Fluorocitrate inhibition of aconitase: relative configuration of inhibitory isomer by x-ray crystallography.

The fluorocitrate isomer that is a strong inhibitor and inactivator of aconitase has been shown by x-ray crystallographic studies on the rubidium ammonium salt to have the configurations (1R : 2R) or (1S : 2S) 1-fluoro-2-hydroxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic acid. A possible mechanism for the action of fluorocitrate is proposed which involves the 1R : 2R isomer suggested from biochemical data.