Inhibitory effect of metal ions on alkaline mesentericopeptidase

The effect of AG+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Co2+ and Ni2+ on the activity of alkaline mesentericopeptidase (EC 3.4.21.-) has been studied. Ag+, Cu2+ and Cd2+ were found to be reversible non-competitive inhibitors of the enzyme. The pH-dependence of Ki for Ag+-inhibition is sigmoidal with a pKa near 6. The Kilim values, calculated for the pH-independent region of the metal-enzyme inhibition, are close to the corresponding dissociation constants of metal-imidazole complexes, thus implying that the inhibitory effect of metal ions on enzyme activity is due to complex formation with the imidazole group of the active site histidine. The method of the two-component inhibition showed that Cu2+ and Ag+ bind to the same ligand of the enzyme molecule. The addition of Cu2+ decreases the rate of deacylation of the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl valerate, catalyzed by alkaline mesentericopeptidase in contrast to alpha-chymotrypsin where the acylation step is affected.