A study on the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the synthesis of acetylcholine in the lobster nerve

Abstract

1. The pattern of metabolism of 14C-labelled substrates in the lobster nerve suggested a normal tricarboxylic acid cycle with a slow turnover. 2. Acetylcholine was synthesized from [2-14C]acetate, [2-14C]pyruvate and [1,5-14C]citrate, implying the presence of acetate thiokinase, choline acetylase and citrate-cleavage enzyme. 3. [2-14C]Acetate was the best precursor. 4. The formation of acetyl-CoA from citrate was limited, probably by the citrate-cleavage enzyme, although the magnitude of the reversed reactions of the tricarboxylic acid cycle was large when compared with that of the forward reactions. 5. The relative magnitude of the two pathways (acetyl-CoA and carbon dioxide fixation) in pyruvate utilization was nearly equal. 6. The probable presence of metabolic compartments in the lobster nerve is discussed.