Dipak Ghosh

Research interests

  • Interests
    Nitric Oxide Synthase, Enzymology, Cloning, Inhibitors, Fermentation, cyt p450, Metabolism, Cell Signaling, Protein Purification

Publications

  • 3.04
    Impact points
    FMN fluorescence in inducible NOS constructs reveals a series of conformational states involved in the reductase catalytic cycle.

    Dipak K Ghosh, Krishanu Ray, Albert J Rogers, Nicholas J Nahm, John C Salerno

    The FEBS journal. 02/2012; 279(7):1306-17.

    Nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) produce NO as a molecular signal in the nervous and cardiovascular systems and as a cytotoxin in the immune response. NO production in the constitutive isoforms is controlled by calmodulin regulation of electron transfer. In the tethered shuttle model for NOS reductase ... [more] Nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) produce NO as a molecular signal in the nervous and cardiovascular systems and as a cytotoxin in the immune response. NO production in the constitutive isoforms is controlled by calmodulin regulation of electron transfer. In the tethered shuttle model for NOS reductase function, the FMN domain moves between NADPH dehydrogenase and oxygenase catalytic centers. Crystal structures of neuronal NOS reductase domain and homologs correspond to an 'input state', with FMN in close contact with FAD. We recently produced two domain 'output state' (oxyFMN) constructs showing calmodulin dependent FMN domain association with the oxygenase domain. FMN fluorescence is sensitive to enzyme conformation and calmodulin binding. The inducible NOS (iNOS) oxyFMN construct is more fluorescent than iNOS holoenzyme. The difference in steady state fluorescence is rationalized by the observation of a series of characteristic states in the two constructs, which we assign to FMN in different environments. OxyFMN and holoenzyme share open conformations with an average lifetime of ∼ 4.3 ns. The majority state in holoenzyme has a short lifetime of ∼ 90 ps, probably because of FAD-FMN interactions. In oxyFMN about 25-30% of the FMN is in a state with a lifetime of 0.9 ns, which we attribute to quenching by heme in the output state. Occupancy of the output state together with our previous kinetic results yields a heme edge to FMN distance estimate of 12-15 Å. These results indicate that FMN fluorescence is a valuable tool to study conformational states involved in the NOS reductase catalytic cycle. Database NOS, EC 1.14.13.39.
  • 4.66
    Impact points
    Intraprotein electron transfer between the FMN and heme domains in endothelial nitric oxide synthase holoenzyme.

    Changjian Feng, Valentina Taiakina, Dipak K Ghosh, J Guy Guillemette, Gordon Tollin

    Biochimica et biophysica acta. 08/2011; 1814(12):1997-2002.

    Intraprotein electron transfer (IET) from flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to heme is an essential step in nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). The IET kinetics in neuronal and inducible NOS (nNOS and iNOS) holoenzymes have been previously determined in our laboratories by laser flash photol... [more] Intraprotein electron transfer (IET) from flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to heme is an essential step in nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). The IET kinetics in neuronal and inducible NOS (nNOS and iNOS) holoenzymes have been previously determined in our laboratories by laser flash photolysis [reviewed in: C.J. Feng, G. Tollin, Dalton Trans., (2009) 6692-6700]. Here we report the kinetics of the IET in a bovine endothelial NOS (eNOS) holoenzyme in the presence and absence of added calmodulin (CaM). The IET rate constant in the presence of CaM is estimated to be ~4.3s(-1). No IET was observed in the absence of CaM, indicating that CaM is the primary factor in controlling the FMN-heme IET in the eNOS enzyme. The IET rate constant value for the eNOS holoenzyme is approximately 10 times smaller than those obtained for the iNOS and CaM-bound nNOS holoenzymes. Possible mechanisms underlying the difference in IET kinetics among the NOS isoforms are discussed. Because the rate-limiting step in the IET process in these enzymes is the conformational change from input state to output state, a slower conformational change (than in the other isoforms) is most likely to cause the slower IET in eNOS.
  • 4.66
    Impact points
    Role of an isoform-specific substrate access channel residue in CO ligand accessibilities of neuronal and inducible nitric oxide synthase isoforms.

    Changjian Feng, Weihong Fan, Dipak K Ghosh, Gordon Tollin

    Biochimica et biophysica acta. 03/2011; 1814(3):405-8.

    The rates of the bimolecular CO rebinding to the oxygenase domains of inducible and neuronal NOS proteins (iNOSoxy and nNOSoxy, respectively) after photolytic dissociation have been determined by laser flash photolysis. The following mutants at the isoform-specific sites (murine iNOSoxy N115L and ra... [more] The rates of the bimolecular CO rebinding to the oxygenase domains of inducible and neuronal NOS proteins (iNOSoxy and nNOSoxy, respectively) after photolytic dissociation have been determined by laser flash photolysis. The following mutants at the isoform-specific sites (murine iNOSoxy N115L and rat nNOSoxy L337N, L337F) have been constructed to investigate role of the residues in the CO ligand accessibilities of the NOS isoforms. These residues are in the NOS distal substrate access channel. The effect of the (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (H(4)B) cofactor and l-arginine (Arg) substrate on the rates of CO rebinding have also been assessed. Addition of l-Arg to the iNOSoxy N115L mutant results in much faster CO rebinding rates, compared to the wild type. The results indicate that modifications to the iNOS channel in which the hydrophilic residue N115 is replaced by leucine (to resemble its nNOS cognate) open the channel somewhat, thereby improving access to the axial heme ligand binding position. On the other hand, introduction of a hydrophilic residue (L337N) or a bulky rigid aromatic residue (L337F) in the nNOS isoform does not significantly affect the kinetics profile, suggesting that the geometry of the substrate access pocket is not greatly altered. The bimolecular CO rebinding rate data indicate that the opening of the substrate access channel in the iNOS N115L mutant may be due to more widespread structural alterations induced by the mutation.
  • 3.54
    Impact points
    Electron transfer in a human inducible nitric oxide synthase oxygenase/FMN construct co-expressed with the N-terminal globular domain of calmodulin.

    Changjian Feng, Weihong Fan, Andrea Dupont, J Guy Guillemette, Dipak K Ghosh, Gordon Tollin

    FEBS letters. 10/2010; 584(20):4335-8.

    The FMN-heme intraprotein electron transfer (IET) kinetics in a human inducible NOS (iNOS) oxygenase/FMN (oxyFMN) construct co-expressed with NCaM, a truncated calmodulin (CaM) construct that includes only its N-terminal globular domain consisting of residues 1-75, were determined by laser flash pho... [more] The FMN-heme intraprotein electron transfer (IET) kinetics in a human inducible NOS (iNOS) oxygenase/FMN (oxyFMN) construct co-expressed with NCaM, a truncated calmodulin (CaM) construct that includes only its N-terminal globular domain consisting of residues 1-75, were determined by laser flash photolysis. The IET rate constant is significantly decreased by nearly fourfold (compared to the iNOS oxyFMN co-expressed with full length CaM). This supports an important role of full length CaM in proper interdomain FMN/heme alignment in iNOS. The IET process was not observed with added excess EDTA, suggesting that Ca(2+) depletion results in the FMN domain moving away from the heme domain. The results indicate that a Ca(2+)-dependent reorganization of the truncated CaM construct could cause a major modification of the NCaM/iNOS association resulting in a loss of the IET.
  • 3.04
    Impact points
    Space, time and nitric oxide - neuronal nitric oxide synthase generates signal pulses.

    John C Salerno, Dipak K Ghosh

    The FEBS journal. 10/2009;

    The temporal aspects of signaling are critical to the function of signals in communications, feedback regulation and control. The production and transduction of biological signals by enzymes comprises an area of central importance and rapid progress in the biomedical sciences. Treatment of signaling... [more] The temporal aspects of signaling are critical to the function of signals in communications, feedback regulation and control. The production and transduction of biological signals by enzymes comprises an area of central importance and rapid progress in the biomedical sciences. Treatment of signaling enzymes almost universally employs steady-state analyses that are suitable for mass catalysis but inappropriate for components in an information channel or a feedback/control system. In the present study, we show that, at 37 degrees C, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (EC 1.14.13.39) is progressively inhibited by the formation of an inhibited state during the first few turnovers (approximately 200 ms) after the initiation of catalysis, leading to pulse formation of nitric oxide. The general mechanism may be of wide importance in biological signaling.
  • 8.58
    Impact points
    Mutations in the FMN domain modulate MCD spectra of the heme site in the oxygenase domain of inducible nitric oxide synthase.

    Joseph Sempombe, Bradley O Elmore, Xi Sun, Andrea Dupont, Dipak K Ghosh, J Guy Guillemette, Martin L Kirk, Changjian Feng

    Journal of the American Chemical Society. 06/2009; 131(20):6940-1.

    The nitric oxide synthase (NOS) output state for NO production is a complex of the flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-binding domain and the heme domain, and thereby it facilitates the interdomain electron transfer from the FMN to the catalytic heme site. Emerging evidence suggests that interdomain FMN-hem... [more] The nitric oxide synthase (NOS) output state for NO production is a complex of the flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-binding domain and the heme domain, and thereby it facilitates the interdomain electron transfer from the FMN to the catalytic heme site. Emerging evidence suggests that interdomain FMN-heme interactions are important in the formation of the output state because they guide the docking of the FMN domain to the heme domain. In this study, notable effects of mutations in the adjacent FMN domain on the heme structure in a human iNOS bidomain oxygenase/FMN construct have been observed by using low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy. The comparative MCD study of wild-type and mutant proteins clearly indicates that a properly docked FMN domain contributes to the observed L-Arg perturbation of the heme MCD spectrum in the wild-type protein and that the conserved surface residues in the FMN domain (E546 and E603) play key roles in facilitating a productive alignment of the FMN and heme domains in iNOS.
  • 6.08
    Impact points
    Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase by cobalamins and cobinamides.

    J Brice Weinberg, Youwei Chen, Ning Jiang, Bethany E Beasley, John C Salerno, Dipak K Ghosh

    Free radical biology & medicine. 04/2009;

    Cobalamins (Cbl) are important co-factors for methionine synthase and methylmalonyl-coA mutase. Certain corrins also bind nitric oxide (NO), quenching its bioactivity. To determine if corrins would inhibit NO synthase (NOS), we measured their effects on 14-C-L-arginine-to-14-C-L-citrulline conversio... [more] Cobalamins (Cbl) are important co-factors for methionine synthase and methylmalonyl-coA mutase. Certain corrins also bind nitric oxide (NO), quenching its bioactivity. To determine if corrins would inhibit NO synthase (NOS), we measured their effects on 14-C-L-arginine-to-14-C-L-citrulline conversion by NOS1, NOS2, and NOS3. Hydroxocobalamin (OH-Cbl), cobinamide (Cbi), and dicyanocobinamide (CN(2)-Cbi) potently inhibited all isoforms, whfile cyanocobalamin, methylcobalamin, and adenosylcobalamin had much less effect. OH-Cbl and CN(2)-Cbi prevented binding of the oxygen analog carbon monoxide (CO) to the reduced NOS1 and NOS2 heme active site. CN(2)-Cbi did not react directly with NO or CO. Spectral perturbation analysis showed that CN(2)-Cbi interacted directly with the purified NOS1 oxygenase domain. NOS inhibition by corrins was rapid and not reversed by dialysis with L-arginine, tetrahydrobiopterin. Molecular modeling indicated that corrins could access the unusually large heme and sub-strate-binding pocket of NOS. Best fits were obtained in the "base-off" conformation of the lower axial dimethylbenzimidazole ligand. CN(2)-Cbi inhibited interferon-gamma-activated Raw264.7 mouse macrophage NO production. We show for the first time that certain corrins directly inhibit NOS, suggesting that these agents (or their derivatives) may have pharmacological utility. Endogenous cobalamins and cobinamides might play important roles regulating NOS activity in normal and pathological conditions.
  • 3.42
    Impact points
    Intraprotein electron transfer in inducible nitric oxide synthase holoenzyme.

    Changjian Feng, Andrea Dupont, Nickolas Nahm, Donald Spratt, James Hazzard, J Weinberg, J Guillemette, Gordon Tollin, Dipak Ghosh

    Journal of biological inorganic chemistry : JBIC : a publication of the Society of Biological Inorganic Chemistry. 11/2008;

    Intraprotein electron transfer (IET) from flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to heme is essential in NO synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). Our previous laser flash photolysis studies provided a direct determination of the kinetics of the FMN-heme IET in a truncated two-domain construct (oxyFMN) of murine indu... [more] Intraprotein electron transfer (IET) from flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to heme is essential in NO synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). Our previous laser flash photolysis studies provided a direct determination of the kinetics of the FMN-heme IET in a truncated two-domain construct (oxyFMN) of murine inducible NOS (iNOS), in which only the oxygenase and FMN domains along with the calmodulin (CaM) binding site are present (Feng et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128, 3808-3811, 2006). Here we report the kinetics of the IET in a human iNOS oxyFMN construct, a human iNOS holoenzyme, and a murine iNOS holoenzyme, using CO photolysis in comparative studies on partially reduced NOS and a NOS oxygenase construct that lacks the FMN domain. The IET rate constants for the human and murine iNOS holoenzymes are 34 +/- 5 and 35 +/- 3 s(-1), respectively, thereby providing a direct measurement of this IET between the catalytically significant redox couples of FMN and heme in the iNOS holoenzyme. These values are approximately an order of magnitude smaller than that in the corresponding iNOS oxyFMN construct, suggesting that in the holoenzyme the rate-limiting step in the IET is the conversion of the shielded electron-accepting (input) state to a new electron-donating (output) state. The fact that there is no rapid IET component in the kinetic traces obtained with the iNOS holoenzyme implies that the enzyme remains mainly in the input state. The IET rate constant value for the iNOS holoenzyme is similar to that obtained for a CaM-bound neuronal NOS holoenzyme, suggesting that CaM activation effectively removes the inhibitory effect of the unique autoregulatory insert in neuronal NOS.
  • 2.36
    Impact points
    CLL cell apoptosis induced by nitric oxide synthase inhibitors: correlation with lipid solubility and NOS1 dissociation constant.

    Marc C Levesque, Dipak K Ghosh, Bethany E Beasley, Youwei Chen, Alicia D Volkheimer, Charles W O'Loughlin, Jon P Gockerman, Joseph O Moore, J Brice Weinberg

    Leukemia research. 08/2008; 32(7):1061-70.

    Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors induce chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cell apoptosis and have potential as CLL therapeutics. We determined the half-maximal concentration (ED(50)) of 22 NOS inhibitors that induced CLL cell death in vitro. There was a direct correlation of the NOS1 (but not... [more] Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors induce chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cell apoptosis and have potential as CLL therapeutics. We determined the half-maximal concentration (ED(50)) of 22 NOS inhibitors that induced CLL cell death in vitro. There was a direct correlation of the NOS1 (but not NOS2) dissociation constant (K(d)) and the hydrophobicity partitioning coefficient of each NOS inhibitor and its ED(50). NOS inhibitors that bound tightly to CLL cell NOS1 and were hydrophobic potently induced CLL cell death. CLL cell RNA and protein analyses confirmed CLL cell NOS1 expression. Our studies permit the rational selection of NOS inhibitors for testing as CLL therapeutics.
  • 3.54
    Impact points
    Deletion of the autoregulatory insert modulates intraprotein electron transfer in rat neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

    Changjian Feng, Linda J Roman, James T Hazzard, Dipak K Ghosh, Gordon Tollin, Bettie Sue S Masters

    FEBS letters. 08/2008;

    Comparative CO photolysis kinetics studies on wild-type and autoregulatory (AR) insert-deletion mutant of rat nNOS holoenzyme were conducted to directly investigate the role of the unique AR insert in the catalytically significant FMN-heme intraprotein electron transfer (IET). Although the amplitude... [more] Comparative CO photolysis kinetics studies on wild-type and autoregulatory (AR) insert-deletion mutant of rat nNOS holoenzyme were conducted to directly investigate the role of the unique AR insert in the catalytically significant FMN-heme intraprotein electron transfer (IET). Although the amplitude of the IET kinetic traces was decreased two- to three-fold, the AR deletion did not change the rate constant for the calmodulin-controlled IET. This suggests that the rate-limiting conversion of the electron-accepting state to a new electron-donating (output) state does not involve interactions with the AR insert, but that AR may stabilize the output state once it is formed.
  • 8.58
    Impact points
    Direct measurement by laser flash photolysis of intraprotein electron transfer in a rat neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

    Changjian Feng, Gordon Tollin, James T Hazzard, Nickolas J Nahm, J Guy Guillemette, John C Salerno, Dipak K Ghosh

    Journal of the American Chemical Society. 05/2007; 129(17):5621-9.

    Intraprotein interdomain electron transfer (IET) from flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to heme is essential in nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). Our previous laser flash photolysis studies have provided a direct determination of the kinetics of IET between the FMN and heme domains in trun... [more] Intraprotein interdomain electron transfer (IET) from flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to heme is essential in nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). Our previous laser flash photolysis studies have provided a direct determination of the kinetics of IET between the FMN and heme domains in truncated oxyFMN constructs of rat neuronal NOS (nNOS) and murine inducible NOS (iNOS), in which only the oxygenase and FMN domains along with the calmodulin (CaM) binding site are present [Feng, C. J.; Tollin, G.; Holliday, M. A.; Thomas, C.; Salerno, J. C.; Enemark, J. H.; Ghosh, D. K. Biochemistry 2006, 45, 6354-6362. Feng, C. J.; Thomas, C.; Holliday, M. A.; Tollin, G.; Salerno, J. C.; Ghosh, D. K.; Enemark, J. H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 3808-3811]. Here, we report the kinetics of IET between the FMN and heme domains in a rat nNOS holoenzyme in the presence and absence of added CaM using laser flash photolysis of CO dissociation in comparative studies on partially reduced NOS and a single domain NOS oxygenase construct. The IET rate constant in the presence of CaM is 36 s-1, whereas no IET was observed in the absence of CaM. The kinetics reported here are about an order of magnitude slower than the kinetics in a rat nNOS oxyFMN construct with added CaM (262 s-1). We attribute the slower IET between FMN and heme in the holoenzyme to the additional step of dissociation of the FMN domain from the reductase complex before reassociation with the oxygenase domain to form the electron-transfer competent output state complex. This work provides the first direct measurement of CaM-controlled electron transfer between catalytically significant redox couples of FMN and heme in a nNOS holoenzyme.
  • 3.23
    Impact points
    Intraprotein electron transfer in a two-domain construct of neuronal nitric oxide synthase: the output state in nitric oxide formation.

    Changjian Feng, Gordon Tollin, Michael A Holliday, Clayton Thomas, John C Salerno, John H Enemark, Dipak K Ghosh

    Biochemistry. 06/2006; 45(20):6354-62.

    Intersubunit intraprotein electron transfer (IET) from flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to heme is essential in nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). Previous crystal structures and functional studies primarily concerned an enzyme conformation, which serves as the input state for reduction of... [more] Intersubunit intraprotein electron transfer (IET) from flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to heme is essential in nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). Previous crystal structures and functional studies primarily concerned an enzyme conformation, which serves as the input state for reduction of FMN by electrons from NADPH and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) in the reductase domain. To favor the formation of the output state for the subsequent IET from FMN to heme in the oxygenase domain, a novel truncated two-domain oxyFMN construct of rat neuronal NOS (nNOS), in which only the FMN and heme domains were present, was designed and expressed. The kinetics of IET between the FMN and heme domains in the nNOS oxyFMN construct in the presence and absence of added calmodulin (CaM) were directly determined using laser flash photolysis of CO dissociation in comparative studies on partially reduced oxyFMN and single-domain heme oxygenase constructs. The IET rate constant in the presence of CaM (262 s(-)(1)) was increased approximately 10-fold compared to that in the absence of CaM (22 s(-)(1)). The effect of CaM on interdomain interactions was further evidenced by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra. This work provides the first direct evidence of the CaM control of electron transfer (ET) between FMN and heme domains through facilitation of the FMN/heme interactions in the output state. Therefore, CaM controls IET between heme and FMN domains by a conformational gated mechanism. This is essential in coupling ET in the reductase domain in NOS with NO synthesis in the oxygenase domain.
  • 5.33
    Impact points
    Nitric-oxide synthase output state. Design and properties of nitric-oxide synthase oxygenase/FMN domain constructs.

    Dipak K Ghosh, Michael A Holliday, Clayton Thomas, J Brice Weinberg, Susan M E Smith, John C Salerno

    The Journal of biological chemistry. 06/2006; 281(20):14173-83.

    Mammalian nitric-oxide synthases are large modular enzymes that evolved from independently expressed ancestors. Calmodulin-controlled isoforms are signal generators; calmodulin activates electron transfer from NADPH through three reductase domains to an oxygenase domain. Structures of the reductase ... [more] Mammalian nitric-oxide synthases are large modular enzymes that evolved from independently expressed ancestors. Calmodulin-controlled isoforms are signal generators; calmodulin activates electron transfer from NADPH through three reductase domains to an oxygenase domain. Structures of the reductase unit and its homologs show FMN and FAD in contact but too isolated from the protein surface to permit exit of reducing equivalents. To study states in which FMN/heme electron transfer is feasible, we designed and produced constructs including only oxygenase and FMN binding domains, eliminating strong internal reductase complex interactions. Constructs for all mammalian isoforms were expressed and purified as dimers. All synthesize NO with peroxide as the electron donor at rates comparable with corresponding oxygenase constructs. All bind cofactors nearly stoichiometrically and have native catalytic sites by spectroscopic criteria. Modest differences in electrochemistry versus independently expressed heme and FMN binding domains suggest interdomain interactions. These interactions can be convincingly demonstrated via calmodulin-induced shifts in high spin ferriheme EPR spectra and through mutual broadening of heme and FMNH. radical signals in inducible nitric-oxide synthase constructs. Blue neutral FMN semiquinone can be readily observed; potentials of one electron couple (in inducible nitric-oxide synthase oxygenase FMN, FMN oxidized/semiquinone couple = +70 mV, FMN semiquinone/hydroquinone couple = -180 mV, and heme = -180 mV) indicate that FMN is capable of serving as a one electron heme reductant. The construct will serve as the basis for future studies of the output state for NADPH derived reducing equivalents.
  • 3.04
    Impact points
    Binding and activation of nitric oxide synthase isozymes by calmodulin EF hand pairs.

    Donald E Spratt, Elena Newman, Jennifer Mosher, Dipak K Ghosh, John C Salerno, J G Guillemette

    The FEBS journal. 05/2006; 273(8):1759-71.

    Calmodulin (CaM) is a cytosolic Ca(2+) signal-transducing protein that binds and activates many different cellular enzymes with physiological relevance, including the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isozymes. CaM consists of two globular domains joined by a central linker; each domain contains an EF han... [more] Calmodulin (CaM) is a cytosolic Ca(2+) signal-transducing protein that binds and activates many different cellular enzymes with physiological relevance, including the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isozymes. CaM consists of two globular domains joined by a central linker; each domain contains an EF hand pair. Four different mutant CaM proteins were used to investigate the role of the two CaM EF hand pairs in the binding and activation of the mammalian inducible NOS (iNOS) and the constitutive NOS (cNOS) enzymes, endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS). The role of the CaM EF hand pairs in different aspects of NOS enzymatic function was monitored using three assays that monitor electron transfer within a NOS homodimer. Gel filtration studies were used to determine the effect of Ca(2+) on the dimerization of iNOS when coexpressed with CaM and the mutant CaM proteins. Gel mobility shift assays were performed to determine binding stoichiometries of CaM proteins to synthetic NOS CaM-binding domain peptides. Our results show that the N-terminal EF hand pair of CaM contains important binding and activating elements for iNOS, whereas the N-terminal EF hand pair in conjunction with the central linker region is required for cNOS enzyme binding and activation. The iNOS enzyme must be coexpressed with wild-type CaM in vitro because of its propensity to aggregate when residues of the highly hydrophobic CaM-binding domain are exposed to an aqueous environment. A possible role for iNOS aggregation in vivo is also discussed.
  • 8.58
    Impact points
    Direct measurement by laser flash photolysis of intramolecular electron transfer in a two-domain construct of murine inducible nitric oxide synthase.

    Changjian Feng, Clayton Thomas, Michael A Holliday, Gordon Tollin, John C Salerno, Dipak K Ghosh, John H Enemark

    Journal of the American Chemical Society. 04/2006; 128(11):3808-11.

    Intersubunit intramolecular electron transfer (IET) from FMN to heme is essential in the delivery of electrons required for O2 activation in the heme domain and the subsequent nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). Previous crystal structures and functional studies primarily concerned an ... [more] Intersubunit intramolecular electron transfer (IET) from FMN to heme is essential in the delivery of electrons required for O2 activation in the heme domain and the subsequent nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by NO synthase (NOS). Previous crystal structures and functional studies primarily concerned an enzyme conformation that serves as the input state for reduction of FMN by electrons from NADPH and FAD in the reductase domain. To favor formation of the output state for the subsequent IET from FMN to heme in the oxygenase domain, a novel truncated two-domain oxyFMN construct murine inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), in which only the FMN and heme domains were present, was designed and expressed. The kinetics of the IET between the FMN and heme domains in this construct was directly determined using laser flash photolysis of CO dissociation in comparative studies on partially reduced oxyFMN and single domain heme oxygenase constructs.
  • 1.61
    Impact points
    Multi-frequency EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopic studies on freeze-quenched reaction intermediates of nitric oxide synthase.

    C Jung, F Lendzian, V Schünemann, M Richter, L H Böttger, A X Trautwein, J Contzen, M Galander, D K Ghosh, A-L Barra

    Magnetic resonance in chemistry : MRC. 12/2005; 43 Spec no.:S84-95.

    It is believed by analogy to chloroperoxidase (CPO) from Caldariomyces fumago that the electronic structure of the intermediate iron-oxo species in the catalytic cycle of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) corresponds to an iron(IV) porphyrin-pi -cation radical. Such species can also be produced by the rea... [more] It is believed by analogy to chloroperoxidase (CPO) from Caldariomyces fumago that the electronic structure of the intermediate iron-oxo species in the catalytic cycle of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) corresponds to an iron(IV) porphyrin-pi -cation radical. Such species can also be produced by the reaction of ferric NOS with external oxidants within the shunt pathway. We present multi-frequency EPR (9.6, 94, 285 GHz) and Mössbauer spectroscopic studies on freeze-quenched intermediates of the oxygenase domain of nitric oxide synthase which has reacted with peroxy acetic acid within 8-200 ms. The intermediates of the oxygenase domain of both the cytokine inducible NOS (iNOSox) and the neuronal NOS (nNOSox) show an organic radical signal in the 9.6-GHz spectrum overlapping with the spectrum of an unknown species with g-values of 2.24, 2.23 and 1.96. Using 94- and 285-GHz EPR the organic radical signal is assigned to a tyrosine radical on the basis of g-values (i.e. Tyr*562 in nNOSox and Tyr*341 in iNOSox). Mössbauer spectroscopy of (57)Fe-labeled unreacted nNOSox shows a ferric low-spin heme-iron (delta = 0.38 mms(-1), deltaE(Q) = 2.58 mms(-1)). The reaction of nNOSox with peroxy acetic acid for 8 ms leads to the disappearance of the magnetic background characteristic for native nNOSox and a new species with delta = 0.27 mms(-1) and deltaE(Q) = 2.41 mms(-1) is detected at 4.2 K which does not resemble the parameters typical for a Fe(IV) center. It is proposed that this intermediate species corresponds to a ferric low-spin species which magnetically couples to an amino acid radical (presumably Trp*409).
  • 5.33
    Impact points
    Differential activation of nitric-oxide synthase isozymes by calmodulin-troponin C chimeras.

    Elena Newman, Donald E Spratt, Jennifer Mosher, Bo Cheyne, Heather J Montgomery, Denney L Wilson, J Brice Weinberg, Susan M E Smith, John C Salerno, Dipak K Ghosh, J Guy Guillemette

    The Journal of biological chemistry. 09/2004; 279(32):33547-57.

    The interactions of neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (nNOS) with calmodulin (CaM) and mutant forms of CaM, including CaM-troponin C chimeras, have been previously reported, but there has been no comparable investigation of CaM interactions with the other constitutively expressed NOS (cNOS), endothelia... [more] The interactions of neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (nNOS) with calmodulin (CaM) and mutant forms of CaM, including CaM-troponin C chimeras, have been previously reported, but there has been no comparable investigation of CaM interactions with the other constitutively expressed NOS (cNOS), endothelial NOS (eNOS), or the inducible isoform (iNOS). The present study was designed to evaluate the role of the four CaM EF hands in the activation of eNOS and iNOS. To assess the role of CaM regions on aspects of enzymatic function, three distinct activities associated with NOS were measured: NADPH oxidation, cytochrome c reduction, and nitric oxide (*NO) generation as assessed by the oxyhemoglobin capture assay. CaM activates the cNOS enzymes by a mechanism other than stimulating electron transfer into the oxygenase domain. Interactions with the reductase moiety are dominant in cNOS activation, and EF hand 1 is critical for activation of both nNOS and eNOS. Although the activation patterns for nNOS and eNOS are clearly related, effects of the chimeras on all the reactions are not equivalent. We propose that cytochrome c reduction is a measure of the release of the FMN domain from the reductase complex. In contrast, cytochrome c reduction by iNOS is readily activated by each of the chimeras examined here and may be constitutive. Each of the chimeras were co-expressed with the human iNOS enzyme in Escherichia coli and subsequently purified. Domains 2 and 3 of CaM contain important elements required for the Ca2+/CaM independence of *NO production by the iNOS enzyme. The disparity between cytochrome c reduction and *NO production at low calcium can be attributed to poor association of heme and FMN domains when the bound CaM constructs are depleted of Ca2+. In general cNOSs are much more difficult to activate than iNOS, which can be attributed to their extra sequence elements, which are adjacent to the CaM-binding site and associated with CaM control.
  • 1.18
    Impact points
    High pressure fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic studies on inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase active site: a comparison to cytochrome p450CAM.

    C Jung, D K Ghosh

    Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France). 07/2004; 50(4):335-46.

    High pressure Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is performed for the first time to analyse the active site of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOSox) using the carbon monoxide (CO) heme iron ligand stretch mode (nuCO) as spectroscopic probe. A membrane-driven sapphire anvil high-press... [more] High pressure Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is performed for the first time to analyse the active site of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOSox) using the carbon monoxide (CO) heme iron ligand stretch mode (nuCO) as spectroscopic probe. A membrane-driven sapphire anvil high-pressure cell is used. Three major conformational substates exist in substrate-free iNOSox which are characterized by nuCO at approximately 1936, 1945 and 1952 cm(-1). High pressure favors the 1936 cm(-1) substate with a volume difference to the 1945 substate of approximately -21 cm3/mol. The pressure induced cytochrome P420 formation with a reaction volume of approximately -80 cm3/mol is observed. Arginine binding produces a very low nuCO at approximately 1905 cm(-1) caused by the H-bond from the substrate to CO. nuCO for the substates in the substrate-free and arginine-bound proteins shift linearly with pressure which is qualitatively similar to the observation on cytochrome P450cam. The slightly smaller positive slope of the shift in substrate-free iNOSox compared to substrate-free P450cam is interpreted as a slightly lesser compressible heme pocket. In contrast, the significant slower negative slope for arginine-bound iNOSox compared to camphor-bound P450cam results from the different kind of interactions to the CO ligand (electrostatic interaction in P450cam, H-bond in iNOSox).
  • 5.33
    Impact points
    Thermodynamics of oxidation-reduction reactions in mammalian nitric-oxide synthase isoforms.

    Ying Tong Gao, Susan M E Smith, J Brice Weinberg, Heather J Montgomery, Elena Newman, J Guy Guillemette, Dipak K Ghosh, Linda J Roman, Pavel Martasek, John C Salerno

    The Journal of biological chemistry. 05/2004; 279(18):18759-66.

    The three mammalian nitric-oxide synthases produce NO from arginine in a reaction requiring 3 electrons per NO, which are supplied to the catalytic center from NADPH through reductase domains incorporating FAD and FMN cofactors. The isoforms share a common reaction mechanism and requirements for red... [more] The three mammalian nitric-oxide synthases produce NO from arginine in a reaction requiring 3 electrons per NO, which are supplied to the catalytic center from NADPH through reductase domains incorporating FAD and FMN cofactors. The isoforms share a common reaction mechanism and requirements for reducing equivalents but differ in regulation; the endothelial and neuronal isoforms are controlled by calcium/calmodulin modulation of the electron transfer system, while the inducible isoform binds calmodulin at all physiological Ca(2+) concentrations and is always on. The thermodynamics of electron transfer through the flavin domains in all three isoforms are basically similar. The major flavin states are FMN, FMNH., FMNH(2), FAD, FADH., and FADH(2). The FMN/FMNH. couple is high potential ( approximately 100 mV) in all three isoforms and is unlikely to be catalytically competent; the other three flavin couples form a nearly isopotential group clustered around -250 mV. Reduction of the flavins by the pyridine nucleotide couple at -325 mV is thus moderately thermodynamically favorable. The ferri/ferroheme couple in all three isoforms is approximately -270 mV in the presence of saturating arginine. Ca(2+)/calmodulin has no effect on the potentials of any of the couples in endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) or neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (nNOS). The pH dependence of the flavin couples suggests the presence of ionizable groups coupled to the flavin redox/protonation states.
  • 3.74
    Impact points
    Nitric oxide synthases: domain structure and alignment in enzyme function and control.

    Dipak K Ghosh, J C Salerno

    Frontiers in bioscience : a journal and virtual library. 02/2003; 8:d193-209.

    Nitric Oxide Synthases are a family of enzymes that produce NO from arginine, oxygen and reducing power in the form of NADPH; they function as signal generators and as producers of cytotoxic levels of NO (e.g., in immune defense). Evolution of eukaryotic NOS from prokaryotic antecedents involved a s... [more] Nitric Oxide Synthases are a family of enzymes that produce NO from arginine, oxygen and reducing power in the form of NADPH; they function as signal generators and as producers of cytotoxic levels of NO (e.g., in immune defense). Evolution of eukaryotic NOS from prokaryotic antecedents involved a series of gene fusion events, producing a modular enzyme, and the concomitant development of sophisticated control mechanisms that are isoform specific and tailored to the role of enzymes in signal transduction or immune response. Recent information on the structures of NOS isoforms at all levels from primary amino acid sequence to high resolution crystallography allows a deepening understanding of many aspects of these important proteins including interdomain interactions, dimerization, cofactor, substrate, and isoform specific inhibitor binding as well catalysis and control. The details of the NOS reaction mechanism and its control through the regulation of electron transfer by CaM binding and other mechanisms are still being elucidated and are well worth further examination. The alignment of the molecular surfaces of the independently folded domains is a central feature of structure, catalysis and control in these important enzymes, and will be the focus of the present review.

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