Effect of sodium cholate on the catalytic and structural properties of phosphorylase b

Sodium cholate at millimolar concentration is able to induce activity in rabbit muscle phosphorylase b in the absence of AMP. The maximum activation of the enzyme in presence of 7 mM sodium cholate was 24% of that achieved by 1 mM AMP. Other bile salts tested showed a negligible activating effect. The Ka for AMP was lowered fivefold by 5 mM of the steroid detergent, while the cooperative binding of the nucleotide was abolished. Phosphorylase b', a modified form of phosphorylase in which the phosphorylation site has been removed by limited tryptic attack, presented an activation profile similar to that of phosphorylase b. In contrast, phosphorylase a was inhibited by the bile salt, while the activity of liver phosphorylase b was not significantly affected. Modification of the AMP site of the enzyme with 2,3-butanedione could not inhibit sodium-cholate-induced activity. tert-Butanol, an organic solvent activator of phosphorylase b, was found to enhance the activity induced by sodium cholate. The interaction of sodium cholate and phosphorylase b was also followed by difference spectroscopy using a fluorescein isothiocyanate--phosphorylase b conjugate. Furthermore, measurements of electron spin resonance demonstrated that the mobility of a spin-label bound at buried--NH2 groups of phosphorylase b decreases cooperatively with increasing bile salt concentration.     

An engineered liver glycogen phosphorylase with AMP allosteric activation

Liver and muscle glycogen phosphorylases, which are products of distinct genes, are both activated by covalent phosphorylation, but in the unphosphorylated (b) state, only the muscle isozyme is efficiently activated by the allosteric activator AMP. The different responsiveness of the phosphorylase isozymes to allosteric ligands is important for the maintenance of tissue and whole body glucose homeostasis. In an attempt to understand the structural determinants of differential sensitivity of the muscle and liver isozymes to AMP, we have developed a bacterial expression system for the liver enzyme, allowing native and engineered proteins to be expressed and characterized. Engineering of the single amino acid substitutions Thr48Pro, Met197Thr and the double mutant Thr48Pro, Met197Thr in liver phosphorylase, and Pro48Thr in muscle phosphorylase, did not qualitatively change the response of the two isozymes to AMP. These sites had previously been implicated in the configuration of the AMP binding site. However, when nine amino acids among the first 48 in liver phosphorylase were replaced with the corresponding muscle phosphorylase residues (L1M2-48L49-846), the engineered liver enzyme was activated by AMP to a higher maximal activity than native liver phosphorylase. Interestingly, the homotropic cooperativity of AMP binding was unchanged in the engineered phosphorylase b protein, and heterotropic cooperativity between the glucose-1-phosphate and AMP sites was only slightly enhanced. The native liver, native muscle and L1M2-48L49-846 phosphorylases were converted to the a form by treatment with purified phosphorylase kinase; the maximal activity of the chimeric a enzyme was greater than the native liver a enzyme and approached that of muscle phosphorylase a. From these results we suggest that tissue-specific phosphorylase isozymes have evolved a complex mechanism in which the N-terminal 48 amino acids modulate intrinsic activity (Vmax), probably by affecting subunit interactions, and other, as yet undefined regions specify the allosteric interactions with ligands and substrates.     

Endogenous effectors of human liver glycogen phosphorylase modulate effects of indole-site inhibitors

Phosphorylase is regulated by a number of small-molecular-weight effectors that bind to three sites on the enzyme. Recently, a fourth site referred to as the indole-inhibitor site has been identified. Synthetic compounds bind to the site and inhibit activity. However, the effects of these compounds in the presence of other endogenous effectors are unknown. We have determined the effects of four indole derivative glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors (GPI) on recombinant human liver glycogen phosphorylase a activity. The GPIs tested were all potent inhibitors. However, the endogenous inhibitors (glucose, ADP, ATP, fructose 1-phosphate, glucose 6-phosphate, UDP-glucose) and the activator (AMP) markedly reduced the inhibitory effect of GPIs. Consistent with these in vitro findings, the IC50 for the inhibition of glycogenolysis in cells and the liver drug concentration associated with glucose-lowering activity in diabetic ob/ob mice in vivo were also significantly higher than those determined in in vitro enzyme assays. The inhibitory effect of indole-site effectors is modulated by endogenous small-molecular-weight effectors of phosphorylase a activity. However, at higher concentrations (10-30 microM), the GPI effect was dominant and resulted in inhibition of phosphorylase a activity irrespective of the presence or absence of the other modulators of the enzyme.     

Effects of 1,2-dimethoxyethane on the catalytic and coenzyme properties of glycogen phosphorylase

Dimethoxyethane, a good activator of phosphorylase b, has been used to study mechanisms of phosphorylase activation and the catalytic reaction. Activation can be explained best by an alteration of the allosteric equilibrium in favor of the active R conformation. Lesser effects are seen with phosphorylase a, and activation does not alter appreciably the equilibrium between the dimeric and tetrameric forms. With 20% 1,2-dimethoxyethane, the Vm value of phosphorylase b is 74% of that obtained in the presence of adenosine monophosphate. In the presence of 10% 1,2-dimethoxyethane, the Ki value for glucose inhibition is increased 3-fold, but inhibition by 1,5-gluconolactone is increased. The allosteric activation of glycogen phosphorylase results in a change in pK1 for the pH-activity profile. The formation of the dianionic form of the phosphoryl group of the coenzyme, pyridoxal phosphate, may account for this change. By analogy to the effects of anions and a change in dielectric on the acid hydroylsis of glucose 1-phosphate, it is suggested that the dianion of the coenzyme could stabilize the developing positive charge of an oxonium ion intermediate. Dimethoxyethane also affects the interaction of pyridoxal phosphate with phosphorylase. It influences the rates of both resolution and reconstitution. Good preparations of apophosphorylase a can be made by using 1,2-dimethoxyethane in the resolution medium.     

The stimulation of liver phosphorylase b by AMP, fluoride and sulfate. A technical note on the specific determination of the a and b forms of liver glycogen phosphorylase.

1. The activity of liver phosphorylase b from several mammalian species has been studied. The enzyme from rat or mouse has a higher activity than the rabbit enzyme, which is itself more active than pig liver phosphorylase b. 2 The activity of liver phosphorylase b is influenced by anions and by AMP, and these effects are influenced by pH. Fluoride, which is currently added to the assay mixture of phosphorylase a in crude preparations, is about as active as sulfate as a stimulator of phosphorylase b. 3. When assayed at pH 6.1 and in the presence of 0.15 M NaF, the activity of rat liver phosphorylase b reaches 25% of that of the a enzyme; if 1 mM AMP is also present, this value rises to 50%. 4. Methods are described that allow the determination of liver phosphorylase a without interference of b, and the determination of total phosphorylase (a+b) in rat liver.     

Cooperative binding is not required for activation of muscle phosphorylase.

Muscle and liver glycogen phosphorylase isozymes differ in their responsiveness to the activating ligand AMP. The muscle enzyme, which supplies glucose in response to strenuous activity, binds AMP cooperatively, and its enzymatic activity becomes greatly enhanced. The liver isozyme regulates the level of blood glucose, and AMP is not the primary activator. In muscle glycogen phosphorylase, the residue proline 48 links two secondary structural elements that bind AMP. This amino acid residue is replaced with a threonine in the liver isozyme; unlike the muscle enzyme, liver binds AMP noncooperatively, and the enzymatic activity is not greatly increased. We have substituted proline 48 in the muscle enzyme with threonine, alanine, and glycine and characterized the recombinant enzymes kinetically and structurally to determine if proline at this position is critical for cooperative AMP binding and activation. Importantly, all of the engineered enzymes were fully activated by phosphorylation, indicating that enzymatic activity was not compromised. Only the mutant enzyme with alanine at position 48 responds like the wild-type enzyme to the presence of AMP, indicating that proline is not absolutely required for full cooperative activation. The substitution of either threonine or glycine at this position, however, creates enzymes that no longer bind AMP cooperatively. The enzyme with threonine at position 48 further mimics the liver enzyme, in that the maximal enzymatic activity is also reduced. Significantly, the glycine substitution caused the enzyme to be fully activated by AMP, although binding was not cooperative. The hyperactivation of the glycine mutant by AMP suggests that the total free energy of activation has decreased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Human liver glycogen phosphorylase. Kinetic properties and assay in biopsy specimens.

1.The two forms of glycogen phosphorylase were purified from human liver, and some kinetic properties were examined in the direction of glycogen synthesis. The b form has a limited catalytic capacity, resembling that of the rabbit liver enzyme. It is characterized by a low affinity for glucose 1-phosphate, which is unaffected by AMP, and a low V, which becomes equal to that of the a form in the presence of the nucleotide. Lyotropic anions stimulate phosphorylase b and inhibit phosphorylase a by modifying the affinity for glucose 1-phosphate. Both enzyme forms are easily saturated with glycogen. 2. These kinetic properties have allowed us to design a simple assay method for total (a + b) phosphorylase in human liver. It requires only 0.5 mg of tissue, and its average efficiency is 90% when the enzyme is predominantly in the b form. 3. The assay of total phosphorylase allows the unequivocal diagnosis of hepatic glycogen-storage disease caused by phosphorylase deficiency. One patient with a complete deficiency is reported. 4. The assay of human liver phosphorylase a is based on the preferential inhibition of the b form by caffeine. The a form displays the same activity when measured by either of the two assays.     

Interaction of phosphorylase b with eosin. Influence of substrate and effectors on eosin-enzyme complexes.

The interactions of rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase b with Eosin (2',4',5',7'-tetrabromofluorescein) was studied. Eosin was found to be an effective inhibitor of the enzyme. The inhibition constants for the dye were estimated to be approx. 36 and 60 microM with respect to AMP and glucose 1-phosphate respectively. The binding of Eosin to phosphorylase b is accompanied by a red-shift of about 12 nm in the dye absorption-spectrum maximum, indicating low-polarity binding sites on the enzyme molecule for the dye. The absorbance in the difference absorption maximum at 537 nm was utilized to follow the conjugation of phosphorylase b with Eosin. Scatchard plots of the titration data revealed the existence of at least two classes of binding sites on the protein molecule for Eosin, and the dissociation constants measured in Tris/HCl buffer, pH 7.0 (IO.091), were 7.7 and 41.7 microM respectively. The influence of the substrates and effectors on Eosin-enzymes complexes was used to study the ligand-phosphorylase b interactions. IMP displaced the dye completely from the enzyme, indicating that there are two IMP-binding sites per phosphorylase b monomer. AMP binding to the enzyme with respect to Eosin concentration is of two types: a non-competitive one for the high-affinity site for AMP and a competitive one for the low-affinity site for the activator. The effects of glucose 6-phosphate, ATP, Pi and glycerol 2-phosphate in the system are in according dance with a partially competitive model. Glucoes 1-phosphate and UDP-glucose appear to affect only the high-affinity site for Eosin, whereas glucose and glycogen have no effect on Eosin-phosphorylase b complexes. Our results suggest that Eosin can be used as an efficient optical probe for studying the phosphorylase b system.     

Isolation and comparative studies of glycogen phosphorylase isoenzymes from lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leucocytes

Two glycogen phosphorylase isoenzymes have been identified in pig lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leucocytes by DEAE cellulose chromatography. Both isophosphorylases have been further purified by affinity chromatography on Sepharose-AMP to almost homogeneity. The purified isophosphorylases were composed of subunits of molecular weight similar to the muscle and liver monomers. Isophosphorylase I was more related to the liver enzyme than isophosphorylase II based on immuno-inhibition experiments. Both isoenzymes were markedly different from liver and muscle phosphorylases in their activation by AMP, sodium sulfate and 1,2-dimethoxyethane.     

Liver phosphorylase b kinase. Cyclic-AMP-mediated activation and properties of the partially purified rat-liver enzyme.

Phosphorylase b kinase was extensively purified from rat liver. It was located in a form which could be activated 20--30-fold by a preincubation with adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and ATP-Mg. This activation was time-dependent, and was paralleled by a simultaneous incorporation of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into two polypeptides which comigrated in sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis with the alpha and beta subunits of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase b kinase. The liver enzyme was eluted from Sepharose 4B and Bio-Gel A-50m columns at the same place as muscle phosphorylase b kinase, which is indicative of a molecular weight of 1.3 x 10(6). After activation, the most purified liver preparation had a specific activity about 10-fold less than the homogeneous muscle enzyme at pH 8.2. The inactive enzyme form had a pronounced pH optimum around pH 6.0, whereas the activated form was mostly active above neutral pH. The activation of the enzyme reduced the Km for its substrate phosphorylase b severalfold. Liver phosphorylase b kinase was shown to be partially dependent on Ca2+ ions for its activity: addition of 0.5 mM [ethylenebis-(oxoethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid (EGTA) to the phosphorylase b kinase assay increased the Km for phosphorylase b about twofold for both the inactive and the activated form of liver phosphorylase b kinase, but affected the V of the inactive species only.     

Crystallization of pig skeletal phosphorylase b. Purification, physical and catalytic characterization

A new method for purification and crystallization of pig skeletal muscle phosphorylase b is presented. The ease of crystallization in the presence of 1 mM AMP and 1 mM spermine has permitted the study of some physical, chemical and enzymatic properties of the enzyme. The crystalline pig phosphorylase b gave a single band on SDS polyacrylamide gels of the same mobility as rabbit muscle phosphorylase subunit. Ultracentrifugation experiments showed that pig phosphorylase b exists in a dimeric form (S20,w = 8.4 S). No association occurred at 20 degrees C under conditions where rabbit phosphorylase b can be tetramerized; pig phosphorylase b was only 30% associated from dimer to tetramer at 13 degrees C. Pig phosphorylase b is highly stable to freezing and its specific activity did not change appreciably upon prolonged storage in the cold. Pig and rabbit phosphorylases b have comparable Vmax and Km values towards the substrate and the activator. However, there is an essential difference between the two enzymes in that pig phosphorylase b is not significantly inhibited by glucose 6-phosphate, which is a powerful inhibitor of the rabbit enzyme. Two different crystal forms of pig phosphorylase b were obtained which are small for X-ray diffraction studies. Diffusion of spermine into tetragonal crystals of rabbit phosphorylase b resulted in a difference Fourier synthesis at 3 A resolution that showed no strong indication of specific binding.     

Combined kinetic mechanism describing activation and inhibition of muscle glycogen phosphorylase b by adenosine 5'-monophosphate

The kinetic analysis of the glycogen chain growth reaction catalyzed by glycogen phosphorylase b from rabbit skeletal muscle has been carried out over a wide range of concentrations of AMP under the saturation of the enzyme by glycogen. The applicability of 23 different variants of the kinetic model involving the interaction of AMP and glucose 1-phosphate binding sites in the dimeric enzyme molecule is considered. A kinetic model has been proposed which assumes: (i) the independent binding of one molecule of glucose 1-phosphate in the catalytic site on the one hand, and AMP in both allosteric effector sites and both nucleoside inhibitor sites of the dimeric enzyme molecule bound by glycogen on the other hand; (ii) the binding of AMP in one of the allosteric effector sites results in an increase in the affinity of other allosteric effector site to AMP; (iii) the independent binding of AMP to the nucleoside inhibitor sites of the dimeric enzyme molecule; (iv) the exclusive binding of the second molecule of glucose 1-phosphate in the catalytic site of glycogen phosphorylase b containing two molecules of AMP occupying both allosteric effector sites; and (v) the catalytic act occurs exclusively in the complex of the enzyme with glycogen, two molecules of AMP occupying both allosteric effector sites, and two molecules of glucose 1-phosphate occupying both catalytic sites.     

Characterization of a calmodulin-dependent high-affinity cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase from male mouse germ cells.

Two cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activities were separated by ion-exchange chromatography of cytosol from male mouse germ cells. A form eluted at low salt concentration showed high affinity (Km congruent to 2 microM) and low affinity (Km congruent to 20 microM) for cyclic AMP, and high affinity (Km congruent to 3.5 microM) for cyclic GMP. A second form, eluted at high salt concentration, showed high affinity (Km congruent to 5 microM) for cyclic AMP and was similar to a phosphodiesterase activity described in rat germ cells. The present study was performed to characterize the first form, which represents most of the phosphodiesterase activity in mouse germ cells. The enzyme was sensitive to Ca2+ and calmodulin stimulation, which increased its activity 3-4-fold. Calmodulin stimulation depended on direct interaction of the activator with the enzyme, as indicated by the reversible changes in the chromatographic elution pattern in the presence of Ca2+, as well as by the increase in the sedimentation coefficient in the presence of calmodulin. Reciprocal inhibition kinetics between cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP for the calmodulin-dependent form demonstrated a non-competitive inhibition between the two substrates, suggesting the presence of separate catalytic sites. This is in agreement with kinetic parameters and different thermal stabilities of cyclic AMP- and cyclic GMP-hydrolysing activities. Furthermore, the relevant change in s value, depending on the absence or presence of Ca2+ and calmodulin, suggested that the enzyme is composed of subunits, which aggregate in the presence of the activator. A model for catalytic site composition and reciprocal interaction is also proposed.     

The effect of various aminoglycoside antibiotics on glycogen phosphorylase activity in liver and kidney medulla of rabbit

Glycogen phosphorylase activity in both liver and kidney medulla of rabbit was stimulated in the presence of caffeine by various aminoglycoside antibiotics in the following rank order: gentamicin greater than neomycin greater than amikacin = kanamycin greater than or equal tobramycin, while streptomycin did not affect the enzyme activity. In contrast, in the presence of AMP, the stimulatory action of antibiotics was not observed. Since in the gentamicin-treated rabbits stimulation of glycogen phosphorylase activity by about 30% in both liver and kidney medulla was accompanied by a decrease of liver glycogen content by about 60% it is likely that a decline in liver glycogen level following antibiotic treatment is due to an increased glycogen phosphorylase activity.     

AMP and IMP binding to glycogen phosphorylase b. A calorimetric and equilibrium dialysis study

Reaction microcalorimetry and equilibrium dialysis have been used to study the binding of AMP and IMP to glycogen phosphorylase b (EC 2.4.1.1) at 25 degrees C and pH 6.9. The combination of both techniques has enabled us to obtain some of the thermodynamic parameters for these binding processes. Four binding sites were found to be present in the dimeric active enzyme for both AMP and IMP. The binding to two high-affinity sites, which, in our opinion, correspond to the activator sites, seems to be cooperative. The two low-affinity sites, which would then correspond to the inhibitor sites, appear to be independent when the nucleotides bind to the enzyme. The negative delta G0 of binding/site at 25 degrees C is the result in all cases of a balance between negative enthalpy and entropy changes. The large differences in delta H and delta S0 for the binding of AMP to the activator sites (-27 and -70 kJ mol-1; -22 and -150 J X K-1 mol-1) suggest the existence of rather extensive conformational changes taking place in phosphorylase b on binding with the allosteric activator. Whereas the affinity of AMP for the activator sites is about 1 order of magnitude higher than that of IMP, the affinity of both nucleotides, including their delta H and delta S0 values, seems to be the same for the inhibitor sites.     

Thermodynamics of nucleotides binding to phosphorylase b.

The effects of several chemical modifications in the AMP molecule on its interaction with phosphorylase b are examined by microcalorimetry, equilibrium dialysis, light scattering and ultracentrifuge experiments. In this work we report the results obtained for eight AMP analogues corresponding to different substituents in the puric base or in the ribose, or to different positions of the phosphate. The thermodynamic properties of the interaction between the phosphorylase b and the above mentioned nucleotides are also reported. The following conclusions were obtained: a) Except for IMP and 2'dIMP all the nucleotides studied clearly show two types of binding sites in the enzyme. b) The interaction of the nucleotide with its weaker affinity binding site is highly dependent upon chemical alterations in the puric base. c) Both the amino group in C(6) and the N(1) of the adenine in the AMP seem to play an important role in the conformational transitions induced by the nucleotide on the enzyme. d) The tetramerization of phosphorylase b in the presence of 10(-2) M AMP and in the conditions of the ultracentrifuge experiments is drastically affected by modifications in the ribose-phosphate part of the AMP molecule.     

Crystallographic studies on acyl ureas, a new class of glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors, as potential antidiabetic drugs

Acyl ureas were discovered as a novel class of inhibitors for glycogen phosphorylase, a molecular target to control hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetics. This series is exemplified by 6-{2,6-Dichloro- 4-[3-(2-chloro-benzoyl)-ureido]-phenoxy}-hexanoic acid, which inhibits human liver glycogen phosphorylase a with an IC(50) of 2.0 microM. Here we analyze four crystal structures of acyl urea derivatives in complex with rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase b to elucidate the mechanism of inhibition of these inhibitors. The structures were determined and refined to 2.26 Angstroms resolution and demonstrate that the inhibitors bind at the allosteric activator site, where the physiological activator AMP binds. Acyl ureas induce conformational changes in the vicinity of the allosteric site. Our findings suggest that acyl ureas inhibit glycogen phosphorylase by direct inhibition of AMP binding and by indirect inhibition of substrate binding through stabilization of the T' state.     

Effect of 1,2-dimethoxyethane on potato phosphorylase for polysaccharide specificity

Potato phosphorylase normally utilizes starch as a substrate but will not use glycogen effectively. In the presence of 20% 1,2-dimethoxyethane, this specificity is lost because of marked activation with glycogen and some inhibition with starch. The effect of dimethoxyethane on β-amylase was the same for both starch and glycogen. These was no contaminating enzyme that would make glycogen more “starch-like.” The 20-fold decrease in K_m for glycogen, a change in pH profile, and elimination of inhibition by cyclodextrin suggest that dimethoxyethane causes a change in phosphorylase structure.     

Thermodynamics of the binding of AMP to glycogen phosphorylase a

The binding of AMP to rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase a (EC 2.4.1.1.) has been studied by equilibrium dialysis and isothermal microcalorimetry at pH 6.9 over a temperature range of 25 degrees C to 35 degrees C. Thermal titration experiments were carried out in various buffer systems. We have found by these methods that a certain number of protons are released when the protein binds to the ligand and are taken up by the buffer. The tetramer of phosphorylase a has been shown to have four equal and independent, non-cooperative binding sites for AMP at 25 degrees C, 30 degrees C, and 35 degrees C; these sites can be assigned to the so-called nucleotide or, activator, sites in the protein. The binding constants together with the changes in Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy per site for the AMP binding were calculated at each temperature. A negative delta Cp value of -2.3 +/- 0.2 J K-1 (AMP bound)-1 was obtained for this binding process. The hydrophobic and vibrational contributions of the heat capacity and entropy changes have been resolved by the method described by Sturtevant (Sturtevant, J. M. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 74, 2236-2240). From this analysis, it appears that the binding is, in all cases, enthalpy-driven, the two entropic contributions, hydrophobic and vibrational, having opposing effects.     

Modeling the biochemical differences between rabbit muscle and human liver phosphorylase

Glycogen phosphorylases catalyze the regulated breakdown of glycogen to glucose-1-phosphate. In mammals, glycogen phosphorylase occurs in three different isozymes called liver, muscle, and brain after the tissues in which they are preferentially expressed. The muscle isozyme binds and is activated cooperatively by AMP. In contrast, the liver enzyme binds AMP noncooperatively and is poorly activated. The amino acid sequence of human liver phosphorylase is 80% identical with rabbit muscle phosphorylase, and those residues which contact AMP are conserved. Using computer graphics software, we replaced side chains of the known rabbit muscle structure with those of human liver phosphorylase and interpreted the effects of these changes in order to account for the biochemical differences between them. We have identified two substitutions in liver phosphorylase potentially important in altering the cooperative binding and activation of this isozyme by AMP.