M. I. Youshko

Quantitative characterization of the nucleophile reactivity in penicillin acylase-catalyzed acyl transfer reactions.

Nucleophile reactivity of two most known nuclei of penicillins and cephalosporins, 6-aminopenicillanic (6-APA) and 7-aminodesacetoxycephalosporanic (7-ADCA) acids, was quantitatively characterized. In penicillin acylase (PA)-catalyzed acyl transfer reactions the relative reactivity of the added nucleophile compared to the water (i.e. nucleophile reactivity) is defined by two complex kinetic parameters beta(0) and gamma, and depends on the nucleophile concentration. In turn, parameters beta(0) and gamma were shown to be dependent on the structure of both reactants involved: nucleophile and acyl donor. Analysis of the kinetic scheme revealed that nucleophile reactivity is one of a few key parameters controlling efficiency of PA-catalyzed acyl transfer to the added nucleophile in an aqueous medium. Computation of the maximum nucleophile conversion to the product using determined nucleophile reactivity parameters in the synthesis of three different antibiotics, ampicillin, amoxicillin and cephalexin, showed good correlation with the results of corresponding synthetic experiments. Suggested approach can be extended to the quantitative description and optimization of PA-catalyzed acyl transfer reactions in a wide range of experimental conditions.

Penicillin acylase-catalyzed synthesis of ampicillin in "aqueous solution-precipitate" systems. High substrate concentration and supersaturation effect

Abstract Penicillin acylase-catalyzed ampicillin synthesis via acyl group transfer in aqueous solution is highly dependent on the initial substrate concentration. The solubility of one substrate, 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA), can be advantageously enhanced by the presence of acyl donor, the second substrate. Furthermore, a comparison of enzymatic synthesis in homogeneous solution with synthesis in a heterogeneous system having partially undissolved reactants, reveals major advantages for the latter approach. In this “aqueous solution–precipitate” system, accumulation of both products, ampicillin and d -(−)-phenylglycine, proceeds through the formation of their supersaturated solutions. Subsequent precipitation of the product ampicillin positively influences the efficiency of the biocatalytic process. As a result, ampicillin synthesis proceeds in 93% conversion on 6-APA and in 60% conversion on d -(−)-phenylglycine methyl ester.

Kinetics of Ampicillin Synthesis Catalyzed by Penicillin Acylase from E. coli in Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Systems. Quantitative Characterization of Nucleophile Reactivity and Mathematical Modeling of the Process

Kinetic regularities of the enzymatic acyl group transfer reactions have been studied using ampicillin synthesis catalyzed by E. coli penicillin acylase as an example. It was shown that ampicillin synthesis proceeds through the formation of an acylenzyme–nucleophile complex capable of undergoing hydrolysis. The relative nucleophile reactivity of 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) is a complex parameter dependent on the nucleophile concentration. The kinetic analysis showed that the maximum yield of antibiotic being synthesized depended only on the nucleophile reactivity of 6-APA, the ratio between the enzyme reactivities with respect to the target product and acyl donor, and the initial concentrations of reagents. The parameters characterizing the nucleophile reactivity of 6-APA have been determined. The algorithm of modeling the enzymatic synthesis has been elaborated. The proposed algorithm allows the kinetics of the process not only in homogeneous, but also in heterogeneous (“aqueous solution–precipitate”) systems to be quantitatively predicted and described based on experimental values of parameters of the reaction. It was shown that in heterogeneous “aqueous solution–precipitate” systems PA-catalyzed ampicillin synthesis proceeds much more efficiently compared to the homogeneous solution.

Penicillin Acylase-Catalyzed Solid-State Ampicillin Synthesis

The ability of immobilized penicillin acylase from E. coli to retain a remarkable catalytic activity in solid-state systems has been demonstrated. Stabilization of immobilized penicillin acylase by inorganic salt hydrates allowed us to exploit nearly the whole catalytic activity of the enzyme at a very low water content. Using this technique, enzymatic synthesis of ampicillin in solid-state systems was performed with high yields (up to 70% starting from equimolar mixture of reagents) and rates comparable to the corresponding values in homogeneous solutions and heterogeneous systems, “aqueous solution-precipitate”. Peculiarities of the enzymatic solid-state acyl transfer process, such as absence of the clear-cut maximum on the ampicillin accumulation curves and dependence of the synthetic efficiency on the enzyme loading, have been observed. The space-time yield of solid-state enzymatic ampicillin synthesis was shown to be up to ten times higher compared to the homogeneous solutions and heterogeneous “aqueous solution-precipitate” systems.

A new method for spectrophotometric assay of activity of cross-linked penicillin acylase aggregates.

A new method for monitoring reactions catalyzed by an immobilized enzyme, cross-linked penicillin acylase aggregates (PA CLEA), is suggested. Appropriate chromogenic substrates for spectrophotometric assay of catalytic activity of immobilized enzyme were chosen and their kinetic parameters determined. Active sites in PA CLEA preparations were titrated by the suggested method; it is shown that almost all active sites are retained during immobilization. This method is characterized as highly expressive, simple, and precise, and may be used for control of PA immobilization efficiency as well as for study of operational, thermal, and pH stability immobilized enzyme preparations.

Study of nucleophile binding in the penicillin acylase active center. Kinetic analysis.

The influence of the external nucleophile (6-aminopenicillanic acid) on the kinetics of the penicillin acylase-catalyzed acyl transfer reactions was studied using a highly sensitive spectrophotometric assay. An adequate kinetic scheme is suggested based on kinetic analysis of the experimental dependencies of the kcat and Km values on the nucleophile concentration. The proposed kinetic scheme has been verified by a quantitative description of the above-mentioned experimental dependencies using the set of kinetic parameters obtained from independent experiments. Such an approach can be used for modeling of different penicillin acylase-catalyzed acyl transfer reactions.