Modification of a minor glucoamylase from Aspergillus saitoi with 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinyl-(4)-ethyl)carbodiimide metho p-toluenesulfonate.

In order to elucidate the structure-function relationship of glucoamylases [EC 3.2.1.3, alpha-D-(1-4)-glucan glucohydrolase] from Aspergillus saitoi, the reaction of a minor component, Gluc M2 with 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinyl-(4)-ethyl)carbodiimide metho p-toluenesulfonate (CMC) was studied at pH 4.5. Inactivation of Gluc M2 with [14C]CMC proceeded with the incorporation of about 5 CMC moieties. From the results of analyses of amino acid and sulfhydryl contents of CMC-modified Gluc M2 and the hydroxylamine treatment of the CMC-modified Gluc M2 at pH 7.0, it was concluded that the sites of CMC-modification were carboxylic acids of Gluc M2. In the presence of maltose, when Gluc M2 was treated with [14C]CMC, ca. 4 CMC moieties were incorporated with a simultaneous decrease in activity (30%). The Gluc M2 modified in the presence of maltose was re-modified with CMC after elimination of maltose. The CMC-modified Gluc M2 (70% activity) was inactivated completely with the further incorporation of ca. 2 CMC moieties. The logarithm of the half-life of the inactivation of Gluc M2 by CMC was a linear function of log[CMC] indicating that one carboxyl group among the modified ones was crucial for the inactivation of Gluc M2. From the results of these modification reactions, it was concluded that one or two carboxylic acids in Gluc M2 were crucial for the catalysis of glucoamylase from A. saitoi. Based on the analysis of the pH-profile of CMC inactivation of Gluc M2, the participation of a carboxylic acid having pKa 5.7 in the active site is proposed.