Modification of pig liver dimeric dihydrodiol dehydrogenase with diethylpyrocarbonate and by rose bengal-sensitized photooxidation: evidence for an active-site histidine residue.

Dihydrodiol dehydrogenase from pig liver was inactivated by diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP) and by rose bengal-sensitized photooxidation. The DEP inactivation was reversed by hydroxylamine and the absorption spectrum of the inactivated enzyme indicated that both histidine and tyrosine residues were carbethoxylated. The rates of inactivation by DEP and by photooxidation were dependent on pH, showing the involvement of a group with a pKa of 6.4. The kinetics of inactivation and spectrophotometric quantification of the modified residues suggested that complete inactivation was caused by modification of one histidine residue per active site. The inactivation by the two modifications was partially prevented by either NADP(H) or the combination of NADP+ and substrate, and completely prevented in the presence of both NADP+ and a competitive inhibitor which binds to the enzyme-NADP+ binary complex. The DEP-modified enzyme caused the same blue shift and enhancement of NADPH fluorescence as did the native enzyme, suggesting that the modified histidine is not in the coenzyme-binding site of the enzyme. The results suggest the presence of essential histidine residues in the catalytic region of the active site of pig liver dihydrodiol dehydrogenase.     

Chemical modification by diethylpyrocarbonate of an essential histidine residue in 3-ketovalidoxylamine A C-N lyase

3-Ketovalidoxylamine A C-N lyase of Flavobacterium saccharophilum is a monomeric protein with a molecular weight of 36,000. Amino acid analysis revealed that the enzyme contains 5 histidine residues and no cysteine residue. The enzyme was inactivated by diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP) following pseudo-first order kinetics. Upon treatment of the inactivated enzyme with hydroxylamine, the enzyme activity was completely restored. The difference absorption spectrum of the modified versus native enzyme exhibited a prominent peak around 240 nm, but there was no absorbance change above 270 nm. The pH-dependence of inactivation suggested the involvement of an amino acid residue having a pKa of 6.8. These results indicate that the inactivation is due to the modification of histidine residues. Substrates of the lyase, p-nitrophenyl-3-ketovalidamine, p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-3-ketoglucoside, and methyl-alpha-D-3-ketoglucoside, protected the enzyme against the inactivation, suggesting that the modification occurred at or near the active site. Although several histidine residues were modified by DEP, a plot of log (reciprocal of the half-time of inactivation) versus log (concentration of DEP) suggested that one histidine residue has an essential role in catalysis.     

Investigation of sulfur containing amino acids at the lipoxygenase active site using a platinum complex.

Inactivation of native soybean lipoxygenase-1 was observed upon preincubation with (NEt4)[PtCl3(P(Bun)3)]. Removal of the platinum complex(es) from the inactivated enzyme by treatment with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (Naddtc) which reverses methionine but not cysteine binding, restores most of the activity. Linoleic acid, an enzyme substrate, protects it from inactivation. The quenching of the fluorescence of the putative active site tryptophans which accompanies inactivation disappears after Naddtc reactivation. The (NEt4)[PtCl3(P(Bun)3)]-inactivated enzyme iron(II) cannot be oxidized at variance with that of the native or Naddtc reactivated enzyme, as checked by EPR spectroscopy. These results show that at least one methionine is close to the iron binding site in soybean lipoxygenase-1.     

Modification of lactate oxidase with diethyl pyrocarbonate. Evidence for an active-site histidine residue

1. Diethyl pyrocarbonate inactivated l-lactate oxidase from Mycobacterium smegmatis. 2. Two histidine residues underwent ethoxycarbonylation when the enzyme was treated with sufficient reagent to abolish more than 90% of the enzyme activity, but analyses of the inactivation showed that the modification of one histidine residue was sufficient to cause the loss of enzyme activity. The rates of enzyme inactivation and histidine modification were the same. 3. Substrate and competitive inhibitors decreased the maximum extent of inactivation to a 50% loss of enzyme activity and modification was decreased from 1.9 to 0.75–1.2 histidine residues modified/molecule of FMN. 4. Treatment of the enzyme with diethyl [¹⁴C]pyrocarbonate (labelled in the carbonyl groups) confirmed that only histidine residues were modified under the conditions used and that deacylation of the ethoxycarbonylhistidine residues by hydroxylamine was concomitant with the removal of the ¹⁴C label and the re-activation of the enzyme. 5. No evidence was found for modification of tryptophan, tyrosine or cysteine residues, and no difference was detected between the conformation and subunit structure of the modified and native enzyme. 6. Modification of the enzyme with diethyl pyrocarbonate did not alter the following properties: the binding of competitive inhibitors, bisulphite and substrate or the chemical reduction of the flavin group to the semiquinone or fully reduced states. The normal reduction of the flavin by lactate was, however, abolished.     

The role of an essential histidine residue of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase.

1. Inactivation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase for diethyl pyrocarbonate indicates that one histidine residue per enzyme subunit is necessary for enzymic activity. The inactivated enzyme regains its activity over a period of days. 2. Enzyme modified by diethyl pyrocarbonate can form the binary enzyme - NADH complex with the same maximum NADH-binding capacity as that of native enzyme. Modified enzyme cannot form normal ternary complexes of the type enzyme - NADH - acetamide and enzyme - NAD+ - pyrazole, which are characteristic of native enzyme. 3. The rate constant for the reaction of enzyme with diethyl pyrocarbonate has been determined over the pH range 5.5--9. The histidine residue involved has approximately the same pKa as free histidine, but is 10-fold more reactive than free histidine.     

The affinity alkylators, 11 alpha-bromoacetoxyprogesterone and estrone 3-bromoacetate, modify a common histidyl residue in the active site of human placental 17 beta,20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase

Purified human placental 17 beta,20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (native enzyme) was completely inactivated by the affinity alkylator, estrone 3-bromoacetate, in the presence of cofactor (NADPH). The inactivated enzyme was reactivated to 100% activity by base-catalyzed hydrolysis of the steroidal ester-enzyme conjugate and then repurified by dialysis. Control enzyme in mixtures which contained estrone in place of alkylator was treated the same as the reactivated enzyme. 11 alpha-Bromo[2'-14C]acetoxyprogesterone, an active site-directed affinity alkylator of the enzyme, produced 5.0-fold less radiolabeled 3-(carboxymethyl)histidine and S-(carboxymethyl)cysteine plus 1.4-fold more 1,3-bis(carboxymethyl)-histidine in the reactivated enzyme than in the control enzyme. The lesser amount of S-(carboxymethyl)cysteine and greater amount of 1,3-bis(carboxymethyl)histidine resulted from nonspecific interactions between the reactivated enzyme and the progestin radioalkylator. The nonradiolabeled 3-(carboxymethyl)histidine originally produced by estrone 3-bromoacetate in the enzyme active site hindered radioalkylation of this amino acid by 11 alpha-bromo[2'-14C]acetoxyprogesterone to yield 5-fold less radiolabeled 3-(carboxymethyl)histidine in the reactivated enzyme relative to control enzyme. Thus, the estrogen and progestin affinity alkylators modified a common histidyl residue in the active site. These studies are direct evidence that the estradiol 17 beta-dehydrogenase and 20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities reside at a common locus on a single protein.     

Chemical modification of cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase from Bacillus circulans var. alkalophilus.

Counting of integral numbers of cysteine residues of the reduced and denaturated form of cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) from Bacillus circulans var. alkalophilus (ATCC 21783) showed two cysteine residues per enzyme molecule. Titrations of the enzyme with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) led to the same result. No free SH-group was detected in denatured form of CGTase, indicating that the two cysteine residues are linked by one disulfide bridge. Cyclizing activity of the GdmCl-denaturated and reduced enzyme was 13% of that of the native one. Incubation of CGTase with diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP) showed a pseudo-first-order inhibition with second-order rate constant of 3.2 M-1 s-1. Reaction with hydroxylamine and spectroscopic studies implied that inactivation of CGTase by DEP is due to modification of one histidine residue concomitantly with a 50% decrease in the cyclizing activity (t1/2 = 10.8 min). The inhibition was partially reversible. CGTase was protected against inactivation by alpha- and beta-cyclodextrins suggesting that the modified histidine residue is at or near the active site. Conversion of starch with DEP-modified enzyme resulted in a decreased formation of cyclodextrins while the relative amount of reducing sugars increased. Preliminary results on modification of CGTase with other reagents, e.g., Woodward's reagent K, 2,3-butanedione and carbodiimide are included.     

Essential histidine residue in 3-ketosteroid-delta 1-dehydrogenase.

The variation with pH of kinetic parameters was examined for 3-ketosteroid-delta 1-dehydrogenase from Nocardia corallina. The Vmax/Km profile for 4-androstenedione indicates that activity is lost upon protonation of a cationic acid-type group with a pK value of 7.7. The enzyme was inactivated by diethylpyrocarbonate at pH 7.4 and the inactivation was substantially prevented by androstadienedione. Analyses of reactivation with neutral hydroxylamine, pH variation, and spectral changes of the inactivated enzyme revealed that the inactivation arises from modification of a histidine residue. Studies with [14C]diethylpyrocarbonate provided support for the idea that the 1-2 essential histidine residues are essential for the catalytic activity of the enzyme. Dye-sensitized photooxidation led to 50% inactivation of the enzyme with the decomposition of two histidine residues. This inactivation was also prevented by androstadienedione. Dancyl chloride caused a loss of the enzyme activity. Modifiers of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, cysteine, and lysine did not affect the enzyme activity. Butanedione and phenylglyoxal in the presence of borate rapidly inactivated the enzyme, indicating that arginine residues also have a crucial function in the active site. The data described support the previously proposed mechanism of beta-oxidation of 3-ketosteroid.     

Chemical modification of glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase by diethyl pyrocarbonate: evidence of histidine requirement for enzymatic activity.

Glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase from Escherichia coli was inactivated by diethylpyrocarbonate at pH 7.3 and 4 degrees C with a second-order rate constant of 1220 M-1 min-1. The difference spectrum of inactivated vs native enzyme had a maximum absorption at 242 nm, which is characteristic of N-carbethoxyhistidine. No trough at around 280 nm due to O-carbethoxytyrosine was observed and the sulfhydryl content of the enzyme was unchanged. Studies with [14C]diethylpyrocarbonate provided evidence that derivatization of a single histidine residue of the amino-terminal glutamine-binding domain inactivated glucosamine-6P synthase. These results are consistent with the participation of an histidine residue in a catalytic triad, Cys/His/Asp, necessary to generate ammonia from glutamine.     

Susceptibility of glutathione peroxidase to proteolysis after oxidative alteration by peroxides and hydroxyl radicals.

Glutathione peroxidase is a key enzyme in the antioxidant system of the cells. This enzyme has been shown to be irreversibly inactivated by H2O2, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tert-BHP) and hydroxyl radicals when incubated without GSH. We observed that in our experimental conditions glutathione peroxidase was not degraded by trypsin or chymotrypsin while degraded by pronase, papa?n, pepsin, and lysosomal proteases. Hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions but not H2O2 or tert-BHP could also fragment the enzyme on their own. A former incubation with H2O2, tert-BHP, or hydroxyl radicals also increased the proteolytic susceptibility of glutathione peroxidase. Like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and other oxidatively denatured proteins, glutathione peroxidase inactivated by peroxides or free radicals seems to be degraded preferentially by proteases. As hydroxyl radicals can fragment the enzyme by themselves, the increased proteolytic susceptibility afterwards is easily understood while the increased susceptibility induced by H2O2 and tert-BHP seems to be more specific.     

Presence and quantity of dehydroalanine in histidine ammonia-lyase from Pseudomonas putida

Dehydroalanine is present in the histidine ammonia-lyase (histidase) from Pseudomonas putida ATCC 12633 as shown by reaction of purified enzyme with K14CN or NaB3H4 and subsequent identification of [14C]aspartate or [3H]alanine, respectively, following acid hydrolysis of the labeled protein. When labeling with cyanide was conducted under denaturing conditions, 4 mol of [14C]cyanide was incorporated per mol of enzyme (Mr 220 000), equivalent to one dehydroalanine residue being modified per subunit in this protein composed of four essentially identical subunits. In native enzyme, inactivation of catalytic activity by cyanide was complete when 1 mol of [14C]cyanide had reacted per mol of histidase, suggesting that modification of any one of the four dehydroalanine residues in the tetrameric enzyme was sufficient to prevent catalysis at all sites. Loss of activity on treatment with cyanide could be blocked by the addition of the competitive inhibitor cysteine or substrate if Mn2+ was also present. Cross-linking of native enzyme with dimethyl suberimidate produced no species larger than tetramer, thereby eliminating the possibility that an aggregation phenomenon might explain why only one-fourth of the dehydroalanyl residues was modified by cyanide during inactivation. A labeled tryptic peptide was isolated from enzyme inactivated with [14C]cyanide. Its composition was different from that of a tryptic peptide previously isolated from other histidases and shown to contain a highly reactive and catalytically important cysteine residue. Such a finding indicates the dehydroalanine group is distinct from the active site cysteine. Treatment of crude extracts with [14C]cyanide and purification of the inactive enzyme yielded labeled protein that release [14C]aspartate on acid hydrolysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Chemical modification of chalcone isomerase by diethyl pyrocarbonate: histidine residues are not essential for catalysis

Chalcone isomerase form soybean is inactivated by treatment with diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEP). The competitive inhibitor 4',4-dihydroxychalcone provides kinetic protection against inactivation by DEP with a binding constant at the site of protection in agreement with its binding constant at the active site. Very high concentrations of the competitive inhibitors 4',4-dihydroxychalcone or morin hydrate offer a 10- to 40-fold maximal protection, suggesting a second slower mechanism for inactivation which cannot be prevented by blockage of the active site. Blockage of the only cysteine residue in chalcone isomerase with p-mercuribenzoate does not affect the rate constant for DEP-dependent inactivation and indicates that the modification of the cysteine residue is not responsible for the activity loss observed in the presence of DEP. Treatment of inactivated enzyme with hydroxylamine does not restore catalytic activity, indicating that the modification of histidine or tyrosine residues is not responsible for the activity loss. All five histidines of chalcone isomerase are modified by DEP at pH 5.7 and ionic strength 1.0 M. The rate constant for the modification of the histidine residues of chalcone isomerase is close to that for the reaction of N-acetyl histidine with DEP, indicating that the histidine residues are quite accessible to the modifying reagent. The rate of histidine modification is the same in native enzyme, in urea-denatured enzyme, and in the presence of a competitive inhibitor. In the presence of the competitive inhibitor morin hydrate, all of the histidine residues of chalcone isomerase can be modified without significant loss in catalytic activity. These results demonstrate that the histidine residues of chalcone isomerase are not essential for catalysis and therefore cannot function as nucleophilic catalysts as previously proposed.     

Human plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase. An elucidation of the catalytic mechanism

Human plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) transacylates the sn-2 fatty acid of lecithin to cholesterol forming cholesteryl ester and lysolecithin. Measurement of the phospholipase A2 and transacylase activities of the enzyme using proteoliposome substrates and following selective chemical modification of serine, histidine, and cysteine residues of pure homogeneous LCAT indicated the following catalytic mechanism: HS-Cys-E-Ser-OH + lecithin in equilibrium HS-Cys-E-Ser-O-FA + lysolecithin, HS-Cys-E-Ser-O-FA in equilibrium FA-S-Cys-E-Ser-OH, FA-S-Cys-E-Ser-OH + cholesterol-OH in equilibrium HS-Cys-E-Ser-OH + cholesterol-O-FA, where FA denotes fatty acid. Modification of 2 LCAT cysteine residues with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) or treatment with ferricyanide inactivated the transacylase but not the phospholipase A2 activity. Modification of 1 serine residue with phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride or 1 histidine residue with diethyl pyrocarbonate inhibited cholesteryl ester formation and phospholipase A2 activity. Proteoliposome substrates protected both activities against chemical inactivation. Lecithin alone protected the phospholipase A2 activity against phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride inactivation but not the transacylase against 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) inactivation. Incubation of native LCAT with arachidonyl-CoA or the lecithin-apo-A-I proteoliposome resulted in acylation of three enzyme sites, only one of which was stable to neutral hydroxylamine after denaturation. Fatty acylenzyme oxy- and thioesters were demonstrable in both cases. No transfer of arachidonic acid from iodoacetamide-modified LCAT to cholesterol occurred, indicating that the fatty-acylated serine residue cannot directly esterify cholesterol. Cholesterol arachidonate was formed upon incubation of phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride-modified LCAT with arachidonyl-CoA.     

Purification and characterization of purine nucleoside phosphorylase from developing embryos of Hyalomma dromedarii

Purine nucleoside phosphorylase from Hyalomma dromedarii, the camel tick, was purified to apparent homogeneity. A molecular weight of 56,000 - 58,000 was estimated for both the native and denatured enzyme, suggesting that the enzyme is monomeric. Unlike purine nucleoside phosphorylase preparations from other tissues, the H. dromedarii enzyme was unstable in the presence of beta-mercaptoethanol. The enzyme had a sharp pH optimum at pH 6.5. It catalyzed the phosphorolysis and arsenolysis of ribo- and deoxyribo-nucleosides of hypoxanthine and guanine, but not of adenine or pyrimidine nucleosides. The Km values of the enzyme at the optimal pH for inosine, deoxyinosine, guanosine, and deoxyguanosine were 0.31, 0.67, 0.55, and 0.33 mM, respectively. Inactivation and kinetic studies suggested that histidine and cysteine residues were essential for activity. The pKa values determined for catalytic ionizable groups were 6-7 and 8-9. The enzyme was completely inactivated by thiol reagents and reactivated by excess beta-mercaptoethanol. The enzyme was also susceptible to pH-dependent photooxidation in the presence of methylene blue, implicating histidine. Initial velocity studies showed an intersecting pattern of double-reciprocal plots of the data, consistent with a sequential mechanism.     

Ethoxyformylation of ribonuclease U2 form Ustilago sphaerogena.

RNase U2 was inactivated by incubation with ethoxyformic anhydride at pH 6.0 and pH 4.5. The absorbance of the RNase U2 increased at around 250 nm and decreased at around 280 nm. The inactivation occurred in parallel with the amount of modified histidine and plots of the relationship between the remaining activity and the modified histidine suggested that the modification of one of the two histidine residues totally inactivated the enzyme. The inactivated enzyme RNase U2 was reactivated by a low concentration of hydroxyamine, with removal of the ethoxyformyl group from the modified histidine residue. At pH 4.5, 2'-adenylate and 2'-guanylate protected RNase U2 from inactivation by ethoxyformic anhydride. The difference CD spectra showed that the ability of RNase U2 to form a complex with 2'-adenylate was lost on ethoxyformylation.     

Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent histidine decarboxylase. Inactivation by alpha-fluoromethylhistidine and comparative sequences at the inhibitor- and coenzyme-binding sites

Pyridoxal phosphate-dependent histidine decarboxylase from Morganella morganii AM-15 was inactivated by (S)-alpha-fluoromethylhistidine by a pseudo first-order reaction, with KI and k inact values of 0.1 mM and 32.2 min-1, respectively, and was most efficient at pH 6.5-7.0. Both L-histidine and the competitive inhibitor, L-histidine methyl ester, protected against inactivation. The apoenzyme was not inactivated. These findings indicate that inhibition is a mechanism-based process. Under optimal conditions a single molecule of alpha-fluoromethylhistidine inactivates one enzyme subunit, indicating that no escaping side reaction occurs during the inactivation process. The bound inactivator is not released by dialysis of the native protein but is released upon denaturation by heat or urea. This released product was not fully characterized, but it contains the tritium of ring-labeled alpha-fluoromethyl-[3H]histidine, exhibits the spectral properties of a 3-hydroxypyridine derivative, and does not yield any amino acids on hydrolysis. The label was much more stable following borohydride reduction of the inactivated protein, and a tryptic peptide containing the modified residue was isolated. Sequencing of this peptide and the corresponding peptide from the native enzyme revealed that the inactivator binds to a serine residue of the holoenzyme. Two P-pyridoxyl peptides from tryptic or CNBr digests of the NaBH4-reduced enzyme were also isolated. Sequence and compositional data obtained with these peptides showed that the serine residue to which the inhibitor binds is not near the lysine residue that binds pyridoxal-P in the primary sequence of the protein, although the two residues must be near one another in the three-dimensional structure to account for these results. A speculative mechanism for inactivation, consistent with the experimental findings, is presented.     

Chemical modification of essential histidine residues in aspartase with diethylpyrocarbonate

Aspartase purified from Escherichia coli W cells was inactivated by diethylpyrocarbonate following pseudo-first order kinetics. Upon treatment of the inactivated enzyme with NH2OH, the enzyme activity was completely restored. The difference absorption spectrum of the modified vs. native enzyme preparations exhibited a prominent peak around 240 nm. The pH-dependence of the inactivation rate suggested that an amino acid residue having a pK value of 6.6 was involved in the inactivation. These results indicate that the inactivation was due to the modification of histidine residues. L-Aspartate and fumarate, substrates for the enzyme, and the Cl- ion, an inhibitor, protected the enzyme against the inactivation. Inspection of the spectral change at 240 nm associated with the inactivation in the presence and absence of the Cl- ion revealed that the number of histidine residues essential for the enzyme activity was less than two. Partial inactivation did not result in an appreciable change in the substrate saturation profiles. These results suggest that one or two histidine residues are located at the active site of aspartase and participate in an essential step in the catalytic reaction.     

Inactivation of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase by modification of cysteine residue 174 with diazonium-1H-tetrazole.

Diazonium-1H-tetrazole was tested as a potential active-site-directed reagent for amino acid residues involved in catalysis by alcohol dehydrogenase. In a novel reaction with a protein, diazonium-1H-tetrazole inactivated the enzyme selectively, and almost stoichiometrically, but reacting with the sulfur of a cysteine residue, Cys-174. As a model compound, the tetrazole adduct of free cysteine was prepared. Elementary and spectral analyses of the adduct were consistent with the structure 5-tetrazoleazo-S-cysteine. The adduct absorbs light with a maximun at 316 nm, and is destroyed by irradiation at this wavelength. The inactivated enzyme still bound NADH as determined by difference spectroscopy, but did not enhance the fluorescence of the bound NADH as did native enzyme. X-ray crystallographic studies of free enzyme have shown that Cys-174 coordinates the zinc at the active site (Eklund, H., Nordstr?m, B., Zeppezauer, E., S?derlund, G., Ohlsson, I., Boiwe, T., and Br?ndén, C-I. (1974), FEBS Lett. 44, 200-204). The modified enzyme is probably inactive because the large, negatively charged tetrazole ring interferes sterically or electrostatically with the binding of substrates or with hydride transfer.     

Chemical modification of bovine heart mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase. Selective modification of cysteine and histidine.

Bovine mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) was inactivated by the specific modifications of a single histidine residue upon reaction with iodoacetamide. NADH protected against this loss of activity and reaction with the histidine residue, suggesting that the histidine is at the NADH binding site. N-Ethylmaleimide also modified the enzyme by reacting with 1 sulfhydryl residue. The reaction rate with N-ethylmaleimide was increased by decreasing the pH from neutrality or by the addition of urea. NADH protected against the modification of the sulfhydryl group under all the conditions tested, again suggesting active site specificity for this inactivation. This enzyme has a subunit weight of 33,000 and is a dimer. The native malate dehydrogenase will bind only 1 mol of NADH and it is thus assumed that there is only a single active site per dimer.     

Effect of hydrogen peroxide on the iron-containing superoxide dismutase of Escherichia coli

The iron-containing superoxide dismutase from Escherichia coli is inactivated by H2O2 to a limit of approximately 90%. When corrected for the H2O2-resistant portion, this inactivation was first order with respect to residual activity and exhibited a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 0.066 min-1 at 25 degrees C in 0.24 mM H2O2 at pH 7.8. The superoxide dismutase activity remaining after treatment with H2O2 differed from the activity of the native enzyme with respect to heat stability, inhibition by azide, and inactivation by light in the presence of rose bengal and by N-bromosuccinimide. The native and the H2O2-modified enzymes were indistinguishable by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. Inactivation of the enzyme by H2O2 was accompanied by loss of tryptophan and some loss of iron, but there was no detectable loss of histidine or of other amino acids. H2O2 treatment caused changes in the optical spectrum of the enzyme. Inactivation of the enzyme by H2O2 depends upon the iron at the active site. Thus, the apoenzyme and the manganese-substituted enzyme were unaffected by H2O2. We conclude that reaction of H2O2 with the iron at the active site generates a potent oxidant capable of attacking tryptophan residues. A mechanism is proposed.