JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 18, 7127-7133, Sep, 1975
A possible involvement of sulfhydryl groups in the conversion of lysine monooxygenase to an oxidase
T. Yamauchi, S. Yamamoto and O. Hayaishi
Lysine monooxygenase catalyzes the oxygenation of lysine and arginine, and
produces delta-amino-n-valeramide and gamma-guanidinobutyramide,
respectively, concomitant with decarboxylation. In a preliminary
communication, treatment of the native enzyme with p-chloromercuribenzoate
was shown to inactivate the oxygenase and to induce an oxidase activity.
The modified enzyme catalyzed predominantly the oxidative deamination of
lysine and arginine resulting in the formation of the corresponding
alpha-keto acid, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide (YAMAUCHI, T., YAMAMOTO,
S., and HAYAISHI, O.(1973) J. Biol. Chem. 2j8, 3750-3752). Paper
electrophoresis, cellulose thin layer chromatography, and chemical
degradation of the reaction products from lysine and arginine, provided
further evidence for their identity with alpha-keto-epsilon-aminocaproate
and alpha-keto-delta-guanidinovalerate, respectively. Further studies were
carried out to establish the involvement of sulfhydryl groups in this
conversion of the enzyme activities. Various sulfhydryl reagents including
certain mercurials, alkylating, and oxidizing reagents, showed essentially
identical effects on the enzyme. Dithiothreitol treatment reversed the
conversion produced by various mercurials; the oxidase activity disappeared
and the oxygenase activity was recovered. When p-chloromercuribenzoate was
added to the enzyme and the increase in the absorbance at 250 nm was
followed, 3.6 of the 6.5 half-cystine residues present per enzyme-bound FAD
were readily titrated within 3 to 4 min. The inactivation of the oxygenase
and the induction of the oxidase activity were almost maximal with 4 to 5
mol of p-chloromercuribenzoate/mol of enzyme, and these effects occurred
within 3 to 4 min. These results together with other properties of the
modified enzyme provided evidence for a possible involvement of these
reactive sulfhydryl groups during the conversion of the oxygenase to an
oxidase.