Nitrous acid protein reaction with

Enzyme activity on a D (non-natural) configuration, non-protein cyclic amino acid derivative appears unlikely. However the D-hydantoinase reaction is very similar to the dihydroxypyrimidase present in pyrimidine metabolism. The original hydantoinase used was obtained from calf liver, but subsequently many active microorganisms were found, particularly a strain of B. brevis. The resulting D-A-carbamoyl amino acid can then be converted into product by treatment with nitrous acid (Figure 4.11). 

Much of Landsteiner s pioneer work was carried out with haptens that were aromatic amines. The compounds were converted to diazonium salts with nitrous acid and aUowed to react with proteins at alkaline pH (approximately 9). Reaction occurred primarily with histidine, tyrosine, and tryptophan residues of the protein carrier. For a representative procedure, see Kabat (p. 799 seq.). An interesting application of this procedure was the preparation of a chloramphenicol-protein conjugate which was used to elicit antibodies specific for chloramphenicol. In this case, a prior reduction of the nitro group of chloramphenicol to an amino group was required. As early as 1937, carcinogenic compounds were conjugated to protein carriers by means of their isocyanate derivatives which were prepared from amines. Immune sera were raised, and their properties were studied. - ... 

One may mention the relative lack of information on the possible toxicity mechanisms of other groups of explosives. The administration of hexahydro-l,3,5-trinitro-l,3,5-triazine (RDX 30-300 mg kg-1 daily for 13 weeks) to rats caused hypotriglycidire-mia, convulsions, and death [4], In contrast, pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN 0.5%-1.0% in standard diet for 13 weeks) was nontoxic to rats [80], RDX was much less cytotoxic to V79 and TK-6 mammalian cell cultures than TNT [9], There also are very few data on their reactions with mammalian enzymes. Rabbit liver cytochrome P-450 2B4 (EC 1.14.14.1) converted RDX into 4-nitro-2,4-diazabutanal, two nitrite ions, ammonium, and formaldehyde, consuming one equivalent NADPH [81]. However, it is unclear whether this slow reaction (kcat < 0.01 s-1) may contribute to the toxicity of RDX. Xanthine oxidase transformed octohydro-l,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) at a lower rate, 10.5 nmol h 1 mg 1 protein under anaerobic conditions, into nitrite, formaldehyde, nitrous oxide, formic acid, and ammonium [82], Our preliminary observations show that RDX was much less reactive substrate for P-450R and E. cloacae NR than NTO or ANTA [53], Thus, the mechanisms underlying toxicity of RDX remain undisclosed. 

Xanthoprotein reactions are given by proteins with aromatic side groups On addition of nitric acid, the product turns yellow and, after further addition of ammonia, orange. The Millon reaction is specific for tyrosine On boiling, e.g., egg-white solution with a solution of mercury in nitric-acid containing nitrous acid, a red-brown precipitate is formed. 

Kurosky, A., and Hofmann, T., 1972, Kinetics of the reaction of nitrous acid with model compounds and proteins, and the conformational state of N-terminal groups in the chymotrypsin family, Canad. J. Biochem. 50 1282. 

Although the reaction of nitrous acid with peptides and proteins has been extensively used for analytical purposes (van Slyke estimation), the nature of the organic products has often been overlooked. Recently, Bonnett and Holleyhead 49) reported that treatment of N-acyl-tryptophan derivatives with sodium nitrite under mildly acidic conditions furnishes nitrosamines with the nitroso group located at the indolic nitrogen. 

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