Affinity labeling of bovine colostrum galactosyltransferase with a uridine 5'-diphosphate derivative

The dialdehyde produced by the periodate cleavage of the ribose moiety of uridine 5'-diphosphate (UDP) has been used as an affinity label for the UDP-galactose/UDP binding site of galactosyltransferase from bovine colostrum. This derivative causes progressive inactivation of galactosyltransferase at a rate dependent on its concentration, and under certain conditions is a competitive inhibitor with respect to UDP-galactose. The substrate UDP-galactose protects the enzyme from inactivation. The inactivation is also dependent on Mn2+ concentration in a range that implies that the binding of Mn2+ at site I is a prerequisite for the binding of the UDP derivative. The inactivation can be progressively reversed by nitrogenous bases, or stabilized by KBH4 reduction, which is consistent with the hypothesis that a Schiff base has formed with a lysine residue. Galactosyltransferase was inactivated with a [3H]UDP derivative and the predominant labeled peptide, from thermolysin digestion, isolated and characterized as: Ser-Gly-Lys-UDP.