S-acetonyl-CoA. A nonreactive analog of acetyl-CoA.

We have synthesized S-acetonyl-CoA from CoASH and 1-bromoacetone. This thioether-containing structural analogue of acetyl-CoA is a potent competitive inhibitor, with respect to acetyl-CoA, of citrate synthase, phosphotransacetylase, and carnitine acetyltransferase. This analog will not activate Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase or rat liver pyruvate carboxylase, two enzymes which require acetyl-CoA as an obligate activator. Furthermore, acetonyl-CoA will not compete with acetyl-CoA for binding to these enzymes showing the apparent absolute requirement of these two enzymes for a thioester group on the activating ligand. S-Acetonyl-CoA should be a useful reagent in the investigation of acetyl-CoA-requiring processes.