Thermochemistry of the hydrolysis of L-arginine to (L-citrulline + ammonia) and of the hydrolysis of L-arginine to (L-ornithine + urea)

Article abstract of DOI:10.1006/jcht.1993.1028

Molar enthalpies of reaction for the hydrolysis of L-arginine(aq) to and for the hydrolysis of L-arginine(aq) to have been measured by microcalorimetry.These reactions are catalyzed, respectively, by arginase and by arginine deiminase.The effects of variations in pH, temperature, and ionic strength on the molar enthalpies of reaction were studied.The results have been analyzed with a model which accounts for the complex equilibria in solution.The results obtained at T = 298.15 K for the reference reactions are: Δ_fH_m⁰ = -(21.4+/-0.5) kJ * mol^-1 for L-arginine⁺(aq) + H2O(l) = L-ornithine⁺(aq) + urea(aq) and Δ_fH_m⁰ = -(31.9+/-0.8) kJ * mol^-1 for L-arginine⁺(aq) + H2O(l) = L-citrulline(aq) + NH4⁺(aq).These results are discussed in terms of thermodynamic-cycle calculations and in terms of the metabolic urea cycle.