ROLES OF RESIDUE-129 AND RESIDUE-209 IN THE ALTERATION BY CYTOCHROME-B5 OF HYDROXYLASE-ACTIVITIES IN MOUSE-2A-P450S

Cytochrome b5 stimulates the coumarin 7-hydroxylation activity of P450coh. A mutation of Arg-129 in P450coh, however, abolishes the stimulation. Moreover, this mutant P450coh binds loosely to cytochrome b5-conjugated Sepharose 4B, whereas wild-type P450coh binds tightly. Consistent with this, the mutation increases the K(a) value for b5 binding approximately 6-fold. The identity of residue 209 also alters the stimulation of the activity of P450coh depending on the type of the substrates used and products formed. Coumarin 7-hydroxylation activity is greatly stimulated by cytochrome b5 only when Phe is at position 209, while cytochrome b5 stimulates testosterone hydroxylation activity of P450coh in which Phe, Asn, Ser or Lys substitutes residue 209. P450coh changes its rate of hydrogen peroxide formation depending on the identity of residue 209 and substrate used. Cytochrome b5 decreases the hydrogen peroxide formation of some P450coh whose activities are stimulated by the cytochrome; however, the decrease does not always result in stimulating the activity. The results indicate, therefore, that residues 129 and 209 play different roles in stimulating P450coh activity by cytochrome b5; Arg-129 is a key residue in the cytochrome b5-binding domain and is essential for the stimulation. Residue 209, however, alters the efficiency of electron transport for substrate oxidation as a residue which resides near the sixth ligand of heme and in the substrate-binding site.