Publications

• Identification of PpoA from Aspergillus nidulans as a fusion protein of a fatty acid heme dioxygenase/peroxidase and a cytochrome P450.

  Brodhun F., Gobel C., Hornung E., Feussner I.

  The homothallic ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans serves as model organism for filamentous fungi because of its ability to propagate with both asexual and sexual life cycles, and fatty acid-derived substances regulate the balance between both cycles. These so-called psi (precocious sexual inducer) f ... >> More

  The homothallic ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans serves as model organism for filamentous fungi because of its ability to propagate with both asexual and sexual life cycles, and fatty acid-derived substances regulate the balance between both cycles. These so-called psi (precocious sexual inducer) factors are produced by psi factor-producing oxygenases (Ppo enzymes). Bioinformatic analysis predicted the presence of two different heme domains in Ppo proteins: in the N-terminal region, a fatty acid heme dioxygenase/peroxidase domain is predicted, whereas in the C-terminal region, a P450 heme thiolate domain is predicted. To analyze the reaction catalyzed by Ppo enzymes, PpoA was expressed in Escherichia coli as an active enzyme. The protein was purified by 62-fold and identified as a homotetrameric ferric heme protein that metabolizes mono-as well as polyunsaturated C(16) and C(18) fatty acids at pH approximately 7.25. The presence of thiolate-ligated heme was confirmed on the basis of sequence alignments and the appearance of a characteristic 450 nm CO-binding spectrum. Studies on its reaction mechanism revealed that PpoA uses different heme domains to catalyze two separate reactions. Within the heme peroxidase domain, linoleic acid is oxidized to (8R)-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid by abstracting a H-atom from C-8 of the fatty acid, yielding a carbon-centered radical that reacts with molecular dioxygen. In the second reaction step, 8-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid is isomerized within the P450 heme thiolate domain to 5,8-dihydroxyoctadecadienoic acid. We identify PpoA as a bifunctional P450 fusion protein that uses a previously unknown reaction mechanism for forming psi factors. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 284:11792-11805(2009) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Reaction mechanism of 5,8-linoleate diol synthase, 10R-dioxygenase, and 8,11-hydroperoxide isomerase of Aspergillus clavatus.

  Jerneren F., Garscha U., Hoffmann I., Hamberg M., Oliw E.H.

  Aspergilli express fusion proteins of an animal haem peroxidase domain with fatty acid dioxygenase (DOX) activity ( approximately 600 amino acids) and a functional or non-functional hydroperoxide isomerase/cytochrome P450 domain ( approximately 500 amino acids with EXXR and GPHXCLG motifs). 5,8-Li ... >> More

  Aspergilli express fusion proteins of an animal haem peroxidase domain with fatty acid dioxygenase (DOX) activity ( approximately 600 amino acids) and a functional or non-functional hydroperoxide isomerase/cytochrome P450 domain ( approximately 500 amino acids with EXXR and GPHXCLG motifs). 5,8-Linoleate diol synthases (LDS; ppoA) and 10R-DOX (ppoC) of Aspergillusnidulans and A. fumigatus belong to this group. Our objective was to determine the oxylipins formed from linoleic acid by A. clavatus and their mechanism of biosynthesis. A. clavatus oxidized linoleic acid to (8R)-hydroperoxylinoleic acid (8R-HPODE), (10R)-hydroperoxy-8(E),12(Z)-octadecadienoic acid (10R-HPODE), and to (5S,8R)-dihydroxy- and (8R,11S)-dihydroxylinoleic acids (DiHODE) as major products. This occurred by abstraction of the pro-S hydrogen at C-8 and antarafacial dioxygenation at C-8 or at C-10 with double bond migration. 8R-HPODE was then isomerized to 5S,8R-DiHODE and to 8R,11S-DiHODE by abstraction of the pro-S hydrogens at C-5 and C-11 of 8R-HPODE, respectively, followed by suprafacial oxygenation. The genome of A. clavatus codes for two enzymes, which can be aligned with >65% amino acid identity to 10R-DOX and 5,8-LDS, respectively. The 5,8-LDS homologue likely forms and isomerizes 8R-HPODE to 5S,8R-DiHODE. A third gene (ppoB) codes for a protein which carries a serine residue at the cysteine position of the P450 motif. This Cys to Ser replacement is known to abolish P450 2B4 catalysis and the hydroperoxide isomerase activity of 5,8-LDS, suggesting that ppoB of A. clavatus may not be involved in the biosynthesis of 8R,11S-DiHODE. << Less

  Biochim Biophys Acta 1801:503-507(2010) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Expression of 5,8-LDS of Aspergillus fumigatus and its dioxygenase domain. A comparison with 7,8-LDS, 10-dioxygenase, and cyclooxygenase.

  Hoffmann I., Jerneren F., Garscha U., Oliw E.H.

  5,8-Linoleate diol synthase (5,8-LDS) of Aspergillus fumigatus was cloned, expressed, and compared with 7,8-LDS of the Take-all fungus. Replacements of Tyr and Cys in the conserved YRWH and FXXGPHXCLG sequences abolished 8R-dioxygenase (8-DOX) and hydroperoxide isomerase activities, respectively. ... >> More

  5,8-Linoleate diol synthase (5,8-LDS) of Aspergillus fumigatus was cloned, expressed, and compared with 7,8-LDS of the Take-all fungus. Replacements of Tyr and Cys in the conserved YRWH and FXXGPHXCLG sequences abolished 8R-dioxygenase (8-DOX) and hydroperoxide isomerase activities, respectively. The predicted α-helices of LDS were aligned with α-helices of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) to identify the 8-DOX domains. N-terminal expression constructs of 5,8- and 7,8-LDS (674 of 1079, and 673 of 1165 residues), containing one additional α-helix compared to cyclooxygenase-1, yielded prominent 8R-DOX activities with apparently unchanged or slightly lower substrate affinities, respectively. Val-328 of 5,8-LDS did not influence the position of oxygenation in contrast to the homologous residues Val-349 of COX-1 and Leu-384 of 10R-dioxygenase. We conclude that ~675 amino acids are sufficient to support 8-DOX activity. << Less

  Arch Biochem Biophys 506:216-222(2011) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]