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Inhibition of the ‘Condensing Enzyme’ of Aspergillus niger by Magnesium

Nature volume 174, pages 230–231 (1954)Cite this article

Abstract

Stern and Ochoa1,2 found that magnesium (or manganese) was required for maximum activity of the ‘condensing enzyme’ (oxalacetate + acetylcoenzyme A ⇌ citrate + coenzyme A) isolated from pigeon liver, and used an assay system containing 4 µM magnesium chloride per ml. The same or similar systems have been used by others in comparing enzyme-levels in different organisms2–5 and by us in studies of the ‘condensing enzyme’ of Aspergillus niger 6,7. In later work with the A. niger enzyme, we found that magnesium ions were not required and that they were actually inhibitory. Inhibition of the A. nigerenzyme by magnesium ions differentiates it from the avian enzyme and suggests that some of the lower specific activities reported for enzyme preparations from other organisms3,5 may reflect the same phenomenon.

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References

  1. Stern, J. R., and Ochoa, S., J. Biol. Chem., 179, 491 (1949).

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  3. Ochoa, S., Stern, J. R., and Schneider, M. C., J. Biol. Chem., 193, 691 (1951).

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  6. Ramakrishnan, C. V., and Martin, S. M., Chem. and Indust., Feb. 6, 160 (1954).

  7. Ramakrishnan, C. V., and Martin, S. M., Can. J. Biochem. and Physiol. (in the press).

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Author notes

  1. C. V. RAMAKRISHNAN: National Research Council of Canada Postdoctorate Fellow, 1953–54.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Applied Biology, National Research Council, Ottawa

    C. V. RAMAKRISHNAN & S. M. MARTIN

Authors
  1. C. V. RAMAKRISHNAN
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  2. S. M. MARTIN
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RAMAKRISHNAN, C., MARTIN, S. Inhibition of the ‘Condensing Enzyme’ of Aspergillus niger by Magnesium. Nature 174, 230–231 (1954). https://doi.org/10.1038/174230a0

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