Mechanism of cyanide inhibition of the blood-clotting, vitamin K-dependent carboxylase.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 1961725.
- Also identified by PMC identifier 52973.
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Abstract
Cyanide is a competitive inhibitor of carbon dioxide in the vitamin K-dependent glutamate carboxylase system, which plays a central role in the function of the blood clotting cascade. The mechanism of cyanide inhibition has been obscure for some time. At pH 7.2, cyanide (pKa = 9.21) will exist in solution as hydrogen cyanide to the extent of 99%. Hydrogen cyanide is linear triatomic molecule able to serve as a surrogate for carbon dioxide at the enzyme active site. Hydrogen cyanide is an acid; it will quench the deprotonated glutamate carbanion precursor to gamma-carboxyglutamate, resulting in inhibition of the carboxylation sequence.
Medical subject headings
- Carbon-Carbon Ligases
- Ligases
- Potassium Cyanide