Interaction and electron transfer between putidaredoxin reductase (Pdr) and putidaredoxin (Pdx) fromPseudomonas putidawas studied by molecular modeling, mutagenesis, and stopped flow techniques. Based on the crystal structures of Pdr and Pdx, a complex between the proteins was generated using computer graphics methods. In the model, Pdx is docked above the isoalloxazine ring of FAD of Pdr with the distance between the flavin and [2Fe-2S] of 14.6 Å. This mode of interaction allows Pdx to easily adjust and optimize orientation of its cofactor relative to Pdr. The key residues of Pdx located at the center, Asp38and Trp106, and at the edge of the protein-protein interface, Tyr33and Arg66, were mutated to test the Pdr-Pdx computer model. The Y33F, Y33A, D38N, D38A, R66A, R66E, W106F, W106A, and Δ106 mutations did not affect assembly of the [2Fe-2S] cluster and resulted in a marginal change in the redox potential of Pdx. The electron-accepting ability of Δ106 Pdx was similar to that of the wild-type protein, whereas electron transfer rates from Pdr to other mutants were diminished to various degrees with the smallest and largest effects on the kinetic parameters of the Pdr-to-Pdx electron transfer reaction caused by the Trp106and Tyr33/Arg66substitutions, respectively. Compared with wild-type Pdx, the binding affinity of all studied mutants to Pdr was significantly higher. Experimental results were in agreement with theoretical predictions and suggest that: (i) Pdr-Pdx complex formation is mainly driven by steric complementarity, (ii) bulky side chains of Tyr33, Arg66, and Trp106prevent tight binding of oxidized Pdx and facilitate dissociation of the reduced iron-sulfur protein from Pdr, and (iii) transfer of an electron from FAD to [2Fe-2S] can occur with various orientations between the cofactors through multiple electron transfer pathways that do not involve Trp106but are likely to include Asp38and Cys39.
Increased levels of the megakaryocyte and platelet expressed cysteine proteases stefin A and cystatin A prevent thrombosis