Enzymes apoenzyme

Of the types of cofactors known, the most common are coenzymes, prosthetic groups, and metal ions. A coenzyme is some other organic material that is loosely attached to the protein enzyme (apoenzyme). If the organic compound is strongly attached to the apoenzyme, it called a prosthetic group. 

Figure 10. The G-protein cascades in smooth muscle catalyze the exchange GDP for GTP on G-protein. Following the binding of GTP, the trimeric G-protein splits into an a-GTP part and a P-y part. The a-GTP part ordinarily then combines with its specific apoenzyme to constitute the active enzyme. For the activation of the contractile activation path, the enzyme is phospholipase C and the second messenger products are IP3 and DAG. The IP3 in the myoplasm binds to Ca channels in the SR membrane, opening them. Other second messengers include the inhibitors of contractile activity, cGMP and cAMP.

Flavoprotein enzymes contain flavin mononucleotide (FMN) or flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as prosthetic groups. FMN and FAD are formed in the body from the vitamin riboflavin (Chapter 45). FMN and FAD are usually tighdy—but not covalendy—bound to their respecdve apoenzyme proteins. Metalloflavopro-teins contain one or more metals as essential cofactors. 

D-Aminoacid oxidase has been isolated from a nnmber of yeasts, and the nucleotide sequence of the enzyme from Rhodotorula gracilis ATCC 26217 has been established (Alonso et al. 1998). The gene could be overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and levels of the enzyme were greater under conditions of low aeration the enzyme isolated from the recombinant organisms was apparently the apoenzyme since maximum activity required the presence of FAD. 

Lequea et al. used the activity of tyrosine apodecarboxylase to determine the concentration of the enzyme cofactor pyridoxal 5 -phosphate (vitamin B6). The inactive apoenzyme is converted to the active enzyme by pyridoxal 5 -phosphate. By keeping the cofactor the limiting reagent in the reaction by adding excess apoenzyme and substrate, the enzyme activity is a direct measure of cofactor concentration. The enzymatic reaction was followed by detecting tyramine formation by LCEC. The authors used this method to determine vitamin B6 concentrations in plasma samples. 

A homogeneous electrochemical enzyme immunoassay for 2,4-dinitrophenol-aminocaproic acid (DNP-ACA), has been developed based on antibody inhibition of enzyme conversion from the apo- to the holo- form Apoglucose oxidase was used as the enzyme label. This enzyme is inactive until binding of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) to form the holoenzyme which is active. Hydrogen peroxide is the enzymatic product which is detected electrochemically. Because antibody bound apoenzyme cannot bind FAD, the production of HjOj is a measure of the concentration of free DNP-ACA in the sample. 

Spin labeled 5 -deoxyadenosylcobinamide has been used as a cofactor for ethanolamine-ammonia-lyase and the ESR spectrum followed during catalysis (123). This spin labeled coenzyme is biologically active in this enzyme. Enzyme kinetics showed this derivative to have the same Vmax as the cofactor 5 -deoxyadenosylcobinamide, but it has a higher Km value of 5.1 X 10-6 M compared to 4.6 X 10-6 for 5 -deoxyadenosylcobinamide (123). When the spin labeled coenzyme was incubated with apoenzyme to give the enzyme-coenzyme complex, the nitroxide ESR spectrum resembled that of free spin label but the lines are broadened significantly. 

Enzymes may not function well or at all unless some other species known as a cofactor is present. An enzyme alone is referred to as the apoenzyme and the combination of enzyme and cofactor is known as the holoenzyme. Among the species that function as cofactors are organic compounds that interact with the enzyme. If the organic moiety is strongly attached to the enzyme, it is called a prosthetic group, but if it is loosely bound to the enzyme, it is referred to as a coenzyme. For the purposes of this discussion, the most interesting cofactors are metal ions. Depending on the type of enzyme, the appropriate metal ion cofactor may be Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, Fe2+, or Cu2+. A sizeable number of enzymes are sometimes called metalloenzymes because they have active sites that contain a metal. 

The enzyme mediating remethylation, 5-methyltetrahy-drofolate-betaine methyltransferase (Fig. 40-4 reaction 4), utilizes methylcobalamin as a cofactor. The kinetics of the reaction favor remethylation. Faulty remethylation can occur secondary to (1) dietary factors, e.g. vitamin B12 deficiency (2) a congenital absence of the apoenzyme (3) a congenital inability to convert folate or B12 to the methylated, metabolically active form (see below) or (4) the presence of a metabolic inhibitor, e.g. an antifolate agent that is used in an antineoplastic regimen. 

Pyridoxal Phosphate.—Analogues of pyridoxal and pyridoxamine 5 -phosphates have frequently been used to probe the size and shape of the active sites of a number of enzymes. For example, the apoenzyme of a tryptophanase from Bacillus alvei will bind pyridoxal 5 -phosphate as well as the 2-nor, 2 -methyl, 2 -hydroxy, 6-methyl, and A-oxide analogues.27 No analogue that has been modified at C-4 binds to the enzyme, confirming the absolute requirement for Schiff-base formation between the... 

Coenzyme An organic nonprotein molecule, frequently a phosphorylated derivative of a water-soluble vitamin, that binds with the protein molecule (apoenzyme) to form the active enzyme (holoenzyme). [EU]... 

The investigation of the aminotransferase activity of apple ACS carried out by Feng et al reveals that it is able to reductively aminate PLP to PMP by transamination of some L-amino acids to their corresponding a-keto acids. The enzyme has shown substrate specificity with the preference of Ala > Arg > Phe > Asp. The addition of excess pyruvate causes a conversion of the PMP form of the enzyme back to the PLP form. The quite unstable PMP form of ACS can generate apoenzyme, which captures PLP to restore its physiologically active form. 

The reaction path of thiamine-dependent catalysis is essentially unchanged in the presence of an apoenzyme, except that the enzyme active site residues increase reaction rates and yields and influence the substrate and product specificity. The X-ray crystal structures of TDP-dependent enzymes have clarified this view and permitted an understanding of the roles of the individual amino acids of the active site in activating and controlling the thiazolium reactivity [36-40]. 

---