Formation and properties of dimeric recombinant horseradish peroxidase in a system of reversed micelles

Wild-type recombinant horseradish peroxidase purified and refolded from Escherichia coli inclusion bodies has been studied in the system of bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulphosuccinate sodium salt (Aerosol OT)-reversed micelles in octane. In contrast with native horseradish peroxidase the wild-type recombinant enzyme forms dimeric structures as judged by sedimentation analysis. Peroxidase substrates affect the equilibrium between monomeric and dimeric enzyme forms. The dependence of the catalytic activity of recombinant peroxidase on the degree of hydration of the surfactant exhibits two maxima with pyrogallol, o-phenylene-diamine, guaiacol and o-dianisidine, with different ratios of activities for the first and second maxima. The differences ir. activities of monomeric and dimeric forms of the recombinant horseradish peroxidase provide evidence for active-site screening in dimeric forms. This has been used to model a dimeric structure of recombinant horseradish peroxidase with the screened entrance to the active site. In the model structure obtained, three of eight glycosylation sites were screened. This might explain the absence of dimeric structures in native enzyme peroxidase. The system of reversed micelles provides, for the first time, evidence for the formation of dimeric structures by recombinant plant peroxidase with an altered substrate specificity compared with the native enzyme. Thus one can assume that haem-containing peroxidases in general are able to form dimeric structures.