Abstract
S-Alkylcysteine α, β-lyase was found in a thermophile, Bacillus sp. 41A, which was newly isolated from soil, and purified to homogeneity from the cell extract. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 76, 000, and is composed of two subunits identical in molecular weight (39, 000). The enzyme requires pyridoxal 5'-phosphate as a coenzyme, and catalyzes α, β-elimination of S-methyl- L-cysteine and its analogs such as S-ethyl-L-cysteine, L-djenkolate, L-cystine, Se-methyl-L-selenocysteine, and O-methyl-DL-serine. However, S-methyl-D-cysteine, D-cystine, L-methionine, and L-norleucine were inert. The enzyme also catalyzes the β-replacement reaction of S-methyl-L-cysteine with various thiols to yield the corresponding S-substituted cysteines. In addition to S-methyl-L-cysteine, Se-methyl-L-selenocysteine and O-methyl-DL-serine also serve as β-substituent acceptors in the β-replacement reaction. The enzyme is most active at 70°C and stable at high temperatures. Automated Edman degradation provided the N-terminal sequence of the first 44 amino acids. The amino acid sequence in the vicinity of the lysyl residue to which pyridoxal 5'-phosphate is bound, was -Lys-His-Gln-Arg- by Edman degradation of the pyridoxyl peptide obtained by digestion with trypsin after reduction with sodium borohydride.
