The reaction of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid with amino acids, peptides and proteins

Abstract

1. The kinetics of the reaction of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid with various amino acids, peptides and proteins were studied by spectrophotometry. 2. The reaction of the α- and ∈-amino groups in simple amino acids was found to be second-order, and the unprotonated amino group was shown to be the reactive species. 3. By allowing for the concentration of unreactive −NH3+ group, intrinsic reactivities for the free amino groups were derived and shown to be correlated with the basicities. 4. The SH group of N-acetylcysteine was found to be more reactive to 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid than most amino groups. 5. The reactions of insulin, chymotrypsinogen and ribonuclease with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid were analysed in terms of three exponential rate curves, each referring to one or more amino groups of the proteins. 6. The reaction of lysozyme with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid was found to display an acceleration effect. 7. From the reaction of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid with glutamate dehydrogenase at several enzyme concentrations, it was possible to discern two sets of amino groups of different reactivity, and to show that the number of groups in each set was decreased by aggregation of the enzyme.