Flavocytochrome b2: Kinetic Studies by Absorbance and Electron‐Paramagnetic‐Resonance Spectroscopy of Electron Distribution among Prosthetic Groups

The reduction by l‐lactate of the prosthetic groups of flavocytochrome b2 (l‐lactate cytochrome c oxidoreductase from aerobic yeast, a tetrameric molecule containing one haem and one flavin mono‐nucleotide per protomer) was reinvestigated. It was confirmed that the enzyme ultimately takes up 3 electrons per protomer from this 2‐electron donor. Stopped‐flow absorbance data at an haem isosbestic point to follow the oxidized flavin and in a haem band indicate that, under the conditions used, haem and flavin reduction time courses are indistinguishable, both being biphasic (phases I and II). Comparison with electron paramagnetic resonance data (Fe3+ haem and flavosemiquinone signals) led to a complete description at 24°C of the time courses of the various reduction states of the prosthetic groups. It has been previously demonstrated (Morton and Sturtevant, 1964) that, after the formation of the enzyme‐substrate complex, the electron transfer to the enzyme takes place as the first and rate‐limiting step of the turnover. In the present study, an initial burst of fully reduced flavin, of small amplitude, is detected at the very beginning of phase I (before 6 ms). The redox forms which accumulate thereafter till the end of phase I (30–35 ms) are the reduced haem (up to 80%), the flavin semiquinone (up to 50%) and the fully reduced flavin (from 25% up to 35%); the total of electrons distributed at the end of phase I is about 2 per protomer meaning that, in this phase, each enzyme site acts as a 2‐electron and not a 3‐electron acceptor. A 2‐electron flow as the limiting step during phase I with the rate constant kI accounts for the steady‐state electron flow during catalysis. Phase I is followed by the much slower phase II which corresponds to the entry of the third electron and cannot be involved in the turnover. The interpretation of the results are given as a scheme, with the proper rate constants, allowing a satisfactory fitting of experimental data by simulation. Among the elementary steps required are a rapid distribution of one electron from reduced flavin to the haem, a rapid interprotomers dismutation between couples of flavin semiquinone regenerating two oxidized flavin per tetramer. The very low reactivity of the latter for the entry of the third electron per protomer is tentatively explained by the occurrence of a slow additional step limiting the final reduction reaction. It was observed that, over phase I and the beginning of phase II, from 15 to 200 m