title: Syntheses of (Z)-and (E)-4-amino-2-(trifluoromethyl)-2-butenoic acid and their inactivation of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase.
abstract: (Z)- and (E)-4-amino-2-(trifluoromethyl)-2-butenoic acid (4 and 5, respectively) were synthesized and investigated as potential mechanism-based inactivators of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-AT) in a continuing effort to map the active site of this enzyme. The core alpha-trifluoromethyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated ester moiety was prepared via a Reformatsky/reductive elimination coupling of the key intermediates tert-butyl 2,2-dichloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropionate and N,N-bis(tert-butoxy-carbonyl)glycinal. Both 4 and 5 inhibited GABA-AT in a time-dependent manner, but displayed non-pseudo-first-order inactivation kinetics; initially, the inactivation rate increased with time. Further investigation demonstrated that the actual inactivator is generated enzymatically from 4 or 5. This inactivating species is released from the active site prior to inactivation, and as a result, 4 and 5 cannot be defined as mechanism-based inactivators. Furthermore, 4 and 5 are alternate substrates for GABA-AT, transaminated by the enzyme with Km values of 0.74 and 20.5 mM, respectively. Transamination occurs approximately 276 and 305 times per inactivation event for 4 and 5, respectively. The enzyme also catalyzes the elimination of the fluoride ion from 4 and 5. A mechanism to account for these observations is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3113, USA.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Silverman
mesh_terms: D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D003437:Crotonates / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: C121901:4-amino-2-(trifluoromethyl)-2-butenoic acid; D003437:Crotonates; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase