A Dynamical Theory of Electron Transfer: Crossover from Weak to Strong Electronic Coupling

We present a real-time path integral theory for the rate of electron transfer reactions. Using graph theoretic techniques, the dynamics is expressed in a formally exact way as a set of integral equations. With a simple approximation for the self-energy, the rate can then be computed analytically to all orders in the electronic coupling matrix element. We present results for the crossover region between weak (nonadiabatic) and strong (adiabatic) electronic coupling and show that this theory provides a rigorous justification for the salient features of the rate expected within conventional electron transfer theory. Nonetheless, we find distinct characteristics of quantum behavior even in the strongly adiabatic limit where classical rate theory is conventionally thought to be applicable. To our knowledge, this theory is the first systematic dynamical treatment of the full crossover region.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX, 8 Postscript figures to be published in J. Chem. Phy

Resonance Raman Spectroscopy of the Oxygenated Intermediates of Human CYP19A1 Implicates a Compound I Intermediate in the Final Lyase Step

CYP19A1, or aromatase, a cytochrome P450 responsible for estrogen biosynthesis in humans, is an important therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer. There is still controversy surrounding the identity of reaction intermediate that catalyzes carbon–carbon scission in this key enzyme. Probing the oxy-complexes of CYP19A1 poised for hydroxylase and lyase chemistries using resonance Raman spectroscopy and drawing a comparison with CYP17A1, we have found no significant difference in the frequencies or isotopic shifts for these two steps in CYP19A1. Our experiments implicate the involvement of Compound I in the terminal lyase step of CYP19A1 catalysis

Audit of Antenatal Testing of Sexually Transmissible Infections and Blood Borne Viruses at Western Australian Hospitals

In August 2007, the Western Australian Department of Health (DOH) released updated recommendations for testing of sexually transmissible infections (STI) and blood-borne viruses (BBV) in antenates. Prior to this, the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) antenatal testing recommendations had been accepted practice in most antenatal settings. The RANZCOG recommends that testing for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C be offered at the first antenatal visit. The DOH recommends that in addition, chlamydia testing be offered. We conducted a baseline audit of antenatal STI/BBV testing in women who delivered at selected public hospitals before the DOH recommendations. We examined the medical records of 200 women who had delivered before 1st July 2007 from each of the sevenWAhospitals included in the audit. STI and BBV testing information and demographic data were collected. Of the 1,409 women included, 1,205 (86%) were non-Aboriginal and 200 (14%) were Aboriginal. High proportions of women had been tested for HIV (76%), syphilis (86%), hepatitis C (87%) and hepatitis B (88%). Overall, 72% of women had undergone STI/BBV testing in accordance with RANZCOG recommendations. However, chlamydia testing was evident in only 18% of records. STI/BBV prevalence ranged from 3.9% (CI 1.5– 6.3%) for chlamydia, to 1.7% (CI 1–2.4%) for hepatitis C, 0.7% (CI 0.3–1.2) for hepatitis B and 0.6% (CI 0.2–1) for syphilis. Prior to the DOH recommendations, nearly three-quarters of antenates had undergone STI/BBV testing in accordance with RANZCOG recommendations, but less than one fifth had been tested for chlamydia. The DOH recommendations will be further promoted with the assistance of hospitals and other stakeholders. A future audit will be conducted to determine the proportion of women tested according to the DOH recommendations. The hand book from this conference is available for download Published in 2008 by the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine Inc © Australasian Society for HIV Medicine Inc 2008 ISBN: 978-1-920773-59-

Differential Hydrogen Bonding in Human CYP17 Dictates Hydroxylation versus Lyase Chemistry

Consequences of alternative H-bonding: Raman spectra of oxygenated intermediates of Nanodisc-incorporated human CYP17 in the presence of natural substrates (pregnenolone and progesterone) directly confirm that substrate structure effectively alters hydrogen-bonding interactions with the critical Fe–O–O fragment and dictates its predisposition for one of two alternative reaction pathways. Such substrate control has profound physiological implications

Unveiling the Crucial Intermediates in Androgen Production

Significance: The human enzyme cytochrome P450 17A1 (CYP17A1) catalyzes the critical step in the biosynthesis of the male sex hormones, and, as such, it is a key target for the inhibition of testosterone production that is necessary for the progression of certain cancers. CYP17A1 catalyzes two distinct types of chemical transformations. The first is the hydroxylation of the steroid precursors pregnenolone and progesterone. The second is a different reaction involving carbon–carbon (C-C) bond cleavage, the mechanism of which has been actively debated in the literature. Using a combination of chemical and biophysical methods, we have been able to trap and characterize the active intermediate in this C-C lyase reaction, an important step in the potential design of mechanism-based inhibitors for the treatment of prostate cancers. Abstract: Ablation of androgen production through surgery is one strategy against prostate cancer, with the current focus placed on pharmaceutical intervention to restrict androgen synthesis selectively, an endeavor that could benefit from the enhanced understanding of enzymatic mechanisms that derives from characterization of key reaction intermediates. The multifunctional cytochrome P450 17A1 (CYP17A1) first catalyzes the typical hydroxylation of its primary substrate, pregnenolone (PREG) and then also orchestrates a remarkable C17–C20 bond cleavage (lyase) reaction, converting the 17-hydroxypregnenolone initial product to dehydroepiandrosterone, a process representing the first committed step in the biosynthesis of androgens. Now, we report the capture and structural characterization of intermediates produced during this lyase step: an initial peroxo-anion intermediate, poised for nucleophilic attack on the C20 position by a substrate-associated H-bond, and the crucial ferric peroxo-hemiacetal intermediate that precedes carbon–carbon (C-C) bond cleavage. These studies provide a rare glimpse at the actual structural determinants of a chemical transformation that carries profound physiological consequences

Resonance Raman Characterization of the Peroxo and Hydroperoxo Intermediates in Cytochrome P450

Resonance Raman (RR) studies of intermediates generated by cryoreduction of the oxyferrous complex of the D251N mutant of cytochrome P450cam (CYP101) are reported. Owing to the fact that proton delivery to the active site is hindered in this mutant, the unprotonated peroxo-ferric intermediate is observed as the primary species after radiolytic reduction of the oxy-complex in frozen solutions at 77 K. In as much as previous EPR and ENDOR studies have shown that annealing of this species to ∼180 K results in protonation of the distal oxygen atom to form the hydroperoxo intermediate, this system has been exploited to permit direct RR interrogation of the changes in the Fe−O and O−O bonds caused by the reduction and subsequent protonation. Our results show that the ν(O−O) mode decreases from a superoxo-like frequency near ∼1130 cm−1 to 792 cm−1 upon reduction. The latter frequency, as well as its lack of sensitivity to H/D exchange, is consistent with heme-bound peroxide formulation. This species also exhibits a ν(Fe−O) mode, the 553 cm−1 frequency of which is higher than that observed for the nonreduced oxy P450 precursor (537 cm−1), implying a strengthened Fe−O linkage upon reduction. Upon subsequent protonation, the resulting Fe−O−OH fragment exhibits a lowered ν(O−O) mode at 774 cm−1, whereas the ν(Fe−O) increases to 564 cm−1. Both modes exhibit a downshift upon H/D exchange, as expected for a hydroperoxo-ferric formulation. These experimental RR data are compared with those previously acquired for the wild-type protein, and the shifts observed upon reduction and subsequent protonation are discussed with reference to theoretical predictions

Inter- and Intra-Chain Attractions in Solutions of Flexible Polyelectrolytes at Nonzero Concentration

Constant temperature molecular dynamics simulations were used to study solutions of flexible polyelectrolyte chains at nonzero concentrations with explicit counterions and unscreened coulombic interactions. Counterion condensation, measured via the self-diffusion coefficient of the counterions, is found to increase with polymer concentration, but contrary to the prediction of Manning theory, the renormalized charge fraction on the chains decreases with increasing Bjerrum length without showing any saturation. Scaling analysis of the radius of gyration shows that the chains are extended at low polymer concentrations and small Bjerrum lengths, while at sufficiently large Bjerrum lengths, the chains shrink to produce compact structures with exponents smaller than a gaussian chain, suggesting the presence of attractive intrachain interactions. A careful study of the radial distribution function of the center-of-mass of the polyelectrolyte chains shows clear evidence that effective interchain attractive interactions also exist in solutions of flexible polyelectrolytes, similar to what has been found for rodlike polyelectrolytes. Our results suggest that the broad maximum observed in scattering experiments is due to clustering of chains.Comment: 12 pages, REVTeX, 15 eps figure