FMN-dependent oligomerization of putative lactate oxidase from Pediococcus acidilactici.

Lactate oxidases belong to a group of FMN-dependent enzymes and they catalyze a conversion of lactate to pyruvate with a release of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is also utilized as a read out in biosensors to quantitate lactate levels in biological samples. Aerococcus viridans lactate oxidase is the best characterized lactate oxidase and our knowledge of lactate oxidases relies largely to studies conducted with that particular enzyme. Pediococcus acidilactici lactate oxidase is also commercially available for e.g. lactate measurements, but this enzyme has not been characterized in detail before. Here we report structural characterization of the recombinant enzyme and its co-factor dependent oligomerization. The crystal structures revealed two distinct conformations in the loop closing the active site, consistent with previous biochemical studies implicating the role of loop in catalysis. Despite the structural conservation of active site residues, we were not able to detect either oxidase or monooxygenase activity when L-lactate was used as a substrate. Pediococcus acidilactici lactate oxidase is therefore an example of a misannotation of an FMN-dependent enzyme, which catalyzes likely a so far unknown oxidation reaction.

Urolithins display both antioxidant and pro-oxidant activities depending on assay system and conditions.

The biological effects of polyphenolic ellagitannins are mediated by their intestinal metabolites, urolithins. This study investigated redox properties of urolithins A and B using ORAC assay, three cell-based assays, copper-initiated pro-oxidant activity (CIPA) assay, and cyclic voltammetry. Urolithins were strong antioxidants in the ORAC assay, but mostly pro-oxidants in cell-based assays, although urolithin A was an antioxidant in cell culture medium. Parent compound ellagic acid was a strong extracellular antioxidant, but showed no response in the intracellular assay. The CIPA assay confirmed the pro-oxidant activity of ellagitannin metabolites. In the cell proliferation assay, urolithins but not ellagic acid decreased growth and metabolism of HepG2 liver cells. In cyclic voltammetry, the oxidation of urolithin A was partly reversible, but that of urolithin B was irreversible. These results illustrate how strongly measured redox properties depend on the employed assay system and conditions and emphasize the importance of studying pro-oxidant and antioxidant activities in parallel.