Properties and Subcellular Localization of Myocardial Fatty Acyl-coenzyme A Oxidase

Earl H. Harrison, Mbaga S. Walusimbi

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Abstract

The properties and subcellular localization of fatty acyl-CoA oxidase (FAO) were studied in rat heart homogenates. After differential centrifugation, FAO was sedimentable and enriched in a “light-mitochondrial” fraction. FAO had a pH optimum of 8–9. Among straight-chain, saturated fatty acyl-CoAs, the enzyme showed a marked preference for medium chain substrates (C 12 > C 10 = C8 > C 16 = C 14 > C 6 ) over a concentration range up to 100 µM. No activity was observed with C 4 -CoA. The apparent Michaelis constant (K m ) for C 12 -CoA was 5-10 µM. After removal of nuclei by low-speed centrifugation, combined subcellular particle preparations were obtained by high-speed centrifugation and layered on linear density gradients of metrizamide. After density equilibration, FAO showed a symmetric distribution centered at ρ = 1.16–1.18, like that of the enzyme catalase, a marker for microperoxisomes. In contrast, enzyme markers for mitochondria, lysosomes, sarcolemma, and sarcoplasmic reticulum were recovered in low-density regions of the gradient. These results provide a direct demonstration of fatty acyl-CoA oxidase in cardiac tissue and its association with microperoxisomes.

Original languageAmerican English
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology
Volume255
StatePublished - Sep 1 1988

Disciplines

  • Medical Specialties
  • Medicine and Health Sciences
  • Surgery

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