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The role of biotin and sodium in the decarboxylation of oxaloacetate by the membrane-bound oxaloacetate decarboxylase from Klebsiella aerogenes.

The biotin-containing oxaloacetate decarboxylase from Klebsiella aerogenes catalyzed the Na+-dependent decarboxylation of oxaloacetate to pyruvate and bicarbonate (or CO2) but not the reversal of this reaction, not even in the presence of an oxaloacetate trapping system. The enzyme catalyzed an avidin-sensitive isotopic exchange between [1-14C]pyruvate and oxaloacetate, which indicated the intermediate formation of a carboxybiotin enzyme. Sodium ions were not required for this partial reaction, but promoted the second partial reaction, the decarboxylation of the carboxybiotin enzyme, thus accounting for the Na+ requirement of the overall reaction. Therefore, the 14CO2-enzyme which was formed upon incubation of the decarboxylase with [4-15C]oxaloacetate, could only be isolated if Na+ ions were excluded. Preincubation of the decarboxylase with avidin also prevented its labelling with 14CO2. The isolated 14CO2-labelled oxaloacetate decarboxylase revealed the following properties. It was slowly decarboxylated at neutral pH and rapidly upon acidification. The 14CO2 residues of the 14CO2-enzyme could be transferred to pyruvate yielding [4-14C]oxaloacetate. In the presence of Na+ this 14CO2 transfer was repressed by the simultaneous decarboxylation of the 14CO2-enzyme. However, Na+ alone was insufficient as a cofactor for the decarboxylation of the isolated 14CO2-enzyme, since this required pyruvate in addition to Na+. It is therefore concluded that the decarboxylation of oxaloacetate proceeds over a CO2-enzyme--pyruvate complex and that free CO2-enzyme is an abortive reaction intermediate. The activation energy of the enzymic decarboxylation of oxaloacetate changed with temperature and was about 113 kJ below 11 degrees C, 60 kJ between 11 degrees C and 31 degrees C and 36 kJ between 31--45 degrees C.

Bacterial Proteins↗

OXALOACETATE DECARBOXYLATION AND OXALOACETATE-CARBON DIOXIDE EXCHANGE IN ACETOBACTER XYLINUM.

Benziman, Moshe (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel), and N. Heller. Oxaloacetate decarboxylation and oxaloacetate-carbon dioxide exchange in Acetobacter xylinum. J. Bacteriol. 88:1678-1687. 1964.-Extracts of Acetobacter xylinum, prepared by sonic treatment, were shown to catalyze the decarboxylation of oxaloacetate (OAA) to pyruvate and CO(2), and the exchange of C(14)-carbon dioxide into the beta-carboxyl of OAA. Fractionation of the extracts with ammonium sulfate resulted in a 10-fold increase of the specific activity of the enzyme system catalyzing the CO(2) exchange and OAA decarboxylation reactions. The purified preparation catalyzed the exchange of pyruvate-3-C(14) into OAA. Similar pH curves with a pH optimum of 5.6 were obtained for the CO(2) exchange and OAA decarboxylation reactions. Both reactions require the presence of Mn(2+) or Mg(2+) ions. OAA decarboxylation was more strongly inhibited than the exchange of CO(2) by dialysis or metal-chelating agents. Avidin did not inhibit either reaction. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), guanosine triphosphate (GTP), guanosine diphosphate (GDP), pyrophosphate, or inorganic phosphate did not promote OAA decarboxylation and the CO(2)-exchange reaction catalyzed by the purified preparation. The purified preparation failed to catalyze the carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate in the presence of GDP, ADP, or inorganic phosphate, and that of pyruvate in the presence of ATP or GTP, even when supplemented with an OAA-trapping system. A scheme for OAA decarboxylation which could account for the observed exchange reactions and for the failure to obtain net fixation of CO(2) is proposed. The relation between the exchange reaction and the synthesis of cellulose from pyruvate by A. xylinum is discussed.

Acetates↗

The steady state activity of succinate dehydrogenase in the presence of opposing effectors.II. Reductive activation of succinate dehydrogenase in presence of oxaloacetate.

The extent of the deactivation of the mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase by oxaloacetate is a function of the redox state of the enzyme. Oxidized enzyme is deactivated by much lower concentrations of oxaloacetate than those needed to deactivate reduced enzyme. An accurate method for measuring this relationship is the redox titration of the enzymic activity of succinate dehydrogenase, carried out in the presence of oxaloacetate. For each concentration of oxaloacetate a different redox titration curve was reported with the apparent mid-potential decreasing with increasing oxaloacetate. These results are compatible with a model which proposes that both oxidized and reduced enzymes can form the catalytically non-active complex with oxaloacetate, but that the complex formed the the oxidized enzyme is more stable than that formed by the reduced enzyme. When the oxaloacetate concentration is low, reduction of the enzyme will lower the fraction of the succinate dehydrogenase-oxaloacetate complex, a reaction which we observe as reductive activation of the enzyme. If this experiment is repeated in the presence of high concentration of oxaloacetate, no activation of the enzyme takes place, but the low stability of the reduced enzyme oxaloacetate complex is revealed by the rapid exchange of the enzyme-bound oxaloacetate with the free ligand. The rate of this exchange is extremely slow at high positive potential and becomes faster upon lowering of the poise potential. The reductive activation of the succinate dehydrogenase is regarded as a two step reaction. In the first step the reduced non-active complex releases the oxaloacetate and in the second step the active form of the enzyme is evolved. These two steps can be observed experimentally; Reductive activation at a redox potential higher than the mid-potential of the oxaloacetate-malate couple (minus 166 mV) is characterized by Ea = 18 Kca/mole, the final equilibrium level of activation decreases upon lowering of the temperature. Reduction activation of the enzyme at minus 240 mV is a very rapid reaction which goes to completion at all temperatures tested and has an activation energy of 12.5 Kcal/mole. The mechanism of the reductive activation and its possible role in the regulation of succinate dehydrogenase in the mitochondria is discussed.

Enzyme Activation↗

On the mechanism of sodium ion translocation by oxaloacetate decarboxylase of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Proteoliposomes reconstituted with purified oxaloacetate decarboxylase of Klebsiella pneumoniae catalyzed the uptake of Na+ ions upon oxaloacetate decarboxylation. The degree of coupling between the chemical and the vectorial reaction is dependent on the reconstitution conditions, and with the best preparations approaches a stoichiometry of two Na+ ions per decarboxylation of one oxaloacetate. This coupling ratio is observed only in the absence of a delta mu Na+, immediately after oxaloacetate addition. The ratio gradually declines during development of the electrochemical Na+ ion gradient and becomes zero in the steady state. The Na+ pump, however, continued to decarboxylate oxaloacetate and to catalyze Na+ influx at the apparent stoichiometry of two Na+ ions per decarboxylation event. During the steady state, this influx must be compensated by Na+ efflux of the same size. The efflux is catalyzed by the Na+ pump upon oxaloacetate decarboxylation, because in the absence of the substrate the efflux rate dropped to less than 10%. Proteoliposomes loaded with Na2SO4 catalyzed a bicarbonate-dependent uptake of 22Na+ that was completely abolished after incubation with avidin. These results suggest coupling of Na+ translocation to the carboxylation/decarboxylation of the biotin prosthetic group without the requirement for the oxaloacetate/pyruvate interconversion. The oxaloacetate-dependent transport of Na+ into proteoliposomes was inhibited by the additional presence of the beta + gamma subunits of oxaloacetate decarboxylase. A model of Na+ translocation by oxaloacetate decarboxylase based on these experimental results is proposed.

Avidin↗

Factors affecting the translocation of oxaloacetate and L-malate into rat liver mitochondria.

1. The rates of translocation of oxaloacetate and l-malate into rat liver mitochondria were measured by a direct spectrophotometric assay. 2. Penetration obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, and apparent K(m) values were 40mum for oxaloacetate and 0.13mm for l-malate. 3. Arrhenius plots of the temperature-dependence of rates of penetration gave activation energies of +10kcal./mole for oxaloacetate and +8kcal./mole for l-malate. 4. The translocation of both oxaloacetate and l-malate was competitively inhibited by d-malate, succinate, malonate, meso-tartrate, maleate and citraconate. The K(i) values of these inhibitors were similar for the penetration of both oxaloacetate and l-malate. 5. Rates of penetration were stimulated by NNN'N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride plus ascorbate under aerobic conditions or by ATP under anaerobic conditions. 6. The energy-dependent stimulation of translocation was abolished by uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation. Oligomycin A, aurovertin, octyl-guanidine and atractyloside prevented the stimulation by ATP, but did not inhibit the stimulation by NNN'N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride plus ascorbate. 7. Mitochondria prepared in the presence of ethylene-dioxybis(ethyleneamino)tetra-acetic acid did not exhibit the energy-dependent translocation, but this could be restored by the addition of 50mum-calcium chloride. 8. Valinomycin or gramicidin plus potassium chloride enhanced the energy-dependent translocation of oxaloacetate and l-malate. 9. Addition of oxaloacetate stimulated the adenosine triphosphatase activity of the mitochondria, and the ratio of ;extra' oxaloacetate translocation to ;extra' adenosine triphosphatase activity was 1.6:1. 10. Possible mechanisms for the energy-dependent entry of oxaloacetate and l-malate into mitochondria are discussed in relation to the above results.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

[Oxaloacetate-dependent calcium transport in rat liver mitochondria].

The effect of oxaloacetate on Ca2+ transport in isolated rat liver mitochondria has been studied. Under aerobic conditions in the presence of oxaloacetate mitochondria accumulate Ca2+ in a ruthenium red- and uncoupler-sensitive way. Oxaloacetate catalyzes also the slow (5 nM Ca2+/min/mg protein) uptake of limited amounts of calcium by the mitochondria in the presence of respiratory chain and ATPase inhibitors. Under these conditions ADP, pyruvate, succinate and isocitrate increase both the rate of oxaloacetate-dependent Ca2+ transport and the amount of the accumulated cation. In all cases studied (with the exception of isocitrate) the oxaloacetate-dependent Ca2+ uptake was blocked by low concentrations of arsenite. Oxaloacetate added to mitochondria in the presence of respiratory chain and ATPase inhibitors increases the [NAD+]. [NADPH]/[NADH].[NADP+] ratio and stimulates the transmembrane potential generation in the mitochondria. Ammonium chloride decreases the rates of the oxaloacetate-dependent Ca2+ uptake. The data obtained suggest that the oxaloacetate-dependent Ca2+ uptake by the mitochondria first demonstrated in this study is mediated by energy-dependent mitochondria transhydrogenase. These results are discussed in connection with oxaloacetate-induced Ca2+ release from mitochondria.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Characterization of the transport of oxaloacetate by pea leaf mitochondria.

Mitochondria isolated from pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaves are able to transport the keto acid, oxaloacetate, from the reaction medium into he mitochondrial matrix at high rates. The rate of uptake by the mitochondria was measured as the rate of disappearance of oxaloacetate from the reaction medium as it was reduced by matrix malate dehydrogenase using NADH provided by glycine oxidation. The oxaloacetate transporter was identifed as being distinct from the dicarboxylate and the alpha-ketoglutarate transporters because of its inhibitor sensitivities and its inability to interact with other potential substrates. Phthalonate and phthalate were competitive inhibitors of oxaloacetate transport with K(i) values of 60 micromolar and 2 millimolar, respectively. Butylmalonate, an inhibitor of the dicarboxylate and alpha-ketoglutarate transporters, did not alter the rate of oxaloacetate transport. In addition, a 1000-fold excess of malate, malonate, succinate, alpha-ketoglutarate, or phosphate had little effect on the rate of oxaloacetate transport. The K(m) for the oxaloacetate transporter was about 15 micromolar with a maximum velocity of over 500 nanomoles per milligram mitochondrial protein/min at 25 degrees C. No requirement for a counter ion to move against oxaloacetate was detected and the highest rates of uptake occurred at alkaline pH values. An equivalent transporter has not been reported in animal mitochondria.

Journal Article↗

Oxaloacetate and malate transport by plant mitochondria.

The permeability of mitochondria from pea (Pisum sativum L. var Kleine Rheinländerin) leaves, etiolated pea shoots, and potato (Solanum tuberosum) tuber for malate, oxaloacetate, and other dicarboxylates was investigated by measurement of mitochondrial swelling in isoosmolar solutions of the above mentioned metabolites. For the sake of comparison, parallel experiments were also performed with rat liver mitochondria. Unlike the mammalian mitochondria, the plant mitochondria showed only little swelling in ammonium malate plus phosphate media but a dramatic increase of swelling on the addition of valinomycin. Similar results were obtained with oxaloacetate, maleate, fumarate, succinate, and malonate. n-Butylmalonate and phenylsuccinate, impermeant inhibitors of malate transport in mammalian mitochondria, had no marked inhibitory effect on valinomycin-dependent malate and oxaloacetate uptake of the plant mitochondria. The swelling of plant mitochondria in malate plus valinomycin was strongly inhibited by oxaloacetate, at a concentration ratio of oxaloacetate/malate of 10(-3). From these findings it is concluded: (a) In a malate-oxaloacetate shuttle transferring redox equivalents from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, malate and oxaloacetate are each transported by electrogenic uniport, probably linked to each other for the sake of charge compensation. (b) The transport of malate between the mitochondrial matrix and the cytosol is controlled by the oxaloacetate level in such a way that a redox gradient can be maintained between the NADH/NAD systems in the matrix and the cytosol. (c) The malate-oxaloacetate shuttle functions mainly in the export of malate from the mitochondria, whereas the import of malate as a respiratory substrate may proceed by the classical malate-phosphate antiport.

Journal Article↗

Regulation of succinate dehydrogenase and tautomerization of oxaloacetate.

Highly purified succinate-ubiquinone reductase catalyzes the oxidation of L- or D-malate with a Km and initial Vmax equal to approximately 10(-3) M and approximately 100 nmol/min/mg of protein, respectively. The malate dehydrogenase activity of succinate dehydrogenase rapidly decreases regardless of the presence of glutamate plus glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase. The inhibitor trapping system, however, prevents the inactivation of succinate dehydrogenase under the conditions when the rate of tautomeric oxaloacetate enol in equilibrium oxaloacetate ketone interconversion is high. These results suggest that enol oxaloacetate is an immediate product of malate oxidation at the succinate dehydrogenase active site. Two proteins (Mr 37 and 80 kD) which catalyze the oxaloacetate tautomerase reaction were isolated from the mitochondrial matrix. Some physico-chemical and kinetic properties of these enzymes were characterized. The larger protein was identified as inactive aconitase. The system containing succinate dehydrogenase, L-malate, glutamate plus transaminase and oxaloacetate tautomerase was reconstituted. Such a system is capable of oxidizing malate to aspartate without rapid inactivation of succinate dehydrogenase. Taken together, the data obtained emphasize a significant role of enzymatic oxaloacetate tautomerization in the control of the succinate dehydrogenase activity in the mitochondrial matrix.

Animals↗

Effect of alpha-ketoglutarate and oxaloacetate on brain mitochondrial DNA damage and seizures induced by kainic acid in mice.

The effects of alpha-ketoglutarate and oxaloacetate on brain mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and seizures induced by kainic acid were examined both in vivo and in vitro. An intraperitoneal (ip) injection of kainic acid (45 mg/kg) produced broad-spectrum limbic and severe sustained seizures in all of the treated mice. The seizures were abolished when alpha-ketoglutarate (2 g/kg) or oxaloacetate (1 g/kg) was injected intraperitoneally in the animals 1 min before kainic acid administration. In addition, the administration of kainic acid caused damage to mtDNA in brain frontal and middle cortex of mice. These effects were completely abolished by the ip preinjection of alpha-ketoglutarate (2 g/kg) or oxaloacetate (1 g/kg). In vitro exposure of kainic acid (0.25, 0.5 or 1.0 mM) to brain homogenate inflicted damage to mtDNA in a concentration-dependent manner. The damage of mtDNA induced by 1.0 mM kainic acid was attenuated by the co-treatment with alpha-ketoglutarate (2.5 or 5.0 mM) or oxaloacetate (0.75 or 1.0 mM). Furthermore, in vivo and in vitro exposure of kainic acid elicited an increase in lipid peroxidation. However, the increased lipid peroxidation was completely inhibited by cotreatment of alpha-ketoglutarate or oxaloacetate. These results suggest that alpha-keto acids such as alpha-ketoglutarate and oxaloacetate play a role in the inhibition of seizures and subsequent mtDNA damage induced by the excitotoxic/neurotoxic agent, kainic acid.

Animals↗

Concentration of free oxaloacetate in the mitochondrial compartment of isolated liver cells.

The concentration of metabolically active (i.e. 'free') oxaloacetate in the mitochondrial compartment of isolated liver cells was investigated by two independent approaches. On the basis of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase maintaining equilibrium and the direct measurements of mitochondrial aspartate, 2-oxoglutarate and glutamate, the concentration of free oxaloacetate was calculated to be 5 microM after incubation of hepatocytes in the presence of 1.5 mM-lactate and 0.05 mM-oleate. Gradually increasing oleate up to 0.5 mM decreased the free oxaloacetate to 2 microM. Very similar results were obtained when free oxaloacetate concentration was derived from the CO2 production of hepatocytes as a measure of citrate flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and the kinetic data on citrate synthase in situ. The decrease in free oxaloacetate on increasing oleate concentration was associated with lowered rates of cycle-dependent CO2 output and O2 uptake, indicating a decrease in the disposal of acetyl-CoA into the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This decrease could explain 25-30% of the increase in ketone-body production occurring at elevated fatty acid supply. This work documents on a quantitative basis the role of free oxaloacetate in the regulation of ketogenesis.

Animals↗

Interaction between citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase. Substrate channeling of oxaloacetate.

The interactions between pig heart citrate synthase and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase or cytosolic malate dehydrogenase were studied using the frontal analysis method of gel filtration and by precipitation in polyethylene glycol. This method showed that an interaction between citrate synthase and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase occurred but no interaction between citrate synthase and cytosolic malate dehydrogenase. Channeling of oxaloacetate in the malate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase-coupled systems was tested using polyethylene glycol precipitates of citrate synthase and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase, and citrate synthase and cytosolic malate dehydrogenase. The effectiveness of large amounts of aspartate aminotransferase and oxaloacetate decarboxylase, as competing enzymes for the intermediate oxaloacetate, was examined. Aspartate aminotransferase and oxaloacetate decarboxylase were less effective competitors for oxaloacetate when precipitated citrate synthase and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase in polyethylene glycol was used at low ionic strength compared with free enzymes in the absence of polyethylene glycol or with a co-precipitate of citrate synthase and cytosolic malate dehydrogenase. Substrate channeling of oxaloacetate with citrate synthase-mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase precipitate was inefficient at high ionic strength. These effects could be explained through electrostatic interactions of mitochondrial but not cytosolic malate dehydrogenase with citrate synthase.

Animals↗

Short-chain acyl-CoA-dependent production of oxalate from oxaloacetate by Burkholderia glumae, a plant pathogen which causes grain rot and seedling rot of rice via the oxalate production.

In Burkholderia glumae (formerly named Pseudomonas glumae), isolated as the causal agent of grain rot and seedling rot of rice, oxalate was produced from oxaloacetate in the presence of short-chain acyl-CoA such as acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA. Upon purification, the enzyme responsible was separated into two fractions (tentatively named fractions II and III), both of which were required for the acyl-CoA-dependent production of oxalate. In conjugation with the oxalate production from oxaloacetate catalyzed by fractions II and III, acetyl-CoA used as the acyl-CoA substrate was consumed and equivalent amounts of CoASH and acetoacetate were formed. The isotope incorporation pattern indicated that the two carbon atoms of oxalate are both derived from oxaloacetate, and among the four carbon atoms of acetoacetate two are from oxaloacetate and two from acetyl-CoA. When the reaction was carried out with fraction II alone, a decrease in acetyl-CoA and an equivalent level of net utilization of oxaloacetate were observed without appreciable formation of CoASH, acetoacetate or oxalate. It appears that in the oxalate production from oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA, fraction II catalyzes condensation of the two substrates to form an intermediate which is split into oxalate and acetoacetate by fraction III being accompanied by the release of CoASH.

Acetyl Coenzyme A↗

Characterization of a membrane-bound biotin-containing enzyme: oxaloacetate decarboxylase from Klebsiella aerogenes.

Oxaloacetate decarboxylase from Klebsiella aerogenes is firmly bound to the cytoplasmic membrane, from which it can be solubilized with nonionic detergents. The solubilized enzyme behaved like the membrane-bound enzyme with respect to its inhibition by avidin and to the requirement of sodium ions for catalytic activity. The decarboxylase was purified 4.5-fold over the solubilized membrane extract by conventional means. Dodecyl-sulfate disc-gel electrophoretic analysis indicated that the enzyme consists of polypeptides of a single size. The molecular weight of these polypeptides is 68000. Radioactive biotin was incorporated specifically into these polypeptide chains upon growth of the bacteria in the presence of the radioactive vitamin. Biotin as the prosthetic group of oxaloacetate decarboxylase is now firmly established. The enzyme in the absence of detergent occurs in a highly aggregated form which elutes in the exclusion volume of a Biogel A 1.5 m column. The reported inhibition of oxaloacetate decarboxylase by citrate could not be repeated. On the other hand oxalate, 2-oxomalonate and glyoxylate proved to be very potent inhibitors of the decarboxylase. The stereochemical course of the oxaloacetate decarboxylation reaction was determined starting from stereospecifically labelled malates, which by malate dehydrogenase and oxaloacetate decarboxylase were converted to chiral pyruvates. The chirality of these pyruvates was analysed via their conversion to acetates and malates by determining the extent of tritium retention upon incubation of the latter with fumarase. It was found that oxaloacetate decarboxylation occurs stereospecifically with retention of configuration.

Biotin↗

NAD-linked L(+)-lactate dehydrogenase from the strict aerobe alcaligenes eutrophus. 2. Kinetic properties and inhibition by oxaloacetate.

The L(+)-lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27) of Alcaligenes eutrophus catalyzes the NADH-dependent reduction of pyruvate and a few other 2-oxoacids. The Km values for NADH, NAD, pyruvate and L(+)-lactate are 0.075 mM, 0.130 mM, 0.820 mM and 7.10 mM, respectively. The reaction follows a rapid equilibrium ordered bi-bi mechanism and involves the formation of a dead-end EBQ complex. The competitive inhibition of pyruvate reduction caused by NAD (with respect to NADH) is regarded to be of physiological importance. The enzyme is strongly inhibited by oxaloacetate, oxalate and to a less extent by oxamate. Oxaloacetate was found to be the most powerful inhibitor of the enzyme and exerts an almost complete inhibition of the reduction of pyruvate and some 2-oxoacids at concentrations of 1 microM and less. At 0.1 microM oxaloacetate the inhibition of pyruvate reduction is about 90%. The kinetics of pyruvate reduction in the presence of oxaloacetate is characterized by a burst phase followed by a decreased steady-state velocity. During the burst phase, which lasts from several seconds to some minutes, the enzyme undergoes transition to a less active enzyme form. The inhibition studies revealed the lactate dehydrogenase to be a hysteretic enzyme, due to its slow response to the ligand. The characteristics of the transient were examined. The inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase from A. eutrophus by oxaloacetate is considered to be of great physiological importance, allowing its function only at a low oxaloacetate concentration and consequently at high NADH/NAD ratios.

Alcaligenes↗

Kinetic analysis of the reaction mechanism of oxaloacetate decarboxylase from Klebsiella aerogenes.

The mechanism of oxaloacetate decarboxylase of Klebsiella aerogenes was investigated by enzyme kinetic methods. The activity of the decarboxylase was strictly dependent on the presence of Na+ or Li+ ions. For Li+ the Km was about 17 times higher and the Vmax about 4 times lower than for Na+. No activity was detectable at Na+ concentrations less than 5 microM. The curve for initial velocity versus Na+ concentration was hyperbolic. Initial velocity patterns with oxaloacetate or Na+ as the varied substrate at various fixed concentrations of the cosubstrate produced a pattern of parallel lines which is characteristic for a ping-pong mechanism. Product inhibition by pyruvate was competitive versus oxaloacetate and noncompetitive versus Na+. Oxalate, a dead-end inhibitor, was competitive versus oxaloacetate and uncompetitive versus Na+. The inhibition patterns are not consistent with a ping-pong mechanism comprising a single catalytic site but are analogous to kinetic patterns observed with the related biotin enzyme transcarboxylase, for which a catalytic mechanism at two different and independent sites has been demonstrated. The kinetic and other data support an oxaloacetate decarboxylase mechanism at two different sites of the enzyme with the intermediate formation of a carboxybiotin-enzyme complex. The first site is the carboxyltransferase which is localized on the alpha chain and the second site is the carboxybiotin-enzyme decarboxylase which is probably localized on the beta and/or gamma subunit. Binding studies with oxalate indicated that this is bound with high affinity to the alpha chain. The affinity was not affected by Na+ or by complex formation with the beta and gamma subunits. Oxalate protected the decarboxylase from heat inactivation but not from tryptic hydrolysis. The carboxybiotin-enzyme intermediate prepared from oxaloacetate decarboxylase with high specific activity was rapidly decarboxylated in the presence of Na+ ions alone. The effect of pyruvate on this reaction, noted previously, probably results from inhomogeneity of the enzyme preparation used which contained a considerable amount of free alpha subunits.

Binding Sites↗