only fully oxidized enzyme is present initially. A slower electrogenic 135 micros phase only becomes apparent and grows in amplitude upon increasing the number of light flashes. This occurs in parallel with a decrease in amplitude of the 11 micros phase and correlates with the number of enzyme molecules that are already reduced by one electron before the flash. The electrogenic 135 micros phase does not appear with increasing flash number in the K354M mutant enzyme, where electron and proton transfer into the binuclear center is delayed. We conclude that the 135 micros phase, and its associated proton uptake, take place on electron injection into enzyme molecules where the binuclear heme a3-CuB site is already reduced by one electron, and that it is accompanied by oxidation of heme a with a similar time constant. Reduction of heme a is not associated with electrogenic proton uptake into the enzyme, neither in the fully oxidized nor in the one-electron-reduced enzyme. The extent of the electrogenic 135 micrcos phase also rules out the possibility that reduction of the binuclear center by the second electron would be coupled to proton translocation in addition to the electrogenic uptake of a proton.

Biological Transport, Active↗

Solution structure and dynamics of the functional domain of Paracoccus denitrificans cytochrome c(552) in both redox states.

A soluble and fully functional 10.5 kDa fragment of the 18.2 kDa membrane-bound cytochrome c(552) from Paracoccus denitrificans has been heterologously expressed and (13)C/(15)N-labeled to study the structural features of this protein in both redox states. Well-resolved solution structures of both the reduced and oxidized states have been determined using high-resolution heteronuclear NMR. The overall protein topology consists of two long terminal helices and three shorter helices surrounding the heme moiety. No significant redox-induced structural differences have been observed. (15)N relaxation rates and heteronuclear NOE values were determined at 500 and 600 MHz. Several residues located around the heme moiety display increased backbone mobility in both oxidation states, while helices I, III, and V as well as the two concatenated beta-turns between Leu30 and Arg36 apparently form a less flexible domain within the protein structure. Major redox-state-dependent differences of the internal backbone mobility on the picosecond-nanosecond time scale were not evident. Hydrogen exchange experiments demonstrated that the slow-exchanging amide proton resonances mainly belong to the helices and beta-turns, corresponding to the regions with high order parameters in the dynamics data. Despite this correlation, the backbone amide protons of the oxidized cytochrome c(552) exchange considerably faster with the solvent compared to the reduced protein. Using both differential scanning calorimetry as well as temperature-dependent NMR spectroscopy, a significant difference in the thermostabilities of the two redox states has been observed, with transition temperatures of 349.9 K (76.8 degrees C) for reduced and 307.5 K (34.4 degrees C) for oxidized cytochrome c(552). These results suggest a clearly distinct backbone stability between the two oxidation states.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

Vibrational modes of tyrosines in cytochrome c oxidase from Paracoccus denitrificans: FTIR and electrochemical studies on Tyr-D4-labeled and on Tyr280His and Tyr35Phe mutant enzymes.

A combined electrochemical and FTIR spectroscopic approach was used to identify the vibrational modes of tyrosines in cytochrome c oxidase from Paracoccus denitrificans which change upon electron transfer and coupled proton transfer. Electrochemically induced FTIR difference spectra of the Tyr-D4-labeled cytochrome c oxidase reveal that only small contributions arise from the tyrosines. Contributions between 1600 and 1560 cm(-1) are attributed to nu8a/8b(CC) ring modes. The nu19(CC) ring mode for the protonated form of tyrosines is proposed to absorb with an uncommonly small signal at 1525-1518 cm(-1) and for the deprotonated form at 1496-1486 cm(-1), accompanied by the increase of the nu19(CC) ring mode of the Tyr-D(4)-labeled oxidase at approximately 1434 cm(-1). A signal at 1270 cm(-1) can be tentatively attributed to the nu7'a(CO) and delta(COH) mode of a protonated tyrosine. Uncommon absorptions, like the mode at 1524 cm(-1), indicate the involvement of Tyr280 in the spectra. Tyr280 is a crucial residue close to the binuclear center and is covalently bonded to His276. The possible changes of the spectral properties are discussed together with the absorbance spectra of tyrosine bound to histidine. The vibrational modes of Tyr280 are further analyzed in combination with the mutation to histidine, which is assumed to abolish the covalent bonding. The electrochemically induced FTIR difference spectra of the Tyr280His mutant point to a change in protonation state in the environment of the binuclear center. Together with an observed decrease of a signal at 1736 cm(-1), previously assigned to Glu278, a possible functional coupling is reflected. In direct comparison to the FTIR difference spectra of the D4-labeled compound and comparing the spectra at pH 7 and 4.8, the protonation state of Tyr280 is discussed. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the mutant is presented, the FTIR spectra of the CO adduct revealing a partial loss of Cu(B). Electrochemical redox titrations reflect a downshift of the heme a3 midpoint potential by 95 +/- 10 mV. Another tyrosine identified to show redox dependent changes upon electron transfer is Tyr35, a residue in the proposed D-pathway of the cytochrome c oxidase.

Electrochemistry↗

Specificity of the interaction between the Paracoccus denitrificans oxidase and its substrate cytochrome c: comparing the mitochondrial to the homologous bacterial cytochrome c(552), and its truncated and site-directed mutants.

Under in vitro conditions, bacterial cytochrome c oxidases may accept several nonhomologous c-type electron donors, including the evolutionarily related mitochondrial cytochrome c. Several lines of evidence suggest that in intact membranes the heme aa(3) oxidase from Paracoccus denitrificans receives its electrons from the membrane-bound cytochrome c(552). Both the structures of the oxidase and of a heterologously expressed, soluble fragment of the c(552) have been determined recently, but no direct structural information about a static cocomplex is available. Here, we analyze the kinetic properties of the isolated oxidase with the full-size c(552), with two truncated soluble forms, and with a set of site-specific mutants within the presumed docking site of the cytochrome, all heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. Our data indicate that all three forms, the wild type and both truncations, are fully competent kinetically and exhibit biphasic kinetic behavior, however, under widely different ionic strength conditions. When mutations in lysine residues clustered around the interaction domain were introduced into the smallest fragment of c(552), both kinetic parameters, K(M) and k(cat), were drastically influenced. On the other hand, when the nonmutated truncated form was used to donate electrons to a set of oxidase mutants with replacements clustered along the docking site on subunit II, we observe distinct differences when comparing the kinetic properties of the widely used horse heart cytochrome c with those of the bacterial c(552). We conclude that the specific docking sites for the two types of cytochromes differ to some extent.

Cytochrome c Group↗

Spectroelectrochemical evaluation of redox potentials of cysteine tryptophylquinone and two hemes c in quinohemoprotein amine dehydrogenase from Paracoccus denitrificans.

Quinohemoprotein amine dehydrogenase (QH-AmDH) from Paracoccus denitrificans has a novel cofactor cysteine tryptophylquinone (CTQ) in the smallest gamma subunit and two hemes c in the largest alpha subunit [Datta, S., Mori, Y., Takagi, K., Kawaguchi, K., Chen, Z., Okajima, T., Kuroda, S., Ikeda, T., Kano, K., Tanizawa, K., and Mathews, F. S. (2001) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98, 14268-14273]. The spectral change of QH-AmDH was assigned to the redox reaction of the hemes c alone. The redox potentials of the two hemes c with His and Met as the second axial ligands, respectively, were determined to be 0.149 and 0.235 V versus SHE at pH 7.0 by a mediator-assisted continuous-flow column electrolytic spectroelectrochemistry (MCES). The monomeric gamma subunit of QH-AmDH was isolated from urea-treated QH-AmDH. The fully oxidized and reduced forms of the gamma subunit exhibited a unique absorption band centered at 380 nm and a shoulder band around 315 nm, respectively, at neutral pH. The two-electron redox potential of CTQ in the isolated gamma subunit was evaluated to be 65 mV at pH 7.0 by MCES. The redox reaction was linked to the two-proton transfer at pH <8.6 and to a single-proton transfer at pH >8.6. The pK(a) value (K(a) being the acid dissociation constant) of 8.6 was assigned to one of the phenolic OH groups of the quinol form. Upon deprotonation, the red shift of the shoulder band was observed. The gamma subunit adsorbed on a glassy carbon electrode, and gave a direct but quasi-reversible electrochemical signal. Intra- and interprotein electron transfers of QH-AmDH are discussed from thermodynamic and structural points of view.

Dipeptides↗

Interaction of cytochrome c with cytochrome c oxidase: an NMR study on two soluble fragments derived from Paracoccus denitrificans.

The functional interactions between the various components of the respiratory chain are relatively short-lived, thus allowing high turnover numbers but at the same time complicating the structural analysis of the complexes. Chemical shift mapping by NMR spectroscopy is a useful tool to investigate such transient contacts, since it can monitor changes in the electron-shielding properties of a protein as the result of temporary contacts with a reaction partner. In this study, we investigated the molecular interaction between two components of the electron-transfer chain from Paracoccus denitrificans: the engineered, water-soluble fragment of cytochrome c(552) and the Cu(A) domain from the cytochrome c oxidase. Comparison of [(15)N,(1)H]-TROSY spectra of the [(15)N]-labeled cytochrome c(552) fragment in the absence and in the presence of the Cu(A) fragment showed chemical shift changes for the backbone amide groups of several, mostly uncharged residues located around the exposed heme edge in cytochrome c(552). The detected contact areas on the cytochrome c(552) surface were comparable under both fully reduced and fully oxidized conditions, suggesting that the respective chemical shift changes represent biologically relevant protein-protein interactions.

Bacterial Proteins↗

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy of the P(M) and F intermediates of bovine and Paracoccus denitrificans cytochrome c oxidase.

The structures of P(M) and F intermediates of bovine and Paracoccus denitrificans cytochrome c oxidase were investigated by perfusion-induced attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Transitions from the "fast" oxidized state to the P(M) or F states were initiated by perfusion with buffer containing either CO/oxygen or H(2)O(2). Intermediates were quantitated by simultaneous monitoring of visible absorption changes in the protein film. For both bovine and P. denitrificans oxidase, the major features of the IR difference spectrum of P(M) were similar when produced by CO/oxygen or by H(2)O(2) treatments. These IR difference spectra were distinctly different from the IR difference spectrum of F that formed with extended treatment with H(2)O(2). Some IR bands could be assigned tentatively to perturbations of heme a(3) ring modes and substituents, and these perturbations were greater in P(M) than in F. Other bands could be assigned to surrounding protein changes. Strong perturbation of the environment of a carboxylic acid, most likely E-242 (bovine numbering), occurred in P(M) and relaxed back in F. A second redox-sensitive carboxylic acid was also perturbed in the bovine P(M) intermediate. Further consistent signatures of P(M) in both oxidases that were absent in F were strong negative bands at 1547 and 1313 cm(-1) in bovine oxidase (1542 and 1314 cm(-1) in P. denitrificans) and a positive band at approximately 1519 cm(-1). From comparison with available IR data on model compounds, it is suggested that these reflect changes in the covalent tyrosine-histidine ligand to Cu(B). These findings are discussed in relation to the oxidase catalytic cycle.

Animals↗

Electrochemical and FTIR spectroscopic characterization of the cytochrome bc1 complex from Paracoccus denitrificans: evidence for protonation reactions coupled to quinone binding.

The cytochrome bc(1) complex from Paracoccus denitrificans and soluble fragments of its cytochrome c(1) and Rieske ISP subunits are characterized by a combined approach of protein electrochemistry and FTIR difference spectroscopy. The FTIR difference spectra provide information about alterations in the protein upon redox reactions: signals from the polypeptide backbone, from the cofactors, and from amino acid side chains. We describe typical modes for conformational changes in the polypeptide and contributions of different secondary structure elements. Signals attributed to the different cofactors can be presented on the basis of selected potential steps. Modes associated with bound quinone are identified by comparison with spectra of quinone in solution at 1656, 1642, and 1610 cm(-1) and between 1494 and 1388 cm(-1), as well as at 1288 and 1262 cm(-1). Signals originating from the quinone bound at the Q(o) site can be distinguished. On the basis of the infrared data, the total quinone concentration is determined to be 2.6-3.3 quinones per monomer, depending on preparation conditions. The balance of evidence supports the double-occupancy model. Interestingly, the amplitude of the band at 1746 cm(-1) increases with quinone content, reflecting a protonation reaction of acidic groups. In this context, the involvement of glutamates and/or aspartates in the vicinity of the Q(o) site is discussed on the basis of recently determined crystal structures.

Benzoquinones↗

Time-resolved resonance Raman and time-resolved step-scan FTIR studies of nitric oxide reductase from Paracoccus denitrificans: comparison of the heme b3-FeB site to that of the heme-CuB in oxidases.

Time-resolved resonance Raman (TR(3)) and time-resolved step-scan (TRS(2)) FTIR spectroscopies have been used to probe the structural dynamics at the heme b(3) proximal and distal sites after carbon monoxide photolysis from fully reduced CO-bound nitric oxide reductase. The Raman spectra of the transient species exhibit structural differences relative to the equilibrium geometry of heme b(3). The most significant of these is a shift of 8 cm(-1) to higher frequency of the 207 cm(-1) mode, and a shift of 7 cm(-1) to lower frequency of the nu(4) mode. Our results indicate that the 207 cm(-1) mode observed in the equilibrium-reduced heme b(3) originates from nu(Fe-His). Its behavior in the photolytic transients indicates that the relaxed Fe-His state is not significantly populated. We suggest that relaxation along the tilt angle (theta) of the proximal histidine with respect to the heme plane and the out-of-plane displacement of the Fe (q) are coupled, and ligand binding and dissociation are accompanied by significant changes in the angular orientation of the His ligand. The results are compared to those obtained for the aa(3)-cytochrome c oxidase from Paracoccus denitrificans. The results are compared to those obtained for the aa(3)-cytochrome c oxidase from P. denitrificans. The TR(3) and TRS(2) FTIR data demonstrate significant alterations in the nature of the heme-protein dynamics between nitric oxide reductase and heme-copper oxidases resulting from specific structural differences in their respective hemepockets.

Carbon Monoxide↗

Proton uptake upon anaerobic reduction of the Paracoccus denitrificans cytochrome c oxidase: a kinetic investigation of the K354M and D124N mutants.

The kinetics and stoichiometry of the redox-linked protonation of the soluble Paracoccus denitrificans cytochrome c oxidase were investigated at pH = 7.2-7.5 by multiwavelength stopped-flow spectroscopy, using the pH indicator phenol red. We compared the wild-type enzyme with the K354M and the D124N subunit I mutants, in which the K- and D-proton-conducting pathways are impaired, respectively. Upon anaerobic reduction by Ru-II hexamine, the wild-type enzyme binds 3.3 +/- 0.6 H(+)/aa(3), i.e., approximately 1 H(+) in excess over beef heart oxidase under similar conditions and the D124N mutant 3.2 +/- 0.5 H(+)/aa(3). In contrast, in the K354M mutant, in which the reduction of heme a(3)-Cu(B) is severely impaired, approximately 0.8 H(+) is promptly bound synchronously with the reduction of heme a, followed by a much slower protonation associated with the retarded reduction of the heme a(3)-Cu(B) site. These results indicate that complete reduction of heme a (and Cu(A)) is coupled to the uptake of approximately 0.8 H(+), which is independent of both H(+)-pathways, whereas the subsequent reduction of the heme a(3)-Cu(B) site is associated with the uptake of approximately 2.5 H(+) transferred (at least partially) through the K-pathway. On the basis of these results, the possible involvement of the D-pathway in the redox-linked protonation of cytochrome c oxidase is discussed.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Sulfur dehydrogenase of Paracoccus pantotrophus: the heme-2 domain of the molybdoprotein cytochrome c complex is dispensable for catalytic activity.

Sulfur dehydrogenase, Sox(CD)(2), is an essential part of the sulfur-oxidizing enzyme system of the chemotrophic bacterium Paracoccus pantotrophus. Sox(CD)(2) is a alpha(2)beta(2) complex composed of the molybdoprotein SoxC (43 442 Da) and the hybrid diheme c-type cytochrome SoxD (37 637 Da). Sox(CD)(2) catalyzes the oxidation of protein-bound sulfur to sulfate with a unique six-electron transfer. Amino acid sequence analysis identified the heme-1 domain of SoxD proteins to be specific for sulfur dehydrogenases and to contain a novel ProCysMetXaaAspCys motif, while the heme-2 domain is related to various cytochromes c(2). Purification of sulfur dehydrogenase without protease inhibitor yielded a dimeric SoxCD(1) complex consisting of SoxC and SoxD(1) of 30 kDa, which contained only the heme-1 domain. The heme-2 domain was isolated as a new cytochrome SoxD(2) of about 13 kDa. Both hemes of SoxD in Sox(CD)(2) are redox-active with midpoint potentials at E(m)1 = 218 +/- 10 mV and E(m)2 = 268 +/- 10 mV, while SoxCD(1) and SoxD(2) both exhibit a midpoint potential of E(m) = 278 +/- 10 mV. Electrochemically induced FTIR difference spectra of Sox(CD)(2), SoxCD(1), and SoxD(2) were distinct. A carboxy group is protonated upon reduction of the SoxD(1) heme but not for SoxD(2). The specific activity of SoxCD(1) and Sox(CD)(2) was identical as was the yield of electrons with thiosulfate in the reconstituted Sox enzyme system. To examine the physiological significance of the heme-2 domain, a mutant was constructed that was deleted for the heme-2 domain, which produced SoxCD(1) and transferred electrons from thiosulfate to oxygen. These data demonstrated the crucial role of the heme-1 domain of SoxD for catalytic activity, electron yield, and transfer of the electrons to the cytoplasmic membrane, while the heme-2 domain mediated the alpha(2)beta(2) tetrameric structure of sulfur dehydrogenase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and isotope labeling of the PM intermediate of Paracoccus denitrificans cytochrome c oxidase.

The structure of the P(M) intermediate of Paracoccus denitrificans cytochrome c oxidase was investigated by perfusion-induced attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Transitions from the oxidized to P(M) state were initiated by perfusion with CO/oxygen buffer, and the extent of conversion was quantitated by simultaneously monitoring visible absorption changes. In prior work, tentative assignments of bands were proposed for heme a(3), a change in the environment of the protonated state of a carboxylic acid, and a covalently linked histidine-tyrosine ligand to Cu(B) that has been found in the catalytic site. In this work, reduced minus oxidized difference spectra at pH 6.5 and 9.0 and P(M) minus oxidized difference spectra at pH 9.0 were compared in unlabeled, universally (15)N-labeled, and tyrosine-ring-d(4)-labeled proteins to improve these assignments. In the reduced minus oxidized difference spectrum, (15)N labeling resulted in large changes in the amide II region and a 9 cm(-1) downshift in a 1105 cm(-1) trough that is attributed to histidine. In contrast, changes induced by tyrosine-ring-d(4) labeling were barely detectable where the isotope-sensitive bands are expected. Both isotope substitutions had large effects on P(M) minus oxidized difference spectra. A prominent trough at 1542 cm(-1) was shifted to 1527 cm(-1) with (15)N labeling, and its magnitude was diminished with the appearance of a 1438 cm(-1) trough with tyrosine-ring-d(4) labeling. Both isotope substitutions also had large effects on a 1314 cm(-1) trough in the same spectra. These shifts indicate that the bands are linked to both a nitrogenous compound and a tyrosine, the most obvious candidate being the covalent histidine-tyrosine ligand of Cu(B). Comparison with model material data suggests that the tyrosine hydroxyl group is protonated when the binuclear center is oxidized but deprotonated in the P(M) intermediate. Positive bands at 1519 and 1570 cm(-1) were replaced with bands at 1504 and 1556 cm(-1), respectively, with tyrosine-ring-d(4) labeling, are characteristic of upsilon(7a)(C-O) and upsilon(C-C) bands of neutral phenolic radicals, and most likely reflect the formation of the neutral radical state of the histidine-tyrosine ligand in P(M).

Amino Acids↗

Sulfide dehydrogenase activity of the monomeric flavoprotein SoxF of Paracoccus pantotrophus.

Flavocytochrome c-sulfide dehydrogenases (FCSDs) are complexes of a flavoprotein with a c-type cytochrome performing hydrogen sulfide-dependent cytochrome c reduction in vitro. The amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the phylogenetic relationship of different flavoproteins reflected the relationship of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The flavoprotein SoxF of Paracoccus pantotrophus is 29-67% identical to the flavoprotein subunit of FCSD of phototrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. Purification of SoxF yielded a homogeneous emerald-green monomeric protein of 42 797 Da. SoxF catalyzed sulfide-dependent horse heart cytochrome c reduction at the optimum pH of 6.0 with a k(cat) of 3.9 s(-1), a K(m) of 2.3 microM for sulfide, and a K(m) of 116 microM for cytochrome c, as determined by nonlinear regression analysis. The yield of 1.9 mol of cytochrome c reduced per mole of sulfide suggests sulfur or polysulfide as the product. Sulfide dehydrogenase activity of SoxF was inhibited by sulfur (K(i) = 1.3 microM) and inactivated by sulfite. Cyanide (1 mM) inhibited SoxF activity at pH 6.0 by 25% and at pH 8.0 by 92%. Redox titrations in the infrared spectral range from 1800 to 1200 cm(-1) and in the visible spectral range from 400 to 700 nm both yielded a midpoint potential for SoxF of -555 +/- 10 mV versus Ag/AgCl at pH 7.5 and -440 +/- 20 mV versus Ag/AgCl at pH 6.0 (-232 mV versus SHE') and a transfer of 1.9 electrons. Electrochemically induced FTIR difference spectra of SoxF as compared to those of free flavin in solution suggested a strong cofactor interaction with the apoprotein. Furthermore, an activation/variation of SoxF during the redox cycles is observed. This is the first report of a monomeric flavoprotein with sulfide dehydrogenase activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

NO binding and dynamics in reduced heme-copper oxidases aa3 from Paracoccus denitrificans and ba3 from Thermus thermophilus.

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) has a high affinity for nitric oxide (NO), a property involved in the regulation of respiration. It has been shown that the recombination kinetics of photolyzed NO with reduced CcO from Paracoccus denitrificans on the picosecond time scale depend strongly on the NO/enzyme stoichiometry and inferred that more than one NO can be accommodated by the active site, already at mildly suprastoichiometric NO concentrations. We have largely extended these studies by monitoring rebinding dynamics from the picosecond to the microsecond time scale, by performing parallel steady-state low-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) characterizations on samples prepared similarly as for the optical experiments and comparing them with molecular-modeling results. A comparative study was performed on CcO ba(3) from Thermus thermophilus, where two NO molecules cannot be copresent in the active site in the steady state because of its NO reductase activity. The kinetic results allow discrimination between different models of NO-dependent recombination and show that the overall NO escape probability out of the protein is high when only one NO is bound to CcO aa(3), whereas strong rebinding on the 15-ns time scale was observed for CcO ba(3). The EPR characterizations show similar results for aa(3) at substoichiometric NO/enzyme ratios and for ba(3), indicating formation of a 6-coordinate heme-NO complex. The presence of a second NO molecule in the aa(3) active site strongly modifies the heme-NO EPR spectrum and can be rationalized by a rotation of the Fe-N-O plane with respect to the histidine that coordinates the heme iron. This proposal is supported by molecular-modeling studies that indicate a approximately 63 degrees rotation of heme-bound NO upon binding of a second NO to the close-lying copper center CuB. It is argued that the second NO binds to CuB.

Binding Sites↗