Protection of the active site of mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase from inhibition by potassium tetrachloroplatinate.

Mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (L-malate : NAD-+ oxido-reductase, EC 1.1.1.37) was inhibited by potassium tetrachloro platinum (II), K-2PtCl-4, in the presence of varying concentrations of NADH, NAD-+ and L-malate and mixtures of NAD-+ and L-malate. It was observed that NADH is an effective protector of the enzyme from inhibition while both NAD-+ and L-malate are poor protectors. Spectral studies have suggested that the protection afforded by the substrates are accomplished by reaction with specific groups on the enzyme rather than by complexation of the substrates with PtCl-4-2-minus. From the above data it has been concluded that the tetrachloroplatinate ion binds only at the active site and that this site which is effectively protected by NADH, and moderately protected by a NAD-+-L-malate complex probably contains one or more sulfur containing amino acid side chains. It is also proposed that when the tetrachloroplatinate complexes with the enzyme there is some effect, possibly a conformational change, which causes the release of NADH at the allosteric site.