Activation of liver alcohol dehydrogenases by imidoesters generated in solution

Various omega-halogenated carboxy acids and amides were evaluated as potential active-site-directed reagents for alcohol dehydrogenase. 2-Bromoacetamide and bromoacetic and 3-bromopropionic acids inactivated the enzyme; AMP, NAD+, and NADH markedly decreased the rate of inactivation. Some omega-halogenated carboxyamides, X(CH2)nCONH2, increased the activity of the enzyme with the rate and extent of activation depending on the number of methylene units (n) in the order 3 greater than 4 greater than 2 and on X in the order Br greater than Cl. 4-Chlorobutyramide (0.1 M) activated the horse liver enzyme 20-fold in 24 hr at pH 8.0 and 25 degrees. The activation was not prevented by AMP or 2,2-bipyridine, but was by NADH. The kinetic constants and turnover numbers for human and horse liver alcohol dehydrogenases treated with chlorobutyramide were increased markedly compared to those for native enzymes. Alcohol dehydrogenase treated with chlorobutyramide was not further activated by methyl picolinimidate, an imidoester which activates native enzyme by modifying amino groups in the active sites. Chlorobutyramide does not appear to react directly with the enzyme but cyclizes in the reaction medium to form an intermediate imidoester, 2-iminotetrahydrofuran, which reacts with most of the amino groups of the enzyme.