• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.254-258
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• 1999

The NADPH-dependent succinic semialdehyde reductase is one of the key enzymes in the brain GABA shunt, and it catalyzes the formation of the neuromodulator $\gamma$-hydroxybutyrate from succinic semi aldehyde. This enzyme was inactivated by diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP) with the second-order rate constant of $1.1{\times}10^3\;M^{-1}min^{-1}$ at pH 7.0, $25^{\circ}C$, showing a concomitant increase in absorbance at 242 nm due to the formation of N-carbethoxyhistidyl derivatives. Complete inactivation of succinic semialdehyde reductase required the modification of five histidyl residues per molecule of enzyme. However, only one residue was calculated to be essential for enzyme activity by a statistical analysis of the residual enzyme activity. The inactivation of the enzyme by DEP was prevented by preincubation of the enzyme with the coenzyme NADPH but not with the substrate succinic semialdehyde. These results suggest that an essential histidyl residue involved in the catalytic activity is located at or near the coenzyme binding site of the brain succinic semialdehyde reductase.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.280-285
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• 1987

FMN-dependent glycolate oxidase from spinach is inactivated by diethyl pyrocarbonate at pH 7.0. Inactivation of both apo- and holoenzyme by diethyl pyrocarbonate follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and first order with respect to the reagent. A series of difference spectra of inactivated and native enzymes show a single peak at 240 nm, indicating the modification of histidyl residues. No decrease in absorbance at around 280 nm due to formation of O-carbethoxytyrosine is observed. The rate of inactivation is dependent on pH, and the data for pH dependent rates implicate the involvement of a group with a pKa of 6.9. The activity lost by treatment with diethyl pyrocarbonate could be almost fully restored by incubation with 0.75M hydroxylamine. The reactivation by hydroxylamine and the pH dependence of inactivation are also consistent with that the inactivation is due to modification of histidyl residues. Although coenzyme FMN is without protective effect, the substrate glycolate, the product glyoxylate, and two competitive inhibitors, oxalate and oxalacetate, provide marked protection against the inactivation of the holoenzyme. These results suggest that the inactivation of the oxidase by diethyl pyrocarbonate occurs by modification of essential histidyl residue(s) at the active site.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 1989

In order to obtain a clue in understanding enzymatic hydrolysis in which the His-Cys moieties of papain protease is involved, we prepared cationic peptide-sufactants bearing histidyl, cysteinyl, and both histydyl and cysteinyl residues. Their catalytic efficiency toward the hydrolysis of PNPL were investigated in comicellar phases formed with $N^{+}C_{2}CysC_{12}$, $N^{+}C_{2}HisC_{12}$, $N^{+}C_{2}HisCysC_{12}$ increased markedly in the same order compared with that of $N^{+}C_{2}AlaC_{12}$. The markedly increased catalytic effects are attributed to the imidazole groups of $N^{+}C_{2}HisC_{12}$ and the thiol groups of $N^{+}C_{2}CysC_{12}$, and the large catalytic efficiency of $N^{+}C_{2}HisCysC_{12}$, is considered due to the interaction of the imidazole and the thiol groups. In order to investigate catalytic activities, rate constants for the functional groups, km* and dissociation constants, pKa have been determined. The results showed that $k^{\ast}_m$ and pKa of the imidazole groups were $7.91{\times}10^{-4}S^{-1}$ and 6.49, and those of the thiol groups were $6.00{\times}10^{-4}S^{-1}$ and 10.50. The catalytic effects of comicellar systems on the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl esters has increased according to the increasing size of the alkyl carbon number. Therefore, the catalytic effects have been increasing by the interaction of micellar hydrophobic parts and substrates as well as action of the functional groups.