Equilibria and absorption spectra of tryptophanase

Tryptophanase (tryptophan: indole-lyase) from Escherichia coli has been isolated in the holoenzyme form and its absorption spectra and acid-base chemistry have been reevaluated. Apoenzyme has been prepared by dialysis against sodium phosphate and L-alanine and molar absorptivities of the coenzyme bands have been estimated by readdition of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The spectrophotometric titration curve, whose midpoint is at pH 7.6 in 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffers, indicates some degree of cooperativity in dissociation of a pair of protons. Resolution of the computed spectra of individual ionic forms of the enzyme with lognormal distribution curves shows that band shapes are similar to those of model Schiff bases and of aspartate aminotransferase. Using molar areas from the latter we estimated amounts of individual tautomeric species. In addition to ketoenamine and enolimine or covalent adduct the high pH form also appears to contain approximately 18% of a species with a dipolar ionic ring (protonated on the ring nitrogen and with phenolate -O-). We suggest that this may be the catalytically active form of the coenzyme in tryptophanase. The equilibrium between tryptophanase and L-alanine has also been reevaluated.