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Organic anion transporter 10 (OAT10), also known as SLC22A13, has hitherto been identified as a urate transporter by in vitro analyses.1 Despite the reported expression of OAT10 on the apical membrane of the renal proximal tubular cells,1 the physiological impact of OAT10 on urate handling in humans remains to be elucidated. Accumulating evidence suggests that functional variants of already-characterised, physiologically important urate transporters—URAT1/SLC22A12, GLUT9/SLC2A9, BCRP/ABCG2 and NPT1/SLC17A1—affect serum uric acid (SUA) levels and susceptibility of gout,2–6 the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. However, there are no reports on the association between OAT10 gene and either hyperuricaemia or gout. Here, for the first time, we reveal that a dysfunctional variant of OAT10 decreases both gout risk and SUA levels, suggesting OAT10 to be physiologically involved in urate reabsorption in the human kidney, as described below. To explore exonic variants in OAT10 potentially associated with gout susceptibility, we sequenced all exons of OAT10 in 480 gout cases and 480 controls of Japanese male6 and conducted an association analysis (see online supplementary tables S1 and S2), followed by a replication study on 924 gout cases and 2113 controls (see online supplementary figure S1). In two identified OAT10 variants with minor allele frequency (MAF) >0.5%, only rs117371763 (c.1129C>T; p.Arg377Cys [R377C]) was significantly associated with gout susceptibility after Bonferroni correction (p=0.014). The significant association between rs117371763 and gout susceptibility was replicated, and our meta-analysis showed a significant protective effect of rs117371763 on gout susceptibility (OR=0.67; 95% CI 0.53 to 0.85; pmeta …

Heme-based oxygen sensors allow bacteria to regulate their activity based on local oxygen levels. YddV, a globin-coupled oxygen sensor with diguanylate cyclase activity from Escherichia coli, regulates cyclic-di-GMP synthesis based on oxygen availability. Stable and active samples of the full-length YddV protein were prepared by attaching it to maltose binding protein (MBP). To better understand the full-length protein's structure, the interactions between its domains were examined by performing a kinetic analysis. The diguanylate cyclase reaction catalyzed by YddV-MBP exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Its pH optimum was 8.5–9.0, and catalysis required either Mg2+ or Mn2+; other divalent metal ions gave no activity. The most active form of YddV-MBP had a 5-coordinate Fe(III) heme complex; its kinetic parameters were KmGTP 84 ± 21 μM and kcat 1.2 min−1. YddV-MBP with heme Fe(II), heme Fe(II)-O2, and heme Fe(II)-CO complexes had kcat values of 0.3 min−1, 0.95 min−1, and 0.3 min−1, respectively, suggesting that catalysis is regulated by the heme iron's redox state and axial ligand binding. The kcat values for heme Fe(III) complexes of L65G, L65Q, and Y43A YddV-MBP mutants bearing heme distal amino acid replacements were 0.15 min−1, 0.26 min−1 and 0.54 min−1, respectively, implying that heme distal residues play key regulatory roles by mediating signal transduction between the sensing and functional domains. Ultracentrifugation and size exclusion chromatography experiments showed that YddV-MBP is primarily dimeric in solution, with a sedimentation coefficient around 8. The inactive heme-free H93A mutant is primarily octameric, suggesting that catalytically active dimer formation requires heme binding.

The oxygen sensor histidine kinase AfGcHK from the bacterium Anaeromyxobacter sp. Fw 109-5 forms a two-component signal transduction system together with its cognate response regulator (RR). The binding of oxygen to the heme iron of its N-terminal sensor domain causes the C-terminal kinase domain of AfGcHK to autophosphorylate at His183 and then transfer this phosphate to Asp52 or Asp169 of the RR protein. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that AfGcHK and the RR protein form a complex with 2:1 stoichiometry. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) suggested that the most flexible part of the whole AfGcHK protein is a loop that connects the two domains and that the heme distal side of AfGcHK, which is responsible for oxygen binding, is the only flexible part of the sensor domain. HDX-MS studies on the AfGcHK:RR complex also showed that the N-side of the H9 helix in the dimerization domain of the AfGcHK kinase domain interacts with the helix H1 and the β-strand B2 area of the RR protein's Rec1 domain, and that the C-side of the H8 helix region in the dimerization domain of the AfGcHK protein interacts mostly with the helix H5 and β-strand B6 area of the Rec1 domain. The Rec1 domain containing the phosphorylable Asp52 of the RR protein probably has a significantly higher affinity for AfGcHK than the Rec2 domain. We speculate that phosphorylation at Asp52 changes the overall structure of RR such that the Rec2 area containing the second phosphorylation site (Asp169) can also interact with AfGcHK. Proteins 2016; 84:1375-1389. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hypertensive cardiac remodeling is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis, which can lead to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinases (ROCKs) are members of the serine/threonine protein kinase family, which mediates the downstream effects of the small GTP-binding protein RhoA. There are 2 isoforms: ROCK1 and ROCK2. They have different functions in different types of cells and tissues. There is growing evidence that ROCKs contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases, including cardiac fibrosis, hypertrophy, and subsequent heart failure. Recent experimental studies using ROCK inhibitors, such as fasudil, have shown the benefits of ROCK inhibition in cardiac remodeling. Mice lacking each ROCK isoform also exhibit reduced myocardial fibrosis in a variety of pathological models of cardiac remodeling. Indeed, clinical studies with fasudil have suggested that ROCKs could be potential novel therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the roles of ROCKs in the development of cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy and discuss their therapeutic potential for deleterious cardiac remodeling. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1491-1498).

ObjectiveGout, caused by hyperuricaemia, is a multifactorial disease. Although genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of gout have been reported, they included self-reported gout cases in which clinical information was insufficient. Therefore, the relationship between genetic variation and clinical subtypes of gout remains unclear. Here, we first performed a GWAS of clinically defined gout cases only.MethodsA GWAS was conducted with 945 patients with clinically defined gout and 1213 controls in a Japanese male population, followed by replication study of 1048 clinically defined cases and 1334 controls.ResultsFive gout susceptibility loci were identified at the genome-wide significance level (p−8), which contained well-known urate transporter genes (ABCG2 and SLC2A9) and additional genes: rs1260326 (p=1.9×10−12; OR=1.36) of GCKR (a gene for glucose and lipid metabolism), rs2188380 (p=1.6×10−23; OR=1.75) of MYL2-CUX2 (genes associated with cholesterol and diabetes mellitus) and rs4073582 (p=6.4×10−9; OR=1.66) of CNIH-2 (a gene for regulation of glutamate signalling). The latter two are identified as novel gout loci. Furthermore, among the identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we demonstrated that the SNPs of ABCG2 and SLC2A9 were differentially associated with types of gout and clinical parameters underlying specific subtypes (renal underexcretion type and renal overload type). The effect of the risk allele of each SNP on clinical parameters showed significant linear relationships with the ratio of the case–control ORs for two distinct types of gout (r=0.96 [p=4.8×10−4] for urate clearance and r=0.96 [p=5.0×10−4] for urinary urate excretion).ConclusionsOur findings provide clues to better understand the pathogenesis of gout and will be useful for development of companion diagnostics.

Gout is caused by hyperuricemia, with alcohol consumption being an established risk factor. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) are crucial enzymes for alcohol metabolism. We recently performed a genome-wide association study of gout and a subsequent fine-mapping study which identified rs671 of ALDH2 as a gout locus. However, the association between gout and common variants of ADH1B has hitherto remained unreported, prompting us to investigate the association between gout and common dysfunctional variants of ADH1B (rs1229984) and ALDH2 (rs671). We used 1,048 clinically defined gout cases and 1,334 controls of Japanese male. The “His carrier” (His/His or His/Arg) of rs1229984 (His48Arg) of ADH1B significantly increased gout risk (P = 4.3 × 10−4, odds ratio = 1.76), as did the “non-Lys carrier (Glu/Glu)” of rs671 (Glu504Lys) of ALDH2. Furthermore, common variants of ADH1B and ALDH2 are independently associated with gout. Our findings likewise suggest that genotyping these variants can be useful for the evaluation of gout risk.

Urate transporter 1 (URAT1/SLC22A12), a urate transporter gene, is a causative gene for renal hypouricemia type 1. Among several reported nonsynonymous URAT1 variants, R90H (rs121907896) and W258X (rs121907892) are frequent causative mutations for renal hypouricemia. However, no case-control study has evaluated the relationship between gout and these two variants. Additionally, the effect size of these two variants on serum uric acid (SUA) levels remains to be clarified. Here, 1,993 primary gout patients and 4,902 health examination participants (3,305 males and 1,597 females) were genotyped with R90H and W258X. These URAT1 variants were not observed in any gout cases, while 174 subjects had the URAT1 variant in 2,499 health examination participants, respectively (P = 8.3 × 10−46). Moreover, in 4,902 health examination participants, the URAT1 nonfunctional variants significantly reduce the risk of hyperuricemia (P = 6.7 × 10−19; risk ratio = 0.036 in males). Males, having 1 or 2 nonfunctional variants of URAT1, show a marked decrease of 2.19 or 5.42 mg/dl SUA, respectively. Similarly, females, having 1 or 2 nonfunctional variants, also evidence a decrease of 1.08 or 3.89 mg/dl SUA, respectively. We show that URAT1 nonfunctional variants are protective genetic factors for gout/hyperuricemia and also demonstrated the sex-dependent effect size of these URAT1 variants on SUA (P for interaction = 1.5 × 10−12).

Objectives: To analyze the crystal components and matrix proteins of urinary stones by proteomic analysis using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Methods: Urinary stones were obtained from patients with gout and hyperuricemia. The outside and inside of the stones were measured non-destructively with a micro area X-ray diffractometer. After stones were powdered, extracted proteins were analyzed by proteomic analysis. Results: Of 17 investigated stones, seven were composed of calcium oxalate monohydrate or calcium oxalate dihydrate, seven were of uric acid, and three were a mixture of calcium oxalate monohydrate and uric acid. In calcium oxalate monohydrate or calcium oxalate dihydrate stones, osteopontin, uromodulin, albumin, protein Z, prothrombin, protein S, hemoglobin and histone H4 were identified. In uric acid stones, uromodulin, albumin, hemoglobin, calgranulins and immunoglobin G fragments were detected. Mixed stones of calcium oxalate monohydrate and uric acid contained both Ca-binding proteins and abundant proteins. Matrix proteins were different when the crystal components of the stone were different, even when from the same patient. Conclusions: Proteins, such as uromodulin and albumin, are often detected in stones, regardless of crystal components. However, osteopontin, prothrombin, protein S and protein Z are identified specifically in calcium oxalate stones. Furthermore, immunoglobin G fragments are detected in uric acid stones. The role of these specific proteins in the different types of stones can be of particular interest.

YddV from Escherichia coli (Ec) is a novel globin-coupled heme-based oxygen sensor protein displaying diguanylate cyclase activity in response to oxygen availability. In this study, we quantified the turnover numbers of the active [Fe(III), 0.066 min(-1); Fe(II)-O(2) and Fe(II)-CO, 0.022 min(-1)] [Fe(III), Fe(III)-protoporphyrin IX complex; Fe(II), Fe(II)-protoporphyrin IX complex] and inactive forms [Fe(II) and Fe(II)-NO,0.01 min(-1)] of YddV for the first time. Our data indicate that the YddV reaction is the rate-determining step for two consecutive reactions coupled with phosphodiesterase Ec DOS activity on cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) [turnover number of Ec DOS-Fe(II)-O(2), 61 min(-1)]. Thus, O(2) binding and the heme redox switch of YddV appear to be critical factors in the regulation of c-di-GMP homeostasis. The redox potential and autoxidation rate of heme of the isolated heme domain of YddV (YddV-heme) were determined to be -17 mV versus the standard hydrogen electrode and 0.0076 min(-1), respectively. The Fe(II) complexes of Y43A and Y43L mutant proteins (residues at the heme distal side of the isolated heme-bound globin domain of YddV) exhibited very low O(2) affinities, and thus, their Fe(II)-O(2) complexes were not detected on the spectra. The O(2) dissociation rate constant of the Y43W protein was150 s(-1), which is significantly larger than that of the wild-type protein (22 s(-1)). The autoxidation rate constants of the Y43F and Y43W mutant proteins were 0.069 and 0.12 min(-1), respectively, which are also markedly higher than that of the wild-type protein. The resonance Raman frequencies representing ν(Fe-O(2)) (559 cm(-1)) of the Fe(II)-O(2) complex and ν(Fe-CO) (505 cm(-1)) of the Fe(II)-CO complex of Y43F differed from those (ν(Fe-O(2)), 565 cm(-1); ν(Fe-CO), 495 cm(-1)) of the wild-type protein, suggesting that Tyr43 forms hydrogen bonds with both O(2) and CO molecules. On the basis of the results, we suggest that Tyr43 located at the heme distal side is important for the O(2) recognition and stability of the Fe(II)-O(2) complex, because the hydroxyl group of the residue appears to interact electrostatically with the O(2) molecule bound to the Fe(II) complex in YddV. Our findings clearly support a role of Tyr in oxygen sensing, and thus modulation of overall conversion from GTP to pGpG via c-di-GMP catalyzed by YddV and Ec DOS, which may be applicable to other globin-coupled oxygen sensor enzymes.

International audience; The globin-coupled histidine kinase, AfGcHK, is a part of the two-component signal transduction system from the soil bacterium Anaeromyxobacter sp. Fw109-5. Activation of its sensor domain significantly increases its autophosphorylation activity, which targets the His183 residue of its functional domain. The phosphate group of phosphorylated AfGcHK is then transferred to the cognate response regulator. We investigated the effects of selected variables on the autophosphorylation reaction’s kinetics. The kcat values of the heme Fe(III)-OH–, Fe(III)-cyanide, Fe(III)-imidazole, and Fe(II)-O2 bound active AfGcHK forms were 1.1–1.2 min–1, and their KmATP values were 18.9–35.4 μM. However, the active form bearing a CO-bound Fe(II) heme had a kcat of 1.0 min–1 but a very high KmATP value of 357 μM, suggesting that its active site structure differs strongly from the other active forms. The Fe(II) heme-bound inactive form had kcat and KmATP values of 0.4 min–1 and 78 μM, respectively, suggesting that its low activity reflects a low affinity for ATP relative to that of the Fe(III) form. The heme-free form exhibited low activity, with kcat and KmATP values of 0.3 min–1 and 33.6 μM, respectively, suggesting that the heme iron complex is essential for high catalytic activity. Overall, our results indicate that the coordination and oxidation state of the sensor domain heme iron profoundly affect the enzyme’s catalytic activity because they modulate its ATP binding affinity and thus change its kcat/KmATP value. The effects of the response regulator and different divalent metal cations on the autophosphorylation reaction are also discussed

Heme-regulated eIF2alpha kinase [heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI)] plays a critical role in the regulation of protein synthesis by heme iron. The kinase active site is located in the C-terminal domain, whereas the N-terminal domain is suggested to regulate catalysis in response to heme binding. Here, we found that the rate of dissociation for Fe(III)-protoporphyrin IX was much higher for full-length HRI (1.5 x 10(-)(3) s(-)(1)) than for myoglobin (8.4 x 10(-)(7) s(-)(1)) or the alpha-subunit of hemoglobin (7.1 x 10(-)(6) s(-)(1)), demonstrating the heme-sensing character of HRI. Because the role of the N-terminal domain in the structure and catalysis of HRI has not been clear, we generated N-terminal truncated mutants of HRI and examined their oligomeric state, heme binding, axial ligands, substrate interactions, and inhibition by heme derivatives. Multiangle light scattering indicated that the full-length enzyme is a hexamer, whereas truncated mutants (truncations of residues 1-127 and 1-145) are mainly trimers. In addition, we found that one molecule of heme is bound to the full-length and truncated mutant proteins. Optical absorption and electron spin resonance spectra suggested that Cys and water/OH(-) are the heme axial ligands in the N-terminal domain-truncated mutant complex. We also found that HRI has a moderate affinity for heme, allowing it to sense the heme concentration in the cell. Study of the kinetics showed that the HRI kinase reaction follows classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics with respect to ATP but sigmoidal kinetics and positive cooperativity between subunits with respect to the protein substrate (eIF2alpha). Removal of the N-terminal domain decreased this cooperativity between subunits and affected the other kinetic parameters including inhibition by Fe(III)-protoporphyrin IX, Fe(II)-protoporphyrin IX, and protoporphyrin IX. Finally, we found that HRI is inhibited by bilirubin at physiological/pathological levels (IC(50) = 20 microM). The roles of the N-terminal domain and the binding of heme in the structural and functional properties of HRI are discussed.

Contains fulltext : 49456.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) Mutations of the erythroid-specific 5-aminolaevulinate synthase (ALAS2) gene are known to be responsible for X-linked sideroblastic anaemia (XLSA). An amino acid (AA) substitution for arginine at the 452 AA position of the ALAS2 protein is the most frequent mutation, which has been found in approximately one-quarter of patients with XLSA. Despite its high frequency, there has been no report on the enzymatic activity of Arg452 mutant proteins. In this study, we examined enzymatic activity in vitro of two Arg452 mutants, Arg452Cys and Arg452His, which were found in two new pedigrees of XLSA. While these mutations must be responsible for the clinical phenotype of XLSA in patients, the enzymatic activity and stability of these mutant proteins studied in vitro are indistinguishable from those of the wild type protein. These findings suggest that the Arg452 mutation of the ALAS2 gene by itself does not decrease the enzymatic activity or the stability in vitro, and that there may be an additional factor(s) in the bone marrow, which ensures the full ALAS2 activity in vivo.

Recent studies have revealed a new class of heme enzymes, the heme-based sensors, which are able to turn on or off cellular signal transduction pathways in response to environmental changes. One of these enzymes is the heme-regulated phosphodiesterase from Escherichia coli (EcDOS). This protein is composed of an N-terminal heme-containing PAS domain and a C-terminal functional domain. PAS is an acronym formed from the names of the Drosophila period clock protein (PER), vertebrate aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT), and Drosophila single-minded protein (SIM). The heme cofactor in its PAS domain can act as a sensor of the cellular redox state that regulates the adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) phosphodiesterase activity. The crystal structures of its heme-containing PAS domain have helped clarify how the heme redox-dependent structural changes initiate intramolecular signal transduction. Here, we review recent findings on the structure-function relationships of EcDOS.

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesised by a two-step oxidation of l -arginine ( l -Arg) in the active site of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) with formation of an intermediate, N ω -hydroxy- l -Arg (NOHA). Crystal structures of NOSs have shown the importance of an active-site Val567 residue (numbered for rat neuronal NOS, nNOS) interacting with non-amino acid substrates. To investigate the role of this Val residue in substrate recognition and NO-formation activity by nNOS, we generated and purified four Val567 mutants of nNOS, Val567Leu, Val567Phe, Val567Arg and Val567Glu. We characterized these proteins and tested their ability to generate NO from the oxidation of natural substrates l -Arg and NOHA, and from N -hydroxyguanidines previously identified as alternative substrates for nNOS. The Val567Leu mutant displayed lower NO formation activities than the wild type (WT) in the presence of all tested compounds. Surprisingly, the Val567Phe mutant formed low amounts of NO only from NOHA. These two mutants displayed lower affinity for l -Arg and NOHA than the WT protein. Val576Glu and Val567Arg mutants were much less stable and did not lead to any formation of NO. These results suggest that Val567 is an important residue for preserving the integrity of the active site, for substrate binding, and subsequently for NO-formation in nNOS.

Heme-regulated eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha kinase (HRI) regulates the synthesis of hemoglobin in reticulocytes in response to heme availability. HRI contains a tightly bound heme at the N-terminal domain. Earlier reports show that nitric oxide (NO) regulates HRI catalysis. However, the mechanism of this process remains unclear. In the present study, we utilize in vitro kinase assays, optical absorption, electron spin resonance (ESR), and resonance Raman spectra of purified full-length HRI for the first time to elucidate the regulation mechanism of NO. HRI was activated via heme upon NO binding, and the Fe(II)-HRI(NO) complex displayed 5-fold greater eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha kinase activity than the Fe(III)-HRI complex. The Fe(III)-HRI complex exhibited a Soret peak at 418 nm and a rhombic ESR signal with g values of 2.49, 2.28, and 1.87, suggesting coordination with Cys as an axial ligand. Interestingly, optical absorption, ESR, and resonance Raman spectra of the Fe(II)-NO complex were characteristic of five-coordinate NO-heme. Spectral findings on the coordination structure of full-length HRI were distinct from those obtained for the isolated N-terminal heme-binding domain. Specifically, six-coordinate NO-Fe(II)-His was observed but not Cys-Fe(III) coordination. It is suggested that significant conformational change(s) in the protein induced by NO binding to the heme lead to HRI activation. We discuss the role of NO and heme in catalysis by HRI, focusing on heme-based sensor proteins.

Caveolin is known to down-regulate both neuronal (nNOS) and endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS). In the present study, direct interactions of recombinant caveolin-1 with both the oxygenase and reductase domains of nNOS were demonstrated using in vitro binding assays. To elucidate the mechanism of nNOS regulation by caveolin, we examined the effects of a caveolin-1 scaffolding domain peptide (CaV1p1; residues (82–101)) on the catalytic activities of wild-type and mutant nNOSs. CaV1p1 inhibited NO formation activity and NADPH oxidation of wild-type nNOS in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 1.8 μm. Mutations of Phe584 and Trp587 within a caveolin binding consensus motif of the oxygenase domain did not result in the loss of CaV1p1 inhibition, indicating that an alternate region of nNOS mediates inhibition by caveolin. The addition of CaV1p1 also inhibited more than 90% of the cytochrome c reductase activity in the isolated reductase domain with or without the calmodulin (CaM) binding site, whereas CaV1p1 inhibited ferricyanide reductase activity by only 50%. These results suggest that there are significant differences in the mechanism of inhibition by caveolin for nNOS as compared with those previously reported for eNOS. Further analysis of the interaction through the use of several reductase domain deletion mutants revealed that the FMN domain was essential for successful interaction between caveolin-1 and nNOS reductase. We also examined the effects of CaV1p1 on an autoinhibitory domain deletion mutant (Δ40) and a C-terminal truncation mutant (ΔC33), both of which are able to form NO in the absence of CaM, unlike the wild-type enzyme. Interestingly, CaV1p1 inhibited CaM-dependent, but not CaM-independent, NO formation activities of both Δ40 and ΔC33, suggesting that CaV1p1 inhibits interdomain electron transfer induced by CaM from the reductase domain to the oxygenase domain.

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an essential cofactor of nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) that serves as a one-electron donor to the oxyferrous·heme complex. 4-Aminotetrahydrobiopterin (4-amino-BH4) is a potent inhibitor of NO synthesis, although it mimics all allosteric and structural effects of BH4 and exhibits comparable redox properties. We studied the reaction of reduced endothelial NOS oxygenase domain with O2 in the presence of 4-amino-BH4 at –30 °C by optical and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. With Arg as the substrate, we observed a trihydropteridine radical with a corresponding heme species that was oxyferrous, with a Soret maximum at 428 nm and no EPR signal. With NG-hydroxy-l-arginine (NHA) no pterin radical appeared, whereas an axial ferrous heme·NO complex was formed. The corresponding optical spectra, with Soret bands at 417/423 nm, suggest that the proximal sulfur ligand is protonated. Accordingly, 4-amino-BH4 serves as a one-electron donor to Fe(II)·O2 with both Arg and NHA, but the reaction cycle cannot be completed with either substrate. We propose that protonation of is inhibited in the presence of 4-amino-BH4. With Arg, dissociation of and binding of O2 yields Fe(II)·O2 and a pteridine radical; with NHA, reaction of the substrate with heme-bound eventually yields Fe(II)·NO and reduced 4-amino-BH4. These results suggest that BH4 donates a proton to during catalysis and that inhibition by 4-amino-BH4 may be due to its inability to support this essential protonation step.

In order to understand the heme distal structure of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), we studied cyanide binding to the ferric wild-type and substrate binding site mutants, Glu592Ala and Tyr588His, of the isolated oxygenase domain in the absence and presence of substrates and inhibitors. Cyanide bound to isolated heme-bound oxygenase domains (nNOSox) in the absence of the substrates with the dissociation constant ( K d ) of 3.1 mM. The presence of the substrates, l -Arg and NHA, did not change the K d value. However, cyanide binding was almost abolished in the presence of inhibitors such as NAME, thiocitrulline and 7-NI. The effect of the inhibitors were not observed for the Glu592Ala mutant, while similar strong inhibiting effects were observed for the Tyr588His mutant. We discuss the binding fashion of those inhibitors to the heme substrate binding site of nNOS.

Nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) is a fusion protein composed of an oxygenase domain with a heme-active site and a reductase domain with an NADPH binding site and requires Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM) for NO formation activity. We studied NO formation activity in reconstituted systems consisting of the isolated oxygenase and reductase domains of neuronal NOS with and without the CaM binding site. Reductase domains with 33-amino acid C-terminal truncations were also examined. These were shown to have faster cytochrome c reduction rates in the absence of CaM.NG -hydroxy-l-Arg, an intermediate in the physiological NO synthesis reaction, was found to be a viable substrate. Turnover rates forNG -hydroxy-l-Arg in the absence of Ca2+/CaM in most of the reconstituted systems were 2.3–3.1 min−1. Surprisingly, the NO formation activities with CaM binding sites on either reductase or oxygenase domains were decreased dramatically on addition of Ca2+/CaM. However, NADPH oxidation and cytochrome c reduction rates were increased by the same procedure. Activation of the reductase domains by CaM addition or by C-terminal deletion failed to increase the rate of NO synthesis. Therefore, both mechanisms appear to be less important than the domain-domain interaction, which is controlled by CaM binding in wild-type neuronal NOS, but not in the reconstituted systems.

Nitric oxide (NO) has many diverse biological functions as an important signaling and cytotoxic molecule in the cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems. NO is generated from l -Arg via formation of N G -hydroxyl- l -Arg as an intermediate by a family of enzymes termed nitric-oxide synthases (NOSs). NOS consists of two functional domains: one is an amino-terminal oxygenase domain that has a cytochrome-P450-like heme active site, and the other is a carboxy-terminal reductase domain that is similar to NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. In contrast to the well-known P450/NADPH-P450-reductase fusion protein, cytochrome P450BM3, however, all NOS isoforms are only active as homodimers and require the presence of both Ca 2+ /calmodulin and (6 R )-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin for electron transfer and catalysis. We summarize recent results focusing on electron transfer reaction within this novel enzyme and demonstrate differences between the NOS and P450 systems.

Inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis has been indicated to improve vasopressor-responsiveness and to increase blood pressure in most septic models. However, numerous adverse effects of non-selective NO synthase (NOS) inhibition have been reported, and the effect of NOS inhibition on vascular responsiveness to vasodilators has not been well studied. Using an isometric tension measurement system of vascular rings, we evaluated the effects of an inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor, L-canavanine (L-CAN) and a non-selective NOS inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta)-induced vascular hyporeactivity in the four different rabbit arteries. Pretreatment of IL-1 beta inhibited phenylephrine (Phe)-induced vascular constriction in the carotid artery (CA, 49% of control), pulmonary artery (PA, 66%), femoral artery (FA, 71%) and in the renal artery (RA, 83%). A combination of NOS inhibitors attenuated the vascular hyporeactivity to Phe in all arteries. Pretreatment of IL-1 beta also inhibited acetylcholine (Ach)-induced vascular relaxation in FA, RA and CA. In PA, the rings were inversely constricted after Ach administration. The combination of IL-1 beta with L-CAN, but not with L-NAME, attenuated the Ach-induced vasorelaxation to the control level in all arteries. These data suggest that the selective inhibition of iNOS attenuates the direct endothelial damage induced by IL-1 beta in vitro.

Uric acid (urate) has been suggested to play a protective role in Parkinson's disease onset through its antioxidant activity. Dysfunction of ABCG2, a high-capacity urate exporter, is a major cause for early-onset gout based on hyperuricemia. In this study, the effects of a dysfunctional ABCG2 variant (Q141K, rs2231142) were analyzed on the ages at onset of gout patients (N = 507) and Parkinson's disease patients (N = 1015). The Q141K variant hastened the gout onset (P = 0.0027), but significantly associated with later Parkinson's disease onset (P = 0.025). Our findings will be helpful for development of more effective prevention of Parkinson's disease.

The globin-coupled oxygen sensor, YddV, is a heme-based oxygen sensor diguanylate cyclase. Oxygen binding to the heme Fe(II) complex in the N-terminal sensor domain of this enzyme substantially enhances its diguanylate cyclase activity which is conducted in the C-terminal functional domain. Leu65 is located on the heme distal side and is important for keeping the stability of the heme Fe(II)–O 2 complex by preventing the entry of the water molecule to the heme complex. In the present study, it was found that (i) Escherichia coli -overexpressed and purified L65N mutant of the isolated heme-bound domain of YddV (YddV-heme) contained the verdoheme iron complex and other modified heme complexes as determined by optical absorption spectroscopy and mass spectrometry; (ii) CO was generated in the reconstituted system composed of heme-bound L65N and NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase as confirmed by gas chromatography; (iii) CO generation of heme-bound L65N in the reconstituted system was inhibited by superoxide dismutase and catalase. In a concordance with the result, the reactive oxygen species increased the CO generation; (iv) the E. coli cells overexpressing the L65N protein of YddV-heme also formed significant amounts of CO compared to the cells overexpressing the wild type protein; (v) generation of verdoheme and CO was also observed for other mutants at Leu65 as well, but to a lesser extent. Since Leu65 mutations are assumed to introduce the water molecule into the heme distal side of YddV-heme, it is suggested that the water molecule would significantly contribute to facilitating heme oxygenase reactions for the Leu65 mutants.

Gout is a common disease which results from hyperuricemia. We have reported that the dysfunction of urate exporter ABCG2 is the major cause of renal overload (ROL) hyperuricemia, but its involvement in renal underexcretion (RUE) hyperuricemia, the most prevalent subtype, is not clearly explained so far. In this study, the association analysis with 644 hyperuricemia patients and 1,623 controls in male Japanese revealed that ABCG2 dysfunction significantly increased the risk of RUE hyperuricemia as well as overall and ROL hyperuricemia, according to the severity of impairment. ABCG2 dysfunction caused renal urate underexcretion and induced hyperuricemia even if the renal urate overload was not remarkable. These results show that ABCG2 plays physiologically important roles in both renal and extra-renal urate excretion mechanisms. Our findings indicate the importance of ABCG2 as a promising therapeutic and screening target of hyperuricemia and gout.

The catalytic activity of a heme-based oxygen sensor phosphodiesterase from Escherichia coli (EcDOS) towards cyclic diGMP is regulated by the redox state of the heme iron complex in the enzyme's sensing domain and the association of external ligands with the iron center. Specifically, the Fe (II) complex is more active towards cyclic diGMP than the Fe(III) complex, and its activity is further enhanced by O-2 or CO binding. In order to determine how the redox state and coordination of the heme iron atom regulate the catalytic activity of EcDOS, we investigated the flexibility of its isolated N-terminal heme-binding domain (EcDOS-heme) by monitoring its spectral properties at various hydrostatic pressures. The most active form of the heme-containing domain, i.e. the Fe(II)-CO complex, was found to be the least flexible. Conversely, the oxidized Fe(III) forms of EcDOS-heme and its mutants had relatively high flexibilities, which appeared to be linked to the low catalytic activity of the corresponding intact enzymes. These findings corroborate the suggestion, made on the basis of crystallographic data, that there is an inverse relationship between the flexibility of the heme-containing domain of EcDOS and its catalytic activity. The Fe(II)-CO form of the heme domain of a second heme-based oxygen sensor, diguanylate cyclase (YddV), was also found to be quite rigid. Interestingly, the incorporation of a water molecule into the heme complex of YddV caused by mutation of the Leu65 residue reduced the flexibility of this heme domain. Conversely, mutation of the Tyr43 residue increased its flexibility.

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized from l -Arg in the P450-type heme active site of nitric-oxide synthase (NOS). The internal axial ligand of the heme, Cys415, may hydrogen-bond to the side chain of the conserved Arg418 residue in neuronal NOS (nNOS). To understand the role of Arg418, we generated the nNOS mutants, Arg418Ala and Arg418Leu. NO formation activities with the mutants using both l -Arg and NHA as substrates were less than 0.1 nmol/min/nmol heme, in contrast to rates of 34–35 nmol/min/nmol heme with the wild-type enzyme. The heme reduction rate of the mutants was very slow, less than 10 −2 min −1 , in contrast with that (more than 10 min −1 ) of the wild type. The backbone amide group of Arg418 interacts with the Cys415 thiolate through van der Waals contact, whereas the carbonyl oxygen of Cys415 and the guanidino N e atom of Arg418 form a tight hydrogen bond. The results suggest that Arg418 is critical in preserving the heme proximal structure and thus, is indirectly involved in both catalysis and electron transfer from the reductase domain to the heme.

Electron transfer within rat neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (nNOS) was investigated by pulse radiolysis. Radiolytically generated 1-methyl-3-carbamoyl pyridinium (MCP) radical was found to react predominantly with the heme of the enzyme with a second-order rate constant for heme reduction of 3 x 10(8) m(-1) s(-1). In the calmodulin (CaM)-bound enzyme a subsequent first-order phase was observed which had a rate constant of 1.2 x 10(3) s(-1). In the absence of CaM, this phase was absent. Kinetic difference spectra for nNOS reduction indicated that the second phase consisted of heme reoxidation accompanied by formation of a neutral flavin semiquinone, suggesting that it is heme to flavin electron transfer. Experiments with the heme proximal surface mutant, K423E, had no second phase, confirming that the mutation blocks interdomain electron transfer. With the autoinhibitory loop deletion mutant, Delta40, the slow phase was observed even in the absence of CaM consistent with the role of the loop in impeding interdomain electron transfer. The rate of heme to FMN electron transfer observed in the wild-type enzyme is approximately 1000 times faster than the FMN to heme electron transfer rate predicted during catalysis from kinetic modeling, suggesting that the catalytic process is slowed by kinetic gating.

In neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (nNOS), calmodulin (CaM) binding is thought to trigger electron transfer from the reductase domain to the heme domain, which is essential for O2 activation and NO formation. To elucidate the electron-transfer mechanism, we characterized a series of heterodimers consisting of one full-length nNOS subunit and one oxygenase-domain subunit. The results support an inter-subunit electron-transfer mechanism for the wild type nNOS, in that electrons for catalysis transfer in a Ca2+/CaM-dependent way from the reductase domain of one subunit to the heme of the other subunit, as proposed for inducible NOS. This suggests that the two different isoforms form similar dimeric complexes. In a series of heterodimers containing a Ca2+/CaM-insensitive mutant (delta40), electrons transferred from the reductase domain to both hemes in a Ca2+/CaM-independent way. Thus, in the delta40 mutant electron transfer from the reductase domains to the heme domains can occur via both inter-subunit and intra-subunit mechanisms. However, NO formation activity was exclusively linked to inter-subunit electron transfer and was observed only in the presence of Ca2+/CaM. This suggests that the mechanism of activation of nNOS by CaM is not solely dependent on the activation of electron transfer to the nNOS hemes but may involve additional structural factors linked to the catalytic action of the heme domain.

Nitric oxide(NO)is an important molecule with many diverse biological functions as a signaling and cytotoxic molecule in the cardiovascular, nervous, and immuno systems. NO is synthesized from L-Arg by a family of enzymes termed nitric-oxide synthase(NOS). NOS is a fusion protein composed of an oxygenase domain with a cytochrome P450-like heme active site and a reductase domain similar to NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. Electron transfer from NADPH via the reductase domain to the heme active site is prerequisite for the activation of molecular oxygen with this enzyme. We summarized current concept of the electron transfer system of NOS based mainly on the eNOS crystal structure and our recent findings.

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is composed of an oxygenase domain and a reductase domain. The reductase domain has NADPH, FAD, and FMN binding sites. Wild-type nNOS reduced the azo bond of methyl red with a turnover number of approximately 130 min(-1) in the presence of Ca(2+)/calmodulin (CaM) and NADPH under anaerobic conditions. Diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI), a flavin/NADPH binding inhibitor, completely inhibited azo reduction. The omission of Ca(2+)/CaM from the reaction system decreased the activity to 5%. The rate of the azo reduction with an FMN-deficient mutant was also 5% that of the wild type. NADPH oxidation rates for the wild-type and mutant enzymes were well coupled with azo reduction. Thus, we suggest that electrons delivered from the FMN of the nNOS enzyme reduce the azo bond of methyl red and that this reductase activity is controlled by Ca(2+)/CaM.

Nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) requires the cofactor, (6R)-5,6,7, 8-tetrahydrobiopterin (H4B), for catalytic activity. The crystal structures of NOSs indicate that H4B is surrounded by aromatic residues. We have mutated the conserved aromatic acids, Trp(676), Trp(678), Phe(691), His(692), and Tyr(706), together with the neighboring Arg(414) residue within the H4B binding region of full-length neuronal NOS. The W676L, W678L, and F691L mutants had no NO formation activity and had very low heme reduction rates (0.02 min(-1)) with NADPH. Thus, it appears that Trp(676), Trp(678), and Phe(691) are important to retain the appropriate active site conformation for H4B/l-Arg binding and/or electron transfer to the heme from NADPH. The mutation of Tyr(706) to Leu and Phe decreased the activity down to 13 and 29%, respectively, of that of the wild type together with a dramatically increased EC(50) value for H4B (30-40-fold of wild type). The Tyr(706) phenol group interacts with the heme propionate and Arg(414) amine via hydrogen bonds. The mutation of Arg(414) to Leu and Glu resulted in the total loss of NO formation activity and of the heme reduction with NADPH. Thus, hydrogen bond networks consisting of the heme carboxylate, Tyr(706), and Arg(414) are crucial in stabilizing the appropriate conformation(s) of the heme active site for H4B/l-Arg binding and/or efficient electron transfer to occur.

Mutation of the conserved Thr319 residue to Ala of cytochrome P4501A2 (CYP1A2) increased the value of Vmax 9-fold for reductive dehalogenation of hexachloroethane in the reconstituted system under anaerobic conditions. The Thr319Ala mutation also increased the elimination over substitution product ratio by 5-fold. The addition of aliphatic alcohols increased by 22-fold the activity obtained with the wild type and varied the elimination over substitution product ratio. Increasing pH increased the ratio of elimination over substitution by primarily affecting the rate of elimination.

The dissociation constant (Kd) for CO from neuronal nitric oxide synthase heme in the absence of the substrate and cofactor was less than 10−3 μM. In the presence of l -Arg, it dramatically increased up to 1 μM. In the presence of inhibitors such as NG-nitro- l -arginine methyl ester and 7-nitroindazole (NI), the Kd value further increased up to more than 100 μM. Addition of the cofactor, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (H4B), increased the Kd value by 10-fold in the presence of l -Arg, whereas it decreased the value to less than one 250th in the presence of NI. Addition of H4B increased the recombination rate constant (kon) for CO by more than two-fold in the presence of l -Arg or N6-(1-iminoethyl)- l -lysine, whereas it decreased the kon value by three-fold in the presence of l -thiocitrulline. Thus, the binding fashion of some of inhibitors, such as NI, may be different from that of l -Arg with respect to the H4B effect.

Nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) is a flavohemoprotein that has a cytochrome P450 (P450)-type heme active site and catalyzes the monooxygenation of L-Arg to N G -hydroxy-L-Arg (NHA) according to the normal P450-type reaction in the first step of NO synthesis. However, there is some controversy as to how the second step of the reaction, from NHA to NO and L-citrulline, occurs within the P450 domain of NOS. By referring to the heme active site of P450, it is conjectured that polar amino acid(s) such as Asp/Glu and Thr must be responsible for the activation of molecular oxygen in NOS. In this study, we have created Asp-3143 Ala and Thr-3153 Ala mutants of neuronal NOS, both of which had absorption maxima at 450 nm in the spectra of the CO-reduced complexes and studied NO formation rates and other kinetic parameters as well as the substrate binding affinity. The Asp-314 3 Ala mutant totally abolished NO formation activity and markedly increased the rate of H2O2 formation by 20-fold compared with the wild type when L-Arg was used as the substrate. The NADPH oxidation and O2 consumption rates for the Asp-314 3 Ala mutant were 60 ‐ 65% smaller than for the wild type. The Thr-315 3 Ala mutant, on the other hand, retained NO formation activity that was 23% higher than the wild type, but like the Asp-314 3 Ala mutation, markedly increased the H2O2 formation rate. The NADPH oxidation and O2 consumption rates for the Thr-3153 Ala mutant were, respectively, 56 and 27% higher than for the wild type. When NHA was used as the substrate, similar values were obtained. Thus, we propose that Asp-314 is crucial for catalysis, perhaps through involvement in the stabilization of an oxygen-bound intermediate. An important role for Thr-315 in the catalysis is also suggested.

Angeli's salt, Na2N2O3 or O-N=N+-(OH)(O-) in aqueous solution, is known to release NO- or NO., which relaxes vascular tissue and lowers blood pressure. In the liver, the most abundant heme enzyme is cytochrome P450. In the present study, we studied the effect of rat liver cytochrome P450 1A2 (P450 1A2) in regard to its catalysis of the N=N bond scission of Angeli's salt with optical absorption spectra. Also, we examined the contribution of putative distal amino acids of P450 1A2 to the reaction with the salt. We found that wild-type Fe3+ P450 1A2 markedly enhances the N=N scission of the salt up to 100 fold in terms of absorption spectroscopy. A Fe3+ P450 1A2-NO complex with an absorption peak at 435 nm was formed when the salt was added and the complex was then changed to a 6-coordinated Fe2+-NO complex having a 440-nm peak. Glu318Asp, Glu318Ala and Thr319Ala mutants at the putative distal site of P450 1A2 formed a 5-coordinated Fe2+-NO complex having a 400-nm absorption, that was not formed with the wild type. The Glu318Ala mutant, in particular, did not form the Fe3+-NO complex with the addition of Angeli's salt. The presence of L-Cys, reduced glutathione, catalase or superoxide dismutase markedly stabilized the Fe3+ wild type-NO complex. Thus, our data suggests that the N=N bond of Angeli's salt is cleaved with the P450 1A2 active site and NO- or NO. is released. We discuss mechanisms of redox and ligand changes of the P450 heme.

Gout, a common disease, is a consequence of hyperuricemia, and increases the risks of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and renal failure. Gout can be classified into 3 types: the renal underexcretion (RUE) type, renal overload type and combined type. RUE type is a major type of gout; however, its genetic causes are still unclear. Since human organic anion transporter 4 (OAT4/SLC22A11) is expressed in the kidney and mediates urate transport, we investigated the effects of a common variant of OAT4/SLC22A11 on the susceptibility to gout. Five hundred and forty-five Japanese male gout cases and 1,115 male individuals as a control group were genotyped with rs17300741, a single nucleotide polymorphism in the OAT4/SLC22A11 gene. The association analysis of rs17300741 showed no significant association for all gout cases; however, there was a slight but significant association for RUE type gout cases (p = 0.049). These results also suggest that OAT4 contributes to urate transport at the apical membrane of renal proximal tubule cells in humans. Our findings make it clear for the first time that a common variant of OAT4/SLC22A11 is associated with RUE type gout, a major gout subtype.

An emerging class of novel heme-based oxygen sensors containing a globin fold binds and senses environmental O2 via a heme iron complex. Structure-function relationships of oxygen sensors containing a heme-bound globin fold are different from those containing heme-bound PAS and GAF folds. It is thus worth reconsidering from an evolutionary perspective how heme-bound proteins with a globin fold similar to that of hemoglobin and myoglobin could act as O2 sensors. Here, we summarize the molecular mechanisms of heme-based oxygen sensors containing a globin fold in an effort to shed light on the O2-sensing properties and O2-stimulated catalytic enhancement observed for these proteins.

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) has a thiolate-coordinated heme active site similar to that of cytochrome P450 (P450). Both NOS and P450 form stable nitric oxide (NO)-ferric heme complexes, whereas an NO-ferric heme complex of methemoglobin, that has an imidazole-coordinated heme active site, is easily reduced. The NO complex stability of the thiolate-coordinated hemoproteins, however, appeared irreconcilable with the strong electron-donating capability of the cysteine thiolate. In the present study, NO bindings to cytochrome P450 1A2 (P450 1A2) distal mutants were studied in the presence of various substrates. We found that a mutation at Glu-318 to Ala in the putative distal site of P450 1A2, suggested to be important in the O2 activation of P450 reactions, markedly facilitates the reduction of the NO-ferric complex. Addition of 1,2:3,4-dibenzanthracene or phenanthrene almost abolished the mutation effect on the NO complex. Based on these results, together with other spectral and kinetic data, it is suggested that the NO-ferric complex stability of P450, and perhaps of NOS, is largely ascribed to an ionic bridge between NO and the distal carboxyl group.

Cytochrome P450 catalyzes monooxidation reactions of many organic compounds in the presence of hydroperoxides even in the absence of electron-transfer proteins and molecular oxygen. To understand the mechanism of the hydroperoxide-induced cytochrome P450 reactions, we investigated effects of ligands such as alcohols and imidazoles and 7-ethoxycoumarin, a substrate of cytochrome P450 1A2 (P450 1A2), on the cumyl hydroperoxide (CHP) O-O cleavage reaction with wild-type P450 1A2. Formation rates of cumyl alcohol from CHP with P450 1A2 were remarkably enhanced up to 25-fold by adding alcohols, whereas those of acetophenone were not changed by the same procedure. 2-Methylimidazole did not essentially influence the CHP reaction with P450 1A2, while 4-methylimidazole hampered the cumyl alcohol formation. 7-Ethoxycoumarin also impeded the cumyl alcohol formation with P450 1A2. These CHP reactions with P450 1A2 under various conditions are consistent with P450 1A2 spectral changes with CHP obtained under the same conditions. The present study suggests that the several ligands such as alcohols and imidazoles have marked effects on the heterolytic O-O cleavage reaction of CHP with P450 1A2. Mechanisms of the peroxide O-O scission with P450 1A2 associated with the distal site structure and substrate binding are discussed.

The kinetic values for 7-ethoxycoumarin (7-EC) hydroxylation have been obtained in both the NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase- and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-supported systems for several Glu318 and Thr319 mutants of cytochrome P450 1A2. The results with the reductase-supported system suggest that Glu318 is important for both substrate binding and catalysis, whereas Thr3 19 is critical for neither, although the size of the residue at position 319 influences catalytic activity. In contrast, neither Glu318 nor Thr319 appears to be important for catalytic turnover in the TBHP-supported system despite the fact that the size of the amino acid at position 319 affects the binding of TBHP and 7-EC in opposite manners. The roles of these two distal amino acids in the cytochrome P450 1A2-catalyzed oxidation of 7-EC therefore differ for the reactions supported by cytochrome P450 reductase and TBHP.

Catalytic efficiency, kcat/Km, for 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation was remarkably enhanced up to 6-fold by mutations at Lys250, Arg251 or Lys253 in cytochrome P450 1A2, while that for methanol hydroxylation was not changed by the same mutations. It is thus suggested that this ionic site is located at or near one of the hydrophobic substrate-interacting sites of this enzyme.

YddV is a globin-coupled oxygen sensor enzyme in that O2 binding to the Fe(II) heme in the sensor domain substantially enhances its diguanylate cyclase activity. The Fe(III) heme-bound enzyme is also the active form. Amino acid sequence comparisons indicate that Leu65 is well conserved in globin-coupled oxygen sensor enzymes. Absorption spectra of the Fe(III) heme complexes of L65G, L65M, L65Q and L65T mutants of the isolated heme domain of YddV (YddV-heme) were substantially different from that of the wild-type protein. Specifically, Soret bands of the 6-coordinated high-spin Fe(III) complexes of mutant proteins (with H2O and His98 as axial ligands) were located at around 403–406 nm, distinct from that (391 nm) of the 5-coordinated high-spin Fe(III) complex of wild-type protein with His98 as the axial ligand. The autooxidation rate constant (> 0.10 min− 1) of the Fe(II)–O2 complex of L65G was substantially higher than that (0.011 min− 1) of the wild-type protein. Affinities of O2 for the Fe(II) complexes of L65G and L65T were markedly higher than that for the wild-type protein. Thus, we suggest that the well-conserved Leu65 located in the heme distal side is critical for restricting water access to the heme distal side to avoid rapid autooxidation of YddV, which needs a stable Fe(II)–O2 complex with a low autooxidation rate.

Catalytic efficiencies, percentages of rates of product formation per NADPH oxidized, and rates of product formation per O2 consumed of ionic mutants of cytochrome P450 1A2 (P450 1A2) were studied. Efficiencies of Lys99Glu, Lys453Glu, and Arg455Glu mutants for the hydroxylation reaction toward 7-ethoxycoumarin in the reconstituted system were much lower than that of the wild type (less than 17%), which corresponds to lower turnover numbers for these mutants. In contrast, the catalytic efficiencies for the hydroxylation reaction toward methanol of the three mutants were more than 45% that of the wild type in spite of these mutants' lower turnover numbers. Turnover numbers and catalytic efficiencies of Arg137Leu and Lys401 Glu mutants toward both substrates were comparable to those of the wild type. The electron-transfer rate from the reductase to the heme of P450 1A2 was decreased by 30% upon addition of excess methanol, while it was not influenced by addition of excess 7-ethoxycoumarin. The turnover numbers toward both 7-ethoxycoumarin and methanol as well as the rate constant of electron transfer were decreased by 25-40% by raising the concentration of KCl from 0 to 300 mM in the reconstituted system containing 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer. The turnover numbers toward both substrates of the above-mentioned five ionic mutants caused by tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the absence of the reductase and NADPH were comparable to those of the wild type. The effect of phospholipid constituents on the catalytic activity toward 7-ethoxycoumarin of the wild type was also studied.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

To the Editor: Gout, a multifactorial disease characterized by acute inflammatory arthritis, is caused as a consequence of hyperuricemia. Previous genetic studies have revealed that gout and serum uric acid (SUA) levels have associations with various genes such as ATP-binding cassette transporter, subfamily G, member 2 ( ABCG2/BCRP )1,2,3, glucose transporter 9 ( GLUT9/SLC2A9 )1, organic anion transporter 4 ( OAT4/SLC22A11 )1,4, monocarboxylate transporter 9 ( MCT9/SLC16A9 )1,5, and leukine-rich repeat-containing 16 A ( LRRC16A/CARMIL )1,6. PDZ domain containing 1 ( PDZK1 , also known as NHERF3 ) plays a pivotal role as a scaffolding protein that forms urate transportsome6,7,8,9 with URAT1, ABCG2, and OAT4 (Figure 1). A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs12129861, was first reported to have an association between PDZK1 gene and SUA1, which was confirmed by a replication study10. Although the minor allele of rs12129861 is shown to decrease SUA1,10, to the best of our knowledge, no study to date has investigated its association with clinically defined patients with gout. Figure 1. Urate transportsome in the renal tubular cells. PDZK1 (also known as NHERF3) is a scaffolding protein that binds to several urate transporters such as URAT1, OAT4, and NPT1. As for ABCG2, the interaction with PDZK1 is shown to be weak (dotted line)9. … Address correspondence to Dr. H. Matsuo, Department of Integrative Physiology and Bio-Nano Medicine, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8513, Japan. E-mail: hmatsuo{at}ndmc.ac.jp

Crystal structures of nitric oxide synthases (NOS) isoforms have shown the presence of a strongly conserved heme active-site residue, Tyr588 (numbering for rat neuronal NOS, nNOS). Preliminary biochemical studies have highlighted its importance in the binding and oxidation to NO of natural substrates L-Arg and N(omega)-hydroxy-L-arginine (NOHA) and suggested its involvement in mechanism. We have used UV-visible and EPR spectroscopy to investigate the effects of the Tyr588 to Phe mutation on the heme-distal environment, on the binding of a large series of guanidines and N-hydroxyguanidines that differ from L-Arg and NOHA by the nature of their alkyl- or aryl-side chain, and on the abilities of wild type (WT) and mutant to oxidize these analogues with formation of NO. Our EPR experiments show that the heme environment of the Tyr588Phe mutant differs from that of WT nNOS. However, the addition of L-Arg to this mutant results in EPR spectra similar to that of WT nNOS. Tyr588Phe mutant binds L-Arg and NOHA with much weaker affinities than WT nNOS but both proteins bind non alpha-amino acid guanidines and N-hydroxyguanidines with close affinities. WT nNOS and mutant do not form NO from the tested guanidines but oxidize several N-hydroxyguanidines with formation of NO in almost identical rates. Our results show that the Tyr588Phe mutation induces structural modifications of the H-bonds network in the heme-distal site that alter the reactivity of the heme. They support recent spectroscopic and mechanistic studies that involve two distinct heme-based active species in the two steps of NOS mechanism.

Some eukaryotic cytochromes P450 (P450s) have a series of ionic amino acids, corresponding to Lys250, Arg251, and Lys253 residues in the P450 1A2 sequence. To understand the roles of those ionic amino acids in the catalytic function of P450, three single mutants, Lys250Leu, Arg251Leu, and Lys253Leu of P450 1A2 were obtained from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) expression system. Turnover numbers of the Arg251Leu mutant in dealkylation reactions of methoxy- and ethoxyresorufin catalyzed by the P450 reconstituted system were remarkably increased by sixfold compared to those of the wild type. The Lys250Leu and Lys253Leu mutants also showed turnover numbers higher than those of the wild type by three- to fourfold. Those catalytic activities were inhibited competitively by pyridine derivatives, nitrogenous axial ligands to the P450 heme. From those findings together with other spectral data, it was suggested that the ionic site of Lys250, Arg251, and Lys253 may be somehow located near the substrate recognition site and/or near the axial-ligand access channel of this enzyme.

Neurons in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) of DBA/2J (D2) and C57BL/6J (B6) mice were immunohistochemically labeled for the calcium binding protein parvalbumin (PV). Prior to this, mice were treated for 12 hours nightly with a “high frequency” augmented acoustic environment (HAAE: repetitive bursts of a 70 dB sound pressure level, half-octave noise band centered at 20 kHz). This was done during the period that hearing loss occurs: pre-weaning to 55 days in D2 mice and weaning to 9 months in B6 mice. After HAAE treatment in D2 mice, high-frequency hearing loss was ameliorated and fewer PV-labeled neurons were found in the AVCN compared to untreated controls. HAAE treatment in B6 mice exacerbated high-frequency hearing loss, yet the number of PV-labeled AVCN neurons in treated mice did not differ significantly from that of control mice. The findings suggest that HAAE treatment provides relief from physiological stress caused by deprivation of auditory input from the impaired cochlea.

Interactions of phenyl isocyanide (PheNC) with purified engineered cytochrome P450d wild type and putative distal mutants, Glu318Asp and Glu318Ala, were studied with optical absorption spectra. The wild type and the mutant Glu318Asp were purified as the high-spin state, while the mutant Glu318Ala was purified as the oxygen-bound low-spin form. Thus, it is suggested that Glu318 is important to make the appropriate heme environment of P450d. Spectral dissociation constants (0.19-0.39 mM) of the ligand for the ferric mutants were lower than that (0.74 mM) of the wild type. These dissociation constants were changed by adding a substrate, 7-ethoxycoumarin. The reduced wild type-PheNC complex showed a Soret peak at 451 nm, while the reduced mutant-PheNC complexes showed two peaks at 451 and 423 nm. The 451-nm peak of the complexes decreased with the concomitant increase of a new peak at 433 nm at room temperature. Thus, it was suggested that P450d can take two conformationally different forms from the characteristic spectral features. The Soret spectral conversions which followed the first-order kinetics were analyzed by changing the temperature. The activation energy (69 kcal/mol) for the conversion for the wild type was higher than those (37-50 kcal/mol) for the mutants. The activation energy for the wild type further increased (by 55%) by adding the substrate, while those for the mutants were essentially unchanged by adding the substrate. We discuss the important role of Glu318 at the putative distal site of P450d in the packing or the conformational stability of the putative distal site of the P450d molecule.

The catalytic activity, 6β-hydroxylation, toward testosterone of engineered cytochrome P-450d was three-times increased by Thr319Ala mutation at the putative distal site, While that was abolished Ala315Ser and important role the steroid of while that was abolished by mutations Thr322Ala at the same site, suggesting the of this region in catalytic activity toward cytochrome P-450d.