Properties of the active site lysyl residue of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase in solution.

Two vitamin B6 derivatives, N-bromoacetylpyridoxamine (BAPM) and its phosphate ester have been found to be affinity-labeling reagents for mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1). These derivatives were first shown to react with a critical sulfhydryl group in tryptophan synthase (Higgins, W., and Miles, E. W. (1978) J. Biol. Chem. 253, 4648-4652). In the apoaminotransferase, BAPM has now been found to inactivate by covalently modifying a critical lysyl residue, preventing reconstitution of the apoenzyme by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The dependence of the rate of inactivation upon the concentration of the reagent is consistent with a rapid equilibrium binary complex formation prior to the inactivation reaction. Both the dissociation constant for this complex and the rate of the reaction leading to inactivation are dependent on pH. BAPM binds best from pH 7.5 to 8.5. The rate of inactivation increases from pH 6 to 9. Succinate and phosphate competitively bind to the apoenzyme, protecting against BAPM inactivation. The C-5'-phosphorylated derivative is rapidly and tightly bound by the apotransaminase to form an inactive, noncovalent adduct. This bound reagent subsequently alkylates Lys-258. The rate of this covalent incorporation increases from pH 6 to 9 and is greater than the rate of BAPM modification at all pH values. The effect of pH on the reaction rates of both pyridoxal derivatives is interpreted to indicate protonation of Lys-258 at neutral pH values. These derivatives may also be analogs to a reaction intermediate different from those observed in other affinity-labeling studies. The ionization states of the Lys-258 epsilon-amino group apparently vary with the nature of the affinity label. These variations can be explained in terms of changing ionization states of Lys-258 in the steps of catalysis as well as in terms of the occupancy of charged sites on the protein by active site-directed substrates or inhibitory compounds.