Electrochemical reduction of flavocytochromes 2B4 and 1A2 and their catalytic activity

The present study shows that cytochromes P450 2B4 and 1A2 with a covalently attached riboflavin (semisynthetic flavocytochromes RfP450 2B4 and RfP450 1A2) can be reduced electrochemically on rhodium-graphite electrodes at a potential of -500 mV (vs Ag/AgCl). In the presence of substrates such as aminopyrine, aniline, 7-ethoxyresorufin, and 7-pentoxyresorufin, N-demethylation, p-hydroxylation, and O-dealkylation reactions proceeded, as was confirmed by product analysis. Rates of electrocatalytically driven reactions are comparable to those obtained using NAD(P)H as the source of reducing equivalents. These results suggest the practicality of developing flavocytochrome P450s as catalysts for oxidation reactions with different classes of organic substrates. (C) 2000 Academic Press.