Citrate synthase of Tetrahymena pyriformis: evolutionary and regulatory aspects

Citrate synthase (EC 4.1.3.7) from Tetrahymena pyriformis has been purified 185-fold. The molecular weight of the native enzyme was determined to be 120,000. The enzyme is labile at low ionic strength, but can be stabilized by KCl and glycerol. It is activated by KCl at low (below 60 mM) or high concentrations, and inhibited by divalent cations (Mn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+). The Michaelis constants are 0.1 mM for oxalacetate and 0.01 mM for acetyl-CoA. The kinetics with oxalacetate exhibit negative cooperativity, with a nH = 0.66. Among the metabolites tested, only ATP and GTP can inhibit the enzyme but Mg2+ relieves the ATP inhibition. Incubation with sulfhydryl reagents (DTNB) in the absence of its substrates results in a rapid inactivation of the enzyme. It is concluded that Tetrahymena citrate synthase is closer to the enzyme from Gram-positive bacteria than to those of eucaryotes.