Evidence for a multiple function of the alcohol dehydrogenase allozyme ADH71k of Drosophila melanogaster.

Alcohol dehydrogenase of Drosophila melanogaster catalyzes the oxidation of many primary and secondary alcohols. We show that sarcosine, choline and dihydroorotate are substrates of ADH in vitro. The first two substrates are regular substrates of the choline shunt, and the latter of the de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Differences in oxidative ability towards sarcosine and dihydroorotate between two ADH allozymes, ADH71k and ADHF, are observed. The catalytic activity of ADH71k towards sarcosine and dihydroorotate might be responsible for its allelic fixation in Notch8 mutant stocks, in which Notch females have a decreased level of the regular enzymes for these substrates. Their oxidation by ADH71k might act as a bypass, which restores at least part of the decreased activity of enzymes encoded by the Notch locus.