Citrate cleavage enzyme shows atypical kinetics at low chloride concentrations, but normal kinetics at high chloride concentrations. Tricarballylate is a substrate for citrate cleavage enzyme. The reaction with tricarballylate can be demonstrated both by the disappearance of CoA and, in the presence of hydroxylamine, by the appearance of a hydroxamate. This indicates that tricarballylyl-CoA is formed in the reaction. When hydroxamate formation is used to assay activity, the apparent Km for tricarballylate is about three times greater than that for citrate, while the maximum reaction velocity with tricarballylate is about 90% of that observed with citrate. One of the stereoisomers of hydroxycitrate is a powerful inhibitor of citrate cleavage enzyme. © 1969.