Studies by electron-paramagnetic-resonance spectroscopy of the molybdenum centre of aldehyde oxidase

Molybdenum(V) e.p.r. spectra from reduced forms of aldehyde oxidase were obtained and compared with those from xanthine oxidase. Inhibited and Desulpho Inhibited signals from aldehyde oxidase were fully characterized, and parameters were obtained with the help of computer simulations. These differ slightly but significantly from the corresponding parameters for the xanthine oxidase signals. Rapid type 1 and type 2 and Slow signals were obtained from aldehyde oxidase, but were not fully characterized. From the general similarities of the signals from the two enzymes, it is concluded that the ligands of molybdenum must be identical and that the overall co-ordination geometries must be closely similar in the enzymes. The striking differences in substrate specificity must relate primarily to structural differences in a part of the active centre concerned with substrate binding and not involving the catalytically important molybdenum site.