title: Site-specific spin trapping of tyrosine radicals in the oxidation of metmyoglobin by hydrogen peroxide.
abstract: The reaction between metmyoglobin and hydrogen peroxide produces both a ferryl-oxo heme and a globin-centred radical(s) from the two oxidizing equivalents of the hydrogen peroxide. Evidence has been presented for localization of the globin-centred radical on one tryptophan residue and tyrosines 103 and 151. When the spin-trapping agent 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) is included in the reaction mixture, a radical adduct has been detected, but the residue at which that adduct is formed has not been determined. Replacement of either tryptophans 7 and 14 or tyrosines 146 and 151 with phenylalanine has no effect on the formation of DMPO adduct in the reaction with hydrogen peroxide. When tyrosine 103 is replaced with phenylalanine, however, only DMPOX, a product of the oxidation of the spin-trap, is detected. Tyrosine-103 is, therefore, the site of radical adduct formation with DMPO. The spin trap 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (MNP), however, forms radical adducts with any recombinant sperm whale metmyoglobin that contains either tyrosine 103 or 151. Detailed spectral analysis of the DMPO and MNP radical adducts of isotopically substituted tyrosine radical yield complete structural determinations. The multiple sites of trapping support a model in which the unpaired electron density is spread over a number of residues in the population of metmyoglobin molecules, at least some of which are in equilibrium with each other.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology and Chemistry, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, P.O. Box 12233 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gunther
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Tschirret-Guth
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Witkowska
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Fann
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Ortiz De Montellano
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005609:Free Radicals; D006736:Horses; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008786:Metmyoglobin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010649:Phenylalanine; D011487:Protein Conformation; D018629:Spectrometry, Mass, Secondary Ion; D013113:Spin Labels; D014364:Tryptophan; D014443:Tyrosine
chemical_list: D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D005609:Free Radicals; D013113:Spin Labels; D008786:Metmyoglobin; D014443:Tyrosine; D010649:Phenylalanine; C017245:5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-1-oxide; D014364:Tryptophan; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide