Kinetics of the reaction catalyzed by inositol dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis and inhibition by fluorinated substrate analogs

Inositol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.18) from Bacillus subtilis catalyzes the oxidation of myo-inositol to scyllo-inosose by transfer of the equatorial hydride of the substrate to NAD(+). This is a key enzyme in the metabolism of myo-inositol, a primary carbon source for soil bacteria. In light of our recent discovery that the enzyme has a broad substrate spectrum while maintaining high stereoselectivity, we seek a more thorough understanding of the enzyme and its active site. We have examined the kinetics of the recombinant enzyme, and synthesized fluorinated substrate analogues as competitive inhibitors. We have evaluated all rate constants in the ordered, sequential Bi Bi mechanism. No steady-state kinetic isotope effect is observed using myo-[2-H-2]-inositol, indicating that the chemical step of the reaction is not rate-limiting. We have synthesized the substrate analogs 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-myo-inositol, its equatorial analog 1-deoxy-1-fluoro-scyllo-inositol, the gem-difluorinated analog 1-deoxy-1,1-difluoro-scyllo-inositol, and the sugar analog alpha-D-glucosyl fluoride. Of these, 1-deoxy-1-fluoro-scyllo-inositol showed no inhibition, while all others tested had K-i values comparable to the K-m values of the analogous substrates myo-inositol and alpha-D-glucose.