Pig liver pyruvate carboxylase. The reaction pathway for the decarboxylation of oxaloacetate.

1. The reaction pathway for the decarboxylation of oxaloacetate, catalysed by pig liver pyruvate carboxylase, was studied in the presence of saturating concentrations of K(+) and acetyl-CoA. 2. Free Mg(2+) binds to the enzyme in an equilibrium fashion and remains bound during all further catalytic cycles. MgADP(-) and P(i) bind randomly, at equilibrium, followed by the binding of oxaloacetate. Pyruvate is released before the ordered steay-state release of HCO(3) (-) and MgATP(2-). 3. These results are entirely consistent with studies on the carboxylation of pyruvate presented in the preceding paper (Warren & Tipton, 1974b) and together they allow a quantitative description of the reaction mechanism of pig liver pyruvate carboxylase. 4. In the absence of other substrates of the back reaction pig liver pyruvate carboxylase will decarboxylate oxaloacetate in a manner that is not inhibited by avidin. 5. Reciprocal plots involving oxaloacetate are non-linear curves, which suggest a negatively co-operative interaction between this substrate and the enzyme.