The Unexpected and Exceptionally Facile Chemical Modification of the Phenolic Hydroxyl Group of Tyrosine by Polyhalogenated Quinones under Physiological Conditions

The phenolic hydroxyl group of tyrosine residue plays a crucial role in the structure and function of many proteins. However, little study has been reported about its modification by chemical agents under physiological conditions. In this study, we found, unexpectedly, that the phenolic hydroxyl group of tyrosine can be rapidly and efficiently modified by tetrafluoro-1,4-benzoquinone and other polyhalogenated quinones, which are the major genotoxic and carcinogenic quinoid metabolites of polyhalogenated aromatic compounds. The modification was found to be mainly due to the formation of a variety of fluoroquinone-O-tyrosine conjugates and their hydroxylated derivatives via nucleophilic substitution pathway. Analogous modifications were observed for tyrosine-containing peptides. Further studies showed that the blockade of the reactive phenolic hydroxyl group of tyrosine in the substrate peptide, even by very low concentration of tetrafluoro-1,4-benzoquinone, can prevent the kinase catalyzed tyrosine phosphorylation. This is the first report showing the exceptionally facile chemical modification of the phenolic hydroxyl group of tyrosine by polyhalogenated quinones under normal physiological conditions, which may have potential biological and toxicological implications.