Abstract

We have demonstrated that citrate synthase may be assayed by a simple, discontinuous, spectrophotometric procedure based on the measurement of oxaloacetate utilization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. The assay is applicable both to the purified enzyme and to cell extracts, and has the advantage that it can be used in the presence of high concentrations of thiols and thioesters. We have used this new assay in part of our investigations into the inhibitory effects of palmitoyl thioesters on diverse citrate synthases. Both palmitoyl-CoA and palmitoyl thioglycollate inhibit citrate synthases from pig heart, Bacillus megaterium and Escherichia coli, the E. coli enzyme showing the greatest sensitivity to these effectors. With palmitoyl-CoA the extent of inhibition is time-dependent, but the enzymes can be protected from the effect by the substrates oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA. Using the dinitrophenylhydrazine assay, we have shown that the thioester bond is essential for inhibition; that is, if the palmitoyl thioesters are cleaved to give a mixture of palmitate and a thiol compound, the inhibitions of pig heart and B. megaterium citrate synthases are eliminated and that of the E. coli enzyme is markedly decreased.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.