Tris(hydroxymethyl)methylamine is acylated when it reacts with acyl-chymotrypsin

Tris [Tris(hydroxymethyl)methylamine] was found to participate directly in the deacylation of acyl-chymotrypsin formed when the enzymes hydrolyses specific substrates. The acyl-Tris compound formed in this reaction is a less specific substrate and may give rise to product inhibiton kinetics. Only uncharged Tris was found to be a (nucleophilic) deacylating reagent for the acyl-enzyme and as such better than H2O and methanol. More than 50% and 10% of the acyl groups of the initial substrate could be transferred to Tris at pH 9 (0.17M Tris) and pH 8 (0.06M Tris), respectively. This indicates that Tris may interfere in all enzyme mechanisms involving acyl-enzymes.