L-canavanine is a time-controlled mechanism-based inhibitor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa arginine deiminase.

The mechanism for inhibition of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa arginine deiminase (PaADI) by the arginine analogue l-canavanine was investigated. Inhibition by this substance (kinact = 0.31 +/- 0.03 min-1 and Ki = 1.7 +/- 0.5 mM) is associated with the formation of a modestly stable S-alkylthiouronium intermediate, detected by using kinetic techniques and identified by using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The electronic and/or orientation effects, caused by oxygen-for-methylene substitution in l-canavanine, on the rate of enzyme regeneration from the S-alkylthiouronium intermediate could serve as the basis for a strategy for the rational design of new slow substrate inhibitors of ADI.