Anion- and pH-linked conformational transition in horseradish peroxidase

In a previous study we have shown that bringing horseradish peroxidase to pH 3.0 induces a spectroscopic transition (G. Smulevich et al., Biochemistry 36 (1997) 640). We have extended the investigation on this pH-linked conformational change to different experimental conditions, such as (i) in phosphate alone, (ii) in HCl alone and (iii) in phosphate + NaCl. The data obtained allow a number of conclusions to be drawn, namely: (a) the exposure to pH 3.0 under all conditions brings about an alteration of the distal portion of the heme pocket, leading to the rapid formation of a hexa-coordinated species; (b) only in the presence of phosphate is the hexa-coordination followed by a slow cleavage (or severe weakening) of the proximal Fe-His bond, and (c) the rate of this second process is speeded up in the presence of Cl- ions. Such observations underline the presence of a communication pathway between the two opposite sides of the heme pocket, such that any alteration of the structural arrangement on one side of the heme cavity is transmitted to the other, inducing a corresponding conformational change.