Analysis of the Reaction Steps in the Bioconversion of D,L-ATC to L-Cysteine

Abstract

The reaction steps involved in the bioconversion of a chemically synthesized precursor, $D,L-2-amino-{\Delta}^2-thiazoline-4-carboxylic$ acid (D,L-ATC), to L-cysteine and the properties of the involved enzymes were investigated. It was found that the conversion consisted of two steps, i. e., D,L-ATC to S-carbamyl-L-cysteine (S-C-L-cysteine) and S-C-L-cysteine to L-cysteine, and the S-C-L-cysteine was an intermediate between them. While the enzymes involved in the reactions were induced by the addition of D,L-ATC as an inducer, S-C-L-cysteine induced only the enzyme involved in the latter step. The conversion of S-C-L-cysteine to L-cysteine could be also carried out in the presence of hydroxylamine and its rate was much faster than that by the corresponding enzyme. On the other hand, L-cysteine (or L-cystine) was decomposed to evolve $H_2S$ by the enzyme considered to be a kind of desulfhydrase. However, hydroxylamine was a perfect inhibitor for this enzyme.

Keywords

• L-Cysteine;
• D,L-ATC;
• biconversion