Purification and Characterization of Bacillus subtilis Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase and Pre-equilibrium Behavior During Oxidation of Protoporphyrinogen IX

Previous studies indicate that B. subtilis protoporphyrinogen oxidase is poorly inhibited by diphenyl ether herbicides. To better understand the basis of this insensitivity, the enzyme was overexpressed as a soluble protein in E. coli, purified and characterized. The mechanism of oxidation of B. subtilis protoporphyrinogen IX was studied and the enzyme kinetic parameters were determined for protoporpyrinogen IX; $K_m$, and $k_{cat}$ were $6.3\;{\mu}M$ and $0.028\;h-^1$, respectively. The enzyme required flavin adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor and its activity was enhanced by 1 mM n-octylglucopyranoside. The nonenzymatic oxidation rate was dependent on the concentration of protoporphyrinogen IX, suggesting that the reaction involves a pre-equilibrium step followed by a rate-limiting step.