Affinity Labeling of E. coli GTP Cyclohydrolase I by a Dialdehyde Derivative of Guanosine Triphosphate

Time-dependent inactivation of E. coli GTP cyclohydrolase I with a 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of GTP (oGTP) was directed to the active site of the enzyme, and was dependent on the concentration of oGTP. The kinetics of inactivation were biphasic with a rapid reaction occurring immediately upon exposure of the enzyme to oGTP followed by a slow rate of inactivation. The $K_i$ value of oGTP for the enzyme was 0.25 mM. Inactivation was prevented by preincubation of the enzyme with GTP, the substrate of the enzyme. At 100% inactivation, 2.3 mol of [8.5'-$^3H$]oGTP were bound per each enzyme subunit, which consists of two identical polypeptides. The active site residue which reacted with the affinity label was lysine. oGTP interacted selectively with the ${\varepsilon}$-amino group of lysine in the GTP-binding site to form a morpholine-like structure which was stable without sodium borohydride treatment. However, triphosphate group was eliminated during the hydrolysis step. To identify the active site of the enzyme, [8.5'-$^3H$]oGTP-labeled enzyme was cleaved by endoproteinase Lys-C, and the $^3H$-labeled peptide was purified by HPLC. The amino acid sequence of the active site peptide was Pro-Ser-Leu-Ser-Lys, which corresponds to the aminoterminal sequence of the enzyme.