An oxo‐ferryl tryptophan radical catalytic intermediate in cytochrome c and quinol oxidases trapped by microsecond freeze‐hyperquenching (MHQ)

The pre‐steady state reaction kinetics of the reduction of molecular oxygen catalyzed by fully reduced cytochrome oxidase from Escherichia coli and Paracoccus denitrificans were studied using the newly developed microsecond freeze‐hyperquenching mixing‐and‐sampling technique. Reaction samples are prepared 60 and 200 μs after direct mixing of dioxygen with enzyme. Analysis of the reaction samples by low temperature UV–Vis spectroscopy indicates that both enzymes are trapped in the P M state. EPR spectroscopy revealed the formation of a mixture of two radicals in both enzymes. Based on its apparent g ‐value and lineshape, one of these radicals is assigned to a weakly magnetically coupled oxo‐ferryl tryptophan cation radical. Implications for the catalytic mechanism of cytochrome oxidases are discussed.