Neste trabalho foi estudado a influência da água na estabilização da estrutura e conformação da mioglobina (Mb) e hemoglobina (Hb) através de mudanças no centro ativo (grupo heme), detectadas por Ressonância Paramagnética Eletrônica (RPE). Utilizou-se os derivados meta Mb e nitrosil-Mb de baleia, meta Mb eqüina, meta Hb humana e meta Hb bovina. Amostras com diferentes graus de hidratação (0 a 0,50g H2/g proteína) foram submetidas as medidas de RPE, a T= -160&#176C, acompanhando o sinal do íon ferro (III) nas metas Mb (e Hb) e do grupo NO na nitrosil-Mb. A fração populacional dos complexos formados foram obtidos a partir da integral dupla do espectro de RPE. Na desidratação da meta Mb 65% das moléculas perderam a água da sexta coordenação do ferro (III) dando origem a outros complexos. Um desses complexos foi o hemicromo H (bi-histidina) onde um átomo de nitrogênio da histidina distal E7 se coordena ao ferro, com a hélice E se movimentando em direção ao heme. Adicionalmente a formação do hemicromo observou-se uma diminuição de 40% de moléculas detectáveis por RPE, na desidratação, e sugeriu-se a formação de moléculas com ferro reduzido [Fe (II)] como explicação para essa redução. Foi observado também um alargamento da linha com g &#8776 6 para as amostras com graus de hidratação menores que 0,20g H2O/g Mb devido a desvios da simetria axial em torno do íon ferro (III). Esses desvios de simetria foi proposto originar-se de distorções conformacionais nas amostras com baixa hidratação. Em níveis de hidratação acima de 0,20g H2O/g Mb observou-se um aumento considerável de centros detectáveis por RPE com a recuperação de moléculas com a forma meta. Na meta Hb somente 5% das moléculas permaneceram com a água da sexta coordenação do ferro após a desidratação. As outras 95% das moléculas deram origem a dois tipos de hemicromos (55%) e moléculas de Fe2+ (40%). Foram formados o hemicromo H e principalmente o hemicromo P (o 5&#176 ligante do ferro deve ser o átomo de enxofre da cisteína da cadeia &#946 posição 93 (&#94693), vizinho da histidina proximal &#94692 que é deslocada, e o 6&#176 ligante é proposto ser o nitrogênio da histidina distal E7). Em um nível de hidratação em torno de 0,40g H2O/g Hb há um aumento considerável de moléculas que voltam a ter a água na 6&#176 coordenação do ferro com o concomitante decréscimo da quantidade de hemicromos e de moléculas com ferro (II). Na adição do gás NO nas amostras de meta Mb de baleia com diferentes graus de hidratação houve a formação significante do complexo Fe2+ - NO somente abaixo de 0,25g H2O/g Mb. Em valores superiores de hidratação (até 0,50g H2O/g Mb) as amostras tornaram-se praticamente diamagnética, após a adição do NO, com a formação do complexo Fe2+ - NO+. Os resultados foram interpretados supondo que o NO reage diretamente com íons Fe2+ disponíveis abaixo de 0,25g H2O/g Hb formando o complexo Fe2+ - NO paramagnético. Em hidratações superiores como praticamente não há mais íons Fe2+ disponíveis o NO reduz o Fe3+ parando no intermediário Fe2+ - NO+ - diamagnético. O espectro tripleto observado para o NO em baixa hidratação na Mb é associado a um complexo onde o ferro (II) está pentacoordenado. Isso indica que a histidina proximal F8 se afastou do heme tornando possível a entrada de um novo grupo em seu lugar / In this work the role of water was studied in the stabilization of structure and conformation of myoglobin (Mb) and hemoglobin ( Hb) by changes in the active center (heme group), detected by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). Whale met Mb and nitrosyl-Mb, equine met Mb, human and bovine met Hb were used. Samples with differents hydration degrees (0 to 0,50 g H2O/g protein) were measured by EPR, T= -160&#176C, analysing the iron (III) signal in the met Mb (and Hb) and NO signal in the nitrosyl-Mb. The populational fractions of complexes were obtained by double integration of EPR spectrum. In the dehydration of met Mb 65% of molecules lost the water molecule coordinated to the iron (II) giving origin to other complexes. One of these complexes was the hemichrome H (bishistidin) where the nitrogen atom of the E7 distal histidin binds to the iron (III). For this to occur the E helix must be close to the heme group. A percentual of 40% of the molecules were not detected by EPR in the dehydration and we suggest the reduction of iron (III) to iron (II) in these molecules. We also observed an increase of line width of g &#8764 6 signal in the samples with hydration degree below 0,20g H2O/g Mb, due to changes in the axial symmetry around at iron(III) ion. These symmetry changes were suggested to occur due to conformational distortions in the samples at low hydration. For hydrations levels above 0,20g H2O/g Mb a considerable increase was observed in the groups detectable EPR with recuperation of molecules in the met form. In met Hb only 5% of molecules remained with the water molecule coordinated to the iron after dehydration. The other 95% of molecules gave origin to two types of hemicromes (55%) and molecules with iron (II) (40%). The hemichromes observed were the bi-histidin and hemichrome P (the proximal histidin 92 was deslocated with the coordination of sulphur atom of cystein 93). For hydration levels around 0,40 g H2O/g Hb there is a considerable increase of molecules that return to met form. There is for the same hydration level a decrease of quantities of hemichromes and molecules with iron (II). In the NO gas addition to whale met Mb sample with differents hydration degrees we observed significant formation of Fe (II) - NO complex only below 0,25 g H2O/g Mb. For higher hydration levels (until 0,50 g H2O/g Mb) after the NO addition, the samples were pratically diamagnetic, with the formation of Fe (II) NO+ complex. The results were interpreted supposing that NO binds directly to Fe (II) ion that is present below 0,25 g H2O/g Hb with the formation of a paramagnetic complex Fe (II) - NO. For higher hydrations there is no iron (II) available and the NO reduces the iron (III) with the formation of intermediate diamagnetic complex Fe (II) NO+. The triplet spectrum displayed by NO at low hydration in Mb is associated with a complex where the iron (II) is pentacoordinated. This result indicates that F8 proximal histidin moves away from the heme group possibilitating the coordination of a new group in this place

Neste trabalho foi estudado a influência da água na estabilização da estrutura e conformação da mioglobina (Mb) e hemoglobina (Hb) através de mudanças no centro ativo (grupo heme), detectadas por Ressonância Paramagnética Eletrônica (RPE). Utilizou-se os derivados meta Mb e nitrosil-Mb de baleia, meta Mb eqüina, meta Hb humana e meta Hb bovina. Amostras com diferentes graus de hidratação (0 a 0,50g H2/g proteína) foram submetidas as medidas de RPE, a T= -160&#176C, acompanhando o sinal do íon ferro (III) nas metas Mb (e Hb) e do grupo NO na nitrosil-Mb. A fração populacional dos complexos formados foram obtidos a partir da integral dupla do espectro de RPE. Na desidratação da meta Mb 65% das moléculas perderam a água da sexta coordenação do ferro (III) dando origem a outros complexos. Um desses complexos foi o hemicromo H (bi-histidina) onde um átomo de nitrogênio da histidina distal E7 se coordena ao ferro, com a hélice E se movimentando em direção ao heme. Adicionalmente a formação do hemicromo observou-se uma diminuição de 40% de moléculas detectáveis por RPE, na desidratação, e sugeriu-se a formação de moléculas com ferro reduzido [Fe (II)] como explicação para essa redução. Foi observado também um alargamento da linha com g &#8776 6 para as amostras com graus de hidratação menores que 0,20g H2O/g Mb devido a desvios da simetria axial em torno do íon ferro (III). Esses desvios de simetria foi proposto originar-se de distorções conformacionais nas amostras com baixa hidratação. Em níveis de hidratação acima de 0,20g H2O/g Mb observou-se um aumento considerável de centros detectáveis por RPE com a recuperação de moléculas com a forma meta. Na meta Hb somente 5% das moléculas permaneceram com a água da sexta coordenação do ferro após a desidratação. As outras 95% das moléculas deram origem a dois tipos de hemicromos (55%) e moléculas de Fe2+ (40%). Foram formados o hemicromo H e principalmente o hemicromo P (o 5&#176 ligante do ferro deve ser o átomo de enxofre da cisteína da cadeia &#946 posição 93 (&#94693), vizinho da histidina proximal &#94692 que é deslocada, e o 6&#176 ligante é proposto ser o nitrogênio da histidina distal E7). Em um nível de hidratação em torno de 0,40g H2O/g Hb há um aumento considerável de moléculas que voltam a ter a água na 6&#176 coordenação do ferro com o concomitante decréscimo da quantidade de hemicromos e de moléculas com ferro (II). Na adição do gás NO nas amostras de meta Mb de baleia com diferentes graus de hidratação houve a formação significante do complexo Fe2+ - NO somente abaixo de 0,25g H2O/g Mb. Em valores superiores de hidratação (até 0,50g H2O/g Mb) as amostras tornaram-se praticamente diamagnética, após a adição do NO, com a formação do complexo Fe2+ - NO+. Os resultados foram interpretados supondo que o NO reage diretamente com íons Fe2+ disponíveis abaixo de 0,25g H2O/g Hb formando o complexo Fe2+ - NO paramagnético. Em hidratações superiores como praticamente não há mais íons Fe2+ disponíveis o NO reduz o Fe3+ parando no intermediário Fe2+ - NO+ - diamagnético. O espectro tripleto observado para o NO em baixa hidratação na Mb é associado a um complexo onde o ferro (II) está pentacoordenado. Isso indica que a histidina proximal F8 se afastou do heme tornando possível a entrada de um novo grupo em seu lugar / In this work the role of water was studied in the stabilization of structure and conformation of myoglobin (Mb) and hemoglobin ( Hb) by changes in the active center (heme group), detected by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). Whale met Mb and nitrosyl-Mb, equine met Mb, human and bovine met Hb were used. Samples with differents hydration degrees (0 to 0,50 g H2O/g protein) were measured by EPR, T= -160&#176C, analysing the iron (III) signal in the met Mb (and Hb) and NO signal in the nitrosyl-Mb. The populational fractions of complexes were obtained by double integration of EPR spectrum. In the dehydration of met Mb 65% of molecules lost the water molecule coordinated to the iron (II) giving origin to other complexes. One of these complexes was the hemichrome H (bishistidin) where the nitrogen atom of the E7 distal histidin binds to the iron (III). For this to occur the E helix must be close to the heme group. A percentual of 40% of the molecules were not detected by EPR in the dehydration and we suggest the reduction of iron (III) to iron (II) in these molecules. We also observed an increase of line width of g &#8764 6 signal in the samples with hydration degree below 0,20g H2O/g Mb, due to changes in the axial symmetry around at iron(III) ion. These symmetry changes were suggested to occur due to conformational distortions in the samples at low hydration. For hydrations levels above 0,20g H2O/g Mb a considerable increase was observed in the groups detectable EPR with recuperation of molecules in the met form. In met Hb only 5% of molecules remained with the water molecule coordinated to the iron after dehydration. The other 95% of molecules gave origin to two types of hemicromes (55%) and molecules with iron (II) (40%). The hemichromes observed were the bi-histidin and hemichrome P (the proximal histidin 92 was deslocated with the coordination of sulphur atom of cystein 93). For hydration levels around 0,40 g H2O/g Hb there is a considerable increase of molecules that return to met form. There is for the same hydration level a decrease of quantities of hemichromes and molecules with iron (II). In the NO gas addition to whale met Mb sample with differents hydration degrees we observed significant formation of Fe (II) - NO complex only below 0,25 g H2O/g Mb. For higher hydration levels (until 0,50 g H2O/g Mb) after the NO addition, the samples were pratically diamagnetic, with the formation of Fe (II) NO+ complex. The results were interpreted supposing that NO binds directly to Fe (II) ion that is present below 0,25 g H2O/g Hb with the formation of a paramagnetic complex Fe (II) - NO. For higher hydrations there is no iron (II) available and the NO reduces the iron (III) with the formation of intermediate diamagnetic complex Fe (II) NO+. The triplet spectrum displayed by NO at low hydration in Mb is associated with a complex where the iron (II) is pentacoordinated. This result indicates that F8 proximal histidin moves away from the heme group possibilitating the coordination of a new group in this place

The next generation of toxic chemicals and hazardous wastes from sophisticated chemical industries will demand the environmental agencies to employ biological methods over the conventional physical and chemical remediation methods. Over the past decade, natural metallo-enzymes have been identified to degrade some of the major chemical contaminants through electron transfer pathways. However, these natural enzymes are less stable in organic solvents and they are not effective for the degradation of toxic compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls or dioxins. This thesis explores the use of protein design approaches to produce chemically and molecularly modified enzymes, which are highly stable, possess little substrate specificity, and have higher activity than the natural enzymes. The experiments presented in this thesis make use of solid phase synthesis and site-directed mutagenesis for the synthesis and production of these enzymes and popular chromatographic techniques for their purification. The partial characterization of these proteins revealed the essential structural features of these proteins, and their catalytic activity was demonstrated by the use of peroxidase assays. / Master of Science

La photosynthèse permet de convertir l’énergie solaire en énergie chimique. Ce processus met en jeu un grand nombre de protéines et complexes protéiques. Le premier complexe de la chaîne photosynthétique est le photosystème II où a lieu l’oxydation de l’eau. Le PSII est composé des protéines D1 et D2. Chez la cyanobactérie thermophile Thermosynechococcus elongatus, il y a trois gènes qui codent trois protéines D1 différentes. La première partie de la thèse décrit le développement d’outils protéomiques basés sur les gels d’électrophorèse 2D pour étudier le protéome des trois différents variants, qui expriment chacun une seule protéine pour D1. Peu de différences ont été trouvées. Toutefois, un seul des variants exprime Tll0287. La deuxième partie de la thèse décrit la caractérisation de Tll0287 avec différents techniques : spectroscopies d’absorption UV-visible ou de résonance Raman et spectro-électrochimie. Tll0287 a été identifié comme un cytochrome de type c, mais il présente beaucoup de caractéristiques inattendues. Les spectres d’absorption UV-visible et de résonance Raman de Tll0287 réduit montrent une dépendance vis-à-vis du pH. Deux formes d’hèmes sont présents dans chacun des états oxydé et réduit. Un changement du ligand cystéine a été observé quand l’hème est réduit. Les titrages redox présentent de multiples potentiels à pH 10 et pH 5. Tll0287 peut fixer une molécule de CO à pH 7,6. Ces caractéristiques suggèrent que Tll0287 pourrait être une protéine senseur. De plus, la structure cristallographique montre que Tll0287 n’a pas un repliement classique d’un cytochrome de type c mais celui d’une protéine senseur. Les mutants de délétion du gène tll0287 ont été construits et aideront à comprendre la fonction de ce nouveau cytochrome. La troisième partie décrit l’étude de PsbV2 : un autre cytochrome de type c. Afin d’obtenir en quantité suffisante la protéine pour permettre sa caractérisation, elle a été surexprimée dans un système homologue en utilisant le promoteur de l’enzyme de la rubisco. Le potentiel redox de PsbV2 a été déterminé, comme étant très bas, inférieur à -460 mV (vs SHE, pH 5). Le spectre d’absorption UV-visible de la forme réduite a été caractérisé. La structure cristallographique de PsbV2 a été résolue et a révélé une cystéine comme ligand axial et un repliement proche de celui de cytochromes connus de T.elongatus. Bien que Tll0287 et PsbV2 présentent une cystéine comme ligand axial, leurs structures et leurs propriétés physico-chimiques suggèrent que leurs fonctions sont bien différentes. Une contribution majeure de cette thèse est la caractérisation d’un nouveau senseur à hème de type c chez les cyanobactéries et le développement d’outils nécessaires pour son étude. / Photosynthesis converts solar energy into chemical energy. This process involves a large number of proteins and protein complexes. The first protein complex in the photosynthetic chain is Photosystem II within the oxidation of water takes place. PSII is composed of the D1 and D2 proteins. In the thermophile cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus, three genes encoded three different D1 proteins. The first part of this thesis describes the development of proteomics tools based on 2D gel-electrophoresis to study the proteome of three different variants, each expressing a single different D1 protein. Very few differences were found. However, only one expressed the protein Tll0287. The second part of the thesis describes the characterization of Tll0287. It was characterized using different techniques: electronic absorption and Raman resonance spectroscopies and spectro-electrochemistry. Tll0287 has been previously identified as a c-type cytochrome, but it presents some unexpected characteristics. The UV-visible absorption and Raman resonance spectra of reduced Tll0287 show a pH dependence. The reduced and oxidized states each had two different forms of the heme. A switch of ligands from a cysteine to histidine was observed in the reduced state. Redox titration showed multiple midpoints at pH 10 and 5. Tll0287 was shown to fix a CO molecule at pH 7.6. These physical properties suggested that Tll0287 could be a sensor. The crystallographic studies reveal that Tll0287 does not have a classical c-type cytochrome fold and is similar to other known sensor proteins, strengthening the hypothesis that it is a sensor. Deletion mutants were constructed that will help to better understand the function of this new cytochrome. The third part describes a study of the PsbV2, another c-type cytochrome. In order to obtain sufficient quantities to carry out characterization of this protein, it was overexpressed in a homologous system using the promotor of the rubisco enzyme. The redox midpoint potential of PsbV2 was found to be very low, below -460 mV (vs SHE, pH 5). The UV-visible absorption spectrum of the reduced form was determined. The crystallographic structure of PsbV2 was solved and reveals an axial cysteine ligand. Although both Tll0287 and PsbV2 share this feature, their different structures and physico-chemical properties suggest that their functions are unlikely to be similar. A major contribution of this thesis is the characterization of a new c-type cytochrome sensor in cyanobacteria and the development of proteomic tools required to study it.