Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase from the mammary gland of lactating rat. Purification, properties and subcellular localization.

Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.9) was purified 500--600-fold from the mammary gland extracts by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, gel filtration with Sepharose 4B, anion-exchange chromatography with QAE-Sephadex, and chromatography with NADP-Agarose. This enzyme (spec. act. 200--300 nmol/min per mg protein) had a molecular weight of approx. 170 000. It did not cross-react with rabbit antiserum prepared against either fatty acid synthetase from the mammary gland or malonyl-CoA decarboxylase from the uropygial gland of goose. The decarboxylase showed a pH optimum near 8.5--9.0 and a Km of 0.33 mM, decarboxylated neither malonic acid nor methylmalonyl-CoA and was inhibited by thiol directed reagents but not by avidin. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation of the gland homogenate showed that the major peak of decarboxylase activity coincided with that of cytochrome oxidase. Breakage of mitochondria released greater than 80% of the decarboxylase activity into the 105,000 X g supernatant, suggesting that malonyl-CoA decarboxylase may be located in the mitochondrial matrix.