A high-performance liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous assay of diaminopimelate epimerase and decarboxylase

Abstract A sensitive and comparatively simple method for the assay of diaminopimelate (DAP) decarboxylase, which simultaneously monitors DAP epimerase activity, in the reverse of the biosynthetic direction, is described. The substrate, meso -DAP and products LL-DAP and L-lysine are derivatized with o -phthaldialdehyde and resolved by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Separation is achieved on a Spherisorb C 18 column using a gradient elution system. This technique offers a high degree of sensitivity as the detection method described can measure picomole quantities of substrate and products.