Xavier Carpena

Catalase-peroxidases (KatG) Exhibit NADH Oxidase Activity

Catalase-peroxidases (KatG) produced by Burkholderia pseudomallei, Escherichia coli, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis catalyze the oxidation of NADH to form NAD+ and either H2O2 or superoxide radical depending on pH. The NADH oxidase reaction requires molecular oxygen, does not require hydrogen peroxide, is not inhibited by superoxide dismutase or catalase, and has a pH optimum of 8.75, clearly differentiating it from the peroxidase and catalase reactions with pH optima of 5.5 and 6.5, respectively, and from the NADH peroxidase-oxidase reaction of horseradish peroxidase. B. pseudomallei KatG has a relatively high affinity for NADH (Km = 12 μm), but the oxidase reaction is slow (kcat = 0.54 min-1) compared with the peroxidase and catalase reactions. The catalase-peroxidases also catalyze the hydrazinolysis of isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) in an oxygen- and H2O2-independent reaction, and KatG-dependent radical generation from a mixture of NADH and INH is two to three times faster than the combined rates of separate reactions with NADH and INH alone. The major products from the coupled reaction, identified by high pressure liquid chromatography fractionation and mass spectrometry, are NAD+ and isonicotinoyl-NAD, the activated form of isoniazid that inhibits mycolic acid synthesis in M. tuberculosis. Isonicotinoyl-NAD synthesis from a mixture of NAD+ and INH is KatG-dependent and is activated by manganese ion. M. tuberculosis KatG catalyzes isonicotinoyl-NAD formation from NAD+ and INH more efficiently than B. pseudomallei KatG.

Isonicotinic Acid Hydrazide Conversion to Isonicotinyl-NAD by Catalase-peroxidases

Activation of the pro-drug isoniazid (INH) as an anti-tubercular drug in Mycobacterium tuberculosis involves its conversion to isonicotinyl-NAD, a reaction that requires the catalase-peroxidase KatG. This report shows that the reaction proceeds in the absence of KatG at a slow rate in a mixture of INH, NAD+, Mn2+, and O2, and that the inclusion of KatG increases the rate by >7 times. Superoxide, generated by either Mn2+- or KatG-catalyzed reduction of O2, is an essential intermediate in the reaction. Elimination of the peroxidatic process by mutation slows the rate of reaction by 60% revealing that the peroxidatic process enhances, but is not essential for isonicotinyl-NAD formation. The isonicotinyl-NAD•+ radical is identified as a reaction intermediate, and its reduction by superoxide is proposed. Binding sites for INH and its co-substrate, NAD+, are identified for the first time in crystal complexes of Burkholderia pseudomallei catalase-peroxidase with INH and NAD+ grown by co-crystallization. The best defined INH binding sites were identified, one in each subunit, on the opposite side of the protein from the entrance to the heme cavity in a funnel-shaped channel. The NAD+ binding site is ∼20 Å from the entrance to the heme cavity and involves interactions primarily with the AMP portion of the molecule in agreement with the NMR saturation transfer difference results.

Essential role of proximal histidine-asparagine interaction in mammalian peroxidases

In heme enzymes belonging to the peroxidase-cyclooxygenase superfamily the proximal histidine is in close interaction with a fully conserved asparagine. The crystal structure of a mixture of glycoforms of myeloperoxidase (MPO) purified from granules of human leukocytes prompted us to revise the orientation of this asparagine and the protonation status of the proximal histidine. The data we present contrast with previous MPO structures, but are strongly supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Moreover, comprehensive analysis of published lactoperoxidase structures suggest that the described proximal heme architecture is a general structural feature of animal heme peroxidases. Its importance is underlined by the fact that the MPO variant N421D, recombinantly expressed in mammalian cell lines, exhibited modified spectral properties and diminished catalytic activity compared with wild-type recombinant MPO. It completely lost its ability to oxidize chloride to hypochlorous acid, which is a characteristic feature of MPO and essential for its role in host defense. The presented crystal structure of MPO revealed further important differences compared with the published structures including the extent of glycosylation, interaction between light and heavy polypeptides, as well as heme to protein covalent bonds. These data are discussed with respect to biosynthesis and post-translational maturation of MPO as well as to its peculiar biochemical and biophysical properties.

Substrate flow in catalases deduced from the crystal structures of active site variants of HPII from Escherichia coli

The active site of heme catalases is buried deep inside a structurally highly conserved homotetramer. Channels leading to the active site have been identified as potential routes for substrate flow and product release, although evidence in support of this model is limited. To investigate further the role of protein structure and molecular channels in catalysis, the crystal structures of four active site variants of catalase HPII from Escherichia coli (His128Ala, His128Asn, Asn201Ala, and Asn201His) have been determined at ∼2.0‐Å resolution. The solvent organization shows major rearrangements with respect to native HPII, not only in the vicinity of the replaced residues but also in the main molecular channel leading to the heme distal pocket. In the two inactive His128 variants, continuous chains of hydrogen bonded water molecules extend from the molecular surface to the heme distal pocket filling the main channel. The differences in continuity of solvent molecules between the native and variant structures illustrate how sensitive the solvent matrix is to subtle changes in structure. It is hypothesized that the slightly larger H2O2 passing through the channel of the native enzyme will promote the formation of a continuous chain of solvent and peroxide. The structure of the His128Asn variant complexed with hydrogen peroxide has also been determined at 2.3‐Å resolution, revealing the existence of hydrogen peroxide binding sites both in the heme distal pocket and in the main channel. Unexpectedly, the largest changes in protein structure resulting from peroxide binding are clustered on the heme proximal side and mainly involve residues in only two subunits, leading to a departure from the 222‐point group symmetry of the native enzyme. An active role for channels in the selective flow of substrates through the catalase molecule is proposed as an integral feature of the catalytic mechanism. The Asn201His variant of HPII was found to contain unoxidized heme b in combination with the proximal side His–Tyr bond suggesting that the mechanistic pathways of the two reactions can be uncoupled. Proteins 2001;44:270–281.

A molecular switch and electronic circuit modulate catalase activity in catalase‐peroxidases

The catalase reaction of catalase‐peroxidases involves catalase‐specific features built into a peroxidase core. An arginine, 20 Å from the active‐site heme, acts as a molecular switch moving between two conformations, one that activates heme oxidation and one that activates oxoferryl heme reduction by H2O2, facilitating the catalatic pathway in a peroxidase. The influence of the arginine is imparted to the heme through its association with or dissociation from a tyrosinate that modulates reactivity through a Met‐Tyr‐Trp crosslinked adduct and a π electron interaction of the heme with the adduct Trp.

Structure of the C-terminal domain of the catalase-peroxidase KatG from Escherichia coli.

Catalase-peroxidases or KatGs, the apparent in vivo activators of the anti-tubercular pro-drug isoniazid, are active as homodimers, each subunit having two distinct but sequence- and structure-related domains. The N-terminal domain contains the haem group and is catalytically active, while the C-terminal domain lacks the cofactor. The C-terminal domain of KatG from Escherichia coli is expressed as a soluble protein which has been crystallized in triclinic, orthorhombic and tetragonal crystal forms. Packing in the orthorhombic crystals, with eight molecules in the asymmetric unit, follows the pattern of commensurate modulated structures, which explains the diversity of pseudo-origin peaks observed in the native Patterson map. The different crystal forms arise from variations in the length and sequence of the N-terminal extensions in the different constructs. Despite the variability in the N-terminal region, the overall domain conformations beginning with Pro437 are very similar both to each other and to the C-terminal domains within the native structures of the KatGs from Haloarcula marismortui and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Some structural reorganization in the C-terminal domain relative to the N-terminal domain has evolved to compensate for the absence of the haem group. A high percentage of the residues in the C-terminal domains of KatG proteins from different sources are highly conserved and these residues are spread uniformly throughout the domain. The easily folded nature and retention of structure in the C-terminal domain suggests that it may serve as a platform for the folding of the N-terminal domain and for stabilization of the molecular dimer.