The generation of site-specific bioconjugates of proteins is highly desired for a number of biophysical and nanotechnological applications. To this end, many strategies have been developed that allow the specific modification of certain canonical amino acids and, more recently, noncanonical functional groups. P450 enzymes are heme-dependent monooxygenases involved in xenobiotic metabolism and in the biosynthesis of a variety of secondary metabolites. We became interested in the site-specific modification of these enzymes, CYP3A4 in particular, through our studies of their in vitro biocatalytic properties and our desire to exploit their remarkable ability to oxidize unactivated C-H bonds in a regio- and stereospecific manner. Obtained via a partial cysteine-depletion approach, a functional triple mutant of CYP3A4 (C98S/C239S/C468G) is reported here which is singly modified at C64 by maleimide-containing groups. While cysteine-labeling of the wild-type enzyme abolished >90% of its enzymatic activity, this mutant retained ≥75% of the activity of the unmodified wild-type enzyme with 9 of the 18 maleimides that were tested. These included both fluorescent and solid-supported maleimides. The loss of activity observed after labeling with some maleimides is attributed to direct enzyme inhibition rather than to steric effects. We also demonstrate the functional immobilization of this mutant on maleimide-functionalized agarose resin and silica microspheres.

The remarkable ability of P450 enzymes to oxidize inactivated C-H bonds and the high substrate promiscuity of many P450 isoforms have inspired us and others to investigate their use as biocatalysts. Our lab has pioneered a chemical-auxiliary approach to control the promiscuity of P450 3A4 and provide product predictability. The recent realization that type II ligands are sometimes also P450 substrates has prompted the design of a new generation of chemical auxiliaries with type II binding properties. This approach takes advantage of the high affinity of type II ligands for the active site of these enzymes. Although type II ligands typically block P450 activity, we report here that type II ligation can be harnessed to achieve just the opposite, that is, to favor biocatalysis and afford predictable oxidation of small hydrocarbon substrates with P450 2E1. Moreover, the observed predictability was rationalized by molecular docking. We hope that this approach might find future use with other P450 isoforms and yield complimentary products.