The adaptive metabolic response involves specific protein glutathionylation during the filamentation process in the pathogen Candida albicans.

Candida albicans is an opportunist pathogen responsible for a large spectrum of infections, from superficial mycosis to the systemic disease candidiasis. Its ability to adopt various morphological forms, such as unicellular yeasts, filamentous pseudohyphae and hyphae, contributes to its ability to survive within the host. It has been suggested that the antioxidant glutathione is involved in the filamentation process. We investigated S-glutathionylation, the reversible binding of glutathione to proteins, and the functional consequences on C. albicans metabolic remodeling during the yeast-to-hyphae transition. Our work provided evidence for the specific glutathionylation of mitochondrial proteins involved in bioenergetics pathways in filamentous forms and a regulation of the main enzyme of the glyoxylate cycle, isocitrate lyase, by glutathionylation. Isocitrate lyase inactivation in the hyphal forms was reversed by glutaredoxin treatment, in agreement with a glutathionylation process, which was confirmed by proteomic data showing the binding of one glutathione molecule to the enzyme (data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD003685). We also assessed the effect of alternative carbon sources on glutathione levels and isocitrate lyase activity. Changes in nutrient availability led to morphological flexibility and were related to perturbations in glutathione levels and isocitrate lyase activity, confirming the key role of the maintenance of intracellular redox status in the adaptive metabolic strategy of the pathogen.

Changes in glutathione-dependent redox status and mitochondrial energetic strategies are part of the adaptive response during the filamentation process in Candida albicans.

Candida albicans is an opportunist pathogen responsible for a large spectrum of infections, from superficial mycosis to systemic diseases called candidiasis. Its ability to grow in various morphological forms, such as unicellular budding yeast, filamentous pseudohyphae and hyphae, contributes to its survival in the diverse microenvironments it encounters in the host. During infection in vivo, C. albicans is faced with high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by phagocytes, and the thiol-dependent redox status of the cells reflects their levels of oxidative stress. We investigated the role of glutathione during the transition between the yeast and hyphal forms of the pathogen, in relation to possible changes in mitochondrial bioenergetic pathways. Using various growth media and selective mutations affecting the filamentation process, we showed that C. albicans filamentation was always associated with a depletion of intracellular glutathione levels. Moreover, the induction of hypha formation resulted in general changes in thiol metabolism, including the oxidation of cell surface -SH groups and glutathione excretion. Metabolic adaptation involved tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activation, acceleration of mitochondrial respiration and a redistribution of electron transfer pathways, with an increase in the contribution of the alternative oxidase and rotenone-insensitive dehydrogenase. Changes in redox status and apparent oxidative stress may be necessary to the shift to adaptive metabolic pathways, ensuring normal mitochondrial function and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels. The consumption of intracellular glutathione levels during the filamentation process may thus be the price paid by C. albicans for survival in the conditions encountered in the host.

Changes in mitochondrial glutathione levels and protein thiol oxidation in ∆yfh1 yeast cells and the lymphoblasts of patients with Friedreich's ataxia.

Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by low levels of the mitochondrial protein frataxin. The main phenotypic features of frataxin-deficient human and yeast cells include iron accumulation in mitochondria, iron-sulfur cluster defects and high sensitivity to oxidative stress. Frataxin deficiency is also associated with severe impairment of glutathione homeostasis and changes in glutathione-dependent antioxidant defenses. The potential biological consequences of oxidative stress and changes in glutathione levels associated with frataxin deficiency include the oxidation of susceptible protein thiols and reversible binding of glutathione to the SH of proteins by S-glutathionylation. In this study, we isolated mitochondria from frataxin-deficient ∆yfh1 yeast cells and lymphoblasts of FRDA patients, and show evidence for a severe mitochondrial glutathione-dependent oxidative stress, with a low GSH/GSSG ratio, and thiol modifications of key mitochondrial enzymes. Both yeast and human frataxin-deficient cells had abnormally high levels of mitochondrial proteins binding an anti-glutathione antibody. Moreover, proteomics and immunodetection experiments provided evidence of thiol oxidation in α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KGDH) or subunits of respiratory chain complexes III and IV. We also found dramatic changes in GSH/GSSG ratio and thiol modifications on aconitase and KGDH in the lymphoblasts of FRDA patients. Our data for yeast cells also confirm the existence of a signaling and/or regulatory process involving both iron and glutathione.

Mechanisms of iron and copper-frataxin interactions.

Frataxin is a mitochondrial protein whose deficiency is the cause of Friedreich's ataxia, a hereditary neurodegenerative disease. This protein plays a role in iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis, protection against oxidative stress and iron metabolism. In an attempt to provide a better understanding of the role played by metals in its metabolic functions, the mechanisms of mitochondrial metal binding to frataxin in vitro have been investigated. A purified recombinant yeast frataxin homolog Yfh1 binds two Cu(ii) ions with a Kd1(CuII) of 1.3 × 10-7 M and a Kd2(CuII) of 3.1 × 10-4 M and a single Cu(i) ion with a higher affinity than for Cu(ii) (Kd(CuI) = 3.2 × 10-8 M). Mn(ii) forms two complexes with Yfh1 (Kd1(MnII) = 4.0 × 10-8 M; Kd2(MnII) = 4.0 × 10-7 M). Cu and Mn bind Yfh1 with higher affinities than Fe(ii). It is established for the first time that the mechanisms of the interaction of iron and copper with frataxin are comparable and involve three kinetic steps. The first step occurs in the 50-500 ms range and corresponds to a first metal uptake. This is followed by two other kinetic processes that are related to a second metal uptake and/or to a change in the conformation leading to thermodynamic equilibrium. Frataxin deficient Δyfh1 yeast cells exhibited a marked growth defect in the presence of exogenous Cu or Mn. Mitochondria from Δyfh1 strains also accumulated higher amounts of copper, suggesting a functional role of frataxin in vivo in copper homeostasis.

Kinetic studies of ferrochelatase in yeast. Zinc or iron as competing substrates.

Ferrochelatase (protoheme ferro-lyase, EC 4.99.1.1) has been studied in yeast mitochondrial membranes with special reference to zinc-chelatase and iron-chelatase activities. Using physiological substrates (protoporphyrin IX, Fe(II) and Zn(II), anaerobic conditions of incubation and direct spectrophotometric assay, apparent Km values smaller than those previously described were found for the membrane-bound enzyme. Fe(II) but not Fe(III) was a strong competitive inhibitor of zinc-chelatase activity, while Zn(II) was a slight competitive inhibitor of iron-chelatase activity. These results could point to modes of control of ferrochelatase activity in yeast. We suggest that reduced supply of Fe(II) may explain the in vivo accumulation of zinc-protoporphyrin in yeast cells incubated under 'resting' conditions.

Effects of iron deficiency and chronic iron overloading on mitochondrial heme biosynthetic enzymes in rat liver.

The effects of iron deficiency and iron overloading on the mitochondrial enzymes involved in heme synthesis were studied in rat livers. The in vitro activities of several of the enzymes in this pathway were differentially influenced by the in vivo iron status of the animals. delta-Aminolevulinic acid synthase was slightly increased in iron-overloaded animals, but remained normal in iron-deficient animals (0.58 +/- 0.09, 0.91 +/- 0.19 and 0.61 +/- 0.12 nmol delta-aminolevulinic acid/mg per h). Copro- and protoporphyrinogen oxidase activities were increased (20 and 60% above controls) in iron-deficient animals. In contrast, coproporphyrinogen oxidase was decreased by 20%, while protoporphyrinogen oxidase remained unchanged in iron-overloaded rats. These variations of activities were not due to changes in the affinity of these enzymes toward their substrates, as coporphyrinogen had the same Km in each case (0.62 +/- 0.05 M) as did protoporphyrinogen (0.22 +/- 0.035 M). Thus, the Km did not vary with the treatment received by the animals. Ferrochelatase activity was measured by both the pyridine hemochromogen method and by measurement of zinc protoporphyrin with endogenous zinc as substrate. In all cases, ferrochelatase was found to be able to synthesize zinc protoporphyrin with endogenous zinc as substrate. However, the apparent Km of zinc chelatase for protoporphyrin was significantly different in the three groups of animals with Km,appProto, app = 2.4 +/- 0.1 10(-7), 4 +/- 0.3 10(-7) and 9.10 +/- 0.05 10(-7) M in iron-overloaded, control and iron-deficient animals, respectively. When ferrochelatase activity was measured by pyridine hemochromogen, identical results were observed in iron-deficient and control animals but decreased by 45% in iron-overloaded animals. The mitochondrial heme content was also decreased by 40% in iron-overloaded rats but unchanged in either iron-deficient or control rats.

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibition by three peroxidizing herbicides: oxadiazon, LS 82-556 and M&B 39279.

Three chemically unrelated peroxidizing molecules, namely oxadiazon [5-(t-butyl)-3-(2,4-dichloro-5-isopropoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2 -one], LS 82-556 [(S)3-N-(methylbenzyl)carbamoyl-5-propionyl-2,6-lutidine] and M&B 39279 [5-amino-4-cyano-1-(2,6-dichloro-4-trifluoromethylphenyl)pyrazol], are potent inhibitors of plant, yeast and mouse protoporphyrinogen oxidase.

Functional analysis of the hemK gene product involvement in protoporphyrinogen oxidase activity in yeast.

The Escherichia coli hemK gene has been described as being involved in protoporphyrinogen oxidase activity; however, there is no biochemical evidence for this. In the context of characterizing the mechanisms of protoporphyrinogen oxidation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we investigated the yeast homolog of HemK, which is encoded by the ORF YNL063w, to find out whether it has any protoporphyrinogen oxidase activity and/or whether it modulates protoporphyrinogen oxidase activity. Phenotype analysis and enzyme activity measurements indicated that the yeast HemK homolog is not involved in protoporphyrinogen oxidase activity. Complementation assays in which the yeast HemK homolog is overproduced do not restore wild-type phenotypes in a yeast strain with deficient protoporphyrinogen oxidase activity. Protein sequence analysis of HemK-related proteins revealed consensus motif for S-adenosyl-methionine-dependent methyltransferase.

A new route to trihydroxamate-containing artificial siderophores and synthesis of a new fluorescent probe.

A fluorescent labelled artificial siderophore 1 was synthesized by coupling a 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD) derivative to the terminal amino group of a new trihydroxamate-containing amine 2, a ferrichrome-type siderophore that was obtained from tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane. Compound 1 was shown to be a suitable tool for experiments on siderophore transport and uptake processes in various organisms cells and particularly in Candida albicans cells.

The domain structure of protoporphyrinogen oxidase, the molecular target of diphenyl ether-type herbicides.

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (EC 1-3-3-4), the 60-kDa membrane-bound flavoenzyme that catalyzes the final reaction of the common branch of the heme and chlorophyll biosynthesis pathways in plants, is the molecular target of diphenyl ether-type herbicides. It is highly resistant to proteases (trypsin, endoproteinase Glu-C, or carboxypeptidases A, B, and Y), because the protein is folded into an extremely compact form. Trypsin maps of the native purified and membrane-bound yeast protoporphyrinogen oxidase show that this basic enzyme (pI > 8.5) was cleaved at a single site under nondenaturing conditions, generating two peptides with relative molecular masses of 30,000 and 35,000. The endoproteinase Glu-C also cleaved the protein into two peptides with similar masses, and there was no additional cleavage site under mild denaturing conditions. N-terminal peptide sequence analysis of the proteolytic (trypsin and endoproteinase Glu-C) peptides showed that both cleavage sites were located in putative connecting loop between the N-terminal domain (25 kDa) with the betaalphabeta ADP-binding fold and the C-terminal domain (35 kDa), which possibly is involved in the binding of the isoalloxazine moiety of the FAD cofactor. The peptides remained strongly associated and fully active with the Km for protoporphyrinogen and the Ki for various inhibitors, diphenyl-ethers, or diphenyleneiodonium derivatives, identical to those measured for the native enzyme. However, the enzyme activity of the peptides was much more susceptible to thermal denaturation than that of the native protein. Only the C-terminal domain of protoporphyrinogen oxidase was labeled specifically in active site-directed photoaffinity-labeling experiments. Trypsin may have caused intramolecular transfer of the labeled group to reactive components of the N-terminal domain, resulting in nonspecific labeling. We suggest that the active site of protoporphyrinogen oxidase is in the C-terminal domain of the protein, at the interface between the C- and N-terminal domains.

Purification and properties of ferrochelatase from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Evidence for a precursor form of the protein.

Ferrochelatase was purified to homogeneity from yeast mitochondrial membranes and found to be a 40-kDa polypeptide with a pI at 6.3. Fatty acids were absolutely necessary to measure the activity in vitro. The Michaelis constants for protoporphyrin IX (9 x 10(-8) M), ferrous iron (1.6 x 10(-7) M), and zinc (9 x 10(-6) M) were determined on purified enzyme preparations in the presence of dithiothreitol. However, the Km for zinc was lower when measured in the absence of dithiothreitol (K-m(Zn2+) = 2.5 x 10(-7) M, Km(protoporphyrin) unchanged). The maximum velocities of the enzyme were 35,000 nmol of heme/h/mg of protein and 27,000 nmol of zinc-protoporphyrin/h/mg of protein. Antibodies against yeast ferrochelatase were raised in rabbits and used in studies on the biogenesis of the enzyme. Ferrochelatase is synthesized as a higher molecular weight precursor (Mr = 44,000) that is very rapidly matured in vivo to the Mr = 40,000 membrane-bound form. This precursor form of ferrochelatase was immunoprecipitated from in vitro translation (in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system) of total yeast RNAs. The antibodies were used to characterize two yeast mutant strains deficient in ferrochelatase activity as being devoid of immunodetectable protein in vivo and ferrochelatase mRNA in vitro translation product. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein has been established and was found to be frayed.

Cloning and characterization of the yeast HEM14 gene coding for protoporphyrinogen oxidase, the molecular target of diphenyl ether-type herbicides.

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase, which catalyzes the oxygen-dependent aromatization of protoporphyrinogen IX to protoporphyrin IX, is the molecular target of diphenyl ether type herbicides. The structural gene for the yeast protoporphyrinogen oxidase, HEM14, was isolated by functional complementation of a hem14-1 protoporphyrinogen oxidase-deficient yeast mutant, using a novel one-step colored screening procedure to identify heme-synthesizing cells. The hem14-1 mutation was genetically linked to URA3, a marker on chromosome V, and HEM14 was physically mapped on the right arm of this chromosome, between PRP22 and FAA2. Disruption of the HEM14 gene leads to protoporphyrinogen oxidase deficiency in vivo (heme deficiency and accumulation of heme precursors), and in vitro (lack of immunodetectable protein or enzyme activity). The HEM14 gene encodes a 539-amino acid protein (59,665 Da; pI 9.3) containing an ADP- beta alpha beta-binding fold similar to those of several other flavoproteins. Yeast protoporphyrinogen oxidase was somewhat similar to the HemY gene product of Bacillus subtilis and to the human and mouse protoporphyrinogen oxidases. Studies on protoporphyrinogen oxidase overexpressed in yeast and purified as wild-type enzyme showed that (i) the NH2-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequence of protoporphyrinogen oxidase is not cleaved during importation; (ii) the enzyme, as purified, had a typical flavin semiquinone absorption spectrum; and (iii) the enzyme was strongly inhibited by diphenyl ether-type herbicides and readily photolabeled by a diazoketone derivative of tritiated acifluorfen. The mutant allele hem14-1 contains two mutations, L422P and K424E, responsible for the inactive enzyme. Both mutations introduced independently in the wild-type HEM14 gene completely inactivated the protein when analyzed in an Escherichia coli expression system.

Purification and properties of coproporphyrinogen oxidase from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Coproporphyrinogen oxidase has been located in the cytosol of yeast cells. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity from a heme mutant strain exhibiting a high specific activity (15-20 enzyme units/mg soluble protein compared to 1-2 enzyme units/mg soluble protein of by the wild-type strain). The final preparation was homogeneous as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Mr = 35,000) and isoelectrofocusing (pI = 6.2). Gel filtration on AcA 44 gave a relative molecular mass of 70,000. N-terminal amino-acid sequence analysis revealed a single polypeptide chain. Thus the enzyme appears to be a dimer with identical subunits. Two iron atoms/molecule of native protein were detected; they could not be removed by exhaustive dialysis or gel filtration on Sephadex G-25. However the involvement of the iron atoms in the oxidative catalytic activity of the enzyme was not demonstrated. The Km value for coproporphyrinogen was 0.05 microM. The enzyme was active only when molecular oxygen was used as electron acceptor; no anaerobic activity could be detected. Thiol-directed reagents partially inhibited the enzyme, indicating that an SH group is required for activity. Yeast coproporphyrinogen oxidase was activated by phospholipids or neutral detergents as described for the bovine liver enzyme.

Fluorometric assays for coproporphyrinogen oxidase and protoporphyrinogen oxidase.

We describe fluorometric assays for two enzymes of the heme pathway, coproporphyrinogen oxidase and protoporphyrinogen oxidase. Both assays are based on measurement of protoporphyrin IX fluorescence generated from coproporphyrinogen III by the two consecutive reactions catalyzed by coproporphyrinogen oxidase and protoporphyrinogen oxidase. Both enzymatic activities are measured by recording protoporphyrin IX fluorescence increase in air-saturated buffer in the presence of EDTA (to inhibit ferrochelatase that can further metabolize protoporphyrin IX) and in the presence of dithiothreitol (that prevents nonenzymatic oxidation of porphyrinogens to porphyrins). Coproporphyrinogen oxidase (limiting) activity is measured in the presence of a large excess of protoporphyrinogen oxidase provided by yeast mitochondrial membranes isolated from commercial baker's yeast. These membranes are easy to prepare and are stable for at least 1 year when kept at -80 degrees C. Moreover they ensure maximum fluorescence of the generated protoporphyrin (solubilization effect), avoiding use of a detergent in the incubation medium. The fluorometric protoporphyrinogen oxidase two-step assay is closely related to that already described (J.-M. Camadro, D. Urban-Grimal, and P. Labbe, 1982, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 106, 724-730). Protoporphyrinogen is enzymatically generated from coproporphyrinogen by partially purified yeast coproporphyrinogen oxidase. The protoporphyrinogen oxidase reaction is then initiated by addition of the membrane fraction to be tested. However, when very low amounts of membrane are used, low amounts of Tween 80 (less than 1 mg/ml) have to be added to the incubation mixture to solubilize protoporphyrin IX in order to ensure optimal fluorescence intensity. This detergent has no effect on the rate of the enzymatic reaction when used at concentrations less than 2 mg/ml. Activities ranging from 0.1 to 4-5 nmol protoporphyrin formed per hour per assay are easily and reproducibly measured in less than 30 min.

Kinetic studies of human liver ferrochelatase. Role of endogenous metals.

Ferrochelatase activity in human liver has been extensively characterized in the mitochondrial fraction by kinetic study of the enzyme in initial velocity conditions. We found that human liver mitochondrial membranes contain large amounts of endogenous metals that are substrates for the enzyme, leading to a lack of linearity of the activity as function of protein concentration. This lack of linearity is mainly due to a high zinc-chelatase activity with endogenous zinc. Under optimal experimental conditions, the maximum velocity for iron incorporation was 8.7 nmol of protoheme/h/mg of protein, and the maximum velocity for zinc incorporation was 4.3 nmol of zinc-protoporphyrin/h/mg of protein. The Michaelis constant for protoporphyrin IX was (i) dependent on the amount of protein when the overall chelatase reactions were measured but (ii) independent of the amount of protein when only zinc-chelatase activity was measured (Km = 0.5 microM). The Michaelis constants for iron and zinc were 0.35 and 0.08 microM, respectively, and the inhibitory constants for competitive incorporation of iron and zinc were KIFe/Zn = 0.12 microM and KIZn/Fe = 0.58 microM. The affinity of the enzyme for zinc lowers the actual determination of ferrochelatase activity with iron as substrate. Furthermore, when measuring ferrochelatase (e.g. in liver biopsy), endogenous zinc content in the biological sample must be taken into account.

Kinetic properties of the membrane-bound human liver mitochondrial protoporphyrinogen oxidase.

We studied the kinetic properties of the membrane-bound human liver mitochondrial protoporphyrinogen oxidase. The activity was monitored by direct recording of protoporphyrin fluorescence appearance in the incubation medium without extraction or dilution. The human liver enzyme shows some different catalytic properties than the rat enzyme since its optimum pH was found at 7.2. We also measured the optimum pH on partially purified protoporphyrinogen oxidase from solubilized human mitochondrial membranes. Like the rat enzyme, the human enzyme had a molecular weight of congruent to 32,000 as determined by gel filtration, but its optimum pH was the same as that of the membrane-bound enzyme. The apparent Km for protoporphyrinogen IX of the membrane-bound enzyme was a function of the pH; Km = 0.16 microM at pH 7.2, 0.33 microM at pH 8.0, and 0.55 microM at pH 8.5. Moreover, there was inhibition by excess protoporphyrinogen IX (KI = 5 microM at pH 7.2). The human enzyme was able to catalyze the oxidation of mesoporphyrinogen IX to mesoporphyrin IX. In this case, the Lineweaver-Burk plot of the data showed a biphasic curve with two different apparent Km's for mesoporphyrinogen IX of 0.5 microM (Vmax = 2.40 nmol h-1 mg-1) and 4 microM (Vmax = 5.7 nmol h-1 mg-1). Human liver protoporphyrinogen oxidase was sensitive to inhibition by some metalloporphyrins such as Mn- and Co-protoporphyrin, and to a lesser degree by Cd-, Ni- and Fe-protoporphyrin (heme). Cu-, Mg-, Sn-, and Zn-protoporphyrins were not inhibitors of the activity. A detailed study of the inhibition of protoporphyrinogen oxidase by cobalt-protoporphyrin shows a noncompetitive mechanism of inhibition with respect to protoporphyrinogen IX (KIapp = 0.8 microM).

Kinetic studies on protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibition by diphenyl ether herbicides.

Diphenyl ethers (DPEs) and related herbicides are powerful inhibitors of protoporphyrinogen oxidase, an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of haems and chlorophylls. The inhibition kinetics of protoporphyrinogen oxidase of various origins by four DPEs, (methyl)-5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoic acid (acifluorfen and its methyl ester, acifluorfen-methyl), methyl-5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl) phenoxy]-2-chlorobenzoate (LS 820340) and methyl-5-[2-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoic acid (RH 5348), were studied. The inhibitions of the enzymes from maize (Zea mays) mitochondrial and etiochloroplastic membranes and mouse liver mitochondrial membranes were competitive with respect to the substrate, protoporphyrinogen IX, for all four molecules. The relative efficiencies of the inhibitors were: acifluorfen-methyl greater than LS 820340 much greater than RH 5348 greater than or equal to acifluorfen. The four molecules showed mixed-competitive type inhibition of the enzyme from yeast mitochondria where acifluorfen, a carboxylic acid, had the same inhibitory activity as its methyl ester, acifluorfen-methyl, and both were much greater than that of LS 820340 and RH 5348.

Localization of ferrochelatase activity within mature pea chloroplasts.

Precise localization within the chloroplast of the membrane-bound enzymes involved in heme and chlorophyll biosynthetic pathways is of central importance for better understanding the regulation of the carbon flow into these two pathways. In this study we examine the localization of ferrochelatase activity within mature pea chloroplasts. Our results provide evidence that chloroplast ferrochelatase is associated only with thylakoid membranes. The presence of ferrochelatase in chloroplast thylakoids emphasizes the role of this membrane system in chloroplast protoheme biosynthesis. Furthermore, these results raise the possibility that heme and chlorophyll biosynthesis are compartmentalized in two distinct membrane systems within mature chloroplasts.

Stability of recombinant yeast protoporphyrinogen oxidase: effects of diphenyl ether-type herbicides and diphenyleneiodonium.

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase catalyzes the oxygen-dependent aromatization of protoporphyrinogen IX to protoporphyrin IX and is the molecular target of diphenyl ether-type herbicides. Structural features of yeast protoporphyrinogen oxidase were assessed by circular dichroism studies on the enzyme purified from E. coli cells engineered to overproduce the protein. Coexpression of the bacterial gene ArgU that encodes tRNAAGA,AGG and a low induction temperature for protein synthesis were critical for producing protoporphyrinogen oxidase as a native, active, membrane-bound flavoprotein. The secondary structure of the protoporphyrinogen oxidase was 40.0 +/- 1. 5% alpha helix, 23.5 +/- 2.5% beta sheet, 18.0 +/- 2.0% beta turn, and 18.5 +/- 2.5% random-coil. Purified protoporphyrinogen oxidase appeared to be a monomeric protein that was relatively heat-labile (Tm of 44 +/- 0.5 degreesC). Acifluorfen, a potent inhibitor that competes with the tetrapyrrole substrate, and to a lower extent FAD, the cofactor of the enzyme, protected the protein from thermal denaturation, raising the Tm to 50.5 +/- 0.5 degreesC (acifluorfen) and 46.5 +/- 0.5 degreesC (FAD). However, diphenyleneiodonium, a slow tight-binding inhibitor that competes with dioxygen, did not protect the enzyme from heat denaturation. Acifluorfen binding to the protein increased the activation energy for the denaturation from 15 to 80 kJ.mol-1. The unfolding of the protein was a two-step process, with an initial fast reversible unfolding of the native protein followed by slow aggregation of the unfolded monomers. Functional analysis indicated that heat denaturation caused a loss of enzyme activity and of the specific binding of radiolabeled inhibitor. Both processes occurred in a biphasic manner, with a transition temperature of 45 degreesC.