Electrostatic Control of the Isoalloxazine Environment in the Two-electron Reduced States of Yeast Glutathione Reductase

Abstract The resonance Raman spectra of the oxidized and two-electron reduced forms of yeast glutathione reductase are reported. The spectra of the oxidized enzyme indicate a low electron density for the isoalloxazine ring. As far as the two-electron reduced species are concerned, the spectral comparison of the NADPH-reduced enzyme with the glutathione- or dithiothreitol-reduced enzyme shows significant frequency differences for the flavin bands II, III, and VII. The shift of band VII was correlated with a change in steric or electronic interaction of the hydroxyl group of a conserved Tyr with the N10–C10a portion of the isoalloxazine ring. Upward shifts of bands II and III observed for the glutathione- or dithiothreitol-reduced enzyme indicate both a slight change in isoalloxazine conformation and a hydrogen bond strengthening at the N1 and/or N5 site(s). The formation of a mixed disulfide intermediate tends to slightly decrease the frequency of bands II, III, X, XI, and XIV. To account for the different spectral features observed for the NADPH- and glutathione-reduced species, several possibilities have been examined. In particular, we propose a hydrogen bonding modulation at the N5 site of FAD through a variable conformation of an ammonium group of a conserved Lys residue. Changes in N5(flavin)-protein interaction in the two-electron reduced forms of glutathione reductase are discussed in relation to a plausible mechanism of the regulation of the enzyme activity via a variable redox potential of FAD.