Optically active 2-benzyl-3-methanesulfinylpropanoic acid: Synthesis and evaluation as inhibitors for carboxypeptidase A

All four possible stereomers of 2-benzyl-3-methanesulfinylpropanoic acid were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors for carboxypeptidase A to find that the isomer having the (2S,4S)-configuration is most potent followed by isomers of (2R,4S)- and (2S,4R)-configurations. The stereochemical preferences shown by the isomers of the inhibitor in binding to the enzyme suggest that the sulfoxide oxygen in the inhibitor fails to ligate the active site zinc ion but may form a hydrogen bond with the guanidinium moiety of Arg-127 like the carbonyl oxygen of scissile peptide bond of oligopeptide substrate of the enzyme does. It may thus be inferred that a sulfoxide moiety may serve as an isosterer of a carboxamide moiety.     

2-Benzyl-2-methylsuccinic acid as inhibitor for carboxypeptidase A. synthesis and evaluation.

Recently, Asante-Appiah et al. (Asante-Appiah, E.; Seetharaman, J.; Sicheri, F.; Yang, D. S.-C.; Chan, W. W.-C. Biochemistry 1997, 36, 8710 8715) reported that 2-ethyl-2-methylsuccinic acid is a highly potent inhibitor for carboxypeptidase A (CPA), a prototypic zinc protease. The X-ray crystal structure of the complex of the enzyme formed with 2-ethyl-2-methylsuccinic acid revealed that at the active site of CPA there is present a small cavity which accommodates the methyl group of the inhibitor. These investigators postulated that incorporation of a methyl group at the alpha-position to the carboxylate of existing inhibitors of CPA would improve the inhibitory potency. We have synthesized racemic and optically active 2-benzyl-2-methylsuccinic acids and evaluated their inhibitory activities for CPA to find the K(i) values to be 0.28, 0.15, and 17microM for racemic form, (R)-, and (S)-enantiomer, respectively. Contrary to the expectation, the effect on the binding affinity by the incorporation of the methyl group is minimal. The validity of the proposition that the small cavity may be utilized for the improvement of the inhibitory potency appears questionable.     

Inactivation of chymotrypsin by 5-benzyl-6-chloro-2-pyrone: 13C NMR and X-ray diffraction analyses of the inactivator-enzyme complex

The inactivation of chymotrypsin by 5-benzyl-6-chloro-2-pyrone has been studied. Chloride analysis of the inactivated enzyme suggests that chlorine is no longer present in the complex. 13C NMR spectroscopy of chymotrypsin inactivated with 5-benzyl-6-chloro-2-pyrone-2,6-13 C2 shows the presence of two new resonances from the protein-bound inactivator. The chemical shift values of these resonances are consistent with an intact pyrone ring on the enzyme as well as the replacement of the C-6 chlorine by a different heteroatom. X-ray diffraction analysis at 1.5-A resolution of the inactivator-enzyme complex demonstrates that the gamma-oxygen of the active site serine residue (serine 195) is covalently attached to C-6 of the inactivator and that the pyrone ring is intact. The 5-benzyl group of the inactivator is bound to the enzyme in the hydrophobic specificity pocket. The conformational changes that occur in the protein as a result of complexation with the inactivator are discussed.     

Novel inactivators of serine proteases based on 6-chloro-2-pyrone

The interaction of serine protease (esterases) with 6-chloro-2-pyrones was investigated. Time-dependent inactivation of chymotrypsin, alpha-lytic protease, pig liver elastase, and cholinesterase was found with 3- and 5-benzyl-6-chloro-2-pyrone, as well as 3- and 5-methyl-6-chloro-2-pyrone. No inactivation was observed with the unsubstituted 6-chloro-2-pyrone. The substituted pyrones did not inactivate papain or carboxypeptidase A, as well as a number of other nonproteolytic enzymes. The substituted chloropyrones, therefore, show considerable selectivity toward serine proteases. Analogues in which the 6-chloro substituent is replaced by H or OH do not inactivate. The presence of the halogen is, therefore, essential for inactivation. Chymotrypsin catalyzes the hydrolysis of 3-benzyl-6-chloro-2-pyrone. At pH 7.5, (E)-4-benzyl-2-pentenedioic acid is the major product, and 2-benzyl-2-pentenedioic anhydride is a minor product. The ration of hydrolysis product found to the number of enzyme molecules inactivated varies from 14 to 40. The enzyme inactivated with the 3-benzyl compound does not show a spectrum characteristic of the pyrone ring. This suggests that inactivation by 3-benzyl-6-chloro-2-pyrone occurs in a mechanism-based fashion after enzymatic lactone hydrolysis. When the enzyme is inactivated with the 5-benzyl compound, absorbance due to the pyrone ring is observed. We suggest that inactivation occurs through an active site directed mechanism involving a 1,6-conjugate addition of an active site nucleophile to the pyrone ring.     

Inactivation of Cg10062, a cis-3-chloroacrylic acid dehalogenase homologue in Corynebacterium glutamicum, by (R)- and (S)-oxirane-2-carboxylate: analysis and implications

( R)- and ( S)-oxirane-2-carboxylate were determined to be active site-directed irreversible inhibitors of the cis-3-chloroacrylic acid dehalogenase ( cis-CaaD) homologue Cg10062 found in Corynebacterium glutamicum. Kinetic analysis indicates that the ( R) enantiomer binds more tightly and is the more potent inhibitor, likely reflecting more favorable interactions with active site residues. Pro-1 is the sole site of covalent modification by the ( R) and ( S) enantiomers. Pro-1, Arg-70, Arg-73, and Glu-114, previously identified as catalytic residues in Cg10062, have also been implicated in the inactivation mechanism. Pro-1, Arg-70, and Arg-73 are essential residues for the process as indicated by the observation that the enzymes with the corresponding alanine mutations are not covalently modified by either enantiomer. The E114Q mutant slows covalent modification of Cg10062 but does not prevent it. The results are comparable to those found for the irreversible inactivation of cis-CaaD by ( R)-oxirane-2-carboxylate with two important distinctions: the alkylation of cis-CaaD is stereospecific, and Glu-114 does not take part in the cis-CaaD inactivation mechanism. Cg10062 exhibits low-level cis-CaaD and trans-3-chloroacrylic acid dehalogenase (CaaD) activities, with the cis-CaaD activity predominating. Hence, the preference of Cg10062 for the cis isomer correlates with the observation that the ( R) enantiomer is the more potent inactivator. Moreover, the factors responsible for the relaxed substrate specificity of Cg10062 may account for the stereoselective inactivation by the enantiomeric epoxides. Delineation of these factors would provide a more complete picture of the substrate specificity determinants for cis-CaaD. This study represents an important step toward this goal by setting the stage for a crystallographic analysis of inactivated Cg10062.     

Pro-carboxypeptidase R is an acute phase protein in the mouse, whereas carboxypeptidase N is not

Carboxypeptidase R (EC 3.4.17.20; CPR) and carboxypeptidase N (EC 3. 4.17.3; CPN) cleave carboxyl-terminal arginine and lysine residues from biologically active peptides such as kinins and anaphylatoxins, resulting in regulation of their biological activity. Human proCPR, also known as thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, plasma pro-carboxypeptidase B, and pro-carboxypeptidase U, is a plasma zymogen activated during coagulation. CPN, however, previously termed kininase I and anaphylatoxin inactivator, is present in a stable active form in plasma. We report here the isolation of mouse proCPR and CPN cDNA clones that can induce their respective enzymatic activities in culture supernatants of transiently transfected cells. Potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor can inhibit carboxypeptidase activity in culture medium of mouse proCPR-transfected cells. The expression of proCPR mRNA in murine liver is greatly enhanced following LPS injection, whereas CPN mRNA expression remains unaffected. Furthermore, the CPR activity in plasma increased 2-fold at 24 h after LPS treatment. Therefore, proCPR can be considered a type of acute phase protein, whereas CPN is not. An increase in CPR activity may facilitate rapid inactivation of inflammatory mediators generated at the site of Gram-negative bacterial infection and may consequently prevent septic shock. In view of the ability of proCPR to also inhibit fibrinolysis, an excess of proCPR induced by LPS may contribute to hypofibrinolysis in patients suffering from disseminated intravascular coagulation caused by sepsis.     

(+/-)-(1S,2R,5S)-5-Amino-2-fluorocyclohex-3-enecarboxylic acid. A potent GABA aminotransferase inactivator that irreversibly inhibits via an elimination-aromatization pathway

Inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-AT) increases the concentration of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter in human brain, which could have therapeutic applications for a variety of neurological diseases, including epilepsy. On the basis of studies of several previously synthesized conformationally restricted GABA-AT inhibitors, (+/-)-(1S,2R,5S)-5-amino-2-fluorocyclohex-3-enecarboxylic acid (12) was designed as a mechanism-based inactivator. This compound was shown to irreversibly inhibit GABA-AT; substrate protects the enzyme from inactivation. Mechanistic experiments demonstrated the loss of one fluoride ion per active site during inactivation and the formation of N-m-carboxyphenylpyridoxamine 5'-phosphate (26), the same product generated by inactivation of GABA-AT by gabaculine (8). An elimination-aromatization mechanism is proposed to account for these results.     

Inactivation of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase by (Z)-4-amino-2-fluorobut-2-enoic acid

(Z)-4-Amino-2-fluorobut-2-enoic acid (1) is shown to be a mechanism-based inactivator of pig brain gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase. Approximately 750 inactivator molecules are consumed prior to complete enzyme inactivation. Concurrent with enzyme inactivation is the release of 708 +/- 79 fluoride ions; transamination occurs 737 +/- 15 times per inactivation event. Inactivation of [3H]pyridoxal 5'-phosphate ([3H]PLP) reconstituted GABA aminotransferase by 1 followed by denaturation releases [3H]PMP with no radioactivity remaining attached to the protein. A similar experiment carried out with 4-amino-5-fluoropent-2-enoic acid [Silverman, R. B., Invergo, B. J., & Mathew, J. (1986) J. Med. Chem. 29, 1840-1846] as the inactivator produces no [3H]PMP; rather, another radioactive species is released. These results support an inactivation mechanism for 1 that involves normal catalytic isomerization followed by active site nucleophilic attack on the activated Michael acceptor. A general hypothesis for predicting the inactivation mechanism (Michael addition vs enamine addition) of GABA aminotransferase inactivators is proposed.     

Mechanism-based inactivation of mitochondrial monoamine oxidase by N-(1-methylcyclopropyl)benzylamine

Three different radioactively labeled N-(1-methylcyclopropyl)benzylamines [N-(1-Me)CBA] were synthesized and used to show which atoms of the inactivator remain bound to monoamine oxidase (MAO) after inactivation. Organic chemical reactions were employed to elucidate the structure of the enzyme adduct and clarify the mechanism of inactivation. Following inactivation and dialysis, the benzyl substituent is lost, but the methyl group and cyclopropyl carbons remain attached to the enzyme even after further dialysis against solutions containing 1 mM benzylamine or 8 M urea. Treatment of inactivated enzyme with sodium cyanoborohydride prior to dialysis results in the retention of the benzyl group, suggesting an imine linkage. One hydride from sodium boro[3H]hydride is incorporated into the dialyzed inactivated enzyme consistent with a ketone functional group. When Pronase-digested N-(1-Me)CBA-inactivated MAO is treated with basic potassium triiodide, iodoform is isolated, indicating the presence of a methyl ketone. During inactivation, the optical spectrum of the covalently bound active site flavin changes from that of oxidized to reduced flavin. After urea denaturation, the flavin remains reduced, suggesting covalent linkage of the inactivator to the cofactor. On the basis of previous results [Silverman, R. B., Hoffman, S. J., & Catus, W. B., III (1980) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 102, 7126-7128], it is proposed that the mechanism of inactivation involves transfer of one electron from N-(1-Me)CBA to the flavin, resulting in an amine radical cation and a flavin radical. Then, either the cyclopropyl ring is attacked by the flavin radical or the cyclopropyl ring opens, and the radical generated is captured by the flavin radical. The product of this mechanism is the imine of benzylamine and 4-flavinyl-2-butanone, the proposed enzyme-inactivator adduct.     

Inactivation of human high- and low-molecular-weight urokinases. Analysis of their active site

We previously demonstrated that 3,4-dihydro-3,4-dibromo-6-bromomethylcoumarin (dihydrocoumarin I) inhibited high-molecular-weight urokinase through a mechanism-based (suicide) inactivation (M. Reboud-Ravaux, G. Desvages and F. Chapeville (1982) FEBS Lett. 140, 58-62). In order to define the site of alkylation, peptic peptides were prepared from urokinase (heavy form) treated first by tritiated dihydrocoumarin I. After separation by reverse-phase HPLC, the labelled fragments were sequenced. His-46 in the B-chain of urokinase (heavy form) had been selectively alkylated, proving that this amino acid forms part of the active site. 3,4-Dihydro-3-benzyl-6-chloromethylcoumarin (dihydrocoumarin II) was more reactive than dihydrocoumarin I against urokinase (heavy form) by a factor of 130. Low-molecular-weight urokinase was inactivated by dihydrocoumarin II slightly more slowly than urokinase (heavy form), showing a decrease of 30% in the corresponding second-order rate constant. In contrast, dihydrocoumarin I displayed an analogous reactivity against light and heavy forms of urokinase. As expected, in the absence of the alkylating moiety, such as in 3,4-dihydro-3-benzylcoumarin (dihydrocoumarin III), no inactivation was observed. It is note-worthy that dihydrocoumarin II which carried an extra-aromatic group fitted well within the active site of light and heavy urokinases, suggesting a nonpolar character for their primary binding site.     

Mechanism of action of adenosylcobalamin: glycerol and other substrate analogues as substrates and inactivators for propanediol dehydratase--kinetics, stereospecificity, and mechanism.

A number of vicinal diols were found to react with propanediol dehydratase, typically resulting in the conversion of enzyme-bound adenosylcobalamin to cob(II)alamin and formation of aldehyde or ketone derives from substrate. Moreover, all are capable of effecting the irreversible inactivation of the enzyme. The kinetics and mechanism of product formation and inactivation were investigated. Glycerol, found to be a very good substrate for diol dehydratase as well as a potent inactivator, atypically, did not induce cob(II)alamin formation to any detectable extent. With glycerol, the inactivation process was accompanied by conversion of enzyme-bound adenosylcobalamin to an alkyl or thiol cobalamin, probably by substitution of an amino acid chain near the active site for the 5'-deoxy-5'-adenosyl ligand on the cobalamin. The inactivation reaction with glycerol as the inactivator exhibits a deuterium isotope effect of 14, strongly implicating hydrogen transfer as an important step in the mechanism of inactivation. The isotope effect on the rate of product formation was found to be 8.0. Experiments with isotopically substituted glycerols indicate that diol dehydrase distinguishes between "R" and "S" binding conformations, the enzyme-(R)-glycerol complex being predominately responsible for the product-forming reaction, while the enzyme-(S)-glycerol complex results primarily in the activation reaction. Mechanistic implications are discussed. A method for removing enzyme-bound hydroxycobalamin that is nondestructive to the enzyme and a technique for measuring the binding constants of (R)- and (S)-1,2-propanediols are presented.     

2-Benzyl-3,4-iminobutanoic acid as inhibitor of carboxypeptidase A.

2-Benzyl-3,4-iminobutanoic acid (3) was evaluated as a novel class of inhibitor for carboxypeptidase A (CPA). All four stereoisomers of 3 are found to have competitive inhibitory activity for CPA, although their inhibitory potencies differ widely with (2R,3R)-3 being most potent. The molecular modeling study for CPA(2R,3R)-3 complex suggested that the lone pair electrons on the nitrogen of the aziridine ring in the inhibitor forms a coordinative bond with the active site zinc ion and the proton on the nitrogen is engaged in hydrogen bonding with one of the carboxylate oxygens of Glu-270.     

Hippuryl-alpha-methylphenylalanine and hippuryl-alpha-methylphenyllactic acid as substrates for carboxypeptidase A. Syntheses, kinetic evaluation and mechanistic implication

(R)- and (S)-Hippuryl-alpha-methylphenylalanine [(R)- and (S)-Hipp-alpha-MePhe] and (S)-hippuryl-alpha-methylphenyllactic acid [(S)-Hipp-alpha-MeOPhe] were synthesized and evaluated as substrates for carboxypeptidase A (CPA) in an effort to shed further light on the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme. The rate of CPA-catalyzed hydrolysis of (S)-Hipp-alpha-MePhe was reduced by 105-fold compared with that of (S)-Hipp-Phe, but the hydrolysis rate of (S)-Hipp-OPhe was lowered by only 6.8-fold by the introduction of a methyl group at the alpha-position. (R)-Hipp-alpha-MePhe failed to be hydrolyzed initially, then started to undergo hydrolysis in about 2 h at a much reduced rate. The results of present study may be envisioned on the basis of the proposition that while peptide substrate is hydrolyzed via a tetrahedral transition state formed by the attack of the zinc-bound water molecule at the peptide carbonyl carbon, ester hydrolysis takes the path that involves an anhydride intermediate generated by the attack of the carboxylate of Glu-270 at the ester carbonyl carbon.     

Partial purification and reconstitution of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase of erythrocyte membranes.

Benzenemethane Sulfonylfluoride (329-98-6) is an irreversible inactivator of many esterases including mammalian acetylcholinesterases. However, previous reports indicated that acetylcholinesterase from the electric eel, Electrophorus electricus (EC 3.1.1.7) failed to react with benzenemethane sulfonylfluoride at measurable rates. We report here that eel acetylcholinesterase reacts with this inactivator at a low rate. Hydrolysis of the sulfonylating agent is so much faster than enzyme inactivation that, under most conditions, there will be only slight inactivation. Like the reaction of other active site acylating agents with this enzyme, inactivation can be accelerated in the presence of certain organic cations. We introduce a rate equation for enzyme sulfonylation which incorporates both the hydrolysis of the inactivator and the complication that fluoride resulting from hydrolysis of the inactivator is a potent competitive inhibitor of this enzyme. This rate equation accurately describes the time course of enzyme inactivation.     

Formation of a novel reversible cytochrome P450 spectral intermediate: role of threonine 303 in P450 2E1 inactivation

tert-Butyl acetylene (tBA) is a mechanism-based inactivator of cytochromes P450 2E1 and 2E1 T303A; however, the inactivation of the T303A mutant could be reversed by overnight dialysis. The inactivation of P450 2E1 T303A, but not the wild-type 2E1 enzyme, by tBA resulted in the formation of a novel reversible acetylene-iron spectral intermediate with an absorption maximum at 485 nm. The formation of this intermediate required oxygen and could be monitored spectrally with time. Although the alternate oxidants tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) and cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) supported the inactivation of wild-type P450 2E1 by tBA in a reductase- and NADPH-free system, only tBHP supported the inactivation of the 2E1 T303A mutant. The losses in enzymatic activity occurred concomitantly with losses in the native P450 heme, which were accompanied by the formation of tBA-adducted heme products. The inactivations supported by tBHP and CHP were completely irreversible with overnight dialysis. Spectral binding constants (K(s)) for the binding of tBA to the 2E1 P450s together with models of the enzymes with the acetylenic inactivator bound in the active site suggest that the T303A mutation results in increased hydrophobic interactions between tBA and nearby P450 residues, leading to a higher binding affinity for the acetylene compound in the mutant enzyme. Together, these data support a role for the highly conserved T303 residue in proton delivery to the active site of P450 2E1 and in the inactivation of the 2E1 P450s by small acetylenic compounds.     

Inactivation of C3a and C5a octapeptides by carboxypeptidase R and carboxypeptidase N

Pro-carboxypeptidase R (proCPR), also known as thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), precursor of carboxypeptidase U and plasma carboxypeptidase B is present in plasma and following activation by thrombin/thrombomodulin and/or plasmin can remove arginine from the carboxyterminal of C3a and C5a. We have shown that this enzyme can remove terminal arginine from the C5a octapeptide much more efficiently than the classical anaphylatoxin inactivator, carboxypeptidase N (CPN). Since we have previously demonstrated that proCPR is significantly upregulated in the inflammatory state, this enzyme would appear to significantly contribute to the inactivation of C5a, the most potent of the complement derived anaphylatoxins.     

Covalent modification and active site-directed inactivation of a low molecular weight phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase.

Covalent modification experiments were conducted in order to identify active site residues of the 18-kDa cytoplasmic phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatases. The enzyme was inactivated by diethyl pyrocarbonate, phenylglyoxal, cyclohexanedione, iodoacetate, iodoacetamide, phenylarsine oxide, and certain epoxides in a manner consistent with the modification of active site residues. Phenylglyoxal and cyclohexanedione both bind to the active site in a rapid preequilibrium process and thus act as active site-directed inhibitors. The pH dependencies of the inactivation by iodoacetate and by iodoacetamide were examined in detail and compared with rate data for the alkylation of glutathione as a model compound. The enzyme inactivation data permitted the determination of pKa values of two reactive cysteines at or near the active site. Although phosphomycin is simply a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme, it was found that 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane (EPNP) and (R)- and (S)-benzylglycidol act as irreversible covalent inactivators, consistent with the importance of a hydrophobic moiety on the substrate in controlling substrate specificity. EPNP exhibits characteristics of an active site-directed inactivator, with a preequilibrium binding constant somewhat smaller than that of phosphate ion. The pH dependencies of inactivation of EPNP and (S)-benzylglycidol are identical to that observed for iodoacetamide and similar to that for iodoacetate, suggesting that they modify similar groups. Sequencing of the tryptic digests of the EPNP-labeled enzyme indicates that Cys-62 and Cys-145 are labeled. Phenylarsine oxide acts as a very slow, tight-binding inhibitor of the enzyme. The results are interpreted in terms of an active site model that incorporates a histidine-cysteine ion pair, similar to that present in papain.     

Stereoselective model synthesis of the optically active olivil type of lignan from D-xylose

The olivil type of lignan, (2S,3R,4R)-4-benzyl-4-hydroxy - 3 - hydroxymethyl - 2 - (3,4 - methylenedioxyphenyl)tetrahydrofuran, was stereoselectively synthesized from D-xylose.     

Inactivation of cysteine proteases by (acyloxy)methyl ketones using S'-P' interactions

We have synthesized (acyloxy)methyl ketone inactivators of papain, cathepsin B, and interleukin-1beta conversion enzyme (ICE) that interact with both the S and S' subsites. The value of k(inact)/K(i) for these inactivators is strongly dependent on the leaving group. For example, Z-Phe-Gly-CH(2)-X is a poor inactivator of papain when X is OCOCH(3) (k(inact)/K(i) = 2.5 M(-)(1) s(-)(1)) but becomes a potent inactivator when X is OCO-L-Leu-Z (k(inact)/K(i) = 11 000 M(-)(1) s(-)(1)). Since these leaving groups have similar chemical reactivities, the difference in potency must be attributed to interactions with the S' sites. The potency of the leaving group correlates with the P' specificity of papain. Similar results are also observed for the inactivation of cathepsin B by these compounds. A series of inactivators with the general structure Fmoc-L-Asp-CH(2)-X were designed to inactivate ICE. No inhibition was observed when X was OCOCH(3). In contrast, ICE is inactivated when X is OCO-D-Pro-Z (k(inact)/K(i) = 131 M(-)(1) s(-)(1)). These results demonstrate that S'-P' interactions can be utilized to increase the efficacy and selectivity of (acyloxy)methyl ketone inactivators.     

Mechanism of oxime reactivation of acetylcholinesterase analyzed by chirality and mutagenesis

Organophosphates inactivate acetylcholinesterase by reacting covalently with the active center serine. We have examined the reactivation of a series of resolved enantiomeric methylphosphonate conjugates of acetylcholinesterase by two oximes, 2-pralidoxime (2-PAM) and 1-(2'-hydroxyiminomethyl-1'-pyridinium)-3-(4'-carbamoyl-1-pyridinium) (HI-6). The S(p) enantiomers of the methylphosphonate esters are far more reactive in forming the conjugate with the enzyme, and we find that rates of oxime reactivation also show an S(p) versus R(p) preference, suggesting that a similar orientation of the phosphonyl oxygen toward the oxyanion hole is required for both efficient inactivation and reactivation. A comparison of reactivation rates of (S(p))- and (R(p))-cycloheptyl, 3,3-dimethylbutyl, and isopropyl methylphosphonyl conjugates shows that steric hindrance by the alkoxy group precludes facile access of the oxime to the tetrahedral phosphorus. To facilitate access, we substituted smaller side chains in the acyl pocket of the active center and find that the Phe295Leu substitution enhances the HI-6-elicited reactivation rates of the S(p) conjugates up to 14-fold, whereas the Phe297Ile substitution preferentially enhances 2-PAM reactivation by as much as 125-fold. The fractional enhancement of reactivation achieved by these mutations of the acyl pocket is greatest for the conjugated phosphonates of the largest steric bulk. By contrast, little enhancement of the reactivation rate is seen with these mutants for the R(p) conjugates, where limitations on oxime access to the phosphonate and suboptimal positioning of the phosphonyl oxygen in the oxyanion hole may both slow reactivation. These findings suggest that impaction of the conjugated organophosphate within the constraints of the active center gorge is a major factor in influencing oxime access and reactivation rates. Moreover, the individual oximes differ in attacking orientation, leading to the presumed pentavalent transition state. Hence, their efficacies as reactivating agents depend on the steric bulk of the intervening groups surrounding the tetrahedral phosphorus.