Graphical analysis of interactions between oxidation-reduction sites in two site oxidation-reduction proteins

Many enzymes that catalyze electron-transfer reaction contain multiple oxidation-reduction centers (sites). The oxidation-reduction potential of one site as well as the kinetics of electron transfer through this site may be altered by the state of reduction of a neighboring site. Oxidation-reduction site interactions may be mechanistically important and quantitation of site interactions would aid the interpretation of thermodynamic data and possibly kinetic data. A graphical means to detect and quantitate interactions between oxidation-reduction sites from oxidation-reduction equilibrium data (type A + B in equilibrium C + D) is described and has its roots in the Scatchard analysis of ligand binding equilibria (type A + B in equilibrium C). Oxidation-reduction sites often have distinct physical properties allowing the titration behavior of specific sites to be monitored. Equilibrium measurements on specific sites of a two site protein allow a further analysis of the data which can be combined with the oxidation-reduction Scatchard analysis to solve for all four specific site equilibrium constants. Ligand binding systems can usually measure only total site binding and simplifying assumptions of identical sites or noninteracting sites are required to solve for the site specific equilibrium constants. Thus, specific site equilibrium measurements offer a distinct advantage over total site measurements. The principles of the method are illustrated by applying the graphical analysis to the two site protein, thioredoxin reductase, which contains an oxidation-reduction active site disulfide in addition to FAD. The specific site oxidation-reduction midpoint potentials (Em) of the FAD and disulfide couples of thioredoxin reductase at pH 6.0, 12 degrees C, were found to be FAD/FADH2-enzyme-(S)2 = -0.183 V, FAD/FADH2-enzyme-(SH)2 = -0.199 V, (FAD)-enzyme-(S)2/(SH)2 = -0.202 V, and (FADH2)-enzyme-(S)2/(SH)2 = -0.218 V. Hence, at pH 6.0, the FAD and disulfide sites of thioredoxin reductase have Em values that differ by approximately 0.019 V and have a negative interaction of about 0.016 V.