Purification and characterization of a soybean flour-induced cytochrome P-450 from Streptomyces griseus

M K Trower1, F S Sariaslani, D P O'Keefe

  • 1E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Central Research and Development Department, Wilmington, Delaware 19880-0228.

Insights

Researchers purified cytochrome P-450soy from Streptomyces griseus. This enzyme, essential for metabolizing xenobiotics, was reconstituted and showed catalytic activity with specific substrates.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Cytochrome P-450 enzymes are crucial for metabolizing a wide range of compounds, including xenobiotics.
  • Streptomyces griseus is a source of microbial enzymes with potential biotechnological applications.
  • Understanding P-450 enzyme structure and function is key to predicting and manipulating metabolic pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To purify and characterize a soluble cytochrome P-450 (P-450soy) induced by soybean flour from Streptomyces griseus.
  • To investigate the catalytic activity of purified P-450soy when reconstituted with essential redox partners.
  • To explore the generation of a stable, active P-450 fragment through in vitro proteolysis.

Main Methods:

  • Purification of soluble cytochrome P-450soy from Streptomyces griseus using standard biochemical techniques, achieving 130-fold purification.
  • Characterization of the purified enzyme's physical and spectral properties, including molecular weight and visible absorption spectra.
  • Reconstitution assays using spinach ferredoxin and spinach ferredoxin:NADP+ oxidoreductase to assess NADPH-dependent catalytic activity with xenobiotic substrates (precocene II, 7-ethoxycoumarin).
  • In vitro proteolysis to generate and isolate a stable, active fragment (P-450soy delta).

Main Results:

  • Soluble cytochrome P-450soy was purified to homogeneity as a single polypeptide (MW 47,500) with a ferriprotoporphyrin IX prosthetic group.
  • Spectroscopic analysis confirmed P-450soy as a high-spin cytochrome P-450.
  • Reconstituted P-450soy demonstrated NADPH-dependent oxidation of precocene II and 7-ethoxycoumarin, indicating xenobiotic metabolism capability.
  • Proteolysis yielded a stable and catalytically active P-450 fragment, P-450soy delta.

Conclusions:

  • Soybean flour induces a functional cytochrome P-450 (P-450soy) in Streptomyces griseus.
  • Purified P-450soy, when reconstituted, effectively catalyzes the oxidation of specific xenobiotic substrates.
  • A stable and active P-450 domain (P-450soy delta) can be generated, offering potential for further structural and functional studies.