Purification and properties of the coenzyme A-linked acetaldehyde dehydrogenase of Acetobacterium woodii

Coenzyme A-linked acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ACDH) of ethanol-grown cells of Acetobacterium woodii was purified to apparent homogeneity; a 28-fold purification was achieved with 13% yield. The enzyme proved to be oxygen-sensitive and was inactive in the absence of dithioerythritol. During the purification procedure addition of 1 mM MgCl₂ was necessary to maintain enzyme activity. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity was separated from ACDH during anion exchange chromatography using DEAE Sephacel. A part of the ACDH activity coeluted with ADH, but both could be separately eluted from a Cibacron Blue 3GA-Agarose column, revealing the same subunit structure and activity band for ACDH as found before and, thus, indicating an aggregation of the enzyme. The remaining ADH activity could be separated by gel filtration. For the native ACDH a molecular mass of 255 kDa was determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and of 272 kDa by gel filtration using Superose 12. The enzyme subunit sizes were 28 kDa and 40 kDa, respectively, indicating a ₄₄ structure for the active form. The enzyme catalyzed the oxidation of several straight chain aldehydes although it was most active with acetaldehyde. NADH strongly inhibited oxidation of acetaldehyde whereas NADPH had no effect. The inhibition was noncompetitive.Non-standard abbrevations ACDH acetaldehyde dehydrogenase - ADH alcohol dehydrogenase - CHES 2-(N-cyclohexylamino)-ethanesulfonate - DTE dithioerythritol - KP-buffer 25 mM K-PO₄, pH 7.5, containing, 4 mM DTE - MES 2-(N-morpholino)-ethanesulfonate - TAPS N-Tris-(hydroxymethyl)-methyl-3-aminopropa-nesulfonate     

Humicola insolens cellobiose dehydrogenase: cloning, redox chemistry, and "logic gate"-like dual functionality

1Cellobiose dehydrogenase is a hemoflavoenzyme that catalyzes the sequential electron-transfer from an electron-donating substrate (e.g. cellobiose) to a flavin center, then to an electron-accepting substrate (e.g. quinone) either directly or via a heme center after an internal electron-transfer from the flavin to heme. We cloned the dehydrogenase from Humicola insolens, which encodes a protein of 761 amino acid residues containing an N-terminal heme domain and a C-terminal flavin domain, and studied how the catalyzed electron transfers are regulated. Based on the correlation between the rate and redox potential, we demonstrated that with a reduced flavin center, the enzyme, as a reductase, could export electron from its heme center by a "outer-sphere" mechanism. With the "resting" flavin center, however, the enzyme could have a peroxidase-like function and import electron to its heme center after a peroxidative activation. The dual functionality of its heme center makes the enzyme a molecular "logic gate", in which the electron flow through the heme center can be switched in direction by the redox state of the coupled flavin center.     

NAD-dependent, PQQ-containing methanol dehydrogenase: a bacterial dehydrogenase in a multienzyme complex

Cell-free extracts of methanol-grown Nocardia sp. 239 only show significant dye-linked methanol-oxidizing activity when NAD+ is added to the assay mixture. This activity resides in a multienzyme complex which could be resolved into 3 components, namely the methanol dehydrogenase, NAD-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase and NADH dehydrogenase. In its dissociated form, the methanol dehydrogenase no longer shows dye reduction and although rises in the absorbance values around 340 nm are seen on addition of methanol plus NAD+ to the enzyme, this is not due to NADH production. However, dye reduction (NAD dependent) could be restored on incubating methanol dehydrogenase with the corresponding NADH dehydrogenase, obtained from the enzyme complex. It is concluded that this novel methanol dehydrogenase transfers the reducing equivalents, derived from methanol, directly to its associated NADH dehydrogenase via a mechanism in which NAD+ and PQQ are involved.     

The assay of uridine diphosphoglucose dehydrogenase activity: discrimination from xanthine dehydrogenase activity

The biochemical and quantitative cytochemical assays of the activity of uridine diphosphoglucose dehydrogenase (UDPG-D) have produced perplexing results. It is now shown that the perplexity may be due to the possibility that the coenzyme (NAD) required for UDPG-D activity, may be acting as a substrate for a second dehydrogenase, namely xanthine dehydrogenase, which may utilize NAD as its substrate. The activity of UDPG-D can be distinguished selectively by the pH of its optimal activity and by decreasing the concentration of the coenzyme used in the assay.     

Purification and properties of D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase from Paracoccus denitrificans

D-3-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase from Paracoccus denitrificans has been purified to near homogeneity. The enzyme was prepared using DEAE-cellulose chromatography, affinity chromatography on immobilized Cibacron blue (Matrex Gel Blue A) and gel permeation chromatography. The pure enzyme was obtained by chromatofocusing as the final isolation step. The purification procedure yielded the enzyme with a specific activity of about 100 units/mg protein. The enzyme is specific for D-3-hydroxybutyrate and NAD and it exhibits anomalous kinetics (hysteresis) at low enzyme and coenzyme concentrations. It is relatively stable in the presence of EDTA at pH 7–8 higer salt concentrations. D-3-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase is a tetramer with a molecular weight of 130 000 ± 10 000, its isoelectric point equals 5.10 ± 0.05. The enzyme is applicable to the determination of acetoacetate and D-3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations.     

Purification and characterization of thermostable leucine dehydrogenase from Bacillus stearothermophilus

Leucine dehydrogenase (l-leucine: NAD⁺ oxidoreductase, deaminating, EC 1.4.1.9) has been purified to homogeneity from a moderate thermophilic bacterium, Bacillus stearothermophilus. Am improved method of preparative slab gel electrophoresis was used effectively to purify it. The enzyme has a molecular mass of about 300,000 and consists of six subunits with identical molecular mass (Mr, 49,000). The enzyme does not lose its activity by heat treatment at 70° C for 20 min, and incubation in the pH range of 5.5–10.0 at 55° C for 5 min. It is stable in 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) containing 0.01% 2-mercaptoethanol at over 1 month, and is resistant to detergent and ethanol treatment. The enzyme catalyzes the oxidative deamination of branched-chain l-amino acids and the reductive amination of their keto analogs in the presence of NAD⁺ and NADH, respectively, as the coenzymes. The pH optima are 11 for the deamination of l-leucine, and 9.7 and 8.8 for the amination of -ketoisocaproate and -ketoisovalerate, respectively. The Michaelis constants were determined: 4.4 mM for l-leucine, 3.3 mM for l-valine, 1.4 mM for l-isoleucine and 0.49 mM for NAD⁺ in the oxidative deamination. The B. stearothermophilus enzyme shows similar catalytic properties, but higher activities than that from Bacillus sphaericus.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. G. Drews on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

A mutation affecting lipoamide dehydrogenase, pyruvate dehydrogenase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activities in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary In Saccharomyces cerevisiae a nuclear recessive mutation, lpd1, which simultaneously abolishes the activities of lipoamide dehydrogenase, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase has been identified. Strains carrying this mutation can grow on glucose or poorly on ethanol, but are unable to grow on media with glycerol or acetate as carbon source. The mutation does not prevent the formation of other tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes such as fumarase, NAD⁺-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase or succinate-cytochrome c oxidoreductase, but these are produced at about 50%–70% of the wild-type levels. The mutation probably affects the structural gene for lipoamide dehydrogenase since the amount of this enzyme in the cell is subject to a gene dosage effect; heterozygous lpd1 diploids produce half the amount of a homozygous wild-type strain. Moreover, a yeast sequence complementing this mutation when present in the cell on a multicopy plasmid leads to marked overproduction of lipoamide dehydrogenase. Homozygous lpd1 diploids were unable to sporulate indicating that some lipoamide dehydrogenase activity is essential for sporulation to occur on acetate.     

Mitochondrial NAD dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase either from yeast or human replaces yeast cytoplasmic NADP dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase for the aerobic growth of yeast on ethanol

Background

In a previous study, we deleted three aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) genes, involved in ethanol metabolism, from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and found that the triple deleted yeast strain did not grow on ethanol as sole carbon source. The ALDHs were NADP dependent cytosolic ALDH1, NAD dependent mitochondrial ALDH2 and NAD/NADP dependent mitochondrial ALDH5. Double deleted strain ΔALDH2+ΔALDH5 or ΔALDH1+ΔALDH5 could grow on ethanol. However, the double deleted strain ΔALDH1+ΔALDH2 did not grow in ethanol.

Methods

Triple deleted yeast strain was used. Mitochondrial NAD dependent ALDH from yeast or human was placed in yeast cytosol.

Results

In the present study we found that a mutant form of cytoplasmic ALDH1 with very low activity barely supported the growth of the triple deleted strain (ΔALDH1+ΔALDH2+ΔALDH5) on ethanol. Finding the importance of NADP dependent ALDH1 on the growth of the strain on ethanol we examined if NAD dependent mitochondrial ALDH2 either from yeast or human would be able to support the growth of the triple deleted strain on ethanol if the mitochondrial form was placed in cytosol. We found that the NAD dependent mitochondrial ALDH2 from yeast or human was active in cytosol and supported the growth of the triple deleted strain on ethanol.

Conclusion

This study showed that coenzyme preference of ALDH is not critical in cytosol of yeast for the growth on ethanol.

General significance

The present study provides a basis to understand the coenzyme preference of ALDH in ethanol metabolism in yeast.     

L-lactate dehydrogenase from leaves of Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Med.

By ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel filtration an enzyme preparation which catalyzed NAD⁺-dependent L-lactate oxidation (10^-4 kat kg^-1 protein), as well as NADH-dependent pyruvate reduction (10^-3 kat kg^-1 protein), was obtained from leaves of Capsella bursa-pastoris. This lactate dehydrogenase activity was not due to an unspecific activity of either glycolate oxidase, glycolate dehydrogenase, hydroxypyruvate reductase, alcohol dehydrogenase, or a malate oxidizing enzyme. These enzymes could be separated from the protein displaying lactate dehydrogenase activity by gel filtration and electrophoresis and distinguished from it by their known properties. The enzyme under consideration does not oxidize D-lactate, and reduces pyruvate to L-lactate (the configuration of which was determined using highly specific animal L-lactate dehydrogenase). Based on these results the studied Capsella leaf enzyme is classified as L-lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27). It has a K_m value of 0.25 mmol l^-1 (pH 7.0, 0.3 mmol l^-1 NADH) for pyruvate and of 13 mmol l^-1 (pH 7.8, 3 mmol l^-1 NAD⁺) for L-lactate. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was also detected in the leaves of several other plants.Abbreviation FMN flavin adenine mononucleotide     

Purification and molecular and enzymic properties of mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase.

Mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase has been purified to homogeneity by resolution of Complex I from beef heart mitochondria with the chaotrope NaClO₄ and precipitation of the enzyme with ammonium sulfate. The enzyme is water-soluble, has a molecular weight of 69,000 ± 1000 as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and agarose 1.5 M. It is an iron-sulfur flavoprotein, with the ratio of flavin (FMN) to nonheme iron to labile sulfide being 1:5–6:5–6. The FMN content suggests a minimum molecular weight of 74,000 ± 3000 for the enzyme. NADH dehydrogenase is composed of three subunits with apparent M_r values, as determined by acrylamide gel electrophoresis as well as by gel filtration on agarose 5 M both in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, of about 51,000, 24,000, and 9–10,000. Coomassie blue stain intensities of the subunits on acrylamide gels suggest that they are present in NADH dehydrogenase in equimolar amounts. However, summation of the apparent M_r values of the dodecyl sulfate-treated subunits appears to overestimate the molecular weight of the native enzyme. The amino acid compositions of NADH dehydrogenase and of each of the isolated and purified subunits have been determined. NADH dehydrogenase catalyzes the oxidation of NADH and NADPH by quinones, ferric compounds, and NAD (3-acetylpyridine adenine dinucleotide was used). All the activities of NADH dehydrogenase are greatly stimulated by addition of guanidine (up to 150 mm), alkylguanidines, arginine, and arginine methyl ester to the assay medium. Phosphoarginine had no effect. These results pointed to the importance of the positively charged guanido group, which appears to interact with and neutralize the negative charges on NAD(P)H and thereby allow for better enzyme-substrate interaction. In the absence of guanidine, NADPH is essentially unoxidized by the enzyme at pH values above 6.0. However, both NADPH dehydrogenase and NADPH → NAD transhydrogenase activities increase dramatically as the assay pH is lowered below pH = 6. Since the pK of the 2′-phosphate of NADPH is 6.1, it appears that the above pH effect is related to protonation of the 2′-phosphate, thus rendering NADPH a closer electronic analog of NADH, which is the primary substrate of the enzyme.     

Malic dehydrogenase locus of Paramecium tetraurelia

A search was undertaken for naturally occurring genetic markers for use in clonal aging studies of Paramecium tetraurelia. Clonal age is defined as the number of cell divisions since the last sexual process. Autogamy (self-fertilization) is a sexual process which can occur in aging lines, resulting in homozygosity and initiation of the next generation. Such illicit autogamies must be detected and eliminated from the aged clone. With codominant alleles, heterozygous aging lines can be established which will express a phenotype distinguishable from that of either parental type and autogamy can then be monitored by the appearance of either segregant homozygous phenotype. However, very few codominant alleles are available in this species. Electrophoretic mobilities of malic dehydrogenase (MDH) were assayed in 11 stocks of Paramecium tetraurelia by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Nine stocks showed a singlebanded stock 51 type, while stock 174 and stock 29 each exhibited unique mobility. Crosses between stock 51 and the deviant stocks revealed distinct three-banded patterns indicative of heterozygosity of the F₁ generation. In the autogamous F₂ generation, 1:1 segregation of the parental types were recovered. The pattern of inheritance is consistent with codominant alleles and Mendelian inheritance. These naturally occurring biochemical markers are stable with increasing clonal age and are therefore useful genetic markers for studies of cellular aging.This work was supported by NSF Grant PCM 7704315.     

Aldehyde dismutase activity of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase

Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) is able to catalyze the oxidation of acetaldehyde by NAD+ with a concomitant formation of ethanol, at pH 8.8 and pH 7.1; the stoichiometry of aldehyde oxidation vs. ethanol formation is 2:1. This enzymatic reaction obeys the Michaelis-Menten kinetics and was characterized by a high KM for acetaldehyde (68 mM) and a low kcat (2.3 s–1), at pH 8.8, 22°C. There is no visible burst of NADH during the reaction, from pH 7.1–10.1. Therefore, we have concluded that the enzyme catalyzes an apparent dismutation of two molecules of acetaldehyde into a molecule of acetic acid and a molecule of ethanol.     

Isolation of mutants of Alcaligenes eutrophus unable to derepress the fermentative alcohol dehydrogenase

Eight representative strains of Alcaligenes eutrophus, two strains of Alcaligenes hydrogenophilus and three strains of Paracoccus denitrificans were examined for their ability to use different alcohols and acetoin as a carbon source for growth. A. eutrophus strains N9A, H16 and derivative strains were unable to grow on ethanol or on 2,3-butanediol. Alcohol-utilizing mutants derived from these strains, isolated in this study, can be categorized into two major groups: Type I-mutants represented by strain AS1 occurred even spontaneously and were able to grow on 2,3-butanediol (t _d=2.7–6.4 h) and on ethanol (t _d=15–50 h). The fermentative alcohol dehydrogenase was present on all substrates tested, indicating that this enzyme in vivo is able to oxidize 2,3-butanediol to acetoin which is a good substrate for wild type strains. Type II-mutants represented by strain AS4 utilize ethanol as a carbon source for growth (t _d=3–9 h) but do not grow on butanediol. In these mutants the fermentative alcohol dehydrogenase is only present in cells cultivated under conditions of restricted oxygen supply, but a different NAD-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase is present in ethanol grown cells. Cells grown on ethanol, acetoin or 2,3-butanediol synthesized in addition two proteins exhibiting NAD-dependent acetaldehyde dehydrogenase activity and acetate thiokinase. An acylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.10) was not detectable. Applying the colistin- and pin point-technique for mutant selection to strain AS1, mutants, which lack the fermentative alcohol dehydrogenase even if cultivated under conditions of restricted oxygen supply, were isolated; the growth pattern served as a readily identifiable phenotypic marker for the presence or absence of this enzyme.     

Preparation of extracts from mature spruce needles for enzymatic analyses

It was possible to extract simultaneously several active enzymes involved in the carbohydrate or the amino acid metabolism from spruce needles [ Picea abies (L.) Karst.] when a) a 100 m M Na-Pi buffer of pH 7.5 containing 5% PVPP and 0.5% Triton X-100 was used and when b) the resulting crude extracts were freed from lowmolecular-weight compounds by gel-chromatography using the separation medium Fractogel TSK HW-40. Besides Triton X-100, Triton X-305, Myrij-52 and Brij-35 were tested, but 0.5% Triton X-100 brought about the most active enzyme extracts. In crude extracts prepared from spruce needles during the early summer a high increase in absorbance at 334 nm was observed when the co-substrate NADP⁺ was added, thus making reliable spectrophotometric assays impossible. The interfering low-molecular-weight substances could be eliminated by gel chromatography. As separation media Bio-Gel P-6 DG, Sephadex G-25 m, Trisacryl GF 05 and Fractogel TSK HW-40 (F) were tested, with Fractogel yielding the highest activities.
With the methods described in this paper the activities of the following enzymes were determined: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.44), glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (EC 5.3.1.9), shikimate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.25), NAD⁺-malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37), glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.2), aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) and alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2). The activities estimated for NAD⁺-malate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase are in the range of those published for the needle enzymes of white spruce and Scots pine, respectively.     

Methanol oxidation in a spontaneous mutant of Thiosphaera pantotropha with a methanol-positive phenotype is catalysed by a dye-linked ethanol dehydrogenase

Abstract A spontaneous Thiosphaera pantotropha mutant (Tp9002) that is able to grow on methanol has been isolated. With hybridization experiments it has been demonstrated that mxaF , the gene encoding the large subunit of methanol dehydrogenase, is absent from T. pantotropha . In Tp9002, a dye-linked enzyme activity was found with a substrate specificity similar to that of the dye-linked ethanol dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The N-terminus of a 26-kDa cytochrome c , exclusively synthesized in Tp9002, is homologous to the N-terminus of the electron acceptor of ethanol dehydrogenase. These results suggest that in Tp9002 a dye-linked ethanol dehydrogenase is responsible for methanol oxidation, using a 26-kDa cytochrome c as electron acceptor.     

The presence of an NADP-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase activity in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus

Abstract A soluble NADP-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase activity (EC 1.1.1.2) was found in all five strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus tested. In A. calcoaceticus NCIB8250, this dehydrogenase was not induced by growth on ethanol, but was present at approximately the same specific activity when this strain was grown on a variety of carbon sources. The specific activity of the NADP-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase is about 10% of the activity of the NAD-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase found in bacteria grown on ethanol. The distinct biochemical properties of the NADP-dependent dehydrogenase showed that this activity was not due to lack of nucleotide specificity of the NAD-dependent dehydrogenase.     

Purification and characterization of the molybdoenzymes nicotinate dehydrogenase and 6-hydroxynicotinate dehydrogenase from Bacillus niacini

The enzymes nicotinate dehydrogenase and 6-hydroxynicotinate dehydrogenase from Bacillus niacini could be purified to homogeneity by means of anion exchange chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, gel filtration, and chromatography on hydroxylapatite. During enrichment procedures both enzymes showed a significant loss in specific activity. The molecular weight of nicotinate dehydrogenase and 6-hydroxynicotinate dehydrogenase was determined to be about 300,000 and 120,000, respectively. They were highly substrate specific and transferred electrons only to artificial acceptors of high redox potential. The K _m for their specific substrates was about 1.0 mM for both enzymes, and their pH optimum was determined to be 7.5. For nicotinate dehydrogenase a content of 8.3 mol iron, 1.5 mol acid-labile sulfur, 2.0 mol flavin, and 1.5 mol molybdenum per mol of enzyme was determined. Both enzymes contained FAD and Fe/S center. After inhibition by KCN, thiocyanate was detected, and subsequently the initial nicotinate dehydrogenase activity was restored by the addition of Na₂S indicating the presence of cyanolyzable sulfur. 6-Hydroxynicotinate dehydrogenase seemed to contain the same type of constituents as determined for nicotinate dehydrogenase. A partial immunological identity of the enzymes could be shown by antibodies raised against nicotinate dehydrogenase.Abbreviations DCPIP 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol - EEO electroendosmosis - FTTC fluorescein isothiocyanate - HAP hydroxylapatite - 6-HDH 6-hydroxynicotinate dehydrogenase - NBT nitroblue tetrazolium chloride - NDH nicotinate dehydrogenase - MTT thiazolyl blue - PES phenazine ethosulfate - PMSF phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride - TEMED N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-ethylenediamine     

Immunochemical studies on xanthine dehydrogenase of soybean root nodules

Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH, EC 1.2.1.37) was purified from root nodules of soybean (Glycine max) and used to prepare a polyclonal rabbit antiserum. Monospecificity of this antiserum was ascertained by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the immunoprecipate. During root nodule development of soybean, only one form of XDH was detected on an immunological basis. Titration of XDH by immunoelectrophoresis showed that a remarkable increase in the amount of XDH occurred between two and four weeks after inoculation, in parallel with the increase in enzyme activity. Localization of XDH by immunofluorescence indicated that the enzyme was present exclusively in uninfected cells where it appeared to be associated with discrete organellelsAbbreviations IgG immunoglobulin G - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate — polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - XDH xanthine dehydrogenase     

Fatty acid impurities in alginate influence the phenol tolerance of immobilized Escherichia coli

Summary A short time after the immobilization of Escherichia coli in calcium alginate substantial modifications of the fatty acid patterns of the cells were observed. This effect could be related to lipid impurities in the commercial alginate product used, which could be taken up, at least in part by the microorganisms. The impurities were mainly free fatty acids but sterols were also detected. Immobilization of the cells in alginate material extracted by chloroform or ethanol decreased the tolerance of the cells to phenol as compared with cells immobilized in raw alginate. This effect was diminished if the immobilized cells were exogenously supplied with palmitic acid, which is the main constituent of the fatty acids extracted from alginate. These results indicate that not only fatty acids but also other ingredients of commercial alginate have physiological effects on cells entrapped in this gel material. Offprint requests to: H.-J. Rehm     

Organ specific alcohol metabolism: placental chi-ADH

Human placenta contains a single detectable isozyme of alcohol dehydrogenase that has been isolated and characterized. It migrates toward the anode on starch gel electrophoresis and can be stained with pentanol but not ethanol as substrate. Its kinetic and molecular characteristics are identical with those of the recently discovered chi-ADH (Class III) isozyme from human liver. Placental ADH is present in the cytosol of this organ in small amounts, 6 mg/kg fresh tissue. It oxidizes ethanol very slowly--even at ethanol concentrations that would reflect intoxication when found in serum. Thus, placental alcohol dehydrogenase cannot play a significant role in the ethanol metabolism of pregnant women.