The CYP74 family of cytochromes P450 includes four enzymes of fatty acid hydroperoxide metabolism: allene oxide synthase (AOS), hydroperoxide lyase (HPL), divinyl ether synthase (DES), and epoxyalcohol synthase (EAS). The present work is concerned with catalytic specificities of three recombinant DESs, namely, the 9-DES (LeDES, CYP74D1) of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), 9-DES (NtDES, CYP74D3) of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), and 13-DES (LuDES, CYP74B16) of flax (Linum usitatissimum), as well as their alterations upon the site-directed mutagenesis. Both LeDES and NtDES converted 9-hydroperoxides of linoleic and α-linolenic acids to divinyl ethers colneleic and colnelenic acids (respectively) with only minorities of HPL and EAS products. In contrast, LeDES and NtDES showed low efficiency towards the linoleate 13-hydroperoxide, affording only the low yield of epoxyalcohols. LuDES exhibited mainly the DES activity towards α-linolenate 13-hydroperoxide (preferred substrate), and HPL activity towards linoleate 13-hydroperoxide, respectively. In contrast, LuDES converted 9-hydroperoxides primarily to the epoxyalcohols. The F291V and A287G mutations within the I-helix groove region (SRS-4) of LuDES resulted in the loss of DES activity and the acquirement of the epoxyalcohol synthase activity. Thus, the studied enzymes exhibited the versatility of catalysis and its qualitative alterations upon the site-directed mutagenesis.

Keywords: CYP74 family; Cytochromes P450; Divinyl ether synthase; Epoxyalcohol synthase; Hydroperoxide lyase; Oxylipins.