Nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase reaction mechanism

The majority of synthetic reactions in mammalian cells takes place in the cytosol. The intramitochondrial localization of transhydrogenase excludes a direct participation in these anabolic processes. Substrate shuttle mechanisms (176, 177) are required to allow for the interaction between intra- and extramitochondrial nicotinamide nucleotide-dependent reactions. In the first instance transhydrogenase can be regarded to be functionally related to intramitochondrial NADP-linked reactions. A number of studies on isolated mitochondria have elaborated these relationships in some detail, in particular with regard to mitochondrial monooxygenation reactions and to the metabolism of glutamate and isocitrate. 

Cleland (160), steady-state kinetics of a Theorell-Chance mechanism can generally apply also to a rapid-equilibrium random mechanism with two dead-end complexes. However, in view of the data obtained with site-specific inhibitors this latter mechanism is unlikely in the case of the transhydrogenase (70, 71). The proposed mechanism is also consistent with the observation of Fisher and Kaplan (118) that the breakage of the C-H bonds of the reduced nicotinamide nucleotides is not a rate-limiting step in the mitochondrial transhydrogenase reaction. 

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