Effects of N-linked glycans of bilirubin oxidase on direct electron transfer-type bioelectrocatalysis

Bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria (mBOD) is a promising enzyme for catalyzing the four-electron reduction of dioxygen into water and realizes direct electron transfer (DET)-type bioelectrocatalysis. It has two N-linked glycans (N-glycans), and N472 and N482 are known as binding sites. Both binding sites located on opposite side of the type I (T1) Cu, which is the electrode-active site of BOD. We investigated the effect of N-glycans on DET-type bioelectrocatalysis by performing electrochemical measurements using electrodes with controlled surface charges. Two types of BODs with different N-glycans, mBOD and recombinant BOD overexpressed in Pichia pastoris (pBOD), and their deglycosylated forms (dg-mBOD and dg-pBOD) were used in this study. Kinetic analysis of the steady-state catalytic waves revealed that both size and composition of N-glycans affected the orientation of adsorbed BODs on the electrodes. Interestingly, the most favorable orientation was achieved with pBOD, which has the largest N-glycans. Furthermore, the effect of the orientation control by the N-glycans is cooperative with electrostatic interaction.