Effects of anoxic conditions on the enzymatic conversion of D,L-2-amino-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid to L-cystine

The effects of anoxic conditions on product inhibition and the stability of L-ATC hydrolase were investigated in the conversion of D,L-2-amino-Δ²-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid (D,L-ATC) to L-cystine using the cell free extract enzyme of Pseudomonas sp. in the presence of hydroxylamine. At L-cysteine equivalent levels, where one mole of L-cystine was counted as two moles of L-cysteine, L-cystine inhibited the L-ATC hydrolase reaction to a greater extent than L-cysteine. In air, the product occurred predominantly as L-cystine (94.9%), whereas in a nitrogen atmosphere the product occurred as a mixture of L-cysteine (39.3%) and L-cystine (40.7%). As a result, less product inhibition took place in nitrogen. The activity of L-ATC hydrolase was almost fully lost after 20 h of incubation by shaking at 30°C in air, but considerable activity remained under the anoxic conditions of nitrogen. A kinetic analysis of the reactions confirmed that reduced product inhibition and enhanced enzyme stability in nitrogen result in a more efficient enzyme reaction. The inactivation rate constant (k₁) was estimated to be 0.11 h^-1 in nitrogen and 0.22^-1 in air, indicating that the stability of L-ATC hydrolase in nitrogen was greater than in air. The values of the K(p₁), and K(p₂) constants related to product inhibition were 43.36 mM and 30.48 mM for L-cysteine and L-cystine, respectively, where higher values were an indication of less product inhibition. The value of the rate constant (k₂) for the oxidation of L-cysteine to L-cystine was 0.09 h^-1 in nitrogen and 1.01 h^-1 in air, suggesting that the oxidation of L-cysteine to L-cystine proceeds faster in air than in nitrogen.