N‐Acetylation of L‐Aspartate in the Nervous System: Differential Distribution of a Specific Enzyme

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Abstract
L-Aspartate N-acetyltransferase, a nervous system enzyme that mediates the synthesis of N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid, has been characterized. In the presence of acetyl-CoA, L-aspartate was acetylated 10-fold more efficiently than L-glutamate, and the acetylation of aspartylglutamate was not detectable. Within the nervous system, a 10-fold variation in the enzyme activity was observed, with the brainstem and spinal cord exhibiting the highest activity (10-15 pmol/min per mg tissue) and retina the lowest detectable activity (1-1.5 pmol/min per mg). No enzyme activity was detected in pituitary, heart, liver, or kidney. The enzyme activity was found to be membrane-associated and was solubilized by treatment with Triton X-100.

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