Nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide-linked “malic” enzyme in flight muscle of the tse-tse fly (Glossina) and other insects

Abstract

1. A high activity of NAD-linked ‘malic’ enzyme was found in homogenates of flight muscle of different species of tse-tse fly (Glossina). The activity was the same as, or higher than, that of malate dehydrogenase and more than 20-fold that of NADP-linked ‘malic’ enzyme. A similar enzyme was found in the flight muscle of all other insects investigated, but at much lower activities. 2. ACa2+-stimulated oxaloacetate decarboxylase activity was present in all insect flight-muscle preparations investigated, in constant proportion to the NAD-linked ‘malic’ enzyme. 3. A partial purification of the NAD-linked ‘malic’ enzyme from Glossina was effected by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, which separated the enzyme from malate dehydrogenase and NADP-linked ‘malic’ enzyme, but not from oxaloacetate decarboxylase. 4. The intracellular localization of the NAD-linked ‘malic’ enzyme was predominantly mitochondrial; latency studies suggested a localization in the mitochondrial matrix space. 5. Studies on the partially purified enzyme demonstrated that it had a pH optimum between 7.6 and 7.9. It required Mg2+ or Mn2+ for activity; Ca2+ was not effective. The maximum rate was the same with either cation, but the concentration of Mn2+ required was 100 times less than that of Mg2+. Acitivity with NADP was only 1-3% of that with NAD, unless very high (greater than 10mM) concentrations of Mn2+ were present. 6. It is suggested that the NAD-linked ‘malic’ enzyme functions in the proline-oxidation pathway predominant in tse-tse fly flight muscle.