Spectrophotometric assays for L-lysine alpha-oxidase and gamma-glutamylamine cyclotransferase.

A new assay for l-lysine alpha-oxidase is described. In this assay, the oxidized product generated from l-lysine is reacted with semicarbazide to form alpha-keto-epsilon-aminocaproate semicarbazone. Formation of the alpha-keto acid semicarbazone is continuously monitored spectrophotometrically at 248 nm (epsilon 10,160 +/- 240 M(-1) cm(-1)). The method was adapted to provide a new assay for gamma-glutamylamine cyclotransferase. This enzyme catalyzes the conversion of many l-gamma-glutamylamines to 5-oxo-l-proline and free amine. A biologically important substrate is N(epsilon)-(gamma-l-glutamyl)-l-lysine, which is converted to 5-oxo-l-proline and l-lysine by the action of gamma-glutamylamine cyclotransferase. The l-lysine generated from N(epsilon)-(gamma-l-glutamyl)-l-lysine in an endpoint assay is converted to alpha-keto epsilon-aminocaproate semicarbazone in the presence of semicarbazide, excess l-lysine alpha-oxidase, and catalase. The methods were applied to the determination of gamma-glutamylamine cyclotransferase activity of partially purified preparations of the bovine kidney enzyme and to detect gamma-glutamylamine cyclotransferase activity in rat kidney and liver homogenates.