Abstact

High-resolution crystal structures of Staphylococcus aureus methionine aminopeptidase I in complex with various keto heterocycles and aminoketones were determined, and the intermolecular ligand interactions with the enzyme are reported. The compounds are effective inhibitors of the S. aureus enzyme because of the formation of an uncleavable tetrahedral intermediate upon binding. The electron densities unequivocally show the enzyme-catalyzed transition-state analogue mimicking that for amide bond hydrolysis of substrates.