Circular dichroism observations on the lipoxygenase from reticulocytes

CD spectra of reticulocyte lipoxygenase were recorded at various times during aerobic incubation, which leads to loss of catalytic activity, and after inactivation by the reaction product, 13-LS-hydroperoxylinoleic acid. Neither process showed any correlation with a decrease in the alpha-helix content, which was only observed over much longer times. It is concluded that inactivation of reticulocyte lipoxygenase by the suicidal reaction with 13-LS-hydroperoxylinoleic acid is not accompanied by gross structural alterations.