Effect of 4-pentenoate on rat liver ornithine transcarbamylase.

The effect of 4-pentenoate on rat liver ornithine transcarbamylase was studied. No effect was found. It is concluded that the effect of 4-pentenoic acid on ornithine transcarbamylase reported by others was probably due to technical errors. Available evidence indicates that 4-pentenoate inhibits ureagenesis by interfering with mitochondrial energy metabolism, which in turn impairs mitochondrial ornithine transport or depletes mitochondrial ATP, impairing carbamyl phosphate synthesis, or both.