Mechanism of Inactivation of α-Amino-ε-caprolactam Racemase by α-Amino-δ-valerolactam

Abstract

Both d- and l-α-amino-δ-valerolactam inactivated α-amino-ε-caprolactam racemase during incubation with the enzyme. The degree of inactivation increased with increases in pH and the concentration of l-α-amino-δ-valerolactam in the incubation mixture. Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate reactivated the inactivated enzyme, and glyoxylate and other α-keto acids such as pyruvate, phenylpyruvate, and α-ketobutyrate protected the enzyme from inactivation by l-α-amino-δ-valerolactam. Both the enantiomers of methionine were produced when α-keto-γ-methylthiobutyrate was incubated with the enzyme in the presence of l-α-amino-δ-valerolactam. Thus, the inactivation of the enzyme in terms of α-amino-ε-caprolactam racemization activity is due to conversion of the enzyme-bound pyridoxal 5′-phosphate into pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate by a transamination with l-α-amino-δ-valerolactam. Formation of pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate from the enzyme-bound pyridoxal 5′-phosphate was proved by spectrophotometry and thin layer chromatography. The rate of racemization of l-α-amino-δ-valerolactam was calculated to be 48 times faster than that of the transamination with glyoxylate.