Substrate Specificity of Lignin Peroxidase and a S168W Variant of Manganese Peroxidase

Lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP) are structurally similar heme-containing enzymes secreted by white-rot fungi. Unlike MnP, which is only specific for Mn2+, LiP has broad substrate specificity, but it is not known if this versatility is due to multiple substrate-binding sites. We report here that a S168W variant of MnP from Phanerochaete chrysosporium not only retained full Mn2+ oxidase activity, but also, unlike native or recombinant MnP, oxidized a multitude of LiP substrates, including small molecule and polymeric substrates. The kinetics of oxidation of most nonpolymeric substrates by the MnP variant and LiP were similar. The stoichiometries for veratryl alcohol oxidation by these two enzymes were identical. Some readily oxidizable substrates, such as guaiacol and ferrocyanide, were oxidized by MnP S168W and LiP both specifically and nonspecifically while recombinant MnP oxidized these substrates only nonspecifically. The functional similarities between this MnP variant and LiP provide evidence for the broad substrate specificity of a single oxidation site near the surface tryptophan.