Facile fabrication of antibacterial and antiviral perhydrolase-polydopamine composite coatings.

In situ generation of antibacterial and antiviral agents by harnessing the catalytic activity of enzymes on surfaces provides an effective eco-friendly approach for disinfection. The perhydrolase (AcT) from Mycobacterium smegmatis catalyzes the perhydrolysis of acetate esters to generate the potent disinfectant, peracetic acid (PAA). In the presence of AcT and its two substrates, propylene glycol diacetate and H2O2, sufficient and continuous PAA is generated over an extended time to kill a wide range of bacteria with the enzyme dissolved in aqueous buffer. For extended self-disinfection, however, active and stable AcT bound onto or incorporated into a surface coating is necessary. In the current study, an active, stable and reusable AcT-based coating was developed by incorporating AcT into a polydopamine (PDA) matrix in a single step, thereby forming a biocatalytic composite onto a variety of surfaces. The resulting AcT-PDA composite coatings on glass, metal and epoxy surfaces yielded up to 7-log reduction of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria when in contact with the biocatalytic coating. This composite coating also possessed potent antiviral activity, and dramatically reduced the infectivity of a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus within minutes. The single-step approach enables rapid and facile fabrication of enzyme-based disinfectant composite coatings with high activity and stability, which enables reuse following surface washing. As a result, this enzyme-polymer composite technique may serve as a general strategy for preparing antibacterial and antiviral surfaces for applications in health care and common infrastructure safety, such as in schools, the workplace, transportation, etc.

Effect of suspended solids on peracetic acid decay and bacterial inactivation kinetics: Experimental assessment and definition of predictive models.

The work addresses the effect of total suspended solids (TSS) on disinfection by peracetic acid (PAA) concerning both PAA decay and bacterial inactivation kinetics. The effect of TSS on PAA decay was evaluated at five TSS concentrations (5, 40, 80, 120 and 160 mg/L), obtained from stock TSS solutions prepared from activated sludge samples. The influence of the soluble matter associated to the suspended solids on PAA decay was evaluated separately, using the same stock TSS solution after the removal of solids by filtration. The contributions of suspended and soluble fractions were found to be independent, and a predictive model formed by two additive sub-models was proposed to describe the overall PAA decay kinetics. Moreover, an uncertainty analysis was performed by a series of Monte Carlo simulations to propagate the uncertainties associated to the coefficients of the model. Then, the disinfectant dose (mg/L min) was highlighted as the main parameter determining disinfection efficiency on a pure culture of E. coli and an inactivation kinetic model was developed based on the response of E. coli to various PAA doses. Finally, the effect of TSS (40 and 160 mg/L) on the inactivation of free-swimming E. coli was investigated at two PAA doses (5 and 20 mg/L min). TSS reduced inactivation extent an average of 0.4 logs at 5 mg/L min and 1.5 logs at 20 mg/L min. It was hypothesized that this might be due to the formation of bacteria aggregates as defense mechanism against disinfection, enhanced by the presence of solids.

Crystal Structure and Functional Characterization of an Esterase (EaEST) from Exiguobacterium antarcticum.

A novel microbial esterase, EaEST, from a psychrophilic bacterium Exiguobacterium antarcticum B7, was identified and characterized. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing structural analysis and biochemical characterization of an esterase isolated from the genus Exiguobacterium. Crystal structure of EaEST, determined at a resolution of 1.9 Å, showed that the enzyme has a canonical α/ß hydrolase fold with an α-helical cap domain and a catalytic triad consisting of Ser96, Asp220, and His248. Interestingly, the active site of the structure of EaEST is occupied by a peracetate molecule, which is the product of perhydrolysis of acetate. This result suggests that EaEST may have perhydrolase activity. The activity assay showed that EaEST has significant perhydrolase and esterase activity with respect to short-chain p-nitrophenyl esters (≤C8), naphthyl derivatives, phenyl acetate, and glyceryl tributyrate. However, the S96A single mutant had low esterase and perhydrolase activity. Moreover, the L27A mutant showed low levels of protein expression and solubility as well as preference for different substrates. On conducting an enantioselectivity analysis using R- and S-methyl-3-hydroxy-2-methylpropionate, a preference for R-enantiomers was observed. Surprisingly, immobilized EaEST was found to not only retain 200% of its initial activity after incubation for 1 h at 80°C, but also retained more than 60% of its initial activity after 20 cycles of reutilization. This research will serve as basis for future engineering of this esterase for biotechnological and industrial applications.

Reactions of Ferrous Coproheme Decarboxylase (HemQ) with O2 and H2O2 Yield Ferric Heme b.

A recently discovered pathway for the biosynthesis of heme b ends in an unusual reaction catalyzed by coproheme decarboxylase (HemQ), where the Fe(II)-containing coproheme acts as both substrate and cofactor. Because both O2 and H2O2 are available as cellular oxidants, pathways for the reaction involving either can be proposed. Analysis of reaction kinetics and products showed that, under aerobic conditions, the ferrous coproheme-decarboxylase complex is rapidly and selectively oxidized by O2 to the ferric state. The subsequent second-order reaction between the ferric complex and H2O2 is slow, pH-dependent, and further decelerated by D2O2 (average kinetic isotope effect of 2.2). The observation of rapid reactivity with peracetic acid suggested the possible involvement of Compound I (ferryl porphyrin cation radical), consistent with coproheme and harderoheme reduction potentials in the range of heme proteins that heterolytically cleave H2O2. Resonance Raman spectroscopy nonetheless indicated a remarkably weak Fe-His interaction; how the active site structure may support heterolytic H2O2 cleavage is therefore unclear. From a cellular perspective, the use of H2O2 as an oxidant in a catalase-positive organism is intriguing, as is the unusual generation of heme b in the Fe(III) rather than Fe(II) state as the end product of heme synthesis.

Decontamination by Persteril 36 may affect the reliability of DNA-based detection of biological warfare agents-short communication.

Persteril 36 is a disinfectant with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Because of its bactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal, and sporicidal effectiveness, it is used as a disinfectant against biological warfare agents in the emergency and army services. In case of an attack with potentially harmful biological agents, a person's gear or afflicted skin is sprayed with a diluted solution of Persteril 36 as a precaution. Subsequently, the remains of the biological agents are analyzed. However, the question remains concerning whether DNA can be successfully analyzed from Persteril 36-treated dead bacterial cells. Spore-forming Bacillus subtilis and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Xanthomonas campestris were splattered on a camouflage suit and treated with 2 or 0.2 % Persteril 36. After the disinfectant vaporized, the bacterial DNA was extracted and quantified by real-time PCR. A sufficient amount of DNA was recovered for downstream analysis only in the case of spore-forming B. subtilis treated with a 0.2 % solution of Persteril 36. The bacterial DNA was almost completely destroyed in Gram-negative bacteria or after treatment with the more concentrated solution in B. subtilis. This phenomenon can lead to false-negative results during the identification of harmful microorganisms.

Unusual Peroxide-Dependent, Heme-Transforming Reaction Catalyzed by HemQ.

A recently proposed pathway for heme b biosynthesis, common to diverse bacteria, has the conversion of two of the four propionates on coproheme III to vinyl groups as its final step. This reaction is catalyzed in a cofactor-independent, H2O2-dependent manner by the enzyme HemQ. Using the HemQ from Staphylococcus aureus (SaHemQ), the initial decarboxylation step was observed to rapidly and obligately yield the three-propionate harderoheme isomer III as the intermediate, while the slower second decarboxylation appeared to control the overall rate. Both synthetic harderoheme isomers III and IV reacted when bound to HemQ, the former more slowly than the latter. While H2O2 is the assumed biological oxidant, either H2O2 or peracetic acid yielded the same intermediates and products, though amounts significantly greater than the expected 2 equiv were required in both cases and peracetic acid reacted faster. The ability of peracetic acid to substitute for H2O2 suggests that, despite the lack of catalytic residues conventionally present in heme peroxidase active sites, reaction pathways involving high-valent iron intermediates cannot be ruled out.

A simple method for decomposition of peracetic acid in a microalgal cultivation system.

A cost-efficient process devoid of several washing steps was developed, which is related to direct cultivation following the decomposition of the sterilizer. Peracetic acid (PAA) is known to be an efficient antimicrobial agent due to its high oxidizing potential. Sterilization by 2 mM PAA demands at least 1 h incubation time for an effective disinfection. Direct degradation of PAA was demonstrated by utilizing components in conventional algal medium. Consequently, ferric ion and pH buffer (HEPES) showed a synergetic effect for the decomposition of PAA within 6 h. On the contrary, NaNO3, one of the main components in algal media, inhibits the decomposition of PAA. The improved growth of Chlorella vulgaris and Synechocystis PCC6803 was observed in the prepared BG11 by decomposition of PAA. This process involving sterilization and decomposition of PAA should help cost-efficient management of photobioreactors in a large scale for the production of value-added products and biofuels from microalgal biomass.

Peroxidase-type reactions suggest a heterolytic/nucleophilic O-O joining mechanism in the heme-dependent chlorite dismutase.

Heme-containing chlorite dismutases (Clds) catalyze a highly unusual O-O bond-forming reaction. The O-O cleaving reactions of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid (PAA) with the Cld from Dechloromonas aromatica (DaCld) were studied to better understand the Cl-O cleavage of the natural substrate and subsequent O-O bond formation. While reactions with H2O2 result in slow destruction of the heme, at acidic pH heterolytic cleavage of the O-O bond of PAA cleanly yields the ferryl porphyrin cation radical (compound I). At alkaline pH, the reaction proceeds more rapidly, and the first observed intermediate is a ferryl heme. Freeze-quench EPR confirmed that the latter has an uncoupled protein-based radical, indicating that compound I is the first intermediate formed at all pH values and that radical migration is faster at alkaline pH. These results suggest by analogy that two-electron Cl-O bond cleavage to yield a ferryl-porphyrin cation radical is the most likely initial step in O-O bond formation from chlorite.

Spectroscopic and kinetic investigation of the reactions of peroxyacetic acid with Burkholderia pseudomallei catalase-peroxidase, KatG.

Catalase-peroxidases or KatGs can utilize organic peroxyacids and peroxides instead of hydrogen peroxide to generate the high-valent ferryl-oxo intermediates involved in the catalase and peroxidase reactions. In the absence of peroxidatic one-electron donors, the ferryl intermediates generated with a low excess (10-fold) of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) slowly decay to the ferric resting state after several minutes, a reaction that is demonstrated in this work by both stopped-flow UV-vis absorption measurements and EPR spectroscopic characterization of Burkholderia pseudomallei KatG (BpKatG). EPR spectroscopy showed that the [Fe(IV)═O Trp330(•+)], [Fe(IV)═O Trp139(•)], and [Fe(IV)═O Trp153(•)] intermediates of the peroxidase-like cycle of BpKatG ( Colin, J. Wiseman, B. Switala, J. Loewen, P. C. Ivancich, A. ( 2009 ) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131 , 8557 - 8563 ), formed with a low excess of PAA at low temperature, are also generated with a high excess (1000-fold) of PAA at room temperature. However, under high excess conditions, there is a rapid conversion to a persistent [Fe(IV)═O] intermediate. Analysis of tryptic peptides of BpKatG by mass spectrometry before and after treatment with PAA showed that specific tryptophan (including W330, W139, and W153), methionine (including Met264 of the M-Y-W adduct), and cysteine residues are either modified with one, two, or three oxygen atoms or could not be identified in the spectrum because of other undetermined modifications. It was concluded that these oxidized residues were the source of electrons used to reduce the excess of PAA to acetic acid and return the enzyme to the ferric state. Treatment of BpKatG with PAA also caused a loss of catalase activity towards certain substrates, consistent with oxidative disruption of the M-Y-W adduct, and a loss of peroxidase activity, consistent with accumulation of the [Fe(IV)═O] intermediate and the oxidative modification of the W330, W139, and W153. PAA, but not H2O2 or tert-butyl hydroperoxide, also caused subunit cross-linking.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon reaction rates with peroxy-acid treatment: prediction of reactivity using local ionization potential.

Property-Encoded Surface Translator (PEST) descriptors were found to be correlated with the degradation rates of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by the peroxy-acid process. Reaction rate constants (k) in hr(-1) for nine PAHs (acenaphthene, anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, fluoranthene, fluorene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene) were determined by a peroxy-acid treatment method that utilized acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and a sulphuric acid catalyst to degrade the polyaromatic structures. Molecular properties of the selected nine PAHs were derived from structures optimized at B3LYP/6-31G(d) and HF/6-31G(d) levels of theory. Properties of adiabatic and vertical ionization potential (IP), highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO), HOMO/lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gap energies and HOMO/singly occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) gap energies were not correlated with rates of peroxy-acid reaction. PEST descriptors were calculated from B3LYP/6-31G(d) optimized structures and found to have significant levels of correlation with k. PIP Min described the minimum local IP on the surface of the molecule and was found to be related to k. PEST technology appears to be an accurate method in predicting reactivity and could prove to be a valuable asset in building treatment models and in remediation design for PAHs and other organic contaminants in the environment.

Cloning and characterization of a novel bifunctional acetyl xylan esterase with carbohydrate binding module from Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

The cDNA of acetyl xylan esterase 2 (PcAxe2) gene containing a carbohydrate binding module (CBM) sequence from Phanerochaete chrysosporium was cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The recombinant PcAxe2 protein (rPcAxe2) was efficiently produced, reaching a maximum of 1058 U l(-1) after 6 days of cultivation. Molecular mass of the rPcAxe2 on SDS-PAGE was approximately 63 kDa under hyperglycosylation. Optimal activity of the purified rPcAxe2 enzyme was observed at pH and temperature of 7.0 and 30-35°C, respectively. In addition to acetyl xylan esterase activity, rPcAxe2 also exhibited a xylanase activity at an optimum pH and temperature of 5.0 and 80°C, respectively. The synergistic action of rPcAxe2 with rPcXynC on birchwood xylan, beechwood xylan and wheat arabinoxylan enhanced the total reducing soluble sugar.

Perhydrolase-nanotube paint composites with sporicidal and antiviral activity.

AcT (perhydrolase) containing paint composites were prepared leading to broad-spectrum decontamination. AcT was immobilized onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and then incorporated into latex-based paints to form catalytic coatings. These AcT-based paint composites showed a 6-log reduction in the viability of spores of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis (Sterne) within 60 min. The paint composites also showed >4-log reduction in the titer of influenza virus (X-31) within 10 min (initially challenged with 10(7) PFU/mL). AcT-based paint composites were also tested using various perhydrolase acyl donor substrates, including propylene glycol diacetate (PGD), glyceryl triacetate, and ethyl acetate, with PGD observed to be the best among the substrates tested for generation of peracetic acid and killing of bacillus spores. The operational stability of paint composites was also studied at different relative humidities and temperatures to simulate real-life operation.

Understanding the roles of strictly conserved tryptophan residues in O2 producing chlorite dismutases.

The chlorite dismutases (Clds) degrade ClO(2)(-) to O(2) and Cl(-) in perchlorate respiring bacteria, and they serve still poorly defined cellular roles in other diverse microbes. These proteins share 3 highly conserved Trp residues, W155, W156, and W227, on the proximal side of the heme. The Cld from Dechloromonas aromatica (DaCld) has been shown to form protein-based radicals in its reactions with ClO(2)(-) and peracetic acid. The roles of the conserved Trp residues in radical generation and in enzymatic function were assessed via spectroscopic and kinetic analysis of their Phe mutants. The W155F mutant was the most dramatically affected, appearing to lose the characteristic pentameric oligomerization state, secondary structure, and heme binding properties of the WT protein. The W156F mutant initially retains many features of the WT protein but over time acquires many of the features of W155F. Conversion to an inactive, heme-free form is accelerated by dilution, suggesting loss of the protein's pentameric state. Hence, both W155 and W156 are important for heme binding and maintenance of the protein's reactive pentameric structure. W227F by contrast retains many properties of the WT protein. Important differences are noted in the transient kinetic reactions with peracetic acid (PAA), where W227F appears to form an [Fe(IV)=O]-containing intermediate, which subsequently converts to an uncoupled [Fe(IV)=O + AA(+)˙] system in a [PAA]-dependent manner. This is in contrast to the peroxidase-like formation of [Fe(IV)=O] coupled to a porphyrin π-cation radical in the WT protein, which decays in a [PAA]-independent manner. These observations and the lack of redox protection for the heme in any of the Trp mutants suggests a tendency for protein radical formation in DaCld that is independent of any of these conserved active site residues.

Fluorescent assay for directed evolution of perhydrolases.

Directed evolution offers opportunities to improve promiscuous activities of hydrolases in rounds of diversity generation and high-throughput screening. In this article, we developed and validated a screening platform to improve the perhydrolytic activity of proteases and likely other hydrolases (e.g., lipases or esterases). Key was the development of a highly sensitive fluorescent assay (sensitivity in the µM range) based on 3-carboxy-7-hydroxycoumarin (HCC) formation. HCC is released through an hypobromite-mediated oxidation of 7-(4'-aminophenoxy)-3-carboxycoumarin (APCC), which enables for the first time a continuous measurement of peroxycarboxylic acid formation with a standard deviation of 11% in microtiter plates with a wide pH range window (5-9). As example, subtilisin Carlsberg was subjected to site saturation mutagenesis at position G165, yielding a variant T58A/G165L/L216W with 5.4-fold increased k(cat) for perhydrolytic activity compared with wild type.

Modulation of cytochrome P450 and induction of DNA damage in Cyprinus carpio exposed in situ to surface water treated with chlorine or alternative disinfectants in different seasons.

Epidemiological studies have shown an association between consumption of disinfected drinking water and adverse health outcomes. The chemicals used to disinfect water react with occurring organic matter and anthropogenic contaminants in the source water, resulting in the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). The observations that some DBPs are carcinogenic in animal models have raised public concern over the possible adverse health effects for humans. Here, the modulation of liver cytochrome P450-linked monooxygenases (MFO) and the genotoxic effects in erythrocytes of Cyprinus carpio fish exposed in situ to surface drinking water in the presence of disinfectants, such as sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)) and peracetic acid (PAA), were investigated in winter and summer. A complex induction/suppression pattern of CYP-associated MFOs in winter was observed for all disinfectants. For example, a 3.4- to 15-fold increase was recorded of the CYP2B1/2-linked dealkylation of penthoxyresorufin with NaClO (10 days) and PAA (20 days). In contrast, ClO(2) generated the most notable inactivation, the CYP2E1-supported hydroxylation of p-nitrophenol being decreased up to 71% after 10 days' treatment. In summer, the degree of modulation was modest, with the exception of CYP3A1/2 and CYP1A1 supported MFOs (62% loss after 20 days PAA). The micronucleus (MN) induction in fish circulating erythrocytes was also analysed as an endpoint of genotoxic potential in the same fish population. Significant increases of MN induction were detected at the latest sampling time on fish exposed to surface water treated with chlorinate-disinfectants, both in winter (NaClO) and summer (NaClO and ClO(2)), while no effect was observed in fish exposed to PAA-treated water. These results show that water disinfection may be responsible for harmful outcomes in terms of MFO perturbation and DNA damage; if extrapolated to humans, they ultimately offer a possible rationale for the increased urinary cancer risk recorded in regular drinking water consumers.

Acetyl xylan esterase of Aspergillus ficcum catalyzed the synthesis of peracetic acid from ethyl acetate and hydrogen peroxide.

Recombinant acetyl xylan esterase (rAXE) of Aspergillus ficcum catalyzed the synthesis of peracetic acid (PAA) from ethyl acetate and hydrogen peroxide. Ten micrograms of rAXE catalyzed the synthesis of 1.34 mM of PAA, which can be used for the pretreatment of cellulosic biomass in situ.

Peracetic acid oxidation as an alternative pre-treatment for the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge.

Anaerobic digestion is generally considered to be an economic and environmentally friendly technology for treating waste activated sludge, but has some limitations, such as the time it takes for the sludge to be digested and also the ineffectiveness of degrading the solids. Various pre-treatment technologies have been suggested to overcome these limitations and to improve the biogas production rate by enhancing the hydrolysis of organic matter. This paper studies the use of peracetic acid for disintegrating sludge as a pre-treatment of anaerobic digestion. It has been proved that this treatment effectively leads to a solubilisation of organic material. A maximum increase in biogas production by 21% is achieved. High dosages of PAA lead to a decrease in biogas production. This is due to the inhibition of the anaerobic micro-organisms by the high VFA-concentrations. The evolution of the various VFAs during digestion is studied and the observed trends support this hypothesis.

Verdoheme formation in Proteus mirabilis catalase.

BACKGROUND: Heme oxidative degradation has been extensively investigated in peroxidases but not in catalases. The verdoheme formation, a product of heme oxidation which inactivates the enzyme, was studied in Proteus mirabilis catalase. METHODS: The verdoheme was generated by adding peracetic acid and analyzed by mass spectrometry and spectrophotometry. RESULTS: Kinetics follow-up of different catalase reactional intermediates shows that i) the formation of compound I always precedes that of verdoheme, ii) compound III is never observed, iii) the rate of compound II decomposition is not compatible with that of verdoheme formation, and iv) dithiothreitol prevents the verdoheme formation but not that of compound II, whereas NADPH prevents both of them. The formation of verdoheme is strongly inhibited by EDTA but not increased by Fe3+ or Cu2+ salts. The generation of verdoheme is facilitated by the presence of protein radicals as observed in the F194Y mutated catalase. The inability of the inactive variant (H54F) to form verdoheme, indicates that the heme oxidation is fully associated to the enzyme catalysis. CONCLUSION: These data, taken together, strongly suggest that the verdoheme formation pathway originates from compound I rather than from compound II. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: The autocatalytic verdoheme formation is likely to occur in vivo.

Mechanistic insight into the initiation step of the reaction of Burkholderia pseudomallei catalase-peroxidase with peroxyacetic acid.

The reaction of the catalase-peroxidase of Burkholderia pseudomallei with peroxyacetic acid has been analyzed using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. Two well-defined species were observed, the first defined by an increase in intensity and narrowing of the Soret band at 407 nm and a 10-nm shift of the charge transfer band from 635 to 625 nm. These features are consistent with a ferric spectrum with a greater proportion of sixth-coordination character and are assigned to an Fe(III)-peroxyacetic acid complex. Complementary 9-GHz EPR characterization of the changes in the ferric signal of the resting enzyme induced by the binding of acetate in the heme pocket substantiates the proposal. Kinetic analysis of the spectral changes as a function of peroxyacetic acid concentration revealed two independent peroxyacetic acid binding events, one coincident with formation of the Fe(III)-peroxyacetic acid complex and the other coincident with the heme oxidation to the subsequent ferryl intermediate. A model to explain the need for two peroxyacetic acid binding events is proposed. The reaction of the W330F variant followed similar kinetics, although the characteristic spectral features of the Fe(IV)=O Por(*+) species were detected. The variant D141A lacking an aspartate at the entrance to the heme cavity as well as the R108A and D141A/R108A variants showed no evidence for the Fe(III)-peroxyacetic acid complex, only the formation of ferryl species with absorbance maxima at 414, 545, and 585 nm.

Characterization of the peroxidase mechanism upon reaction of prostacyclin synthase with peracetic acid. Identification of a tyrosyl radical intermediate.

Prostacyclin synthase (PGIS) is a membrane-bound class III cytochrome P450 that catalyzes an isomerization of prostaglandin H(2), an endoperoxide, to prostacyclin. We report here the characterization of the PGIS intermediates in reactions with other peroxides, peracetic acid (PA), and iodosylbenzene. Rapid-scan stopped-flow experiments revealed an intermediate with an absorption spectrum similar to that of compound ES (Cpd ES), which is an oxo-ferryl (Fe(IV)O) plus a protein-derived radical. Cpd ES, formed upon reaction with PA, has an X-band (9 GHz) EPR signal of g = 2.0047 and a half-saturation power, P(1/2), of 0.73 mW. High-field (130 GHz) EPR reveals the presence of two species of tyrosyl radicals in Cpd ES with their g-tensor components (g(x), g(y), g(z)) of 2.00970, 2.00433, 2.00211 and 2.00700, 2.00433, 2.00211 at a 1:2 ratio, indicating that one is involved in hydrogen bonding and the other is not. The line width of the g = 2 signal becomes narrower, while its P(1/2) value becomes smaller as the reaction proceeds, indicating migration of the unpaired electron to an alternative site. The rate of electron migration ( approximately 0.2 s(-1)) is similar to that of heme bleaching, suggesting the migration is associated with the enzymatic inactivation. Moreover, a g = 6 signal that is presumably a high-spin ferric species emerges after the appearance of the amino acid radical and subsequently decays at a rate comparable to that of enzymatic inactivation. This loss of the g = 6 species thus likely indicates another pathway leading to enzymatic inactivation. The inactivation, however, was prevented by the exogenous reductant guaiacol. The studies of PGIS with PA described herein provide a mechanistic model of a peroxidase reaction catalyzed by the class III cytochromes P450.