Initial investigations of C4a-(hydro)peroxyflavin intermediate formation by dibenzothiophene monooxygenase

Dibenzothiophene monooxygenase is the initiating enzyme in the Rhodococcus 4S biodesulfurization pathway. A member of the Class D flavin monooxygenases, it uses FMN to activate molecular oxygen for oxygenation of the substrate, dibenzothiophene. Here, we have used stopped-flow spectrophotometry to show that DszC forms a peroxyflavin intermediate in the absence of substrate. Mutagenesis of Ser163 and His391 to Ala appears to decrease the binding affinity for reduced FMN and eliminates the enzyme's ability to stabilize the peroxyflavin intermediate.