Purification and characterization of the catabolic ?-acetolactate synthase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris

The α-acetolactate synthase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris was purified to homogeneity in SDS-PAGE. The enzyme is a trimer of 3×55,000 Da. It was unstable but could be preserved by addition of pyruvate and thiamine pyrophosphate in the buffer. The enzyme exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetics, and Km for pyruvate is 10 mM. Three intermediates in glucose metabolism (ATP, 3-phosphoglycerate, and phosphoenolpyruvate) exhibit a noncompetitive inhibition towards the enzyme. This enzyme does not require any divalent metal ion for activity. The α-acetolactate synthase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris is not inhibited by the branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine, and…