Control of acetyl-CoA carboxylase by covalent modification.

In this review, various experiments which establish the occurrence of covalent modification mechanisms, both in vivo and in vitro, in the control of acetyl-CoA carboxylase have been presented. It is interesting to note that phosphorylation of the carboxylase results in disaggregation of the active species. These studies indicate that aggregation and disaggregation of the enzyme are involved in the control of carboxylase activity. Our covalent modification mechanism and the allosteric control mechanism share a common ground in that both mechanisms affect the equilibrium between protomers and polymers of the enzyme. However, it is clear that the allosteric control mechanism cannot function alone under normal physiological conditions. Covalent modification of the carboxylase is prerequisite for efficient functioning of the allosteric mechanism. There are many aspects of the regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase which require further clarification. However, it is now established that short-term control of acetyl-CoA carboxylase involves the covalent modification mechanism.