Purification and characterization of a membrane-bound deglycating enzyme (1-deoxyfructosyl alkyl amino acid oxidase, EC 1.5.3) from a Pseudomonas sp. soil strain.

Searching for novel approaches for uncoupling glycation from hyperglycemia as a cause of diabetic complications, a Pseudomonas sp. soil strain containing a membrane-bound enzyme that deglycates amino acids under release of free fructosamine was isolated (Gerhardinger, C., Marion, S. M., Rovner, A., Glomb, M., and Monnier, V. M. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 218-224). This enzymatic activity was found to be very sensitive to inactivation by most detergents. From the plasma membrane ( approximately 3 mg/ml protein concentration), the enzyme could be solubilized in active form using 10 mM 3-[(3-chlolamidopropyl) dimethylammonio]-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonate aided by 2 M NaCl and 10% glycerol (27% optimal solubilization yield). The supernatant from a 55% saturation (NH4)2SO4 cut was fractionated onto a phenyl-Superose HR 5/5 column and enzymatic activity was eluted with a inverse gradient of (NH4)2SO4. Following removal of (NH4)2SO4 with PD-10 columns and fractionation with a Mono Q HR 5/5 column, a sharp peak of enzyme activity was eluted. Analysis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a major band at 106 kDa and, on isoelectrofocusing gel, a pI of 5.1. The activity was completely inhibited by CN- and N3-, suggestive of copper as a likely cofactor. Identification of the protein was confirmed by affinity labeling with 14CN- and isoelectrofocusing. The "amadoriase" activity was also inhibited by Hg2+, Ag2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ and had Km and Vmax values of 0.14 mM and 0.48 unit/ml (16 units/mg of protein), respectively, for epsilon-(1-deoxyfructosyl) aminocaproate. Significant activity was noted toward many glycated amino acids (highest with epsilon-fructosyl lysine) but not with glycated proteins. The sequence of the first 16 NH2-terminal amino acids and a search in various data bases revealed that this amadoriase enzyme is a novel protein. Based on its properties, this deglycating enzyme, which degrades Amadori products oxidatively into free fructosamine, is classified as fructosyl aminocaproate:oxygen oxidoreductase (EC 1.5.3).