Stereo-selective interaction of enantiomers of diniconazole, a fungicide, with purified P-450/14DM from yeast.

R(-) isomer of diniconazole [S-3308L, (E)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-l-yl)-1-+ ++penten-3-ol], a newly developed fungicide strongly inhibited lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylation catalyzed by a yeast cytochrome P-450 (P-450/14DM). On the other hand, S(+) isomer of diniconazole was a weaker inhibitor for P-450/14DM. The R(-) isomer combined with both ferric and ferrous P-450/14DM and interfered binding of CO to the cytochrome. The S(+) isomer also interacted with both forms of P-450/14DM but the absorption spectra of the S(+)-diniconazole complexes were different from those of the R(-)-diniconazole complexes. Furthermore, S(+) isomer did not significantly interfere the binding of CO to P-450/14DM. These observations suggest that P-450/14DM discriminates enantiomers of diniconazole and the R(-) isomer is more favorably fit for the active site of the cytochrome.