Participation of L-ascorbate:ferricytochrome b5 oxidoreductase in ascorbate-dependent fatty acid desaturation of rat liver microsomes.

The microsomal enzyme ascorbate-cytochrome b5 reductase participates in the ascorbate-dependent fatty acid desaturation. Three pieces of evidence are given for this statement: 1) Comparison of the rate of ascorbate-dependent oleate formation with the rate of reduction of cytochrome b5 in microsomes and in the isolated detergent form shows that only the enzymatic reduction of cytochrome b5 is fast enough to support oleate formation; 2) added enriched ascorbate-cytochrome b5 reductase increases the rate of return of stearoyl-CoA oxidised cytochrome b5 back to the reduced state; 3) addition of enriched ascorbate-cytochrome b5 reductase increases the rate of ascorbate-dependent oleate formation in rat liver microsomes.     

Increased activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturation in liver from rat fed clofibric acid

Male rats were fed a diet containing 0.5% (w/w) p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (clofibric acid), a hypolipidemic drug. Activities of stearoyl-CoA desaturation in hepatic microsomes were increased approx. 4 times following the administration of clofibric acid for 7 days. An increase in the activity of desaturation of stearic acid was also observed in the liver of clofibric acid-fed rats in vivo. The increase in the activity of microsomal stearoyl-CoA desaturation by clofibric acid-feeding was due to the increase in the activity of terminal desaturase as measured by the rate constant for cytochrome b5 reoxidation, but not due to the changes in cytochrome b5 content and NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activity. Increases in the activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturation by clofibric acid-feeding were also observed in rats of hormonally altered state, such as diabetic rats, hyperthyroid rats and hypothyroid rats. Percentages of octadecenoic acid in total fatty acid of hepatic lipid were increased with the increase in the activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturation.     

Mutant and immunochemical studies on the involvement of cytochrome b5 in fatty acid desaturation by yeast microsomes.

The involvement of cytochrome b5 in palmitoyl-CoA desaturation by yeast microsomes was studied by using yeast mutants requiring unsaturated fatty acids and an antibody to yeast cytochrome b5. The mutants used were an unsaturated fatty acid auxotroph (strain E5) and a pleiotropic mutant (strain Ole 3) which requires either Tween 80 and ergosterol or delta-aminolevulinic acid for growth. Microsomes from the wild-type strain possessed both the desaturase activity and cytochrome b5, whereas those from mutant E5 contained the cytochrome but lacked the desaturase activity. Microsomes from mutant Ole 3 grown with Tween 80 plus ergosterol were devoid of both the desaturase activity and cytochrome b5, but those from delta-aminolevulinic acid-grown mutant Ole 3 contained cytochrome b5 and catalyzed the desaturation. The cytochrome b5 content in microsomes from mutant Ole 3 could be varied by changing the delta-aminolevulinic acid concentration in the growth medium, and the desaturase activity of the microsomes increased as their cytochrome b5 content was increased. The antibody to yeast cytochrome b5, but not the control gamma-globulin fraction, inhibited the NADH-cytochrome c reductase and NADH-dependent desaturase activities of the wild-type microsomes. It is concluded that cytochrome b5 is actually involved in the desaturase system of yeast microsomes. The lack of desaturase activity in mutant Ole 3 grown with Tween 80 plus ergosterol seems to be due to the absence of cytochrome b5 in microsomes, whereas the genetic lesion in mutant E5 appears to be located at ther terminal desaturase.     

Site of participation of cytochrome b5 in hepatic microsomal fatty acid chain elongation. Electron input in the first reduction step

The present study provides strong evidence for the involvement of rat liver microsomal cytochrome b5 in the first reduction step of fatty acid chain elongation. The rate of reoxidation of NADH-reduced microsomal cytochrome b5 was markedly stimulated (up to 3-fold) by the addition of increasing concentrations of beta-ketohexadecanoyl-CoA (1-8 microM). A quantitative analysis of product formation, the effect of cyanide, and anaerobiosis completely exclude the possibility that desaturase activity accounted for the beta-ketohexadecanoyl-CoA-induced stimulation of the cytochrome b5 reoxidation rate. Using liver microsomes from untreated rats, the beta-keto substrate was found to stimulate the rate of reoxidation of cytochrome b5 by 30%. However, when liver microsomes from fat-free diet rats were employed the stimulation was more than 3-fold, suggesting that the beta-ketoacyl-CoA reductase is inducible by a high carbohydrate, fat-free diet. This study also provides evidence for the noninvolvement of cytochrome b5 in the terminal reaction step (second reduction step of chain elongation), which is catalyzed by the trans-2-enoyl-CoA reductase. Although trans-2-hexadecenoyl-CoA significantly stimulated the NADH-reduced cytochrome b5 reoxidation rate under aerobic conditions, it did not have any stimulatory effect under anaerobic conditions. One interpretation of these results is that the trans-2-hexadecenoyl-CoA is substrate for the microsomal delta 9 desaturase system. Consistent with this conclusion was the fact that the trans-2-hexadecenoyl-CoA inhibited the liver microsomal delta 9 desaturation of stearoyl-CoA to oleoyl-CoA.     

Palmitoyl-CoA Elongation in Brain Microsomes: Dependence on Cytochrome b5 and NADH-Cytochrome b5 Reductase

Experiments were performed to demonstrate the involvement of electron transport system in fatty acid elongation in rat brain microsomes. Mercuric chloride and p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate, inhibitors on NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, at 32 microM inhibited NADH-supported palmitoyl-CoA elongation to 30 and 60% of control activity, respectively, whereas NADPH-supported palmitoyl-CoA elongation was unaffected by these mercurials. An antibody to rat liver NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase inhibited brain microsomal NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activity and NADH-dependent palmitoyl-CoA elongation. Treatment of brain microsomes with trypsin diminished the cytochrome b5 content; NADH- and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activities were significantly decreased, but the decrease in NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activity was relatively small. Whereas essentially no incorporation of malonyl-CoA into palmitoyl-CoA was observed with trypsin-treated microsomes, addition of detergent-solubilized cytochrome b5 resulted in a recovery of fatty acid elongation. These results indicate the presence of an electron transport system, NADH-NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase-cytochrome b5-fatty acid elongation, in brain microsomes.     

Mechanism of C-5 double bond introduction in the biosynthesis of cholesterol by rat liver microsomes.

The dehydrogenation reaction of cholest-7-en-3beta-ol (I) to cholesta-5,7-dien-3beta-ol (II) in the presence of NADH was studied in rat liver microsomes and in microsomal acetone powder preparations, using [3alpha-3H]cholest-7-en-3beta-ol. It was found that the reaction was inhibited by menadione, adenosine diphosphate, potassium ferricyanide, and cytochrome c while p-cresol had no effect. These results indicated the participation of a microsomal electron transport system in the dehydrogenation of cholest-7-en-3beta-ol. The conversion of cholest-7-en-3beta-ol to cholesta-5,7-dien-3beta-ol was also observed in the absence of NADH when ascorbic acid was included in the incubation mixture. However, the ascorbic acid-catalyzed dehydrogenation was not inhibited by potassium ferricyanide. Immunological evidence that microsomal cytochrome b5 is involved in the dehydrogenation of (I) to (II) was obtained. Antibodies specific for rat liver microsomal cytochrome b5 were elicited in rabbits. The anticytochrome b5 immunoglobulin fraction inhibited rat liver microsomal NADH-cytochrome c reductase but not NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. Also, the extent of reduction of cytochrome b5 was not affected by the antibodies. The conversion of (I) to (II) by rat liver microsomes was inhibited (73%) by anticytochrome b5 immunoglobulin at a ratio of microsomal protein:immunoglobulin of 1:5.6. These results are consistent with the participation of microsomal cytochrome b5 in the introduction of the C-5 double bond in cholesterol biosynthesis. A close analogy of the microsomal dehydrogenation of fatty acids and of cholest-7-en-3beta-ol is apparent and this suggests a possible similarity in the mechanisms of the two reactions.     

Evidence for participation of cytochrome b5 in microsomal delta-6 desaturation of fatty acids.

The delta-6 desaturation of linoleic acid to gamma-linolenic acid and oleic acid to 6,9-octadecadienoic acid by rat liver microsomes was investigated. Using a specific antibody prepared against purified rat liver cytochrome b5, we demonstrated that cytochrome b5 participated in delta-6 desaturation of both fatty acids. The reaction products were identified as their methyl ester derivatives by argentation thin-layer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, and reductive ozonolysis followed by gas-liquid chromatography.     

Microsomal electron-transport reductase activities and fatty acid elongation in rat brain. Developmental changes, regional distribution and comparison with liver activity.

Gestational and postnatal changes of microsomal NADH:cytochrome b5 reductase and NADPH:cytochrome c reductase activities were examined in rat brain. The specific activity of NADH:cytochrome b5 reductase was high at 18-19 days of gestational age, decreased to a minimum at 4 to 6 days after birth and increased thereafter. An essentially similar developmental pattern was observed for the specific activity of NADPH:cytochrome c reductase. In contrast, the specific activities of these reductases in liver microsomes were low, did not display a peak during gestation and increased steadily to a maximum at 40-50 days after birth. The rate of incorporation of [2-14C]malonyl-CoA into palmitoyl-CoA in brain microsomes was found to be high in the foetus, sharply decreased to a minimum at the time of birth and increased thereafter. The activity of fatty acid elongation in liver microsomes was much less than that in brain during gestation and increased rapidly after birth to values at 50-60 days 20-fold greater than the foetal activity. NADH and NADPH were equally effective for brain microsomal fatty acid elongation. Regional distribution of cytochrome reductase activities and the activity of fatty acid elongation showed the lowest specific activity in cerebellum. These results suggest that brain microsomal electron transport may be correlated with the developmental alteration in fatty acid elongation.     

Immunochemical evidence for the participation of cytochrome b5 in microsomal stearyl-CoA desaturation reaction

A rabbit antiserum was prepared against rat liver microsomal cytochrome b₅, and utilized in demonstrating the participation of this cytochrome in the microsomal stearyl-CoA desaturation reaction. The antiserum inhibited the NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity of rat liver microsorncs, but it did not inhibit either NADH-ferricyanide or NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity of the microsomes. Thus, the inhibitory effect of the antiserum on the microsomal electron-transferring reactions seemed to be specific to those which require the participation of cytochrome b₅.The NADH-dependent and NADPH-dependent desaturations of stearyl CoA by rat liver microsomes were strongly inhibited by the antiserum. The reduction of cytochrome b₅ by NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase as well as the reoxidation of the reduced cytochrome b₃ by the desaturase, the terminal cyanide-sensitive factor of the desaturation system, was also strongly inhibited by the antiserum. When about 90%, of cytochrome b₅ was removed from rat liver microsomes by protease treatment, the desaturation activity of the microsomes became much more sensitive to inhibition by the antiserum. These results confirmed our previous conclusion that the reducing equivalent for the desaturation reaction is transferred from NAD(P)H to the cyanidesensitive factor mainly via cytochrome b₅ in the microsomal membranes.     

Electron-transport components of the 1-acyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine delta 12-desaturase (delta 12-desaturase) in microsomal preparations from developing safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cotyledons.

The major cytochrome in microsomal membrane preparations from developing seeds of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius, var High Linoleate), has a reduced-minus-oxidized difference spectrum characteristic of a b-type cytochrome, and was identified from its midpoint-potential (E'7.2) value as cytochrome b5. Cytochromes P-450 and P-420 were also present. The cytochrome b5 content of microsomal preparations from a number of oilseed species was found to be in the order of 200-300 pmol/mg of protein. The cytochrome b5 was reduced in the membrane preparations by NADH, demonstrating the presence of an NADH: cytochrome b5 reductase; NADPH was a less effective donor. Microsomal membranes catalysed the NAD(P)H-dependent conversion of radioactive oleate into linoleate, indicating acyl-CoA: lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase and 1-acyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine delta 12-desaturase (delta 12-desaturase) activity. Desaturation of oleate to linoleate was unaffected by CO, but inhibited by CN-. The addition of oleoyl-CoA to the NADH-reduced membranes resulted in the CN(-)-sensitive partial re-oxidation of cytochrome b5, indicating that electrons from NADH were transferred to the site of desaturation via this cytochrome. The delta 12-desaturase in safflower, therefore, is CN(-)-sensitive and appears to require cytochrome b5 and NADH: cytochrome b5 reductase for activity.     

Intermembrane electron transport in the absence of added water-soluble carriers.

Electron transport from untreated to mersalyzed microsomal vesicles at the level of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase or cytochrome b5 has been demonstrated in the absence of added water-soluble electron carriers. A similar effect was shown in the systems "intact mitochondria - mersalyzed microsomes" and "mersalyzed mtiochondria - untreated microsomes". No measurable electron transport between intact and mersalyzed particles of inner mitochondrial membrane was found. The obtained data suggest that the capability to carry out intermembrane electron transfer is specific for NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase and/or cytochrome b5, localized in microsomal and outer mitochondrial membranes.     

Characterization of fatty acid desaturase activity in rat lung microsomes.

Preparations of rat lung microsomes containing 0.030-0.050 nmole of cytochromes P-450 and b5 per mg microsomal protein have been observed to contain significant levels of fatty acid desaturase activity. Both stearoyl CoA and palmitoyl CoA are desaturated to their monounsaturated analogues, oleic acid and palmitoleic acid, respectively. Activity (per mg microsomal protein) of the lung preparations varied according to the diet of the animals prior to killing in the order: fat free diet greater than normal rat chow greater than starvation. All preparations exhibited approximately 50% inhibition when incubated in the presence of 0.10 mM CN-. Maximal activity was obtained with the 0.50 mM NADH less activity with equal amounts of NADPH, and there was no synergistic interaction of NADH and NADPH together. The rate of desaturation was linear with protein concentrations between 0.15-1.5 mg microsomal protein/incubation at incubation times up to 8 min. A pH optimum range of 7.0-7.4 was observed. For all variables of fatty acid desaturase activity which were examined, the rate of desaturation of stearoyl CoA was approximately twice that for palmitoyl CoA. These results indicate that the same fatty acid desaturation system which is functional in the liver is also present in significant amounts in mammalian lungs.     

Fatty acid desaturase system of yeast microsomes. Involvement of cytochrome b5-containing electron-transport chain.

The oxidative desaturation of palmitoyl CoA by microsomes from anaerobically grown Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been studied by using NADH as electron donor. The desaturation product was identified as palmitoleic acid by periodate oxidation. The desaturase activity was sensitive to relatively high concentrations of cyanide; the concentration of cyanide causing half-maximal inhibition was determined to be 7.1 mm. The rate of reoxidation of cytochrome b₅ in NADH-reduced microsomes was stimulated by the addition of palmitoyl CoA, and the amount of cytochrome b₅ reoxidized by the palmitoyl CoA added could be closely correlated to the amount of palmitoleate formed. No stimulation of the reoxidation of cytochrome b₅ was induced by palmitoyl CoA in microsomes prepared from the desaturase-repressed cells and from a desaturase-deficient mutant, strain KD-20. It is concluded that the fatty acyl CoA desaturase system of yeast microsomes involves cytochrome b₅ as an electron carrier and that the terminal desaturase is sensitive to relatively high concentrations of cyanide.     

Regulation of rat hepatic stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase. The roles of insulin and carbohydrate.

The rat hepatic stearoyl-CoA desaturation decreased by 3.7-fold in streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Insulin treatment of diabetic rats increased the enzyme activity by 7-fold. In marked contrast to glucose administration, fructose feeding in diabetic rats resulted in 20-fold stimulation of stearoyl-CoA desaturation, although both carbohydrates stimulated stearoyl-CoA desaturation in normal rats. Measurement of the microsomal electron transfer components showed no significant changes in the NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activity or in the concentration of cytochrome b5. However, the activity of the terminal desaturase changed in a parallel fashion as the amount of terminal desaturase reflect changes in the overall desaturation. Supplementation of various microsomes with the saturating amount of purified terminal desaturase resulted in the formation of similar amounts of catalytically active complex and increased the stearoyl-CoA desaturation to the same level suggesting that the changes in the amount of terminal desaturase reflect changes in the overall desaturation. The results support the suggestion that both insulin and the intermediates of carbohydrate metabolism are involved in the regulation of terminal desaturase.     

Separation of a protein factor necessary for the oxidative desaturation of fatty acids in the rat.

Microsomes from rat liver were extracted by low ionic strength solutions. Extracted microsomes lost most of the linoleic acid desaturation activity. The addition of the extract back into the extracted microsomes was necessary to restore full desaturation activity. The soluble fraction had no desaturation activity. The existence of a soluble factor loosely bound to the microsomes, stable to sonication, and unstable to heat and trypsin digestion was recognized. This protein could not be replaced by albumin. The factor was also essential for the oxidative desaturation of palmitic, stearic, linoleic, and gamma-linolenic acid. The present experiment suggests that the protein factor is not NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, cytochrome b5, or the cyanide-sensitive factor.     

Cytochrome P450 IIIA1 (P450p) requires cytochrome b5 and phospholipid with unsaturated fatty acids.

In contrast to other P450 enzymes purified from rat liver microsomes, purified P450 IIIA1 (P450p) is catalytically inactive when reconstituted with NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and the synthetic lipid, dilauroylphosphatidylcholine. However, purified P450 IIIA1 catalyzes the oxidation of testosterone when reconstituted with NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, cytochrome b5, an extract of microsomal lipid, and detergent (Emulgen 911). The present study demonstrates that the microsomal lipid extract can be replaced with one of several naturally occurring phospholipids, but not with cholesterol, sphingosine, sphingomyelin, ceramide, cerebroside, or cardiolipin. The ratio of the testosterone metabolites formed by purified P450 IIIA1 (i.e., 2 beta-, 6 beta-, and 15 beta-hydroxytestosterone) was influenced by the type of phospholipid added to the reconstitution system. The ability to replace microsomal lipid extract with several different phospholipids suggests that the nature of the polar group (i.e., choline, serine, ethanolamine, or inositol) is not critical for P450 IIIA1 activity, which implies that P450 IIIA1 activity is highly dependent on the fatty acid component of these lipids. To test this possibility, P450 IIIA1 was reconstituted with a series of synthetic phosphatidylcholines. Those phosphatidylcholines containing saturated fatty acids were unable to support testosterone oxidation by purified P450 IIIA1, regardless of the acyl chain length (C6 to C18). In contrast, several unsaturated phosphatidylcholines supported testosterone oxidation by purified P450 IIIA1, and in this regard dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (PC(18:1)2) was as effective as microsomal lipid extract and naturally occurring phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylserine. These results confirmed that P450 IIIA1 activity is highly dependent on the fatty acid component of phospholipids. A second series of experiments was undertaken to determine whether microsomal P450 IIIA1, like the purified enzyme, is dependent on cytochrome b5. A polyclonal antibody against purified cytochrome b5 was raised in rabbits and was purified by affinity chromatography. Anti-cytochrome b5 caused a approximately 60% inhibition of testosterone 2 beta-, 6 beta-, and 15 beta-hydroxylation by purified P450 IIIA1 and inhibited these same reactions by approximately 70% when added to liver microsomes from dexamethasone-induced female rats. Overall, these results suggest that testosterone oxidation by microsomal cytochrome P450 IIIA1 requires cytochrome b5 and phospholipid containing unsaturated fatty acids.     

In vitro modification of cholesterol content of rat liver microsomes. Effects upon membrane 'fluidity' and activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and fatty acid desaturation systems

The cholesterol content of rat liver microsomal membranes was modified in vitro by incubating microsomes and cytosol with liposomes prepared by sonication of microsomal lipids and cholesterol. In this way, the cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio was increased from 0.11-0.13 in untreated microsomes to a maximal of 0.8 in treated ones. Cholesterol incorporation in microsomes produced an increase in the diphenyl-hexatriene steady-state fluorescence anisotropy and a decrease in the efficiency of pyrene-excimer formation which indicated a decrease in the rotational and translational mobility, respectively, of these probes in the membranes lipid phase. Cholesterol incorporation in microsomes did not affect significantly the glucose-6-phosphatase activity in 0.1% Triton X-100 totally disrupted microsomes, but diminished the glucose-6-phosphatase activity of 'intact' microsomes. This indicates that possibly the glucose 6-phosphate translocation across the microsomal membrane is impeded by an increase in the membrane apparent 'microviscosity'. Cholesterol incorporation in microsomes decreased NADH-cytochrome c reductase without affecting NADH-ferricyanide reductase activity. The delta 9 desaturation reaction rate was enhanced by cholesterol incorporation at low but not at high palmitic acid substrate concentration. delta 5 and delta 6 desaturase reaction-rates were increased both at low and high fatty acid substrate concentrations. These results suggest that a mechanism involving fatty acid desaturase enzymes, might exist to self-regulate the microsomal membrane lipid phase 'fluidity' in the rat liver.     

Structure of cytochrome b5 and its topology in the microsomal membrane

The complete amino acid sequence of human and chicken liver microsomal cytochrome b5 was determined. The amino termini of cytochrome b5 from four other mammalian species were examined in order to determine their complete covalent structure. As in the rat species, cytochrome b5 preparations from man, rabbit, calf and horse had an acetylated alanine as the first residue. In contrast, the pig cytochrome had alanine at the amino terminus. The amino terminus of the chicken cytochrome b5 was also unmodified, and extended three residues absent in the mammalian species. In order to investigate whether the carboxy-terminal segment of cytochrome b5 is located on the cytosolic or the luminal side of the microsomal membrane, rabbit liver microsomes were treated with trypsin and subjected to gel filtration and high-pressure liquid chromatography. The nonpolar peptide isolated from these microsomes lacked the terminal hexapeptide, indicating that when cytochrome b5 is bound to intact microsomes, the carboxy terminus is located on the cytosolic side of the membrane and does not extend in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum.     

Involvement of cytochrome b5 and a cyanide-sensitive monooxygenase in the 4-demethylation of 4,4-dimethylzymosterol by yeast microsomes

According to Ohba et al. (Ohba, M., Sato, R., Yoshida, Y., Nishino, T. and Katsuki, H. (1978) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 85, 21-27), yeast microsomes catalyze the removal of three methyl groups attached to the C-4 and C-14 positions of [1,7,15,22,26,30-14C]lanosterol (4,4,14 alpha-trimethyl-5 alpha-cholesta-8,24-dien-3 beta-ol) in the presence of NADPH, NAD+ and molecular oxygen, concomitant with the liberation of 14CO2 derived from C-30 (one of the two methyl groups at the C-4 position). In this process the methyl group at the C-14 position is first removed in a cyanide-insensitive reaction and then the two methyl groups at the C-4 position are removed by a cyanide-sensitive enzyme system. In this study it was found that the 14CO2 formation from the 14C-labeled lanosterol was inhibited by antibodies to yeast cytochrome b5 and by palmitoyl-CoA, a substrate of the cytochrome b5-containing fatty acyl-CoA desaturase system of yeast microsomes. However, neither the antibodies nor palmitoyl-CoA inhibited the conversion of lanosterol to 4,4-dimethyl zymosterol (4,4-dimethyl-5 alpha-cholesta-8,24-dien-3 beta-ol). It is concluded that cytochrome b5 and a cyanide-sensitive enzyme are involved in the 4-demethylation of 4,4-dimethylzymosterol, but not the 14 alpha-demethylation of lanosterol, by yeast microsomes. It is suggested that a cyanide-sensitive enzyme acts as the terminal 4-demethylase and cytochrome b5 transfers reducing equivalents from NADPH to the terminal enzyme, as in the case of fatty acyl-CoA desaturation. The cyanide sensitivity of the 4-demethylation was, however, much greater than that of the desaturation.     

Desaturation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in Mucor circinelloides and the involvement of a novel membrane-bound malic enzyme.

1. The component fatty acids of the endogenous phospholipids of microsomal preparations of Mucor, when shaken at 30 degrees C, increased in both chain length and in degree of unsaturation. The net effect was the production of gamma-linolenic acid which, over 2 h, increased from 17% to 32% of total fatty acids present. No further significant changes occurred after this time. 2. The major site for desaturation/elongation reactions was at the sn-2 position of PtdIns. PtdCho and PtdEtn were not implicated. 3. Of numerous metabolites and cofactors added to the microsomes, only malate could prolong the elongation/desaturation reactions for up to 6 h. This effect was shown to be due to a membrane-associated malic enzyme [malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) NADP+] with the NADPH produced being used in fatty-acid desaturation. 4. Kinetic analysis of cytosolic and microsomal enzymes [both in 0.1% (mass/vol.) Chaps] could not distinguish between them. However, when the microsomal malic enzyme was dialysed to remove Chaps, it lost 90% of activity, although the cytosolic malic enzyme lost only 20% activity. 5. The structural analogue of malate, tartronic acid, which is an inhibitor of malic enzyme, also inhibited the malate-induced stimulation of fatty-acyl group desaturation and elongation in the microsomal membranes. 6. It is concluded that two distinct malic enzymes exist, one soluble and one membrane bound, with similar active sites. Both have different roles in the production of NADPH, for lipid metabolism. The former will produce NADPH for fatty-acid biosynthesis whilst the latter produces NADPH for fatty-acid desaturation.