Variation of transition-state structure as a function of the nucleotide in reactions catalyzed by dehydrogenases. 1. Liver alcohol dehydrogenase with benzyl alcohol and yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase with benzaldehyde

Abstract

Primary intrinsic deuterium and 13C isotope effects were determined for liver (LADH) and yeast (YADH) alcohol dehydrogenases with benzyl alcohol as substrate and for yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) with benzaldehyde as substrate. These values were also determined for LADH as a function of changing nucleotide substrate. As the redox potential of the nucleotide changes from -0.320 V with NAD to -0.258 V with acetylpyridine-NAD, the product of primary and secondary deuterium isotope effects rises from 4 toward 6.5, while the primary 13C isotope effect drops from 1.025 to 1.012, suggesting a trend from a late transition state with NAD to one that is more symmetrical. The values of Dk (again the product of primary and secondary isotope effects) and 13k for YADH with NAD are 7 and 1.023, suggesting for this very slow reaction a more stretched, and thus symmetrical, transition state. With ALDH and NAD, the primary 13C isotope effect on the hydride transfer step lies in the range 1.3-1.6%, and the .alpha.-secondary deuterium isotope effect on the same step is at least 1.22, but 13C isotope effects on formation of the thiohemiacetal intermediate and on the addition of water to the thio ester intermediate are less than 1%. Carbon motion is probably involved in the hydride transfer steps of dehydrogenase reactions.