Scientific Background to Malate Dehydrogenases

Malate Dehydrogenase (MDH) catalyzes a simple redox reaction recognizable to students from the tricarboxylic acid cycle. However, MDH plays a much more complicated role in a range of metabolic pathways supporting cellular function in a variety of states and organisms. This diversity of metabolic roles and the regulation of its function make MDH a nearly endless source of interesting untapped research projects. These pages contains the basics of MDH structure function and published works

General Links/Resources

-          Science Direct MDH Overview

-          Protopedia MDH Entry

-          BRENDA MDH Entry

Helpful Publications

Background

-          Malate dehydrogenase: a model for structure, evolution and catalysis

-          Malate dehydrogenase isoenzymes: cellular locations and role in the flow of metabolites between the cytoplasm and cell organelles

-          Malate dehydrogenases – structure and function  

Kinetics and Mechanism

-          Determination of the catalytic mechanism for mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase

-          Regulation of malate dehydrogenase activity by glutamate, citrate, alpha-ketoglutarate, and multienzyme interaction.

-          Structural analysis of a malate dehydrogenase with a variable active site

-          Distinct sequence and structural feature of trypanasoma malate dehydrogenase

-          Organelle and translocatable forms of glycocysomal malate dehydrogenase.  The effect of the N-terminal presequence.

Select Publications of Interest

-          Oligomeric interfaces as a tool in drug discovery: Specific interference with activity of malate dehydrogenase of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro.

-          Structure and activity of malate dehydrogenase from the extreme halophilic bacteria of the Dead Sea. Conformation and interaction with water and salt between 5 M and 1 M NaCl concentration

-          Functional and structural resilience of the active site loop in the evolution of plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase

-          Association of the malate dehydrogenase-citrate synthase metabolon is modulated by intermediates of the Krebs tricarboxylic acid cycle.

-          Direct evidence for metabolic formation and substrate channeling in recombinant TCA cycle enzymes

-          Function, kinetic properties, crystallization, and regulation of microbial malate dehydrogenase