This article is available online at http://www.jlr.org deacetylases (HDACs) and histone acetyltransferases are enzymes that catalyze deacetylation and acetylation of the -amino groups of lysine residues of proteins. Lysine acetylation was fi rst discovered to occur in histones, and histone acetylation is important in controlling the structure and function of chromatin ( 1 ). A large number of studies have further shown the existence of acetylated nonhistone proteins, including transcription factors, hormone receptors, signal transducers, and chaperones. The reversible acetylation of nonhistone proteins modulates a wide variety of key cellular processes, such as apoptosis, survival, and proliferation. Recently, several groups have reported that many metabolic enzymes are highly acetylated ( 2-5 ). Such enzymes are involved in glycolysis, fatty acid metabolism, gluconeogenesis, the TCA cycle, and the urea cycle, and the acetylation of these proteins regulates their activity so that they can respond to the metabolic demands of cells.Adipose tissue, which consists of loose connective tissue composed of adipocytes, is an important metabolic organ that functions in energy homeostasis ( 6 ). Adipocytes regulate physiologic processes, including glucose metabolism, angiogenesis, the infl ammatory response, and reproductive functions through secreted adipokines. Adipocyte differentiation can contribute to the development of obesity via a positive energy balance (energy intake > energy expenditure) ( 7 ). Obesity leads to serious health problems all over the world. The coexistence of obesity, type II diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, known as metabolic syndrome, constitutes an increased risk for the development of cardiovascular diseases ( 8 ). In adipocytes, fatty acids are stored as triglycerides, which serve as the fuel for maintaining energy balance. Acetyl-CoA is the direct precursor in the synthesis of fatty acids, and all fatty acid carbons come from the acetyl group of acetyl-CoA. In addition, it has Abstract Acetylation is one of the most crucial posttranslational modifi cations that affect protein function. Protein lysine acetylation is catalyzed by acetyltransferases, and acetyl-CoA functions as the source of the acetyl group. Additionally, acetyl-CoA plays critical roles in maintaining the balance between carbohydrate metabolism and fatty acid synthesis. Here, we sought to determine whether lysine acetylation is an important process for adipocyte differentiation. Based on an analysis of the acetylome during adipogenesis, various proteins displaying signifi cant quantitative changes were identifi ed by LC-MS/MS. Of these identifi ed proteins, we focused on malate dehydrogenase 1 (MDH1). The acetylation level of MDH1 was increased up to 6-fold at the late stage of adipogenesis. Moreover, overexpression of MDH1 in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes induced a signifi cant increase in the number of cells undergoing adipogenesis. The introduction of mutations to putative lysine acetylation sites showed a signifi cant loss ...