Abstract
A cell-free extract prepared from Fusarium solani pisi grown on cutin, catalyzed the hydration of 18-hydroxy-9,10-epoxyoctadecanoic acid to 9,10,18-trihydroxyoctadecanoic acid while extracts from glucose-grown cells contained <6% of this activity. The product was identified by Chromatographic techniques and by radio gas-liquid chromatography of its periodate oxidation products. This epoxide hydrase activity had a pH optimum at 9.0 and it was located mainly in the 100,000 g supernatant fraction. Rate of hydration of the epoxy acid was linear up to 15 min and up to a protein concentration of 30 μg/ml. This fungal epoxide hydrase has a molecular weight of 35,000, as determined by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. It was partially purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel filtration. The apparent K m and V of the enzyme was 2 × 10 −4 m and 222 nmoles/min/mg, respectively. Parachloromercuribenzoate strongly inhibited the enzyme, while N-ethylmaleimide was a less potent inhibitor. 1,1,1,-Trichloropropylene-2,3-oxide at 10 −3 m gave 50% inhibition of the hydration of 18-hydroxy-9,10-epoxyoctadecanoic acid. Kinetic analysis showed that trichloropropylene oxide was a competitive inhibitor. 18-Acetoxy-9,10-epox-yoctadecanoic acid, methyl 18-acetoxy-9,10-epoxyoctadecanoate, 9,10-epoxyoctadecanoic acid, and styrene oxide were not readily hydrated by this fungal epoxide hydrase showing that it has a stringent substrate specificity. Analysis of the enzymatic hydration product on boric acid-impregnated silica gel plates showed that the product obtained from the cis epoxide was exclusively erythro while acid hydrolysis of this epoxide gave rise to the expected threo product. This enzyme is novel in that it catalyzes cis hydration of epoxide while the other epoxide hydrases heretofore isolated catalyzed trans hydration of epoxides.
Published Version
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