Glutamic dehydrogenase from rat heart mitochondria. II. Kinetic characteristics

Glutamic dehydrogenase purified from rat heart mitochondria has been characterized with regard to its substrate kinetics and the influence of nucleotides and potassium phosphate on its kinetic properties. The enzyme had characteristics similar to liver mitochondrial glutamic dehydrogenase. These included several double reciprocal plots which were biphasic, indicating homotropic interaction; inhibition by GTP, which was overcome by ADP and phosphate; and activity with both NAD(H) and NADP(H). There were a number of significant differences however, in the specific kinetic properties of heart mitochondrial glutamic dehydrogenase. The Vmax of reductive amination was four-fold greater with NADH than with NADPH. The maximum rate of oxidative deamination was ten-fold greater with NAD compared to NADP. The differences also included: saturating levels of NADH and NADPH were stimulatory rather than inhibitory; ammonia was stimulatory at millimolar levels; NADP and alpha-ketoglutarate were both inhibitory at saturating levels; and ADP increased reductive amination 30% at lower levels of NADH but inhibited at higher (stimulatory) levels of NADH.