[Hydrolysis of methyl esters of N alpha-arylsulfonyl-arginine and N-arylsulfonyl-valyl-arginine by alpha- and beta/gamma-thrombins]

The kinetic parameters of hydrolysis of methyl esters of N alpha-arylsulfonyl-arginine and N-arylsulfonyl-valyl-arginine by alpha- and beta/gamma-thrombins were calculated. It was found that the polarity and volume of arylsulfonyl substitute are essential for hydrolysis of N alpha-arylsulfonyl-arginine esters and only slightly affect the hydrolysis of N-arylsulfonyl-valyl-arginine esters. Incorporation of the valine residue into the substrate molecule sharply increases the catalytic constant, thus suggesting an important role of secondary sites of the enzyme binding to the substrate. A comparison of alpha- and beta/gamma-thrombins did not reveal any substantial differences in their ability to hydrolyze synthetic esters; consequently the structure of the region around the enzyme active center which is involved in interactions with the substrates under study, is not responsible for alpha-thrombin specificity for fibrinogen.