CYP52A23 from Candida albicans and its Substrate Preference for Fatty Acid Hydroxylation.

The pathogenic fungus Candida albicans contains genes encoding five fatty acid hydroxylases belonging to the CYP52 family in its genome. Our previous study reported that CYP52A21 demonstrated typical omega-hydroxylation of lauric acid (Kim D, Cryle MJ, De Voss JJ, Ortiz de Montellano PR (2007) Arch Biochem Biophys 464, 213-220). Functional characterization of CYP52 fatty acid hydroxylases was studied, and their selectivity for hydroxylation was analyzed. Genes for four other CYP52 members (CYP52A22, CYP52A23, CYP52A24, and CYP52C3) from C. albicans were cloned, and their recombinant enzymes were expressed in Escherichia coli. CO-binding spectral analyses showed that the functional P450 holoenzyme was obtained only in CYP52A23, while no holoenzyme peak was observed in the other three CYP52 enzymes. Spectral change of the type II binding was observed in purified CYP52A23 when titrated with fatty acids but none was observed with alkanes. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that CYP52A23 predominantly exhibited omega-hydroxylation activity during the oxidation reaction of fatty acids. Interestingly, it was found that CYP52A23 preferred longer-chain fatty acids (stearic acid and arachidic acid) for its catalytic activities while CYP52A21 preferred mid-chain fatty acids (lauric acid and mystic acid). To analyze the selectivity of fatty acids, hybrid mutagenesis of genes encoding CYP52A21 and CYP52A23 by overlap extension polymerase chain reaction was conducted. Two hybrid mutants containing the N-terminal fragments of CYP52A21 and C-terminal fragments of CYP52A23 displayed higher catalytic activity in palmitic acid and arachidic acid. These results suggested that the C-terminal part of CYP52A23 may be responsible for its preference to longer-chain fatty acids.

In vitro functional analysis of human cytochrome P450 2A13 genetic variants: P450 2A13*2, *3, *4, and *10.

Humans possess three cytochrome P450 enzymes in the 2A subfamily (2A6, 2A7, and 2A13). P450 2A13 is mainly expressed in the human trachea and lung, whereas P450 2A6 is found in human liver. The P450 2A13 enzyme may be considered as the primary enzyme responsible for metabolic activation of many tobacco-specific carcinogens. Genetic variations significantly influence the toxicological consequences attributed to tobacco smoking. The aim of this study was to examine the in vitro functional activities of five P450 2A13 genetic variations (R257C, 133_134insT, R101Q, I331T, and R257C/I331T) in P450 2A13*2, *3, *4, and *10 alleles. Mutant clones were constructed and their recombinant enzymes were expressed in Escherichia coli. P450 2A13 mutants containing R257C, 133_134insT, I331T, and R257C/I331T displayed P450 holoenzyme spectra. The R101Q mutant was not apparently expressed. P450 2A13 enzymes displayed the typical type I binding spectra to coumarin and the calculated binding affinities of R257C, R257C/I331T, and 133_134insT mutants were decreased approximately three- to sevenfold. In catalytic analyses of purified mutant enzymes for coumarin and nicotine, the R257C and I331T mutants exhibited lower kcat values with catalytic efficiencies reduced up to approximately 20%. The double mutation of R257C/I331T induced increased Km values and diminished kcat values that resulted in >50% decrease in catalytic efficiencies. For 133_134insT mutant, catalytic activities were not markedly saturated but the measured rates at the highest concentrations were significantly lower than those of the wild-type or other mutant enzymes. Functional analysis of these variations in P450 2A13 allelic variants may help to understand the consequences of P450 2A13 polymorphism in bioactivation of many tobacco-derived carcinogens.

Streptomyces Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Their Roles in the Biosynthesis of Macrolide Therapeutic Agents.

The study of the genus Streptomyces is of particular interest because it produces a wide array of clinically important bioactive molecules. The genomic sequencing of many Streptomyces species has revealed unusually large numbers of cytochrome P450 genes, which are involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Many macrolide biosynthetic pathways are catalyzed by a series of enzymes in gene clusters including polyketide and non-ribosomal peptide synthesis. In general, Streptomyces P450 enzymes accelerate the final, post-polyketide synthesis steps to enhance the structural architecture of macrolide chemistry. In this review, we discuss the major Streptomyces P450 enzymes research focused on the biosynthetic processing of macrolide therapeutic agents, with an emphasis on their biochemical mechanisms and structural insights.

Functional Characterization of Pharmcogenetic Variants of Human Cytochrome P450 2C9 in Korean Populations.

Human cytochrome P450 2C9 is a highly polymorphic enzyme that is required for drug and xenobiotic metabolism. Here, we studied eleven P450 2C9 genetic variants-including three novel variants F69S, L310V, and Q324X-that were clinically identified in Korean patients. P450 2C9 variant enzymes were expressed in Escherichia coli and their bicistronic membrane fractions were prepared The CO-binding spectra were obtained for nine enzyme variants, indicating P450 holoenzymes, but not for the M02 (L90P) variant. The M11 (Q324X) variant could not be expressed due to an early nonsense mutation. LC-MS/MS analysis was performed to measure the catalytic activities of the P450 2C9 variants, using diclofenac as a substrate. Steady-state kinetic analysis revealed that the catalytic efficiency of all nine P450 2C9 variants was lower than that of the wild type P450 2C9 enzyme. The M05 (R150L) and M06 (P279T) variants showed high kcat values; however, their Km values were also high. As the M01 (F69S), M03 (R124Q), M04 (R125H), M08 (I359L), M09 (I359T), and M10 (A477T) variants exhibited higher Km and lower kcat values than that of the wild type enzyme, their catalytic efficiency decreased by approximately 50-fold compared to the wild type enzyme. Furthermore, the novel variant M07 (L310V) showed lower kcat and Km values than the wild type enzyme, which resulted in its decreased (80%) catalytic efficiency. The X-ray crystal structure of P450 2C9 revealed the presence of mutations in the residues surrounding the substrate-binding cavity. Functional characterization of these genetic variants can help understand the pharmacogenetic outcomes.

Terfenadine metabolism of human cytochrome P450 2J2 containing genetic variations (G312R, P351L and P115L).

The human cytochrome P450 2J2 is involved in several metabolic reactions, including the oxidation of important therapeutics and epoxidation of endogenous arachidonic acid. At least ten genetic variations of P450 2J2 have been identified, but their effects on enzymatic activity have not been clearly characterized. Here, we evaluated the functional effects of three genetic variations of P450 2J2 (G312R, P351L, and P115L). Recombinant enzymes of wild-type and three variant P450 2J2 were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. P450 expression levels in the wild-type and two variants (P351L and P115L) were 142-231 nmol per liter culture, while the G312R variant showed no holoenzyme peak in the CO-binding spectra. Substrate binding titrations to terfenadine showed that the wild-type and two variants displayed Kd values of 0.90-2.2 µM, indicating tight substrate binding affinities. Steady-state kinetic analysis for t-butyl methyl hydroxylation of terfenadine indicated that two variant enzymes had similar kcat and Km values to wild-type P450 2J2. The locations of mutations in three-dimensional structural models indicated that the G312R is located in the I-helix region near the formal active site in P450 2J2 and its amino acid change affected the structural stability of the P450 heme environment.

Inhibitory effect of α-terpinyl acetate on cytochrome P450 2B6 enzymatic activity.

Human cytochrome P450 2B6 is an important hepatic enzyme for the metabolism of xenobiotics and clinical drugs. Recently, more attention has been paid to P450 2B6 because of the increasing number of drugs it metabolizes. It has been known to interact with terpenes, the major constituents of the essential oils used for various medicinal purposes. In this study, the effect of monoterpenes on P450 2B6 catalytic activity was investigated. Recombinant P450 2B6 was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni-affinity chromatography. The purified P450 2B6 enzyme displayed bupropion hydroxylation activity in gas-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis with a kcat of 0.5 min-1 and a Km of 47 µM. Many terpenes displayed the type I binding spectra to purified P450 2B6 enzyme and α-terpinyl acetate showed strong binding affinity with a Kd value of 5.4 µM. In GC-MS analysis, P450 2B6 converted α-terpinyl acetate to a putative oxidative product. The bupropion hydroxylation activity of P450 2B6 was inhibited by α-terpinyl acetate and its IC50 value was 10.4 µM α-Terpinyl acetate was determined to be a competitive inhibitor of P450 2B6 with a Ki value of 7.6 µM. The molecular docking model of the binding site of the P450 2B6 complex with α-terpinyl acetate was constructed. It showed the tight binding of α-terpinyl acetate in the active site of P450 2B6, which suggests that it could be a competitive substrate for P450 2B6.