Phosphoglycerate mutase from wheat germ: studies with 18O-labeled substrate, investigations of the phosphatase and phosphoryl transfer activities, and evidence for a phosphoryl-enzyme intermediate.

From studies using unlabeled phospho-D-glycerate in solutions enriched in H2(18)O, and from experiments involving [18O]phospho-D-glycerate, it is shown that the intramolecular isomerization of 2- and 3-phospho-D-glycerate that is catalyzed by the phosphoglycerate mutase from wheat germ does not involve an intermediate 2,3-cyclic phosphate. It is also shown that phosphoglycerate mutase catalyzes the hydrolysis of the substrate analogues 2-phosphoglycolate, 2-phospho-D-lactate, 3-phosphohydroxypropionate, phosphoenolpyruvate, and phosphohydroxypyruvate. The substrates 3- and 2-phospho-D-glycerate are not hydrolyzed, nor are 2,3-bisphospho-D-glycerate, 2-phospho-L-lactate, 3-phospho-L-glycerate, or sn-glycerol 3-phosphate. Although no exchange of D-[14C]glycerate into phospho-D-glycerate can be detected, the enzyme catalyzes the transfer of the phosphoryl group from "unnatural" donors such as 2-phosphoglycolate, to the "natural" acceptor, D-glycerate. It is concluded that the intramolecular phosphoryl transfer catalyzed by the wheat germ phosphoglycerate mutase follows a pathway involving a phosphoryl-enzyme intermediate.     

Functional homology of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase, phosphoglycerate mutase, and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase

The bisphosphatase domain of the rat liver 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase has been shown to exhibit a structural similarity to yeast phosphoglycerate mutase and human red blood cell 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase including very similar active site sequences with a histidyl residue being involved in phospho group transfer. The liver bifunctional enzyme was found to catalyze the hydrolysis of glycerate 1,3-bisphosphate to glycerate 3-phosphate and inorganic phosphate. The Km for glycerate 1,3-bisphosphate was 320 microM and the Vmax was 11.5 milliunits/mg. Incubation of the rat liver enzyme with [1-32P]glycerate 1,3-bisphosphate resulted in the formation of a phosphoenzyme intermediate, and the labeled amino acid was identified as 3-phosphohistidine. Tryptic and endoproteinase Lys-C peptide maps of the 32P-phosphoenzyme labeled either with [2-32P]fructose 2,6-bisphosphate or [1-32P]glycerate 1,3-bisphosphate revealed that 32P-radioactivity was found in the same peptide, proving that the same histidyl group accepts phosphate from both substrates. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate inhibited competitively the formation of phosphoenzyme from [1-32P]glycerate 1,3-bisphosphate. Effectors of fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase also inhibited phosphoenzyme formation. Substrates and products of phosphoglycerate mutase and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase also modulated the activities of the bifunctional enzyme. These results demonstrate that, in addition to a structural homology, the bisphosphatase domain of the bifunctional enzyme has a functional similarity to phosphoglycerate mutase and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase and support the concept of an evolutionary relationship between the three enzyme activities.     

Wheat germ phosphoglycerate mutase: evidence for a metalloenzyme

Wheat germ phosphoglycerate mutase, exposed to 3.4 M guanidinium chloride at 22 degrees C and pH 7.8, slowly undergoes time-dependent inactivation which can be fully reversed by adding excess Co2+ or Mn2+ to a 50-fold dilution of the denaturing medium. Titration of the denatured enzyme with either Co2+ or Mn2+ shows that wheat germ mutase preferentially binds Co2+. Assuming 1:1 complexation between metal atom and protein, the apparent dissociation constants (Kd) for E Co2+ and E Mn2+ at 22 degrees C and pH 8.7 are approximately 1.06 and 1.84, respectively. Other metal atoms (e.g., Cr2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Mg2+, and Ni2+) have no effect in restoring the apoenzyme's catalytic activity. At low concentrations (0.11-0.23 mM) Zn2+ partially restores activity, but promotes protein precipitation at elevated concentrations. Evidence suggests that all bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutases require either an intra- or an extramolecular metal atom in order to function. Attempts to characterize wheat germ mutase as a glycoprotein have yielded negative results.     

Determination of picomole amounts of glycerate 3-phosphate, glycerate 2-phosphate, and phosphoenol pyruvate by an enzymatic assay coupled to firefly luciferase/luciferin luminescence

A procedure for the determination of picomole amounts of glycerate 3-phosphate, glycerate 2-phosphate, and phosphoenol pyruvate is described. These metabolites were utilized by the glycolytic enzymes phosphoglycerate mutase, enolase, and pyruvate kinase to generate ATP which was determined by firefly luciferase/luciferin luminescence. The phosphoglycerate mutase used was of the glycerate 2,3-bisphosphate-independent type and was prepared from wheat germ. Stoichiometric conversion of glycerate 3-P, ranging in amount from 9 to 275 pmol, occurred after 25 min preincubation and required a narrow range of added mutase. The application of the procedure for determining these metabolites in suspensions of plant protoplasts is described.     

Wheat germ phosphoglycerate mutase: purification, polymorphism, and inhibition

An improved method for purifying the bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase from wheat germ has been devised. The method yields enzyme with a specific activity of 2,300 units/mg in 0.1 M Tris-C1 at pH 8.7 and 30 degrees C. Electrophoresis on electrofocusing and analytical polyacrylamide gels reveals only one protein band (pI = 7.3); however, under denaturing conditions (sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), two prominent enzyme forms, with molecular masses of 63 and 74 kDa, manifest themselves along with several minor, high molecular mass components (126-141 kDa). Non-denaturing exclusion chromatography shows that both major species are catalytically active, and suggests that each species is capable of participating in reversible monomer/dimer association. Wheat germ mutase is inhibited by time-dependent reactions involving either polydentate chelators or sulfhydryl reagents.     

Active site phosphohistidine peptides from red cell bisphosphoglycerate synthase and yeast phosphoglycerate mutase.

Bisphosphoglycerate synthase (glycerate-1,3-P2 yields glycerate-2,3-P2) and phosphoglycerate mutase (glycerate-3-P formed from glycerate-2-P) are both phosphorylated by substrates at a histidine residue forming covalent intermediates which have been shown to function in the phosphoryl transfer reactions catalyzed by these enzymes (Rose, Z. B., and Dube, S. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 4817--4822). We have phosphorylated bisphosphoglycerate synthase from horse red blood cells with [U-32P]glycerate-2,3-P2, digested with trypsin, and purified the phosphopeptide. The amino acid sequence of the phosphohistidine peptide has been determined to be: His-Gly-Gln-Gly-Ala-Trp-Asn-Lys. In like manner, a phosphohistidyl peptide has now been purified from yeast phosphoglycerate mutase, for which the amino acid sequence is known (Winn, S. I., Watson, H. C., Fothergill, L. A., and Harkins, R. N. (1977) Biochem. Soc. Trans. 5, 657-659). The amino acid composition of the phosphopeptide indicates that histidine-8 was phosphorylated. The sequence of this peptide is closely homologous with the active site peptide from bisphosphoglycerate synthase. In yeast phosphoglycerate mutase, the denatured phosphoenzyme hydrolyzes with a single rate constant of 2.02 X 10(-4) s-1 at pH 3, 45 degrees C. The relevance of these observations to the enzymatic mechanism is discussed.     

Purification, characterization and immunological properties of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase from maize (Zea mays) seeds

2,3-Bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase (EC 5.4.2.1) was purified and characterized from maize. SDS electrophoresis showed only one band with a molecular mass of 64 kDa, similar to that determined for the native enzyme by gel-filtration chromatography. The kinetic constants were similar to those reported for wheat germ phosphoglycerate mutase. Rabbit antiserum against maize phosphoglycerate mutase possesses a high degree of specificity. It also reacts with the wheat germ enzyme but fails to react with other cofactor-independent or cofactor-dependent phosphoglycerate mutases. Cell-free synthesis experiments indicate that phosphoglycerate mutase from maize is not post-translationally modified.     

Kinetic control of phosphoglycerate mutase from Flavobacterium sp. grown on ethylene glycol.

A species of Flavobacterium able to oxidise ethylene glycol to pyruvate via glyoxylate, glycerate, 2-phosphoglycerate and phosphoenolpyruvate exploits phosphoglycerate mutase to initiate gluconeogenesis. Partially purified phosphoglycerate mutase from this bacterium is independent of adenylate charge control but is activated by phosphoenolpyruvate. The possible significance of this regulation is discussed.     

Purification and properties of the phosphoglycerate mutase isozymes from the mouse

The two homodimeric isozymes of phosphoglycerate mutase have been purified from murine kidney and muscle. No differences were observed in the Michaelis-Menten constant for the substrate 2-phospho-D-glycerate, in molecular weight, temperature and pH optima, when the purified isozymes were compared. The isozymes differ in their inhibition constants for phosphoenolpyruvate, in their Michaelis constants for 3-phospho-D-glycerate and 2,3-bisphospho-D-glycerate, their thermal and pH lability and in their sensitivity towards mercury ions.     

The catalytic bimodality of mammalian phosphoglycerate mutase

Rabbit muscle phosphoglycerate mutase, presumed to manifest an absolute cofactor requirement for activity, has been found to express catalysis (3 +/- 1% of optimum) in the absence of added D-glycerate-2,3-P2. Isotope experiments indicate that this catalysis proceeds through a binary phosphoryl enzyme-glycerate intermediate which dissociates into free enzyme and monophosphoglycerate. 32P-Labeled phosphoglycerate mutase is formed by reaction with either D-32P-glycerate-3-P or D-U32P-glycerate-2,3-P2. In each case, the acid lability and alkali stability of the covalent adduct, phosphoenzyme, is consistent with a phosphohistidyl residue having been formed within the active site. D-[U-14C]Glycerate reacts with phosphoenzyme to generate D-[U-14C]monophosphoglycerate which, in turn, can react further with phosphoenzyme to yield D-[U-14C]glycerate-2,3-P2. The pH profile for the cofactor-independent activity exhibits an optimum at 6.0 as opposed to 7.0 when D-glycerate-2,3-P2 is present in the reaction medium. Bisubstrate kinetics (pH 7.0, 23 degrees C) with D-glycerate-3-P concentration as the variable, yields a family of reciprocal plots which is in accord with a modified ping-pong mechanism when D-glycerate-2,3-P2 concentrations are greater than 10(-1) Km (where Km = 0.33 microM). Progressively diminishing concentrations (much less than Km) of D-glycerate-2,3-P2 produce curvilinear reciprocal plots that approach linearity as a limit in accordance with single substrate kinetics.     

On the mechanism of action of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. Change of the steric course on isotope substitution

When (methyl-2H3)methylmalonyl-CoA was reacted with partially purified methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, 1H-NMR revealed that about 24% of the migrating deuterium was lost after 88% conversion. When [methyl-3H]methylmalonyl-CoA was incubated with highly purified methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, tritium exchange with the medium depended on added methylmalonyl-CoA epimerase. With highly purified preparations of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, effective tritium exchange from [5'-3H]adenosylcobalamin to water required the addition of methylmalonyl-CoA epimerase and of substrate (e.g. succinyl-CoA). By addition of [14C]succinyl-CoA to a partially purified preparation of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, it was shown that the mutase binds one substrate molecule very tightly. Coupling the mutase reaction with the transcarboxylase reaction and using variously labelled succinyl-CoA as substrate, revealed that only (2R)- and not (2S)-methylmalonyl-CoA will be formed by the mutase with a kinetic isotope effect of 3.5 using (2H4)succinyl-CoA. When (1-13C) propionyl-CoA was reacted with a mixture of highly purified methylmalonyl-CoA carboxylase, epimerase and mutase, 13C-NMR signals were obtained for the thioester carbonyl of succinyl-CoA (relative intensity 100%) and of methylmalonyl-CoA (5%) as well as for the carboxyl of free succinic acid (27%) and of succinyl-CoA (less than 4.5%). Thus very little, if any, migration of the CoA from one carboxyl to the other appears to take place. (1,4-13C2)Succinic acid and (1,4-13C2)succinyl-CoA were synthesised and their 13C-NMR chemical shifts were exactly determined. Evidence is provided for a strict stereospecificity of the mutase toward the (2R)-epimer of methylmalonyl-CoA and for an incomplete stereospecificity toward the two diastereotopic 3-H atoms of succinyl-CoA. The latter, combined with a high intramolecular isotope discrimination, causes rapid washing-out of the migrating 2H and 3H to water and slow washing-in from the medium. Whenever migration of protium from the sterically less preferred 3-pro(S)- position of succinyl-CoA occurs and simultaneously a heavy isotope is maneuvered from the migratable 3-pro(R)- position into the labile alpha-position of methylmalonyl-CoA, the substitution by the COSCoA group takes place with inversion of configuration. When the sterically preferred 3-pro(R)-hydrogen atom migrates, the previously reported stereochemical retention occurs. A mechanistic and stereochemical scheme is discussed that fully accounts for all observations.     

Investigation of the mechanism of the methylmalonyl-CoA mutase reaction with the substrate analogue: ethylmalonyl-CoA.

1. Ethylmalonyl-CoA was found to be a substrate for methylmalonyl-CoA mutase from Propionibacterium shermanii, the product being mainly (2R)-methylsuccinyl-CoA along with some (2S)-diastereoisomer. 2. The relevant 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance signals of methylsuccinic acid and of its dimethyl ester were assigned to the diastereotopic methylene hydrogens using sterospecifically dideuterated specimens of known configuration. 3. [2(-2)H1]Ethylmalonyl-CoA was converted by methylmalonyl-CoA mutase in 2H2O mainly to (2R, 3S)-[3(-2)H1]methylsuccinyl-CoA. No dideuterated product was observed. 4. Starting from (1R)-[1(-2)H1]-ethathanol, (1S)-[1(-2)H1]ethanol and [2H6] ethanol the following deuterated specimens of ethylmalonic acid were synthesised and characterised: (3S)-[3(-2)H1], (3R)-[3(-2)H1] and [3(-2)H2, 4(-2)H3], respectively. 5. Conversion of (3S)-[3(-2)H1]-ethylmalonyl-CoA (70% 2H1 and 2% 2H2 species) on the mutase in water afforded mainly (2R)-[2(-2)H1]methylsuccinyl-CoA along with some (2S)-diastereoisomer. No deuterium loss was observed. 6. Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase converted (3R)-[3(-2)H1]ethylmalonyl-CoA (81% 2H1 and 2% 2H2 species) to the following methylsuccinyl-CoA species: 33% [3(-2)H1], the deuterium being in the threo position with respect to the methyl group; 21% [2(-2)H1]; 46% unlabelled. The ratio of the species with (2R) and (2S) configuration was about 60:40. 7. Reaction of [3(-2)H2, 4(-2)H3]ethylmalonyl-CoA (94.5% [2H5] species) with the mutase gave the following labelled methylsuccinyl-CoA species:53.4% [methyl-2H3, 2(-2)H1, 3(-2)H1], the 3-deuterium being in the threo position with respect to the methyl group; 37.6% [methyl-2H3, 2(-2)H1]; 5% [methyl(-2)H3, 2(-2)H1, 2(-2)H1, 3(-2)H1] the 3-deuterium being in erythro position with respect to the methyl group; 4% [methyl(-2)H3, 3(-2)H1]. The ratio of the species with (2R) and (2S) configuration was about 70:30. 8. Implications of these findings for the mechanism of the rearrangements catalysed by coenzyme B12 are discussed.     

Properties of a terminal deoxyribonucleotidyltransferase isolated from wheat germ.

An enzyme able to catalyse the polymerization of deoxyribonucleotides in a template-independent manner was isolated from dry wheat germ. This activity is associated with a soluble protein which is homogeneous with respect to the molecular weight (approx. 500000) and, under denaturing conditions, dissociates into product of two size classes, 67000 and 45000 daltons respectively. The enzyme-catalysed polymerization can be primed by oligo- as well as poly-deoxyribonucleotides, and is highly efficient (234 nmol/h per mg of finally purified protein) when only one of the four deoxyribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates is present in the incubation mixture. An extension of the 3'-hydroxy termini of polydeoxyribonucleotide chains for approx. 40 nucleotide residues was achieved when non-denatured DNA and [3H]dTTP were used as the primer and substrate respectively. It is concluded that the enzyme isolated from wheat germ shares catalytic properties with the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase of mammalian thymus. Unlike that transferase, however, the plant enzyme prefers non-denatured to single-stranded DNA as primer and requires both Mg2+ and Mn2+ ions for maximal activity.     

Insights into the catalytic mechanism of cofactor-independent phosphoglycerate mutase from X-ray crystallography,simulated dynamics and molecular modeling

Phosphoglycerate mutases catalyze the isomerization of 2 and 3-phosphoglycerates, and are essential for glucose metabolism in most organisms. Here, we further characterize the 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase (iPGM) from Bacillus stearothermophilus by determination of a high-resolution (1.4A) crystal structure of the wild-type enzyme and the crystal structure of its S62A mutant. The mutant structure surprisingly showed the replacement of one of the two catalytically essential manganese ions with a water molecule, offering an additional possible explanation for its lack of catalytic activity. Crystal structures invariably show substrate phosphoglycerate to be entirely buried in a deep cleft between the two iPGM domains. Flexibility analyses were therefore employed to reveal the likely route of substrate access to the catalytic site through an aperture created in the enzyme's surface during certain stages of the catalytic process. Several conserved residues lining this aperture may contribute to orientation of the substrate as it enters. Factors responsible for the retention of glycerate within the phosphoenzyme structure in the proposed mechanism are identified by molecular modeling of the glycerate complex of the phosphoenzyme. Taken together, these results allow for a better understanding of the mechanism of action of iPGMs. Many of the results are relevant to a series of evolutionarily related enzymes. These studies will facilitate the development of iPGM inhibitors which, due to the demonstrated importance of this enzyme in many bacteria, would be of great potential clinical significance.     

Purification of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate synthase-phosphatase from pig skeletal muscle

Two enzymes which possess 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate synthase, 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate phosphatase and phosphoglycerate mutase activities have been purified from pig skeletal muscle. One of the enzymes corresponds to type M phosphoglycerate mutase. The other enzyme shows properties similar to those of the 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate synthase-phosphatase present in mammalian erythrocytes. The erythrocyte and the muscle enzyme possess the same molecular (56 000) and subunit (27 000) weights. The synthase, phosphatase and mutase activity ratio is similar in both enzymes, and they are affected by the same inhibitor (glycerate 3-P) and activators (glycolate 2-P, pyrophosphate, sulfite and bisulfite).     

A novel sialylhexasaccharide from human milk: purification by affinity chromatography on immobilized wheat germ agglutinin

A sialylhexasaccharide fraction (S-5) of human milk was obtained as described by A. Kobata and V. Ginsburg [(1972) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 150, 273-281] and labeled by reduction with NaB[3H]4. When subjected to affinity chromatography on immobilized wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), a single component representing 60% of the S-5 fraction was retarded by the column. The asialo derivative of the WGA-retarded oligosaccharide had a higher affinity for the WGA column than the native sialyloligosaccharide. The neutral hexaose was identified as lacto-N-neohexaose by sequential exoglycosidase digestions in combination with gel filtration analyses of digestion products. Enzymatic removal of the nonsialylated branch of the intact sialyloligosaccharide by jack bean beta-galactosidase and beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase resulted in a single sialyl[3H]tetraose which was identified as sialyltetrasaccharide c (NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcO[3H]) by cochromatography with authentic standard and specific antibody binding. Independent evidence for the structure of the sialylhexasaccharide was obtained by 500-MHz1H NMR spectroscopy of the WGA-purified oligosaccharide before and after neuraminidase digestion. The structural data are consistent with the following, previously undescribed, sialylhexaose in human milk: (formula; see text).     

Structure and mechanism of action of a novel phosphoglycerate mutase from Bacillus stearothermophilus

Bacillus stearothermophilus phosphoglycerate mutase (PGM), which interconverts 2- and 3-phosphoglyceric acid (PGA), does not require 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid for activity. However, this enzyme does have an absolute and specific requirement for Mn(2+) ions for catalysis. Here we report the crystal structure of this enzyme complexed with 3PGA and manganese ions to 1.9 A resolution; this is the first crystal structure of a diphosphoglycerate-independent PGM to be determined. This information, plus the location of the two bound Mn(2+) ions and the 3PGA have allowed formulation of a possible catalytic mechanism for this PGM. In this mechanism Mn(2+) ions facilitate the transfer of the substrate's phosphate group to Ser62 to form a phosphoserine intermediate. In the subsequent phosphotransferase part of the reaction, the phosphate group is transferred from Ser62 to the O2 or O3 positions of the reoriented glycerate to yield the PGA product. Site-directed mutagenesis studies were used to confirm our mechanism and the involvement of specific enzyme residues in Mn(2+) binding and catalysis.     

Kinetic properties and essential amino acids of the 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate synthase-phosphatase from pig skeletal muscle

Histidine, arginine and lysine residues are essential for the multifunctional 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate synthase-phosphatase purified from pig skeletal muscle. The synthase, phosphatase and phosphoglycerate mutase activities of the enzyme are concurrently lost upon treatment with diethylpyrocarbonate, phenylglyoxal and trinitrobenzenesulfonate. The phosphatase activity shows hyperbolic kinetics. In contrast, the synthase activity shows a nonhyperbolic pattern which fits to a second-degree polynomial. The Km values for glycerate 1,3-P2, glycerate 3-P and glycerate 2,3-P2 are similar to those of the enzyme from mammalian erythrocytes.     

Phosphoglycerate mutase. Kinetics and effects of salts on the mutase and bisphosphoglycerate phosphatase activities of the enzyme from chicken breast muscle.

The steady state kinetics and effects of salts on chicken breast phosphoglycerate mutase have been examined. The enzyme can catalyze three phosphoryl transfer reactions: mutase, bisphosphoglycerate phosphatase, and bisphosphoglycerate synthase. The mutase rate was measured in the favorable direction (Keq = glycerate-3-P/glycerate-2-P approximately equal to 12) using [2T]glycerate-2-P as substrate. The bisphosphoglycerate phosphatase activity was studied in the presence of the activator, glycolate-2-P. The latter is an analog of the glycerate-P's and appears to act as an abortive mutase substrate. The kinetic pattern obtained with both activities is that of a ping-pong mechanism with inhibition by the second substrate occurring at a lower concentration than the Km value for that substrate. The kinetic parameters for the mutase determined in 50 mM N-[tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl-2-amino]ethanesulfonate (TES)/sodium buffer containing 0.1 M KCl, pH 7.5, 25 degrees C are: Km glycerate-2,3-P2, 0.069 micron; Km glycerate-2-P, 14 micron; Km glycerate-3-P approximately 200 micron; Ki glycerate-2-P, 4 micron. The kinetic parameters for the phosphatase reaction in 50 mM triethanolamine/Cl- buffer, pH 7.5, 25 degrees C are: Km glycerate-2,3-P2, 0.065 micron:Km glycolate-2P, 479 micron; Ki glycolate-2-P, 135 micron. The enzyme is sensitive to changes in the ionic environment. Increasing salt concentrations activate the phosphatase in the presence of glycolate-2-P by decreasing the apparent Km of glycerate-2,3-P2. The effects are due to the anionic component and Cl- greater than acetate greater than TES. The same salts are competitive inhibitors with respect to glycolate-2-P. With high levels of KCl that produce a 30-fold decrease in the apparent maximal velocity due to competition with glycolate-2-P, the Km of glycerate-2,3-P2 remains low. These observations lead us to postulate that each monophosphoglycerate substrate has a separate site on the enzyme and that glycerate-2,3-P2 can bind to either site. The binding of anions to one site of the nonphosphorylated enzyme allows an increase in the on and off rates of glycerate-2,3-P2 at the alternate site. Salts inhibit the mutase reaction. The Km of glycerate-2,3-P2 is increased as is that of glycerate-2-P. The effect on the Km of glycerate-2,3-P2 is attributed to an increase in the off rate/on rate ratio for glycerate-2,3-P2. The bisphosphoglycerate synthase reaction is shown to require added glycerate-3-P. The equilibrium between enzyme and glycerate-1,3-P2 is favorable (Kdiss less than or equal 7 X 10(-8) M) and suggests that in the absence of a separate synthase this reaction may have functional significance.     

Rates of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of phosphoglycerate mutase and bisphosphoglycerate synthase.

Phosphoglycerate mutase and bisphosphoglycerate synthase (mutase) can both be phosphorylated by either glycerate-1,3-P2 or glycerate-2,3-P2 to form phosphohistidine enzymes. The present study uses a rapid quench procedure to determine if, for each enzyme, the formation of the phosphorylated enzyme and phosphate transfer from the enzyme can occur at rates consistent with the overall reactions. With bisphosphoglycerate synthase from horse red blood cells (glycerate-1,3-P2 leads to glycerate-2,3-P2) at pH 7.5, 25 degrees, phosphorylation of the enzyme appears rate-limiting, k = 13.5 s-1, compared with kcat = 12.5 s-1 for the overall synthase rate. Phosphoryl transfer from the enzyme to phosphoglycerate occurs at 38 s-1 at 4 degrees and was too fast to measure at 25 degrees. With chicken muscle phosphoglycerate mutase the half-times were too short to measure under optimal conditions. The rate of enzyme phosphorylation by glycerate-2,3-P2 at pH 5.5, 4 degrees, could account for the overall reaction rate of 170 s-1. The rate of phosphoryl transfer from the enzyme to glycerate-3-P was too rapid to measure under the same conditions. It is concluded that the phosphorylated enzymes have kinetic properties consistent with their participation as intermediates in the reactions catalyzed by these enzymes.