N3-(4-Methoxyfumaroyl)-L-2,3-diaminopropionic acid (FMDP; 1, R = OMe), a member of a new class of glutamine analogues, has been investigated as an inhibitor of pure Escherichia coli glucosamine synthetase. Product and dead-end inhibition studies indicate an ordered association to the enzyme with the sugar molecule binding prior to substrate or inhibitor. The inactivation exhibits pseudo-first-order kinetics, is irreversible, and occurs faster in the presence of fructose 6-phosphate, a behavior previously reported [Chmara, H., Andruszkiewicz, R., & Borowski, E. (1986) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 870,357] for the partially purified enzyme from Salmonella typhimurium. The ratio kinact/Kirr of 5500 makes compound 1 (R = OMe) one of the most efficient inhibitors of glucosamine synthetase to date. Inhibition occurs with partial covalent incorporation of L-FMDP into glucosamine synthetase. In the presence of fructose 6-phosphate, enzyme inactivation with [2-3H]-DL-FMDP is associated with the incorporation of 0.75 equiv of inhibitor and with the modification of 0.78 thiol residue per enzyme subunit. This result is the first evidence for covalent entrapment of the entire inhibitor molecule following FMDP-mediated glucosamine synthetase inactivation. Preliminary inactivation with 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine, known to alkylate selectively the NH2-terminal cysteine residue, completely prevents radioactivity incorporation. Therefore, this inhibitor is postulated to covalently modify glucosamine synthetase through direct addition of the thiol nucleophile from the terminal cysteine residue to the Michael acceptor 1, so acting as an affinity label rather than a mechanism-based inhibitor.