The Structures and Electronic Configuration of Compound I Intermediates of Helicobacter Pylori and Penicillium Vitale Catalases Determined by X-Ray Crystallography and Qm/Mm Density Functional Theory Calculations.
Alfonso-Prieto, M., Borovik, A., Carpena, X., Murshudov, G., Melik-Adamyan, W., Fita, I., Rovira, C., Loewen, P.C.(2007) J Am Chem Soc 129: 4193
- PubMed: 17358056 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ja063660y
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
2IQF, 2IUF - PubMed Abstract: 
The structures of Helicobacter pylori (HPC) and Penicillium vitale (PVC) catalases, each with two subunits in the crystal asymmetric unit, oxidized with peroxoacetic acid are reported at 1.8 and 1.7 A resolution, respectively. Despite the similar oxidation conditions employed, the iron-oxygen coordination length is 1.72 A for PVC, close to what is expected for a Fe=O double bond, and 1.80 and 1.85 A for HPC, suggestive of a Fe-O single bond. The structure and electronic configuration of the oxoferryl heme and immediate protein environment is investigated further by QM/MM density functional theory calculations. Four different active site electronic configurations are considered, Por*+-FeIV=O, Por*+-FeIV=O...HisH+, Por*+-FeIV-OH+ and Por-FeIV-OH (a protein radical is assumed in the latter configuration). The electronic structure of the primary oxidized species, Por*+-FeIV=O, differs qualitatively between HPC and PVC with an A2u-like porphyrin radical delocalized on the porphyrin in HPC and a mixed A1u-like "fluctuating" radical partially delocalized over the essential distal histidine, the porphyrin, and, to a lesser extent, the proximal tyrosine residue. This difference is rationalized in terms of HPC containing heme b and PVC containing heme d. It is concluded that compound I of PVC contains an oxoferryl Por*+-FeIV=O species with partial protonation of the distal histidine and compound I of HPC contains a hydroxoferryl Por-FeIV-OH with the second oxidation equivalent delocalized as a protein radical. The findings support the idea that there is a relation between radical migration to the protein and protonation of the oxoferryl bond in catalase.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Centre especial de Recerca en Química Teorica, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Josep Samitier 1-5, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.