Adenosine triphosphate-derived nucleotide formation in the presence of ethanol.

Formation of an unidentified nucleotide in rat liver particulate preparations incubated in the presence of ethanol or other alcohols was found. Although the nucleotide was eluted from cation exchange resin in phase with cyclic AMP and was not precipitated by nascent barium sulfate, it could be separated from known cyclic AMP by selective adsorption onto water-equilibrated alumina. The rate of nucleotide formation was dependent upon the concentration of both ATP and ethanol: however, graphical determination of bimolecular enzyme constants was not possible. Nucleotide synthesis in vitro was stimulated by ethanol, methanol and glycerol, but not by 1-propanol, 2-propanol, tert-butanol or acetaldehyde. It was hypothesized that the nucleotide was a condensation product of ATP and ethanol, and ethyl adenylate was proposed as the structure.