Hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in Peromyscus genetically deficient in alcohol dehydrogenase

Abstract

1. 1. Hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity was measured in two strains of deermouse, Peromyscus maniculatus. 2. 2. There is no difference in the subcellular distribution of ALDH activity in the two strains. Animals of Adh N Adh N genotype, lacking liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), had 90% of total ALDH activity in the mitochondrial fraction compared to 94% for the Adh F Adh F animals with normal ADH activity. Almost all of the remaining ALDH activity was in the hepatic cytosol with less than 1% in the microsomal fraction. 3. 3. By contrast, in mice ( Mus musculus) 43% of total hepatic ALDH activity was found in the cytosolic fraction and 55% in the mitochondrial. 4. 4. It was concluded that the subcellular distribution of hepatic ALDH activity in Peromyscus does not vary with the presence or absence of ADH and that this ALDH distribution is not similar to that reported for other rodents.