The specificity of the dehydrases

Abstract

Methods are given for the preparation of dehydrase for citric acid and lactic acid respectively. The former was obtained from liver and hemoglobin. M-dinitrobenzene served as a H acceptor. Clear solutions of the enzyme were specific for citric acid. No action took place with the Na salts of succinic, malic, fumaric, lactic, tartaric, formic, glutamic, maleic, acetic, a-hydroxybutyric, oxalic, saccharic acids and acetalde-hyde. Aconitic acid inhibited the reduction of methy-lene blue by the citric acid-enzyme system. Lactic acid dehydrase was isolated from yeast. This was specific for lactic and [alpha]-hydroxybutyric acids. Pyruvic acid was the product of the reaction. Glycerol inhibited the oxidation of lactic acid.