Electron Transfer Complexes of Cytochrome c Peroxidase from Paracoccus denitrificans Containing More than One Cytochrome†

Paracoccus denitrificans can accommodate horse cytochrome c and Paracoccus cytochrome c550 at different sites on its molecular surface. Here we use 1H NMR spectroscopy, analytical ultracentrifugation, molecular docking simulation, and microcalorimetry to investigate whether these small cytochromes can be accommodated simultaneously in the formation of a ternary complex. The pattern of perturbation of heme methyl and methionine methyl resonances in binary and ternary solutions shows that a ternary complex can be formed, and this is confirmed by the increase in the sedimentation coefficient upon addition of horse cytochrome c to a solution in which cytochrome c550 fully occupies its binding site on cytochrome c peroxidase. Docking experiments in which favored binary solutions of cytochrome c550 bound to cytochrome c peroxidase act as targets for horse cytochrome c and the reciprocal experiments in which favored binary solutions of horse cytochrome c bound to cytochrome c peroxidase act as targets for cytochrome c550 show that the enzyme can accommodate both cytochromes at the same time on adjacen