Engineering multi-domain redox proteins containing flavodoxin as bio-transformer: preparatory studies by rational design.

This work demonstrates that non-physiological electron transfer (ET) can occur in solution between wild type D. vulgaris flavodoxin (Fld) and horse heart cytochrome c (cyt-c), D. vulgaris cytochrome c553 (cyt-c553) and the haem domain of B. megaterium cytochrome P450 (cyt-P450 BMP). Second order rate constants of the ET reaction between [Fld]sq/[cyt-c]ox, [Fld]sq/[cyt-c553]ox and [Fld]sq/[cyt-P450 BMP]ox, were found to be 6.16 x 10(5), 1.80 x 10(4) and in the region of 10(5) respectively. These data are interpreted in terms of complementarity between the surfaces of the two proteins, their surface and redox potentials. Analysis of the ET results obtained from the separate wild type proteins supported the rational design approach in the creation of Fld-based chimeras. The preliminary design of the chimeras reported here is a 3D prototype for an artificial flavo-cytochrome obtained by covalent linkage of a Fld module to cyt-c553 via a disulphide bond. Theoretical ET rates calculated on the modelled flavo-cytochrome are encouraging the construction of these chimeric systems at DNA level. This work is now underway. The relevance of this molecular lego approach is to be seen in the long term goal of producing engineered multi-domain systems to be applied in the field of biosensors and bioelectronics to fulfil specific requirements. Novel catalytic devices can be obtained by using natural redox proteins in different combinations: this process mimics the natural evolution of proteins such as gene shuffling and gene fusion.