title: Glutamate 1-semialdehyde aminotransferase: anomalous enantiomeric reaction and enzyme mechanism.
abstract: Glutamate 1-semialdehyde aminotransferase (GSA-AT) catalyzes near 50% conversion of the racemic mixture of GSA to 5-aminolevulinate (ALA), indicating quantitative use of the L-glutamate-derived natural (S)-enantiomer as substrate. This enzymic reaction has been extensively studied with (R,S)-GSA because it is readily purified in high yields following ozonolysis of racemic 4-vinyl-4-aminobutyric acid. However upon addition of (R,S)-GSA, GSA-aminotransferase is converted to the pyridoxal-P or internal aldimine form (418 nm) and not rapidly cycled back to the original pyridoxamine-P, as predicted by the rate of product (ALA) accumulation. Addition of the putative intermediate, (R,S)-4,5-diaminovalerate (DAVA), eliminates this rapid conversion of the enzyme by (R,S)-GSA to the internal aldimine and stimulates initial rates of ALA synthesis (2-3-fold) and results in corresponding increases in apparent equilibrium concentrations of ALA. These results indicate that DAVA is rate limiting and suggest anomalous reactivity of (R)-GSA. Steady-state and spectral kinetic experiments with individual purified enantiomers confirm anomalous reactivity of (R)-GSA: in the case of (S)-GSA, spectral changes are lesser in amplitude and at least 1 or 2 orders of magnitude more rapid. Only (S)-GSA yielded significant amounts of ALA. Since (R)-GSA is an apparent substrate in the first half-reaction, the resulting (R)-DAVA is either inactive or a poor substrate in the second half-reaction.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Section of Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Kannangara
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grimm
mesh_terms: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000737:chemistry; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000201:enzymology; D019751:Intramolecular Transferases; D007535:Isomerases / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; C074874:4,5-diaminopentanoic acid; D007535:Isomerases; D019751:Intramolecular Transferases; C061049:glutamate-1-semialdehyde 2,1-aminomutase