The effect of pH and methylation on the interaction of deoxycholate with rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

The activation of rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase by deoxycholate depends on the anionic form of the steroid. Methylation of the enzyme protein leads to an increase of both turnover number and Km for ethanol and to a change in the effect of deoxycholate, which behaves as an inhibitor. It is suggested that the steroid and methylation effects depend on the same basic mechanism, in which one or more Lys groups are involved.