Competitive inhibition of mouse brain gamma-aminobutyrate aminotransferase by ATP

The nucleotide ATP was shown to be a reversible inhibitor of partially purified gamma-aminobutyrate aminotransferase isolated from mouse brain. This inhibition was of the competitive type with respect to the substrate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (Ki = 3.7 +/- 0.6 mM), but was noncompetitive with respect to both the second substrate alpha-ketoglutarate and the cofactor pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. Two analogues of ATP, ADP and GTP, also gave rise to an inhibition gamma-aminobutyrate aminotransferase that was similar to that produced by ATP. These results are consistent with the view that mouse brain gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase could be under regulatory control by ATP and certain other nucleotides within the mitochondria.