Skip to main content

The cyanobacterial protoporphyrinogen oxidase HemJ is a new b-type heme protein functionally coupled with coproporphyrinogen III oxidase

Skotnicova, Petra, Sobotka, Roman, Shepherd, Mark, Hajek, Jan, Hrouzek, Pavel, Tichy, Martin (2018) The cyanobacterial protoporphyrinogen oxidase HemJ is a new b-type heme protein functionally coupled with coproporphyrinogen III oxidase. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 293 . pp. 12394-12404. ISSN 0021-9258. E-ISSN 1083-351X. (doi:10.1074/jbc.RA118.003441) (KAR id:67408)

Abstract

Protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (PPO), the last enzyme that is common to both chlorophyll and heme biosynthesis pathways, catalyzes the oxidation of protoporphyrinogen IX to protoporphyrin IX. PPO has several isoforms, including the oxygen-dependent HemY and an oxygen-independent enzyme, HemG. However, most cyanobacteria encode HemJ, the least characterized PPO form. We have characterized HemJ from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Synechocystis 6803) as a bona fide PPO; HemJ down-regulation resulted in accumulation of tetrapyrrole precursors and in the depletion of chlorophyll precursors. The expression of FLAG-tagged Synechocystis 6803 HemJ protein (HemJ.f) and affinity isolation of HemJ.f under native conditions revealed that it binds heme b. The most stable HemJ.f form was a dimer, and higher oligomeric forms were also observed. Using both oxygen and artificial electron acceptors, we detected no enzymatic activity with the purified HemJ.f, consistent with the hypothesis that the enzymatic mechanism for HemJ is distinct from those of other PPO isoforms. The heme absorption spectra and distant HemJ homology to several membrane oxidases indicated that the heme in HemJ is redox-active and involved in electron transfer. HemJ was conditionally complemented by another PPO, HemG from Escherichia coli. If grown photoautotrophically, the complemented strain accumulated tripropionic tetrapyrrole harderoporphyrin, suggesting a defect in enzymatic conversion of coproporphyrinogen III to protoporphyrinogen IX, catalyzed by coproporphyrinogen III oxidase (CPO). This observation supports the hypothesis that HemJ is functionally coupled with CPO and that this coupling is disrupted after replacement of HemJ by HemG.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1074/jbc.RA118.003441
Subjects: Q Science > QR Microbiology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Biosciences
Depositing User: Mark Shepherd
Date Deposited: 25 Jun 2018 10:01 UTC
Last Modified: 11 Jan 2024 09:58 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/67408 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.