Stereochemistry and mechanism of a new single-turnover, half-transamination reaction catalyzed by the tryptophan synthase alpha 2 beta 2 complex

Tryptophan synthase is a versatile enzyme that catalyzes a wide variety of pyridoxal phosphate dependent reactions that are also catalyzed in model systems. These include beta-replacement, beta-elimination, racemization, and transamination reactions. We now show that the apo-alpha 2 beta 2 complex of tryptophan synthase will bind two unnatural substrates, pyridoxamine phosphate and indole-3-pyruvic acid, and will convert them by a single-turnover, half-transamination reaction to pyridoxal phosphate and L-tryptophan, the natural coenzyme and a natural product, respectively. This enzyme-catalyzed reaction is more rapid and more stereospecific than an analogous model reaction. The pro-S 4'-methylene proton of pyridoxamine phosphate is removed during the reaction, and the product is primarily L-tryptophan. We conclude that pyridoxal phosphate enzymes may be able to catalyze some unnatural reactions involving bound reactants and bound coenzyme since the coenzyme itself has the intrinsic ability to promote a variety of reactions.