1,4-Diamino-2-butyne is a mechanism-based inhibitor of diamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6) from pea cotyledons. It shows saturation kinetics K,,, = 1 mM like a substrate, but its interaction leads to time-dependent loss of enzyme activity which is not restored by gel filtration. The substrate 1,4-diaminobutane and the competitive inhibitor 1,4-diamin0-2-butanone protect the enzyme against inactivation. Changes in the enzyme electronic spectra with 1,4-diamino-2-butyne were found. The mechanism of the interaction involves an intermediate aminoallenic compound, which is formed with covalent bound pyrrole in the reaction of the nucleophile with the enzyme. The presence of a pyrrole in the inactivated enzyme was confirmed by reaction with Ehrlich's reagent. The kinetic data obtained in this study indicate that 1,4-diamino-2-butyne is a mechanism-based inactivator with number of turnovers, r = 17 and characteristic constants K' = 0.32 mM and k,, = 4.89 min-'.Mechanism-based inhibitors interact with enzymes by a mechanism involving a branched pathway, the branches representing turnover of substrate and inactivation of enzyme:Mechanism-based inactivator + enzyme e Complex I e Complex I1 + enzyme + product The action and kinetic behavior of these inactivators were described by Abeles [l] and Waley [2, 31. The mechanismbased inhibitors of beef plasma amine oxidase (Cu-containing) have been described. The oxidative mechanism of inactivation indicates that 2-bromoethylamine [l] is oxidized to bromoacetaldehyde bound at the active site. Many substituted allylamines [l, 41 act as mechanism-based inactivators of FADcontaining amine oxidases. These allylamines form reactive allenic compounds in the active site of the enzyme which react with the nucleophile in the active site and inactivate the enzyme. A similar mechanism has been suggested for beef plasma amine oxidase, which is inhibited by propargylamine, 1,4-diamin0-2-butyne and 2-chloroallylamine [5], but the exact mechanism has not ben confirmed. Also, (a-2-phenyl-3-chloroallylamine, which is a potent mechanism-based inactivator of FAD-containing monoamine oxidase, is a much wcaker inhibitor of hog kidney diamine oxidase (Cu-containing) [4]. Another type ofmechanism-based inactivators of beef plasma aniine oxidases are some esters with relatively acidic Enzymes. Diamine oxidase, diamine : O2 oxidoreductwe (deaminating, copper-containing) (EC 1.4.3.6); amino oxidase (flavincontaining) (EC 1.4.3.4); horseradish pcroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7); catalasc (EC 1.11.1.6).x-protons. These esters are converted to ketenes, which could acylate the active site and inactivate the enzyme [6]. Mechanism-based inactivators of plant Cu-containing amine oxidases have not been described previously.Pea diamine oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of many amines and diamines to aldehydes, H 2 0 2 and NH3; most readily oxidized are the diamines putrescine and cadaverine [7]. The ping-pong mechanism of this oxidation was described [8] and the presence of a cofactor with an o-quinone group in the catalytic cycle ...