A steady-state random-order mechanism for the oxidative deamination of norvaline by glutamate dehydrogenase.

The kinetic mechanism of glutamate dehydrogenase with the monocarboxylic substrate norvaline was examined by using initial-rate steady-state kinetics and inhibition kinetics. To a first approximation the reaction mechanism can be described as a rapid-equilibrium random-order one. Binding synergism between the monocarboxylic substrate and coenzyme is not observed. Dissociation constants for NAD+ and 2-oxoglutarate calculated from the kinetic data assuming a rapid-equilibrium random-order model are in good agreement with independently obtained estimates. Lineweaver-Burk plots with varied norvaline concentration are not strictly linear, and it is concluded that a steady-state random-order model more accurately reflects the observed kinetics with norvaline as substrate.