The
peroxide-dependent coproheme decarboxylase ChdC from Geobacillus stearothermophilus catalyzes two key
steps in the synthesis of heme b, i.e., two sequential
oxidative decarboxylations of coproporphyrinogen III (coproheme III)
at propionate groups P2 and P4. In the binding site of coproheme III,
P2 and P4 are anchored by different residues (Tyr144, Arg217, and
Ser222 for P2 and Tyr113, Lys148, and Trp156 for P4); however, strong
experimental evidence supports that the generated Tyr144 radical acts
as an unique intermediary for hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from both
reactive propionates. So far, the reaction details are still unclear.
Herein, we carried out quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations
to explore the decarboxylation mechanism of coproheme III. In our
calculations, the coproheme Cpd I, Fe(IV) = O coupled to a porphyrin
radical cation (por•+) with four propionate groups,
was used as a reactant model. Our calculations reveal that Tyr144
is directly involved in the decarboxylation of propionate group P2.
First, the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) occurs from Tyr144
to P2, generating a Tyr144 radical, which then abstracts a hydrogen
atom from the Cβ of P2. The β-H extraction was calculated
to be the rate-limiting step of decarboxylation. It is the porphyrin
radical cation (por•+) that makes the PCET from
Tyr144 to P2 to be quite easy to initiate the decarboxylation. Finally,
the electron transfers from the Cβ• through
the porphyrin to the iron center, leading to the decarboxylation of
P2. Importantly, the decarboxylation of P4 mediated by Lys148 was
calculated to be very difficult, which suggests that after the P2
decarboxylation, the generated harderoheme III intermediate should
rebind or rotate in the active site so that the propionate P4 occupies
the binding site of P2, and Tyr144 again mediates the decarboxylation
of P4. Thus, our calculations support the fact that Tyr144 is responsible
for the decarboxylation of both P2 and P4.
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