Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from beef heart: subunit heterogeneity and enzyme dissociation.

Heterogeneity in the subunits of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from beef heart mitochondria was investigated using one- and two-dimensional electrophoretic analyses in polyacrylamide gels. Electrophoresis under nondenaturing conditions, at several values of pH and gel concentration, followed by second-dimension electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate showed that the active enzyme contains four different subunits. The details of these two-dimensional patterns, reelectrophoresis of the active enzyme band under nondenaturing conditions, together with additional evidence indicate that under certain nondenaturing conditions the enzyme exists partially dissociated into its subunits. The molecular weights of the four subunits, determined from electrophoretic mobilities obtained in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, were different, varying between 39 000 and 41 300. Tryptic peptide maps of the subunits are substantially different.