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Use of isotope effects as a probe of enzyme reaction mechanisms

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5297562

The use of multiple isotope effects has been extended to include both the variation of /sup 15/N isotope effects with deuterated and unlabeled substrates, and the use of solvent isotope effects in conjunction with /sup 13/C or /sup 15/N isotope effects. The deuterium isotope effect on the inhibition constant, /sup D/K/sub i/, of a competitive inhibitor has also been used to identify an active-site catalytic base. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase has been shown to catalyze the elimination of ammonia from the slow alternate substrate dihydrophenylalanine by an E1cb mechanism with a carbanion intermediate. This conclusion resulted from comparison of /sup 15/N isotope effects with 3-dideuterated and unlabeled substrates, and a deuterium isotope effect of 2.0 from dideuteration at C-3, with the equations for concerted, carbanion and carbonium ion mechanisms. Isotope effects with phenylalanine itself were smaller, but are also consistent with a carbanion mechanism, but with drastically increased commitments

Research Organization:
Wisconsin Univ., Madison (USA)
OSTI ID:
5297562
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English