Relationship between intramitochondrial citrate and the activity of carbamoyl-phosphate synthase (ammonia)

The possibility of control of the activity of carbamoyl-phosphate synthase (ammonia) (EC 2.7.2.5) in rat-liver mitochondria by variation in the intramitochondrial free Mg2+ concentration has been investigated. Carbamoyl-phosphate synthase activity was measured by coupling the formation of carbamoylphosphate to the synthesis of citrulline in a reaction mixture containing ammonia, bicarbonate, a source of ATP, and ornithine. The synthesis of citrulline was inhibited by lowering the concentration of intramitochondrial free Mg2+. This could be achieved not only by depleting the mitochondria of Mg2+ (by adding the ionophore A23187), but also by increasing the intramitochondrial concentration of citrate. Under various conditions an inverse relationship between the rate of citrulline synthesis and the magnitude of the intramitochondrial concentration of citrate was observed. Inhibition of citrulline synthesis by intramitochondrial citrate could be partly reversed by addition of Mg2+ in the presence of A23187. Possible implications of the regulation of carbamoyl-phosphate synthase (ammonia) activity by intramitochondrial citrate for nitrogen metabolism in the liver are discussed.