Quantitative characterization of homo- and heteroassociations of muscle phosphofructokinase with aldolase. (41/806)

Dissociation of purified phosphofructokinase accompanied with inactivation was analyzed in the absence and presence of aldolase and the data were compared with those obtained with muscle extract. The kinetics of the decrease in enzymatic activity was highly dependent on the dilution factor in both cases, but the inactivation appeared to be biphasic only with extract. The inactivation of the phosphofructokinase was impeded by addition of excess of aldolase. Time courses of kinase inactivation were fitted by alternative kinetic models to characterize the multiple equilibria of several homo- and hetero-oligomers of phosphofructokinase. The combination of modeling data obtained with purified and extract systems suggests that aldolase binds to an intermediate dimer of phosphofructokinase and within this heterocomplex the kinase is completely active. The intermediate dimer is stabilized by association with microtubules and the kinase activity decreased due to dilution can be recovered by addition of excess aldolase. In extract, the phosphofructokinase is of sigmoidal character (Hill coefficient of 2.3); the addition of excess exogenous aldolase to phosphofructokinase resulted in heterocomplex formation displaying Michaelian kinetics. The possible physiological relevance of heterocomplex formation of phosphofructokinase in muscle extract is discussed.  (+info)

Use of alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus to test for channelling of intermediates of glycolysis between glucokinase and aldolase in hepatocytes. (42/806)

We investigated whether hepatocytes permeabilized with alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus are a valid model for studying the channelling of intermediates of glycolysis between glucokinase and triosephosphate isomerase. These cells are permeable to 2-aminoisobutyrate, ATP, glucose 6-phosphate (Glc6P) and fructose 2, 6-bisphosphate [Fru(2,6)P(2)], but maintain cell integrity in the presence of ATP as judged by the retention of cytoplasmic enzymes. During incubation with 25 mM glucose, an ATP-generating system and saturating concentrations of Fru(2,6)P(2), rates of detritiation of [2-(3)H]glucose and [3-(3)H]glucose were similar. Exogenous Glc6P (1 mM) and to a lesser extent fructose 6-phosphate, but not Fru(1, 6)P(2), decreased the rate of detritiation of [3-(3)H]glucose. During incubation with 25 mM glucose and Glc6P (0.2-1 mM), with either [3-(3)H]glucose or [3-(3)H]Glc6P as labelled substrate, there was dilution of metabolism of [3-(3)H]glucose with increasing Glc6P but no overall increase in glycolytic flux from glucose and Glc6P, indicating that glycolysis is apparently saturated with Glc6P despite the permeability of the cells to this metabolite. These findings could be explained by partial channelling of Glc6P between glucokinase and glycolysis in the presence of saturating concentrations of Fru(2,6)P(2). They provide an alternative explanation for the concept that there is more than one Glc6P pool.  (+info)

Molecular clocks. (43/806)

A convenient and precise mass spectrometric method for measurement of the deamidation rates of glutaminyl and asparaginyl residues in peptides and proteins has been developed; the rates of deamidation of 306 asparaginyl sequences in model peptides at pH 7.4, 37.0 degrees C, 0.15 M Tris.HCl buffer have been determined; a library of 913 amide-containing peptides for use by other investigators in similar studies has been established; and, by means of simultaneous deamidation rate measurements of rabbit muscle aldolase and appropriate model peptides in the same solutions, the use of this method for quantitative measurement of the relative effects of primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary protein structure on deamidation rates has been demonstrated. The measured rates are discussed with respect to the hypothesis that glutaminyl and asparaginyl residues serve, through deamidation, as molecular timers of biological events.  (+info)

Structural and immunological similarities between high molecular weight zinc ion-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase from bovine liver. (44/806)

High molecular weight zinc ion-dependent acid p-nitrophenylphosphatase (HMW-ZnAPase) was purified from bovine liver to homogeneity as judged by native and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The partial sequence of the purified enzyme electroblotted on PVDF membrane reveals a 95% sequence homology with human and bovine liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase isozyme B (FALD B). FALD B was isolated from bovine liver using an affinity elution from phosphocellulose column. FALD B from bovine liver shows a native and subunit molecular weight that is indistinguishable from that of HMW-ZnAPase. In addition, an affinity purified antiserum raised in rabbits against purified HMW-ZnAPase cross-reacts with bovine liver FALD B and rabbit muscle isozymes. Despite these similarities, HMW-ZnAPase does not show FALD activity and bovine liver FALD does not display any zinc ion-p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity. These results suggested the existence of structural and immunological similarities between bovine liver HMW-ZnAPase and FALD B. Differences in some amino acid residues in enzyme activity indicate that they may be involved in different biochemical functions.  (+info)

Quantitative expression studies of aldolase A, B and C genes in developing embryos and adult tissues of Xenopus laevis. (45/806)

We previously cloned cDNAs for all the members (A, B and C) of Xenopus aldolase gene family, and using in vitro transcribed RNAs as references, performed quantitative studies of the expression of three aldolase mRNAs in embryos and adult tissues. A Xenopus egg contains ca. 60 pg aldolase A mRNA and ca. 45 pg aldolase C mRNA, but contains only ca. 1.5 pg aldolase B mRNA. The percent composition of three aldolase mRNAs (A:B:C) changes from 56:1.5:42.5 (fertilized egg) to 54:10:36 (gastrula), to 71:14.5:14.5 (neurula) and to 73:20:7 (tadpole) during development. These results are compatible with the previous results of zymogram analysis that aldolases A and C are the major aldolases in early embryos, whose development proceeds depending on yolk as the only energy source. Aldolase B mRNA is expressed only late in development in tissues such as pronephros, liver rudiment and proctodeum which are necessary for the future dietary fructose metabolism, and the expression pattern is consistent to that in adult tissues. We also show that three aldolase genes are localized on different chromosomes as single copy genes.  (+info)

Identification of catalytically important residues in the active site of Escherichia coli transaldolase. (46/806)

The roles of invariant residues at the active site of transaldolase B from Escherichia coli have been probed by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant enzymes D17A, N35A, E96A, T156A, and S176A were purified from a talB-deficient host and analyzed with respect to their 3D structure and kinetic behavior. X-ray analysis showed that side chain replacement did not induce unanticipated structural changes in the mutant enzymes. Three mutations, N35A, E96A, and T156A resulted mainly in an effect on apparent kcat, with little changes in apparent Km values for the substrates. Residues N35 and T156 are involved in the positioning of a catalytic water molecule at the active site and the side chain of E96 participates in concert with this water molecule in proton transfer during catalysis. Substitution of Ser176 by alanine resulted in a mutant enzyme with 2.5% residual activity. The apparent Km value for the donor substrate, fructose 6-phosphate, was increased nearly fivefold while the apparent Km value for the acceptor substrate, erythrose 4-phosphate remained unchanged, consistent with a function for S176 in the binding of the C1 hydroxyl group of the donor substrate. The mutant D17A showed a 300-fold decrease in kcat, and a fivefold increase in the apparent Km value for the acceptor substrate erythrose 4-phosphate, suggesting a role of this residue in carbon-carbon bond cleavage and stabilization of the carbanion/enamine intermediate.  (+info)

Regional variation in glycolytic enzyme adaptation to dietary sugars in rat small intestine. (47/806)

This investigation evaluated the adaptive response of the glycolytic enzymes, fructose-1-phosphate aldolase, fructose-1, 6-diphosphate aldolase, and pyruvate kinase, to dietary sugars throughout the small intestine. In addition, the effect of prior diet on this adaptive response and on the enzyme distribution pattern along the small intestine was studied. Rats were fed 40% glucose, 68% sucrose or carbohydrate-free diets for 6 days (baseline diet), followed by one of three isocaloric test diets (40% glucose, 68% sucrose or carbohydrate-free for 3 days. In other groups of tats isocaloric diets of 68% glucose, 68% fructose or 34% glucose + 34% fructose, fed for 4 days, were compared. Enzymes were assayed in the mucosa of the duodenum (D),and in 5 equal (by length) segments from the Ligament of Treitz to the ileocecal valve (J1, J2, J3, I1 and I2). Enzyme specific activities were significantly higher in the proximal (D-J1-J2) than distal segments (J3-I1-I2) on all diets (P smaller than 0.001). Enzyme activities after test diet periods were determined only by the test diet, and were independent of the baseline diet for all segments. The 68% carbohydrate diets increased enzyme activities significantly more (P smaller than 0.001) than the 40% glucose or carbohydrate free diets, in all segments. On the 40% glucose diet, activities were significantly higher (P smaller than 0.05) than on the carbohydrate free diet in D and J1, but not distally. The data suggest that there is an intrinsic gradient of enzyme activity from the proximal to the distal small intestine which persists despite dietary manipulation, and that all segments of the small bowel show adaptive increases to dietary sugars.  (+info)

Enzyme activities at the surface of intact Ehrlich tumor cells with albumin in the isotonic assay medium. (48/806)

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase and 3-phosphoglycerate kinase are, together with some other enzymes, present on the surface of intact Ehrlich tumor cells. Aldolase, on the contrary, represents cytoplasmic enzymes not present at all on the external surface, provided 2.5 percent of bovine albumin is included in the isotonic assay medium. A flux of aldolase from the cell interior to the cell exterior could be demonstrated in the absence of albumin. Therefore, any enzymatic activity monitored when keeping the Ehrlich tumor cells in the isotonic assay medium containing 2.5 percent albumin was considered to be primarily related to the outside of the plasma membrane. Of the total glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, 0.7 percent was located on the outer surface of the tumor cell, while the corresponding figure for 3-phospoglycerate kinase was 2.7 percent. Eighty percent of this surface-located 3-phosphoglycerate kinase was released into the assay medium during incubation, while the release of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, at the same time, was minimal. A plasma membrane preparation of Ehrlich cells, mainly consisting of vesicles, showed the presence of 3-phosphoglycerate kinase but the absence of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Because of the vesicular nature of the membrane preparation, it was assumed that only one side of the membrane was exposed during assay. The specific binding properties of the two enzymes to the plasma membrane, as well as possible differences in their intramembranous location, are discussed.  (+info)