Multifunctional activities of pickerel liver alcohol dehydrogenase

A major isozyme of pickerel liver alcohol dehydrogenase has been purified to homogeneity. The enzyme, in addition to catalyze NAD(P)(+)-linked dehydrogenation of alcohols, also mediates dismutation of aldehydes and hydrolysis of esters. Steady-state kinetic studies and chemical modifications of the pickerel liver enzyme with respect to its esterolytic and dismutative activities were carried out. Pickerel liver alcohol dehydrogenase catalyzes hydrolyses of p-nitrophenyl esters via a Uni-Bi mechanism, with alkanoic acids as the last product released. Modifications of Cys and Lys suppress the esterolytic activity. A random mechanism with the formation of dead-end complexes is implicated for the dismutation of octanal catalyzed by pickerel liver alcohol dehydrogenase. Two amino acid residues, Cys and His, are involved in the dehydrogenation as well as dismutation reactions. The present study identifies a regulatory function of Lys for the multifunctional activities of liver alcohol dehydrogenase. When the Lys residue is specifically glucosylated, the dehydrogenase activity increases. Its esterase activity decreases, while the dismutase activity remains unchanged.