The isolation and purification of palmitoyl-CoA synthetase from rat liver microsomes is described. Several methods suitable for enzyme assay are described. The general properties and kinetic parameters of the purified enzyme were determined and are discussed in relationship to microsomal fatty acid activation.

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The mechanism of long-chain fatty acid activation catalysed by highly purified microsomal palmitoyl-CoA synthetase was investigated. The kinetics of the overall reaction were found to conform to the Bi Uni Uni Bi Ping Pong mechanism. (18)O was transferred from [(18)O]palmitate to AMP and palmitoyl-CoA exclusively. The enzyme intermediate formed appeared to consist of enzyme-bound palmitate; this formation occurred only in the presence of ATP. However, the involvement of palmitoyl-AMP in the reaction catalysed by the purified enzyme has proved difficult to establish.

1. Medium-chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.2) was isolated by the method of Mahler, Wakil & Bock (1953) and the enzyme activity determined by the disappearance of CoA in the presence either of butyrate and ATP or of butyryl-AMP, as well as by ATP formation from butyryl-AMP and PP(i). 2. Preincubation of the enzyme with CoA and ATP alone or together, followed by the removal of these substrates by gel filtration, caused a marked inhibition of ATP formation, contrary to results previously obtained with palmitoyl-CoA synthetase. 3. The effect of ATP on butyryl-AMP-dependent CoA disappearance was inconsistent. Low concentrations of ATP (0.1-0.5mm) always caused inhibition, whereas higher concentrations (5-10mm) activated in some enzyme preparations and inhibited in others. 4. This inconsistency was shown to be due to the presence of two enzyme fractions. Both fractions had similar activities when assayed by the butyryl-AMP- or butyrate-plus-ATP-dependent CoA disappearance. However, fraction I was activated by ATP as measured by butyryl-AMP-dependent CoA disappearance whereas fraction II was inhibited by it. Fraction I also catalysed ATP formation from butyryl-AMP and PP(i) whereas fraction II was lacking in such activity. 5. The relationship of these observations with respect to other known mechanisms of fatty acid-activating systems is discussed.

The partial and exchange reactions of long-chain fatty acid activation were determined by using purified microsomal long-chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.3). No significant ATP formation from palmitoyl-AMP and PP(i), nor palmitoyl-AMP-dependent CoA disappearance could be demonstrated. Similarly, no palmitate-dependent [(32)P(2)]PP(i)-ATP exchange was catalysed by the pure enzyme. The above partial and exchange reactions were, however, catalysed by the parent microsomal fraction at a rate similar to that of the overall reaction. The implications of these results are discussed.