Coenzyme A is a potent inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase from rat epididymal fat-pads.

Rat epididymal fat-pad extracts have previously been shown to contain an insulin-stimulated acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinase, which is co-eluted from Mono Q ion-exchange chromatography with a potent inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase [Borthwick, Edgell & Denton (1990) Biochem. J. 270, 795-801]. A variety of tests, including reactivity with thiol reagents, identify this inhibitor as CoA. Inhibition requires the presence of MgATP, but is independent of any phosphorylation of the enzyme. The effect is complete in about 5 min and is associated with depolymerization of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Half-maximal inhibition is observed at about 40 nM-CoA. The inhibitory effects of CoA can be partially reversed by incubation with citrate and more fully overcome by treatment of the enzyme with the insulin-stimulated acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinase.