Solubilization of valine-sensitive acetohydroxy acid synthetase from Neurospora mitochondria

Acetohydroxy acid synthetase [EC 4.1.3.18] of Neurospora crassa has been solubilized from a mitochondrial pellet fraction by sonic treatment in 1.0 M potassium phosphate buffer at pH 7.5 containing 10 mM MgSO4 and centrifugation at 180,000 X g for 20 min. The soluble enzyme thus obtained has a high specific activity and a high sensitivity to valine comparable to the original mitochondrial pellet suspension when the activity was determined in high concentrations of potassium phosphate.