Low carbon monoxide affinity allene oxide synthase is the predominant cytochrome P450 in many plant tissues.

A cytochrome P450 with low affinity (2.9 x 10(3) M-1) for CO appears to be the major microsomal P450 in some plant tissues. The presence of low CO affinity cytochrome P450 correlates with its lack of NADPH reducibility and with the presence of high levels of 13(S)-hydroperoxy-9(Z),11(E)-octadecadienoate peroxidase activity. This activity and low CO affinity are retained by purified tulip cytochrome P450, which appears to be catalytically identical to a flaxseed-derived fatty acid allene oxide synthase P450 described previously [Song, W.-C., & Brash, A.R. (1991) Science 253, 781-784]. Other heme-binding ligands, such as CN- and imidazoles, bind weakly to the allene oxide synthase P450s, suggesting that axial coordination in the heme distal pocket may be hindered. We conclude that low CO affinity is characteristic of the allene oxide synthase P450s and that these P450s constitute a major portion of the microsomal P450 in a variety of plant tissues, particularly from monocot species.