Abstract:
NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR), a membrane-bound
protein, contains both FAD and FMN cofactors, and functions as a shuttle to transfer
two electrons, one at a time, from NADPH to various cytochromes P450s to fulfill
their functions. In the present study, the membrane-bound flAnCYPOR and soluble
Δ55AnCYPOR were heterologously expressed and purified to homogeneity and
functionally active. The purified AnCYPOR enzymes showed characteristics
spectroscopic spectra of CYPOR and possessed NADPH-dependent cytochrome c
reduction activity. However, the purified AnCYPOR enzymes readily lost their flavin
co-factors and were unstable as CYPORs of other organisms. The activity and stability
of the enzymes, nevertheless, could be improved by supplementation of FAD and
FMN cofactors. The results of kinetic studies revealed that the kinetic mechanism of
AnCYPOR was ion dependent. At low ionic strength the AnCYPOR activity followed
a random Bi-Bi mechanism, while the enzymes followed non-classical two-site Ping-
Pong mechanism at high ionic strength.
In order to understand the basis for the instability and to generate a more stable
protein, three residues were chosen for mutagenesis studies, namely, residues L86,
L219, and P456. These amino acids were selected based on the crystal structure of rat
CYPOR and sequence alignment of CYPOR proteins from various organisms. Two
substitutions in the FMN binding domain, L86F and L219F, were found to increase
cofactors retention to their respective binding site. Such substitutions increased the
stability of the enzymes with significant reduction in enzyme aggregation, compared
to the wild-type enzyme. The P456A substitution in the FAD binding domain did not
affect cofactor binding or enzyme stability. The mutant enzymes had kinetic
mechanisms and substrate binding constants similar to the wild-type enzyme
indicating that was no change in kinetic properties introduced by the mutations. A
higher stability and higher turnover number in the mutant L86F/L219F flAnCYPOR
enzyme illustrate a more efficient electron transfer of AnCYPOR to P450 compared to
the wild-type flAnCYPOR enzyme, resulting in higher CYP6AA3-mediated activity