The synthesis of a new inhibitor,
N-phosphonacetyl-
L-isoasparagine (PALI), of
Escherichia coli aspartatetranscarbamoylase (ATCase) is reported, as well as structural studies of the enzyme·PALI complex. PALIwas synthesized in 7 steps from
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
-benzyl
L-aspartate. The
KD of PALI was 2
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
M. Kinetics and small-angleX-ray scattering experiments showed that PALI can induce the cooperative transition of ATCase from theT to the R state. The X-ray structure of the enzyme·PALI complex showed 22 hydrogen-bonding interactionsbetween the enzyme and PALI. The kinetic characterization and crystal structure of the ATCase·PALI complexalso provides detailed information regarding the importance of the
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
-carboxylate for the binding of thesubstrate aspartate.