Dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) is a serine protease with a signature Asp-His-Ser motif at the active site. Our pH data suggest that Gly-Pro-pNA cleavage catalyzed by DPP-IV is facilitated by an ionization of a residue with a p
K of 7.2 ± 0.1. By analogy to other serine proteases this p
K is suggestive of His-Asp assisted Ser addition to the P1 carbonyl carbon of the substrate to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Solvent kinetic isotope effect studies yielded a
D2Okcat/Km