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The homotetrameric enzyme dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS, E.C. 4.2.1.52) from Escherichia coli was used as a model for probing oligomeric structure in enzymes. Dimeric mutants of this enzyme have been found in previous work to be largely inactive, due to the trapping of a covalent adduct. Partial restoration of catalytic activity has been achieved by incubation in the presence of the substrate pyruvate to displace the adduct. It was hypothesized that the buttressing of dimeric units against one another in the wildtype tetrameric form of DHDPS provides stability in the dimer interface, necessary to maintain optimum catalytic performance and substrate specificity. We hypothesized that buttressing a dimeric DHDPS mutant against a surface would result in restoration of catalytic activity by mimicking the buttressing proposed to occur in the tetrameric structure. To test this hypothesis, dimeric DHDPS mutants were immobilised against an agarose support and the immobilised enzymes characterised. Three DHDPS mutants were prepared, the double mutant DHDPS-C20S/L167C was produced by mutagenesis and a crystal structure obtained in collaboration with Dr Renwick Dobson. Two other mutants, DHDPS-Ll67C and DHDPS-Ll97Y were also over expressed and purified. The quaternary structures of the three mutants were characterised in solution, DHDPS-Ll67C was determined to be tetrameric, DHDPS-C20S-Ll67C was found to equilibrate between tetramer and dimer and DHDPS-Ll97Y was confirmed as a dimer, consistent with previous findings. Modification experiments indicated that the sulfhydryl groups of DHDPS-C20S/L167C were available for immobilisation. Activation experiments indicated that both DHDPS-Ll67C and DHDPS-Ll97Y activated. These results were in accord with those of others in indicating that the displacement of an a-ketoglutarate adduct from the active site was responsible for the activation of mutant DHDPS enzymes. Wild-type DHDPS and the mutants were immobilised through amine and sulfhydryl groups. The free and immobilised enzymes were rigorously characterised, with thermal stability, pH optima, kinetic and lysine inhibition properties determined and compared to wild-type DHDPS. Following immobilisation, substrate affinity was found to decrease for wild-type and mutant enzymes, wild-type KmPyr = 0.26 mM free, 0.8-1.2 mM immobilised, Km(S)-ASA = 0.10 mM free, 1.5-2.5 mM immobilised. Lysine inhibition was determined to be largely unaffected by immobilisation. The largest change in K, was an increase to double that of the free enzyme. Restoration of some catalytic activity was found following the immobilisation of dimeric DHDPS-Ll97Y, the immobilised enzyme was 31 ± 12% more active than free DHDPS-Ll97Y. DHDPS-C20S/L167C was also found to immobilise as a dimer. Comparison ofthe immobilised DHDPS-C20S/L167C dimer with a derivatised free dimeric form ofthis enzyme indicated that an increase from 3% to 9% of wild-type activity had resulted from immobilisation. These results supported the hypothesis that buttressing of a dimeric mutant of DHDPS against a support surface would increase catalytic activity and that buttressing across the dimerdimer interface is essential for optimal catalytic activity in DHDPS enzymes.

The research presented in this dissertation involved characterization of the Cu/ZnO solid catalyst system as applied to methanol/steam reformation. Thermogravimetry was used to investigate in-lab synthesized samples and a commercial product G66B (Cu/ZnO 33/67 wt. %). The 33% Cu sample contained Cu ions in the ZnO matrix. This phase required the highest temperatures (400°C) for H₂ reduction. The 50% Cu sample reduced at a lower temperature (220°C) but its complete reduction required the same maximum temperature. The higher temperature process was similar to the 33% case, while the lower one was due to the reduction of a amorphous CuO phase. The 66% Cu sample reduced in a fairly narrow low temperature (270°C) range. Therefore, its CuO phase has a amorphous structure. G55B reduced at lower temperatures than the in-lab samples. This difference is possibly due to different synthetic procedures used in the production of G66B and the in-lab samples. The CuO phase of G66B appears to be amorphous and well dispersed. Raman spectroscopy was used to identify the crystal phases of these solids. The complexity of the initial precipitate was monitored versus the Cu/Zn ratio of the system. The nature of the phases present under reduction conditions was determined. This information has provided insight into the active phases involved in methanol reformation. The role of the solids lattice oxygen was determined. The reaction was carried out on labelled ¹⁸O-containing Cu/ZnO. Incorporation of ¹⁸O into both CO₂ and H₂O clearly indicates the involvement of these oxygens in the reaction. Observation of C¹⁸O¹⁸O indicates that the C-O bond in methanol does not remain intact. XPS was used to determine the effects of oxidation, reduction, and reaction on the Cu component of G66B. Upon oxidation all Cu exists as Cu⁺². The catalyst always contains Cu⁺¹ and Cuᵒ after H₂ reduction. After methanol/steam reformation with a 50/50 vol% mxiture, all Cu is reduced to Cuᵒ. Changes in the Cu/Zn ratio of the surface are interpreted in terms of changes in surface morphology.

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