Alkylation of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from Candida utilis with coenzyme analogues.

The mechanism of the inactivation of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from Candida utilis with two coenzyme analogues can be differentiated on the basis of kinetic studies and of the properties of the inactivated enzyme. 3-Chloroacetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide phosphate is clearly an affinity label and 3-choloroacetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide a second-order reagent. For 3-chloroacetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide phosphate, there is a loss of one thiol per subunit at complete inactivation whereas for 3-chloroacetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide 2.7 thiol groups are lost. The fluorescence of the protein is quenched after alkylation by 3-chloroacetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide phosphate and there is no quenching after the inactivation with 3-chloroacetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide.     

Alkylation of estradiol 17beta-dehydrogenase from human placenta with 3-chloroacetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide.

3-Chloroacetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide, which is active as a hydride acceptor (Km = 0.6 mM), inactivates and alkylates estradiol 17beta-dehydrogenase. The kinetics of inactivation by 3-chloroacetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide and the absence of inactivation by 3-chloroacetylpyridine ribose phosphate show that the alkylation follows the formation of a binary complex (Kd = 4.5 X 10(-4) M). Studies of the labelling by 3-chloro[2-14C]acetylpyridine--adenine dinucleotide and the rate of alkylation as a function of pH, give evidence to the alkylation of a cysteine, the stoichiometry being one mole per subunit. The 14C label is distributed between three chymotryptic peptides, one of which accounts for about 50% of the radioactive label.     

Inactivation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase by a reactive coenzyme analogue: 3-chloroacetyl pyridine adenine dinucleotide

Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase is very rapidly and irreversibly inactivated by 3-chloroacetyl pyridine adenine dinucleotide, a reactive NAD+-analogue (Biellmann et al., 1974, FEBS Lett. 40, 29-32). Kinetic investigations with this compound, and structurally related compounds, show that this inactivation, against which NAD+ provides a complete protection, corresponds to an affinity label. The incorporation of the coenzyme analogue correlates linearly with the enzyme inactivation, the total inactivation corresponding to one mole of inactivator per coenzyme binding site. The pH-dependence of the inactivation rates of the enzyme by this coenzyme analogue and by its reduced form reflects exactly the pH variation of their respective dissociation constants. In spite of a good stability of the label in the non denatured inactivated enzyme, no modified amino-acid residue could be identified. Considering the affinity of this analogue for yeast alcohol dehydrogenase and the strict steric requirements of this enzyme towards its ligands, the nature of the inactivation reaction as well as different possibilities of the loss of the label in the inactivated enzyme are discussed.     

Studies on the mechanism of action of histone kinase dependent on adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate. Evidence for involvement of histidine and lysine residues in the phosphotransferase reaction.

The reaction of the phosphate residue transfer catalysed by histone kinase dependent on adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) was studied. The phosphotransferase reaction was shown to obey the mechanism of ping-pong bi-bi type. After incubation of the catalytic subunit of histone kinase with [gamma-32P]ATP the incorporation of one mole of [32P]phosphage per mole of protein was observed. The tryptic [32P]phosphohistidine-containing peptide was isolated and its N-terminus and amino acid composition were determined. The 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of ATP (oATP) was used as the affinity label for the catalytic subunit of cyclic-AMP-dependent histone kinase. The inhibitor formed an alidmine bond with epsilon-amino group of the lysine residue of the active site and was irreversibly bound to the enzyme after reduction by sodium borohydride with concurrent irreversible inactivation of the enzyme. After inactivation, about one mole of 14C-labelled inhibitor was incorporated per mole of the enzyme. ATP effectively protected the catalytic subunit of histone kinase against inactivation by oATP. Tryptic digestion of the enzyme-inhibitor complex led to the isolation of the 14C-labelled peptide of the active site of histone kinase. Basing on these results, the role of histidine and lysine residues in the active site of the catalytic subunit of histone kinase was suggested.     

Affinity labeling of rat glutathione S-transferase isozyme 1-1 by 17beta -iodoacetoxy-estradiol-3-sulfate

Rat liver glutathione S-transferase, isozyme 1-1, catalyzes the glutathione-dependent isomerization of Delta(5)-androstene-3,17-dione and also binds steroid sulfates at a nonsubstrate inhibitory steroid site. 17beta-Iodoacetoxy-estradiol-3-sulfate, a reactive steroid analogue, produces a time-dependent inactivation of this glutathione S-transferase to a limit of 60% residual activity. The rate constant for inactivation (k(obs)) exhibits a nonlinear dependence on reagent concentration with K(I) = 71 microm and k(max) = 0.0133 min(-1). Complete protection against inactivation is provided by 17beta-estradiol-3,17-disulfate, whereas Delta5-androstene-3,17-dione and S-methylglutathione have little effect on k(obs). These results indicate that 17beta-iodoacetoxy-estradiol-3-sulfate reacts as an affinity label of the nonsubstrate steroid site rather than of the substrate sites occupied by Delta5-androstene-3,17-dione or glutathione. Loss of activity occurs concomitant with incorporation of about 1 mol 14C-labeled reagent/mol enzyme dimer when the enzyme is maximally inactivated. Isolation of the labeled peptide from the chymotryptic digest shows that Cys(17) is the only enzymic amino acid modified. Covalent modification of Cys(17) by 17beta-iodoacetoxy-estradiol-3-sulfate on subunit A prevents reaction of the steroid analogue with subunit B. These results and examination of the crystal structure of the enzyme suggest that the interaction between the two subunits of glutathione S-transferase 1-1, and the electrostatic attraction between the 3-sulfate of the reagent and Arg(14) of subunit B, are important in binding steroid sulfates at the nonsubstrate steroid binding site and in determining the specificity of this affinity label.     

Nonpolar interactions in the modification of an essential sulfhydryl of sorbitol dehydrogenase by N-alkylmaleimides

A series of N-alkylmaleimides varying in chainlength from N-methyl- to N-octylmaleimide inclusive was shown to effectively inactivate sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase at pH 7.5 and 25 degrees C. The apparent second-order rate constants for inactivation increased with increasing chainlength of the N-alkylmaleimide used. Positive chainlength effects were also indicated by the Kd values for the N-ethyl and N-heptyl derivatives obtained from studies of the saturation kinetics observed for inactivation of the enzyme at high concentrations of these maleimides. The complete inactivation of sorbitol dehydrogenase was demonstrated to occur through the selective covalent modification of one cysteine residue per subunit of enzyme. The stoichiometry of enzyme inactivation was supported on the one hand by fluorescence titration with fluorescein mercuric acetate of the native and the inactivated enzyme, and, on the other hand, by the simultaneous inactivation of the enzyme with selective modification of one sulfhydryl per subunit by N-[p-(2-benzoxazolyl)phenyl]maleimide. Protection of the enzyme from N-alkylmaleimide inactivation was observed with the binding of NADH, whereas both NAD and sorbitol were ineffective as protecting ligands. Diazotized 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide, in contrast to previous studies of this reagent with yeast alcohol dehydrogenase and rabbit muscle glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, did not function as a site-labeling reagent for sorbitol dehydrogenase.     

Specific inactivation of glutathione S-transferases in class Pi by SH-modifiers

Treatment of Class Pi glutathione S-transferases (GST) such as rat GST P (7-7), human GST pi and mouse GST MII with 0.05-0.1 mM N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) in 0.1 M Tris-HCl (pH 7.8) resulted in almost complete inactivation of these forms, whereas no or less inactivation occurred for GSTs in Class Alpha and Mu under the same conditions. Inactivated GST P lost its S-hexyl-GSH-Sepharose column affinity. About 0.8 mol of [14C]NEM was found to be covalently bound to 1 mol of GST P subunit when 80% of the activity was lost. Similar treatment with N-dimethyl-amino-3,5-dinitrophenyl maleimide, a colored analogue of NEM, followed by trypsin digestion, HPLC and amino acid sequence analysis revealed that one cysteine residue at the 47th position from the N-terminal of the GST P subunit was preferentially modified. Subunits of GST P and GST pi are known to have 4 cysteine residues at the same corresponding positions. The present results suggest that the 47th cysteine residue may be located in the vicinity of the active site of Class Pi GSTs.     

Affinity labeling of the pyridoxal phosphate binding site of the beta2 subunit of Escherichia coli tryptophan synthase.

We have synthesized bromoacetylpyridoxamine phosphate and bromoacetylpyridoxamine and have shown that they meet three criteria for affinity labels of the beta2 subunit of tryptophan synthase: (i) the kinetic data of inactivation indicate that a binary complex is formed prior to covalent attachment; (ii) inactivation is largely prevented by the presence of pyridoxal phosphate; and (iii) inactivation is stoichiometric with incorporation of 0.7 to 0.8 mol of chromophore/mol of beta monomer. Our conclusion that inactivation of the apo beta2 subunit by bromoacetylpyridoxamine phosphate is due to the modification of cysteine is based on the disappearance of 1 mol of -SH/beta monomer and on the finding that [14C]carboxymethyl derivative in the acid hydrolysate of the protein modified by bromo[14C]acetylpyridixamine phosphate. A 39-residue tryptic peptide containing this essential cysteine has been isolated and purified from the bromo[14C]acetylpyridoxamine phosphate-labeled beta2 subunit.     

Modification of the catalytic subunit of bovine heart cAMP-dependent protein kinase with affinity labels related to peptide substrates

The modification and concomitant inactivation of the catalytic subunit of bovine heart cAMP-dependent protein kinase with affinity analogs of peptide substrates potentially capable of undergoing disulfide interchange with enzyme-bound sulfhydryl groups have been used to probe the active site associated with peptide binding. The regeneration of catalytic activity on treatment of the modified enzymes with dithiothreitol and the observation that prior reaction with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) blocks the modification of the kinase by these reagents are consistent with the proposal that only thiol residues are reacting. The affinity analog Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Cys(3-nitro-2-pyridinesulfenyl)-Leu-Gly, 1, and the closely related peptide AcLeu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Cys(3-nitro-2-pyridinesulfenyl)-Leu-Gly-OEt, 3, react with a single sulfhydryl as shown by the stoichiometry of the release of the 3-nitro-2-pyridinesulfenyl group and the amount of label incorporated in the enzyme when the radioactively labeled peptide analog of 3 (peptide 4) is employed as the modifying agent. The kinetics of the reaction of 1 with 4.3 microM catalytic subunit was monophasic (employing substrate in excess conditions), yielding an apparent value of KI of approximately 40 microM and a k2 value of approximately 0.25 s-1. The low value of the observed KI, together with the observation that protein kinase substrates inhibit the modification reactions, suggest strongly that the cysteine residue undergoing reaction is in the vicinity of the active site. By trypsin-catalyzed degradation and identification of the peptide segment modified by covalent attachment of the peptide portion of the radioactive analog 4, the single cysteine modified was identified as cysteine-198.     

Periodate-oxidized 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate as a fluorescent affinity label for pigeon liver malic enzyme

Treatment of 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate with sodium periodate resulted in oxidation of the ribose linked to 3-aminopyridine ring and cleavage of the dinucleotide into 3-aminopyridine and adenosine moieties. These two moieties were separated by thin layer chromatography and were synergistically bound to pigeon liver malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40), causing inactivation of the enzyme. The inactivation showed saturation kinetics. The apparent binding constant for the reversible enzyme-reagent binary complex (KI) and the maximum inactivation rate constant at saturating reagent concentration (kmax) were found to be 1.1 +/- 0.02 mM and 0.068 +/- 0.001 min-1, respectively. L-Malate at low concentration enhanced the inactivation rate by lowering the KI value whereas high malate concentration increased the kmax. Mn2+ or NADP+ partially protected the enzyme from the inactivation and gave additive protection when used together. L-Malate eliminated the protective effect of NADP+ or Mn2+. Maximum and synergistic protection was afforded by NADP+, Mn2+ plus L-malate (or tartronate). Oxidized and cleaved 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate was also found to be a competitive inhibitor versus NADP+ in the oxidative decarboxylation reaction catalyzed by malic enzyme with a Ki value of 4.1 +/- 0.1 microM. 3-Aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate or its periodate-oxidized cleaved products bound to the enzyme anticooperatively. Oxidized 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate labeled the nucleotide binding site of the enzyme with a fluorescent probe which may be readily traced or quantified. The completely inactivated enzyme incorporated 2 mol of reagent/mol of enzyme tetramer. The inactivation was partially reversible by dilution and could be made irreversible by treating the modified enzyme with sodium borohydride. This fluorescent compound and its counterpart-oxidized 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide may be a potential affinity label for all other NAD(P)+-dependent dehydrogenases.     

Affinity labeling of human glucosephosphate isomerase with N-bromoacetylethanolamine phosphate

N-Bromoacetylethanolamine phosphate rapidly and irreversibly inactivates glucosephosphate isomerase in a pseudo first-order fashion. Ratesaturation effects are observed with a minimum half-life of 4.5 minutes and a half-maximal rate of inactivation at 0.056 mM. Substrates, as well as competitive inhibitors, protect the isomerase from inactivation. Using ¹⁴C-labeled N-bromoacetylethanolamine phosphate, the incorporation of approximately one equivalent of inactivator per subunit of isomerase is indicated. After acid hydrolysis, the only modification appears to be the formation of carboxymethyl histidine. These studies indicate that the substrate analogue N-bromoacetylethanolamine phosphate is a specific affinity label that can be used to probe the active site of glucosephosphate isomerase.     

The interaction of an epoxide with yeast alcohol dehydrogenase: evidence for binding and the modification of two active site cysteines by styrene oxide.

Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase is inactivated and alkylated by styrene oxide in a single exponential kinetic process. The concentration dependence of half-times for inactivation indicates the formation of an enzyme inhibitor complex, KI = 2.5 times 10(-2) M at pH 8.0. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), at a concentration of 3 times 10(-4) M where Kd congruent to 1 times 10(-5) M, has a small effect on kinetic parameters for inactivation. Although benzyl alcohol and acetamide-NADH increase the KI for styrene oxide in a manner consistent with their dissociation constants, substrate also increases the rate of inactivation at high styrene oxide concentrations. The reciprocal of half-times for inactivation, extrapolated to infinite styrene oxide concentration, increases with pH between 7.6 and 9.0, pK congruent to 8.5. The stoichiometry of alkylation by [3H]styrene oxide is 2.2 mol of reagent incorporated/mol of subunit, and is accompanied by the loss of 1.9 mol of sulfhydryl/mol of subunit; prior alkylation with iodoacetamide reduces the stoichiometry to 0.88:1, and increases the rate of labeling. Tryptic digests of enzyme modified with [14C]iodoacetamide or [3H]styrene oxide produce two major peptides which cochromatograph, indicating that styrene oxide and iodoacetamide modify the same cysteine residues. Previous investigators have reported that iodoacetate, iodoacetamide, and butyl isocyanate alkylate either of two reactive cysteines of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase; both cysteines cannot be modified simultaneously [Belke et al. (1974), Biochemistry 13, 3418]. The inactivation of enzyme by p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) is reported here to be accompanied by the incorporation of 2.3 mol of PCMB/mol of enzyme subunits, in analogy with styrene oxide; the planarity of the alkylating agent appears to be an important factor in determining the stoichiometry of labeling.     

Cysteinyl peptide labeled by 3-bromo-2-ketoglutarate in the active site of pig heart NAD+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase

The substrate affinity label 3-bromo-2-ketoglutarate (BrKG) reacts covalently with pig heart NAD+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase with complete inactivation and incorporation of about 0.8 mol of reagent/mol of average enzyme subunit [Bednar, R.A., Hartman, F.C., & Colman, R.F. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 3681-3689]. Protection against inactivation is provided by isocitrate and Mn2+. We have now identified a critical modified peptide by comparison of the peptides labeled by BrKG at pH 6.1 in the absence and presence of isocitrate and Mn2+. Modified enzyme, isolated from unreacted BrKG, was incubated with [3H]NaBH4 to reduce the keto group of protein-bound 2-ketoglutarate and thereby introduce a radioactive tracer into the modified amino acid. Following carboxymethylation and digestion with trypsin, the specific modified peptide was isolated by reverse-phase HPLC, first in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid with a gradient in acetonitrile and then in 20 mM ammonium acetate, pH 5.8, with an acetonitrile gradient. Gas-phase sequencing gave the modified peptide: Ser-Ala-X-Val-Pro-Val-Asp-Phe-Glu-Glu-Val-Val-Val-Ser-Ser-Asn-Ala-Asp-Gl u-Glu- Asp-Ile-Arg. The corresponding tryptic peptide that was isolated from unmodified enzyme yielded the same sequence except for (carboxymethyl)cysteine at position 3, suggesting that cysteine is the target of 3-bromo-2-ketoglutarate. Pig heart NAD+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase is composed of three distinct subunits (alpha, beta, and gamma) that can be separated by chromatofocusing in urea and identified by analytical gel isoelectric focusing. The peptide modified by 3-bromo-2-ketoglutarate, which is in or near the substrate site, is derived only from the separated gamma subunit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Affinity labeling of Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase with the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of ATP

Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase [ATP:oxaloacetate carboxy-lyase (transphosphorylating), EC 4.1.1.49] is completely inactivated by the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of ATP (oATP) in the presence of Mn2+. The dependence of the pseudo-first-order rate constant on reagent concentration indicates the formation of a reversible complex with the enzyme (Kd = 60 +/- 17 microM) prior to covalent modification. The maximum inactivation rate constant at pH 7.5 and 30 degrees C is 0.200 +/- 0.045 min-1. ATP or ADP plus phosphoenolpyruvate effectively protect the enzyme against inactivation. oATP is a competitive inhibitor toward ADP, suggesting that oATP interacts with the enzyme at the substrate binding site. The partially inactivated enzyme shows an unaltered Km but a decreased V as compared with native phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. Analysis of the inactivation rate at different H+ concentrations allowed estimation of a pKa of 8.1 for the reactive amino acid residue in the enzyme. Complete inactivation of the carboxykinase can be correlated with the incorporation of about one mole of [8-14C]oATP per mole of enzyme subunit. The results indicate that oATP can be used as an affinity label for yeast phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase.     

Determination of the roles of active sites in F1-ATPase by controlled affinity labeling

The affinity reagents 3'-O-(5-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl) [alpha-32P]ATP (FDNP-[alpha-32P]ATP) and 3'-O-(5-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophenyl) [8-14C]ATP (FDNP-[14C]ATP) were synthesized and used to characterize the structure and function of the three active sites in F1-ATPase. FDNP-[alpha-32P]ATP was found to bind covalently to F1 up to two DNP-[alpha-32P]ATP labels per F1 in the absence of Mg2+ without decreasing the ATPase activity. However, when MgCl2 was subsequently added to the reaction mixture, the enzyme could be further labeled with concomitant decrease in ATPase activity that is consistent with the complete inactivation of one enzyme molecule by an affinity label at the third ATP-binding site. Partial hydrolysis of the FDNP-[14C]ATP-labeled enzyme and sequencing of the isolated peptide indicated that the affinity label was attached to Lys-beta 301 at all three active sites. Samples of F1 with covalent affinity label on Lys-beta 301 were also used to reconstitute F1-deficient submitochondrial particles. The reconstituted particles were assayed for ATPase and oxidative phosphorylation activities. These results show that the catalytic hydrolysis of ATP either by F1 in solution or by F0F1 complex attached to inner mitochondrial membrane takes place essentially at only one active site, but is promoted by the binding of ATP at the other two active sites, and that ATP synthesis during oxidative phosphorylation takes place at all three active sites [corrected].     

Affinity labelling of the estrogen binding site of glutamate dehydrogenase with iodoacetyldiethylstilbestrol. Selective alkylation of cysteine-89.

Iodoacetyldiethylstilbestrol was used as an affinity label to alkylate the estrogen binding site of bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase. This reagent induced inactivation and alkylation of the enzyme. The non-alkylating analogues diethylstilbestrol and estradiol protected the enzyme towards alkylation. The apparent constant of alkylation was of the order of magnitude of I50 for the allosteric inhibition by diethylstilbestrol. These two results suggest that alkylation occurred at the estrogen binding site. The stoichiometry of alkylation was between one and two, depending on the experimental conditions. When the stoichiometry was found to be less than or equal to 1, 90% of the label was bound on cystein residues, 70% of which was carried by cysteine-89, a cysteine residue which is known to be inacessible to iodoacetamide in phosphate buffer in the same conditions of temperature and pH.     

Cysteine reactivity in Thermoanaerobacter brockii alcohol dehydrogenase.

The free cysteine residues in the extremely thermophilic Thermoanaerobacter brockii alcohol dehydrogenase (TBADH) were characterized using selective chemical modification with the stable nitroxyl biradical bis(1-oxy-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3-imidazoline-4-yl)disulfide, via a thiol-disulfide exchange reaction and with 2[14C]iodoacetic acid, via S-alkylation. The respective reactions were monitored by electron paramagenetic resonance (EPR) and by the incorporation of the radioactive label. In native TBADH, the rapid modification of one cysteine residue per subunit by the biradical and the concomitant loss of catalytic activity was reversed by DTT. NADP protected the enzyme from both modification and inactivation by the biradical. RPLC fingerprint analysis of reduced and S-carboxymethylated lysyl peptides from the radioactive alkylated enzyme identified Cys 203 as the readily modified residue. A second cysteine residue was rapidly modified with both modification reagents when the catalytic zinc was removed from the enzyme by o-phenanthroline. This cysteine residue, which could serve as a putative ligand to the active-site zinc atom, was identified as Cys 37 in RPLC. The EPR data suggested a distance of < or 10 A between Cys 37 and Cys 203. Although Cys 283 and Cys 295 were buried within the protein core and were not accessible for chemical modification, the two residues were oxidized to cystine when TBADH was heated at 75 degrees C, forming a disulfide bridge that was not present in the native enzyme, without affecting either enzymatic activity or thermal stability. The status of these cysteine residues was verified by site directed mutagenesis.     

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)     

Glutamate synthase. Properties of the glutamine-dependent activity.

Properties of glutamine-dependent glutamate synthase have been investigated using homogeneous enzyme from Escherichia coli K-12. In contrast to results with enzyme from E. coli strain B (Miller, R. E., and Stadtman, E. R. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247, 7407-7419), this enzyme catalyzes NH3-dependent glutamate synthase activity. Selective inactivation of glutamine-dependent activity was obtained by treatment with the glutamine analog. L-2-amino-4-oxo-5-chloropentanoic acid (chloroketone). Inactivation by chloroketone exhibited saturation kinetics; glutamine reduced the rate of inactivation and exhibited competitive kinetics. Iodoacetamide, other alpha-halocarbonyl compounds, and sulfhydryl reagents gave similar selective inactivation of glutamine-dependent activity. Saturation kinetics were not obtained for inactivation by iodoacetamide but protection by glutamine exhibited competitive kinetics. The stoichiometry for alkylation by chloroketone and iodoacetamide was approximately 1 residue per protomer of molecular weight approximately 188,000. The single residue alkylated with iodo [1-14C]acetamide was identified as cysteine by isolation of S-carboxymethylcysteine. This active site cysteine is in the large subunit of molecular weight approximately 153,000. The active site cysteine was sensitive to oxidation by H2O2 generated by autooxidation of reduced flavin and resulted in selective inactivation of glutamine-dependent enzyme activity. Similar to other glutamine amidotransferases, glutamate synthase exhibits glutaminase activity. Glutaminase activity is dependent upon the functional integrity of the active site cysteine but is not wholly dependent upon the flavin and non-heme iron. Collectively, these results demonstrate that glutamate synthase is similar to other glutamine amidotransferases with respect to distinct sites for glutamine and NH3 utilization and in the obligatory function of an active site cysteine residue for glutamine utilization.