Toxicity |
Aconitase is the enzyme that reversibly interconverts
citric acid, cis-aconitic acid, and isocitric acid in the
tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) (formerly known as the citric
acid or Krebs cycle) by dehydration and hydration reactions.
Aconitase is the target for fluoroacetate, a potent rodenticide,
that condenses with oxaloacetate to yield an aconitase inhibitor
(fluorocitric acid), with resultant accumulation of citric acid
and thus blockage of the TCA cycle, leading to an inhibition
of aerobic energy production. |