Rabbit muscle aldolase catalyzed proton exchange of hydroxyacetone phosphate with solvent

Rabbit muscle aldolase catalyzes the exchange with solvent of all three methyl hydrogens of hydroxyacetone phosphate. Under saturating conditions, rates of the following processes have been measured: deuteration of hydroxyacetone phosphate in 2H2O (by an NMR method), tritiation of hydroxyacetone phosphate in H2O and 2H2O, and detritiation of tritiated hydroxyacetone phosphate in H2O and 2H2O. It is clear from these measurements (1) that there is no primary kinetic isotope effect and hence that hydrogen abstraction is not rate determining to the exchange and (2) that only one (as the closest integer) methyl hydrogen exchanges per turnover. The argument is made that these observations are mutually exclusive in terms of the accepted aldolase mechanism in the absence of further restrictions imposed by the enzyme. Possible restrictions are discussed.