The role of the superoxide anion in the xanthine oxidase-induced autoxidation of linoleic acid.

A fluorescent analogue, palmitoyl-?CoA was shown to have a fluorescence lifetime (19.5 nsec.), polarization and absorption and emission characteristics useful for studying interactions with enzymes and with model membranes. The fluorescence lifetime was found to be wavelength dependent. The analogue was a better inhibitor (50% inhibition at ～ 0.2 μM) than palmitoyl-CoA (50% inhibition at 0.5 μM) when bound to mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (L-malate: NAD⁺ oxido reductase E.C.l.l.137). The fluorescence depolarization when bound to this enzyme was less than that observed for binding to bovine serum albumin suggesting some mobility of the chromophore while bound. The changes in polarization upon titration with phosphatidylcholine (egg) vesicles were consistent with a partition of palmitoyl-(1,N⁶etheno)CoA between vesicles and malate dehydrogenase. Such partition may have physiological consequences.