An inducible periplasmic blue copper protein from Paracoccus denitrificans. Purification, properties, and physiological role.

When grown on methylamine as a sole carbon source, Paracoccus denitrificans synthesizes a Type I blue copper protein which mediates electron transfer between methylamine dehydrogenase and cytochrome c. This blue copper protein does not serve as an electron acceptor for methanol dehydrogenase and is not synthesized by cells grown on methanol or succinate. The blue copper protein and methylamine dehydrogenase were localized in the periplasm of P. denitrificans, whereas formate dehydrogenase was cytoplasmic. The copper protein can be purified to high yield in a single step from the periplasmic subcellular fraction prepared from P. denitrificans. The purified protein contains a single 15,000-Da polypeptide chain and one copper atom/molecule and exhibits a pI of 4.8. The oxidized form of the protein absorbs strongly at 595 nm and weakly at 464 nm. The physical and physiological properties of this protein indicate that it is not an azurin, but representative of another class of blue copper proteins.