Elsevier

Analytical Biochemistry

Volume 273, Issue 2, 10 September 1999, Pages 298-304
Analytical Biochemistry

Regular Article
A Direct Spectrophotometric Assay for Peptide Deformylase

https://doi.org/10.1006/abio.1999.4239Get rights and content

Abstract

A direct UV–VIS spectrophotometric assay has been developed for peptide deformylase. This assay employs a novel class of peptide mimetics as deformylase substrates which, upon enzymatic removal of the N-terminal formyl group, rapidly release free thiols. The released thiols are quantitated using Ellman's reagent. A variety of peptide analogues that contain β-thiaphenylalanine or β-thiamethionine as the N-terminal residue were synthesized and found to be excellent substrates of the peptide deformylase from Escherichia coli (kcat/KM = 6.9 × 105 M−1 s−1 for the most reactive substrate). The deformylase reaction is conveniently monitored on a UV–VIS spectrophotometer in a continuous fashion. The versatility of the assay has been demonstrated by its application to kinetic characterization of the deformylase, pH profile studies, and enzyme inhibition assays. The assay can also be performed in an end-point fashion. The results demonstrate that this assay is a simple, highly sensitive, and rapid method to study kinetic properties of deformylases without the use of any coupling enzymes.

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    1

    These authors contributed equally to this work.

    2

    To whom correspondence should be addressed. Fax: (614) 292-1532. E-mail: [email protected].

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