Kinetics and thermodynamics of the slow hydrophobic deactivation of alpha-chymotrypsin

A quantitative model for the slow reversible hydrophobic deactivation of alpha-chymotrypsin (alpha-CT) is proposed. Kinetic results are obtained for (1) the situation in which the inhibitor concentration, although remaining constant during the course of a run, can be varied independently of the concentration of nonself-inhibiting substrate, and for (2) the situation in which the self-inhibiting substrate concentration decreases during the course of a run, and independent variation of inhibitor and substrate concentrations is not possible. Excellent quantitative agreement between theory and experiment is obtained for a wide range of conditions using 3-(n-hexanoyl-O-benzoate (with dodecylsulfate as the inhibitor), and 3-(n-decanoyl)-O-benzoate as the self-inhibiting substrate. Activation enthalpies and entropies for the hydrophobic deactivation of alpha-CT by dodecylsulfate and tetradecyltrimethylammonium are determined. For comparison, activation enthalpies and entropies for the alpha-CT hydrolysis of 3-(n-heptanoyl)-O-benzoate are determined; evidence for a thermally induced conformational transition in alpha-CT at 30 degrees C is obtained.