Evidence that puriified liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 is a one-electron acceptor

Two forms of highly purified liver microsomal cytochrome P-450, P-450LM2, and P-450LM4, have been titrated with standardized solutions of sodium dithionite under anaerobic conditions. Only 1 electron was consumed per hemin molecule, and reoxidation of the reduced heme is accompanied by the transfer of 1 electron to oxidizing agents such as cytochrome c, cytochrome b5, or potassium ferricyanide. The present results are in disagreement with earlier dithionite titrations and reoxidation experiments which indicate that liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 is a 2-electron acceptor, but are in accord with previous potentimetric titrations and product yield data which indicate that this hemeprotein is a 1-electron acceptor. The cause for the discrepancy between the present and previous results is not fully understood.