H-tunneling in the multiple H-transfers of the catalytic cycle of morphinone reductase and in the reductive half-reaction of the homologous pentaerythritol tetranitrate reductase

J Biol Chem. 2003 Nov 7;278(45):43973-82. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M305983200. Epub 2003 Aug 26.

Abstract

The mechanism of flavin reduction in morphinone reductase (MR) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) reductase, and flavin oxidation in MR, has been studied by stopped-flow and steady-state kinetic methods. The temperature dependence of the primary kinetic isotope effect for flavin reduction in MR and PETN reductase by nicotinamide coenzyme indicates that quantum mechanical tunneling plays a major role in hydride transfer. In PETN reductase, the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) is essentially independent of temperature in the experimentally accessible range, contrasting with strongly temperature-dependent reaction rates, consistent with a tunneling mechanism from the vibrational ground state of the reactive C-H/D bond. In MR, both the reaction rates and the KIE are dependent on temperature, and analysis using the Eyring equation suggests that hydride transfer has a major tunneling component, which, unlike PETN reductase, is gated by thermally induced vibrations in the protein. The oxidative half-reaction of MR is fully rate-limiting in steady-state turnover with the substrate 2-cyclohexenone and NADH at saturating concentrations. The KIE for hydride transfer from reduced flavin to the alpha/beta unsaturated bond of 2-cyclohexenone is independent of temperature, contrasting with strongly temperature-dependent reaction rates, again consistent with ground-state tunneling. A large solvent isotope effect (SIE) accompanies the oxidative half-reaction, which is also independent of temperature in the experimentally accessible range. Double isotope effects indicate that hydride transfer from the flavin N5 atom to 2-cyclohexenone, and the protonation of 2-cyclohexenone, are concerted and both the temperature-independent KIE and SIE suggest that this reaction also proceeds by ground-state quantum tunneling. Our results demonstrate the importance of quantum tunneling in the reduction of flavins by nicotinamide coenzymes. This is the first observation of (i) three H-nuclei in an enzymic reaction being transferred by tunneling and (ii) the utilization of both passive and active dynamics within the same native enzyme.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins*
  • Catalysis
  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Chemistry, Physical
  • Cyclohexanones / metabolism
  • Deuterium
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology
  • Flavin Mononucleotide / metabolism
  • Flavins / metabolism
  • Hydrogen / metabolism*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Kinetics
  • NAD / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxidoreductases / metabolism*
  • Spectrophotometry
  • Temperature
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Cyclohexanones
  • Flavins
  • NAD
  • 2-cyclohexen-1-one
  • Flavin Mononucleotide
  • Hydrogen
  • Deuterium
  • Oxidoreductases
  • morphinone reductase
  • pentaerythritol tetranitrate reductase