Abstract

Serratia marcescens purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) has been purified and characterized. The physical and kinetic properties have been previously described(Choi, H.S. 1998. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 62, 667-671). Chemical modification of the enzyme was attempted to gain insight on the active site. The enzyme was inactivated in a time dependent manner by phenylglyoxal or diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC). There was a linear relationship between the observed rate of inactivation and the phenylglyoxal or DEPC concentration. At 30℃ the bimolecular rate constant for the modification was 0.22 mM^-1 min^-1 in 50 mM NaHCO_3 buffer, pH 7.5, for phenylglyoxal and 1.33 mM^-1min^-1 in 50 mM sodium cotrate, pH 6.0, for DEPC. Preincubation with saturated solutions of substrates protected the enzyme from inhibition by kphenylglyoxal and DEPC, indicating that reactions with these reagents were directed at arginyl and histidyl residues, respectively, which are essential for the catalytic function of the enzyme.

• Keywords: Purine nucleoside phosphorylase; phenylglyoxal; DEPC; histidine; arginine