Spectroscopic studies of complexes between pyridoxamine (pyridoxine)-5'-phosphate oxidase and pyridoxyl 5'-phosphate compounds differing at position 4'.

The absorbance spectrum of pyridoxamine (pyridoxine)-5'-phosphate oxidase (EC 1.4.3.5) is altered upon the binding of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate or analogs with different substituents at position 4'. The absorbance difference spectra are similar for complexes of the oxidase and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, 4'-desoxypyridoxine 5'-phosphate, and 4-ethynyl-4-deformylpyridoxal 5'-phosphate; hence, these perturb the flavoprotein absorbance by similar interactions primarily involving the pyridoxyl 5'-phosphate moiety, and not specifically the 4-formyl group or other relatively small and uncharged functions at this position. A different type of spectral perturbation is caused by analogs with larger substituents at position 4' (i.e. 4'-methoxypyridoxine 5'-phosphate, 4-methyl-vinyl-4-deformylpyridoxal 5'-phosphate, and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate oxime and hydrazone). These analogs impose bulky groups in a region of the active site that critically influences the environment of the flavin, and, thus, may reflect positioning of this portion of the substrates close to the flavin ring, as is required for their redox interaction.