Adenylate deaminase from rat muscle. Regulation by purine nucleotides and orthophosphate in the presence of 150 mM KCl.

Adenylate deaminase from rat skeletal muscle has been studied with the objective of understanding how the activity of the enzyme is regulated in vivo. ATP and GTP inhibit the enzyme at low concentrations in the presence of 150 mM KCl. The ATP inhibition is reversed as the ATP concentration is raised to physiological levels. The GTP inhibition is reversed as the GTP concentration is raised to unphysiologically high levels. In the presence of physiological concentrations of ATP, the GTP inhibition is also greatly diminished, but inhibition by orthophosphate remains strong. The apparent affinities of the enzyme for GTP, ATP, and orthophosphate are reduced as the pH is decreased from 7.0 to 6.2. ADP also reduces the apparent affinities of the enzyme for the inhibitors. The regulatory effects of GTP, ATP, and ADP are produced primarily by their unchelated forms. Comparison of the kinetic behavior of the enzyme in vitro with metabolite concentrations in vivo indicates that the major variables that regulate the activity of adenylate deaminase of muscle in vivo are the concentrations of AMP, ADP, orthophosphate, and H+.