title: Liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase: in vitro expression, in vitro import, and effect of alcohols on import.
abstract: An in vitro expression plasmid (pGRAP) that contained the cDNA coding for the rat mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase precursor was constructed, mRNA was synthesized then translated, and the in vitro synthesized precursor of aldehyde dehydrogenase was used in an in vitro import assay. As expected the 19 amino acid signal peptide of the precursor allowed import of the precursor into rat liver mitochondria. This in vitro system was used to examine the effect of alcohols on import. It was found that the alcohols (ethyl, butyl, hexyl, and octyl) tested inhibited the import of the aldehyde dehydrogenase precursor. Pretreatment of the mitochondria with alcohol was responsible for the inhibition. The inhibition appeared to be relatively specific for pre-aldehyde dehydrogenase as the precursor of ornithine transcarbamylase was still imported in the presence of alcohols. Of potential physiological significance was finding that ethanol inhibited import in a dose-response fashion; 50% inhibition occurred at 75 mM, a concentration achievable during the ingestion of alcohol. In addition, the concentrations of alcohols required to produce an inhibitory effect on import decreased as the hydrocarbon chain length of alcohols increased. The inhibitory effect of alcohols appeared to be specific as other solvents examined did not inhibit import. We postulate that alcohols may perturb the mitochondrial membrane and affect the receptor-translocator necessary for the import of the aldehyde dehydrogenase precursor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907.
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farrés
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D000440:Butanols / Q000494:pharmacology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009954:Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D011487:Protein Conformation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D012997:Solvents
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D000440:Butanols; D012997:Solvents; D004247:DNA; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D009954:Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase