Liver alcohol dehydrogenase: metabolic and energetic aspects.

This paper presents a series of experiments that define the energetics of liver alcohol dehydrogenase and allow the construction of a free energy profile for the ethanol-acetaldehyde interconversion. Because of its broad specificity, we have also performed a series of kinetic studies designed to test the metabolic efficiency and the mode of action of this enzyme in regard to the reversible oxidation of Vitamin A alcohol (retinol). The slower oxidation of Vitamin A aldehyde (retinal) to Vitamin A acid, (retinoic acid) was also investigated.