Synthesis and biochemical evaluation of bis(6,7-dimethyl-8-D-ribityllumazines) as potential bisubstrate analogue inhibitors of riboflavin synthase

The reaction catalyzed by riboflavin synthase utilizes two identical 6,7-di methyl-8-n-ribityllumazine substrate molecules. Three bis(6,7-dimethyl-8-D- ribityllumazines) were, therefore, synthesized in which the two lumazine mo ieties were connected through their N-3 nitrogen atoms by polymethylene lin ker chains containing three, four, and five carbon atoms. The compounds wit h three and five carbon linkers were found to be very weak inhibitors of ri boflavin synthase, having inhibition constants of 320 and >1000 mu M, respe ctively. In contrast, the bis(lumazine) with a four-carbon linker was much more potent, with an inhibition constant of 37 mu M. These results have pot ential implications for understanding the distance between the donor and ac ceptor sites of riboflavin synthase and the orientations of the two 6,7-dim ethyl-8-D-ribityllumazine substrate molecules which occupy these two sites.