Covalently modified peptides isolated from aspartate aminotransferase after reaction with pyridoxal 5'-sulfate

The apoenzyme form of cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase of pig hearts was allowed to react at room temperature with 1 equiv of pyridoxal 5'-sulfate. The resulting covalently modified enzyme was degraded with pepsin. Fluorescent tri-, tetra-, and hexapeptides were isolated and characterized as fragments of the active site sequence: Phe-Ser-Lys-Asn-Phe-Gly-Leu. This sequence contains a modified form (Lys) of lysine-258 that is known to form a Schiff base with pyridoxal phosphate in the active site. The peptides were further degraded by acid hydrolysis to give a fluorescent derivative of lysine with light absorption and chemical properties similar to those of the original modified enzyme. A related series of peptides were obtained from apoenzyme after reaction with the 5-carboxyethenyl analogue of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate.