Engineering of cytochrome P450 3A4 for enhanced peroxide-mediated substrate oxidation using directed evolution and site-directed mutagenesis

Drug Metab Dispos. 2006 Dec;34(12):1958-65. doi: 10.1124/dmd.106.012054. Epub 2006 Sep 20.

Abstract

CYP3A4 has been subjected to random and site-directed mutagenesis to enhance peroxide-supported metabolism of several substrates. Initially, a high-throughput screening method using whole cell suspensions was developed for H2O2-supported oxidation of 7-benzyloxyquinoline. Random mutagenesis by error-prone polymerase chain reaction and activity screening yielded several CYP3A4 mutants with enhanced activity. L216W and F228I showed a 3-fold decrease in Km, HOOH and a 2.5-fold increase in kcat/Km, HOOH compared with CYP3A4. Subsequently, T309V and T309A were created based on the observation that T309V in CYP2D6 has enhanced cumene hydroperoxide (CuOOH)-supported activity. T309V and T309A showed a > 6- and 5-fold higher kcat/Km, CuOOH than CYP3A4, respectively. Interestingly, L216W and F228I also exhibited, respectively, a > 4- and a > 3-fold higher kcat/Km, CuOOH than CYP3A4. Therefore, several multiple mutants were constructed from rationally designed and randomly isolated mutants; among them, F228I/T309A showed an 11-fold higher kcat/Km, CuOOH than CYP3A4. Addition of cytochrome b5, which is known to stimulate peroxide-supported activity, enhanced the kcat/Km, CuOOH of CYP3A4 by 4- to 7-fold. When the mutants were tested with other substrates, T309V and T433S showed enhanced kcat/Km, CuOOH with 7-benzyloxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin and testosterone, respectively, compared with CYP3A4. In addition, in the presence of cytochrome b5, T433S has the potential to produce milligram quantities of 6beta-hydroxytestosterone through peroxide-supported oxidation. In conclusion, a combination of random and site-directed mutagenesis approaches yielded CYP3A4 enzymes with enhanced peroxide-supported metabolism of several substrates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Benzene Derivatives / chemistry
  • Coumarins / metabolism
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A / genetics*
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A / metabolism*
  • Directed Molecular Evolution
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / chemistry
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Quinolines / metabolism
  • Testosterone / metabolism

Substances

  • 7-benzyloxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin
  • Benzene Derivatives
  • Coumarins
  • Quinolines
  • 7-benzyloxyquinoline
  • Testosterone
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A
  • cumene hydroperoxide