The oxidation of fatty acids combined with albumin by isolated rat-liver mitochondria in the presence of fluorocitrate

Abstract

Fluorocitrate was investigated as an inhibitor of the citric acid cycle which could make possible the separate study of β-oxidation of fatty acids bound to albumin using isolated rat-liver mitochondria. Fluorocitrate was shown to inhibit completely not only the CO₂ formation but also the incorporation of label from fatty acids into citrate in agreement with previous work. The reaction products identified were acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate. No evidence for interference of fluorocitrate with β-oxidation or with phosphorylation coupled to this oxidation was found. Acetoacetate formation from fatty acids was rapid and initially linear.