1‐Deoxyglycitolation of protein amino groups and their regeneration by periodate oxidation

Reductive alkylation of lysyl e‐amino groups with sugars (1‐deoxyglycitolation) using pyridine borane as the reducing agent has been recently described [Wong, W.S.D., Osuga, D.T. & Feeney, R.E. (1984) Anal. Biochem.139, 58–67]. The regeneration of the lysines has now been achieved by oxidation with e10 mM periodate. In experiments with glycitolated bovine serum albumin, reactions using 5, 20, and 80 mM periodate were essentially complete in the first 10 min. Oxidations of methionine to the sulfoxide were evident even at this lower concentration of periodate, while higher concentrations and prolonged reaction times only caused unnecessary destruction of amino acids. The removal was shown to occur in a wide pH range with little variation in the recovery of the lysines. The degree of glycitolation, or the nature of the attached carbohydrate residues, had no effect on the yield of products. Reductive 1‐deoxygalactitolation of e55% of the lysyl e‐amino groups of lysozyme caused no loss in enzymatic activity; when 5 mM periodate was used to remove the 1‐deoxy‐galactitol moiety, e95% of the amino groups were regenerated, concomitant with destruction of e16% of the activity. On reductive 1‐deoxygalactitolation of the amino groups of turkey ovomucoid, 65% of the lysyl e‐amino groups were modified with 70% loss of the inhibitory activity against trypsin. On treatment with 5 mM periodate, e80% of the amino groups were regained with a similar recovery of the inhibitory activity.