ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 22, Number 3
JKCSEZ 22(3)
June 20, 1978 

Carboxypeptidase A-catalyzed hydrolysis of ester substrates was carried out at room temperature in the presence of a number of external reagents. If the acyl-enzyme intermediate, an anhydride, is attacked by the external reagents, products formed by trapping at the acyl portion or at the enzyme portion of the anhydride group can be obtained. Examination of the uv/vis spectral properties of the reaction products and of changes in enzyme activity indicated that such trapping reactions did not occur. Also performed was evaluation of enzymatic rate parameters for the the hydrolysis of O-(o-hydroxyphenylacetyl)-L-β-phenyllactate. Detection of 2-coumaranone possibly formed by attack of the o-hydroxy group as an intramolecular trapping group at the acyl-enzyme intermediate was tried, but no evidences for the intramolecular trapping reaction were obtained. Failure to trap the intermediate was discussed in terms of steric hindrance imposed on the approach of the trapping reagents to the anhydride group of the acyl-enzyme intermediate and of the fast enzymatic breakdown of the intermediate.