The H355A, H355K, H80A, and H80K mutant enzymes of the argE-encoded N-acetyl-L-ornithine deacetylase (ArgE) from Escherichia coli were prepared, however, only the H355A enzyme was found to be soluble. Kinetic analysis of the Co(II)-loaded H355A exhibited activity levels that were 380-fold less than Co(II)-loaded WT ArgE. Electronic absorption spectra of Co(II)-loaded H355A-ArgE indicate that the bound Co(II) ion resides in a distorted, five-coordinate environment and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) data for Zn(II) binding to the H355A enzyme provided a dissociation constant (K-d) of 39 mu M. A three-dimensional homology model of ArgE was generated using the X-ray crystal structure of the dapE-encoded N-succinyl-L, L-diaminopimelic acid desuccinylase (DapE) from Haemophilus influenzae confirming the assignment of H355 as well as H80 as active site ligands.