Compound ES of Cytochrome c Peroxidase Contains a Trp .pi.-Cation Radical: Characterization by Continuous Wave and Pulsed Q-Band External Nuclear Double Resonance Spectroscopy

The fully oxidized state of cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP), called ES, contains two oxidizing equivalents, one as an oxyferryl heme and the other as an organic radical on an amino acid residue. The unusual electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of ES has been shown to be due to a weak distributed exchange coupling between the two paramagnetic redox centers. Various residues have been proposed as the radical site over the years. In this paper continuous wave and pulsed Q-band electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy confirms that the radical is located on Trp-191, as previously proposed. The paper completes the characterization of the active site of compound ES as being comprized of an oxyferryl heme coupled to the Trp-191 {pi}-cation radical by a weak spin exchange. 47 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs.