The enzyme nicotine oxidoreductase (NicA2) is a member
of the flavoprotein
amine oxidase family that uses a cytochrome c protein (CycN) as its
oxidant instead of dioxygen, which is the oxidant used by most other
members of this enzyme family. We recently identified a potential
binding site for CycN on the surface of NicA2 through rigid body docking
[J. Biol. Chem. 2022, 298 (8), 102251]. However, this potential binding interface has not
been experimentally validated. In this paper, we used unnatural amino
acid incorporation to probe the binding interface between NicA2 and
CycN. Our results are consistent with a structural model of the NicA2-CycN
complex predicted by protein–protein docking and AlphaFold,
suggesting that this is the binding site for CycN on NicA2’s
surface. Based on additional mutagenesis of potentially redox active
residues in NicA2, we propose that electron transfer from NicA2’s
flavin to CycN’s heme occurs without the assistance of a protein-derived
wire.
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