Absence of direct coenzyme transfer in an A-B dehydrogenase system

Abstract

Direct transfer of NADPH between two NADP-dependent dehydrogenases, isocitrate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase, has been investigated. These enzymes have opposite stereospecificity for hydrogen transfer to the coenzyme. In contrast with the general direct-transfer mechanism postulated for NAD-dependent dehydrogenases [Srivastava & Bernhard (1986) Science 234, 1081-1086], no evidence for direct transfer in either direction was found for these NADP-dependent dehydrogenases.