Studies on the mechanism and stereochemical properties of the oxalacetate decarboxylase activity of pyruvate kinase.

When cod fish muscle oxalacetate decarboxylase catalyzes the decarboxylation of oxalacetate in the presence of NaBH4, L-lactate results from the reduction of enzyme-bound pyruvate. However, D-lactate results when borohydride reduces the binary enzyme-pyruvate complex formed by adding pyruvate from solution, as reported by others. This observation suggests that there are alternate mechanisms for reduction that are either kinetically or sterically determined for the E-pyruvate forms produced in the two directions. In the process of investigating the mechanism of reduction, the cod fish muscle decarboxylase was discovered to be identical with pyruvate kinase. Decarboxylase activity appears to take place at a site which overlaps the phosphoenolpyruvate binding site on this enzyme, as discussed in the following paper. Crystalline rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase also contains significant decarboxylase activity indicating that the two reactions may be structurally related functions. In the presence of K+, orthophosphate, or ATP the rabbit muscle enzyme catalyzes the detritiation of enzyme-bound pyruvate formed during decarboxylation before release of pyruvate from the enzyme, in analogy with the detritiation of pyruvate formed from P-[3-3/]enolpyruvate in the kinase reaction. This observation is consistent with the formation of an enolpyruvate intermediate common to the kinetic pathways of both reactions. Since the decarboxylase reac.tion is completely stereospecific, within the limits of detection, going with retention of configuration, the protonation of the enolpyruvate intermediate is completely determined by the enzyme as is the case with the enolpyruvate intermediate generated from P-enolpyruvate in the kinase reaction.     

Critical role of specific ions for ligand-induced changes regulating pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoform 2

In the complete absence of K+ and phosphate (Pi), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoform 2 (PDHK2) was catalytically very active but with an elevated Km for ATP, and this activity is insensitive to effector regulation. We find that K+ or 5-fold lower levels of NH4+ markedly enhanced quenching of Trp383 fluorescence of PDHK2 by ADP and ATP. K+ binding caused an approximately 40-fold decrease in the equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) for ATP from approximately 120 to 3.0 microM and an approximately 25-fold decrease in Kd for ADP from approximately 950 to 38 microM. Linked reductions in Kd of PDHK2 for K+ were from approximately 30 to approximately 0.75 mM with ATP bound and from approximately 40 to approximately 1.7 mM with ADP bound. Without K+, there was little effect of ADP on pyruvate binding, but with 100 mM K+ and 100 microM ADP, the L0.5 of PDHK2 for pyruvate was reduced by approximately 14 fold. In the absence of K+, Pi had small effects on ligand binding. With 100 mM K+, 20 mM Pi modestly enhanced binding of ADP and hindered pyruvate binding but markedly enhanced the binding of pyruvate with ADP; the L0.5 for pyruvate was specifically decreased approximately 125-fold with 100 microM ADP. Pi effects were minimal when NH4+ replaced K+. We have quantified coupled binding of K+ with ATP and ADP and elucidated how linked K+ and Pi binding are required for the potent inhibition of PDHK2 by ADP and pyruvate.     

7Li, 31P, and 1H NMR studies of interactions between ATP, monovalent cations, and divalent cation sites on rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase

The interactions between ATP, monovalent cations, and divalent cations on rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase have been examined using 7Li, 31P, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. Water proton nuclear relaxation studies are consistent with the binding of Li+ to the K+ site on pyruvate kinase with an affinity of 120 mM in the absence of substrates and 16 mM in the presence of P-enolpyruvate. Titrations with pyruvate demonstrate that pyruvate binds to the enzyme with an affinity of 0.65 mM in the presence of Li+ and 0.4 mM in the presence of K+. 7Li+ nuclear relaxation rates in solutions of pyruvate kinase are increased upon titration with the metal-nucleotide analogue, Cr(H2O)4ATP. Mn2+ EPR spectra were used to determined the distribution of the enzyme between the so-called isotropic and anisotropic conformations of the enzyme (Ash, D. E., Kayne, F., and Reed, G.H. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. (1978) 190, 571-577). Li-Cr distances of 5.6 and 11.0 A were calculated for the anisotropic and isotropic forms, respectively, in the absence or presence of pyruvate. When the divalent cation site on the enzyme was saturated with Mg2+, these distances increased to 6.7 and 9.5 A, respectively, regardless of the presence or absence of pyruvate. 31P nuclear relaxation studies with the diamagnetic metal-nucleotide analogue, Co(NH3)4ATP, indicated that addition of Mn2+ ion to the divalent cation site on the enzyme increased the longitudinal relaxation rates of all three phosphorus nuclei of the analogue. The 31P data indicate that the presence of pyruvate at the active site effects a decrease in the Mn-P distances, bringing Mn2+ and Co(NH3)4ATP closer together at the active site. The data also permit an evaluation of the role of the metal coordinated to the beta-P and gamma-P of ATP at the active site.     

The effects of an acute temperature change on the metabolic recovery from exhaustive exercise in luvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

This research examined the influence of acute changes of water temperature on the recovery processes following exhaustive exercise in juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). White muscle phosphocreatine (PCr), ATP, lactate, glycogen, glucose, pyruvate, plasma lactate, and plasma osmolality were measured during rest and at 0, 1, 2, and 4 h following exhaustive exercise in fish acclimated and exercised at 12 degrees C and acutely exposed to either 6 degrees C or 18 degrees C water during recovery. An acute exposure to 6 degrees C water during the recovery period resulted in a severe reduction of metabolic recovery in salmon. However, metabolites such as muscle PCr and ATP and plasma lactate recovered very quickly (2-4 h) in fish acutely exposed to 18 degrees C during recovery. Overall, differences exist when postexercise metabolite levels are compared between acclimated fish and those fish acutely exposed to different water temperatures (either higher or lower). Taken together, the findings of the acute experiments suggest that at some point following exercise fish may seek warmer environments to speed the recovery process. However, the relationship between behavioural thermoregulation and recovery following exhaustive exercise in fish is not well understood.     

Use of methanethiolation to investigate the catalytic role of sulphydryl groups in rabbit skeletal muscle pyruvate kinase.

Incubation of rabbit skeletal muscle pyruvate kinase (ATP:pyruvate 2-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) with methyl methanethiosulphonate resulted in the time- and inhibitor concentration-dependent loss of enzyme activity. Substrates or products of the catalytic reaction prevented the loss of activity caused by methanethiolation. Their effectiveness as protecting agents was placed in the order ADP greater than ATP greater than Mg2+ greater than phosphoenolpyruvate greater than pyruvate. The essential catalytic cation, K+, had no effect on the methanethiolation reaction. [Me-3H]Methanethiosulphonate modified all the available cysteine thiol groups which correlated to the incorporation of four SC3H3 groups per protomer. Four radioactive peptides were obtained on tryptic peptide mapping. When methanethiolation was carried out in the presence of Mg2+ alone or with Mg2+ and ATP together, then only three SC3H3 groups were incorporated into each subunit. If MgATP protected methanethiolated pyruvate kinase was reacted with iodo[2-3H]acetic acid then 1.37 +/- 0.2 groups per protomer were carboxymethylated. 70% of the radioactivity was located in a single peptide on tryptic peptide mapping. This peptide was isolated and contained the segment carboxymethyl cysteine (Glx, Asx, Ser) Arg. Collectively these data indicate that although all thiol groups are equally accessible to methyl methanethiosulphonate, only a single thiol group participates in the catalytic event. An additional role in the maintenance of structure for this thiol group was also shown in studied of reduction and thermal denaturation of the enzyme.     

Vanadyl(IV) complexes with pyruvate kinase: activation of the enzyme and electron paramagnetic resonance properties of ternary complexes with the protein

Complexes of the oxocation of vanadyl(IV), VO2+, with pyruvate kinase from rabbit muscle have been investigated by steady-state kinetic assays and by EPR spectroscopy. Pyruvate kinase requires 2 eq of divalent cation for activity. VO2+ alone is a poor activator of the normal physiological reaction catalyzed by the enzyme and of the enzyme-catalyzed exchange of the methyl protons of pyruvate with solvent. VO2+ alone is, however, an activator of the enzyme-catalyzed phosphorylation of glycolate by ATP. VO2+ is more effective than Mg2+ in activation of the bicarbonate-dependent ATPase reaction of pyruvate kinase, and in the enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphoenolpyruvate. EPR data show that VO2+ binds to the divalent cation site on the protein competitively with respect to Mg2+. The VO2+-enzyme complex has a high affinity for bicarbonate. Direct coordination of pyruvate, oxalate, and glycolate to the enzyme-bound VO2+ has been established by EPR measurements with specifically 17O-labeled forms of these compounds.     

The role of ATP and divalent cations in the regulation of a cardiac phosphorylase phosphatase (phosphoprotein phosphatase) of Mr = 35,000.

The effects of ATP and divalent cations on a divalent cation-independent phosphorylase phosphatase of Mr = 35,000 (phosphatase S) purified from canine cardiac muscle have been studied. The enzyme can be rapidly inactivated by ATP or other nucleoside di- and triphosphates and PPi, but not by AMP, adenosine, adenine, Pi, EDTA, ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)N,N' -tetraacetic acid, 1,10-phenanthroline, or 8-hydroxyquinoline. After removing the inactivating agent, such as ATP or PPi, by gel filtraiton followed by exhaustive dialysis, the inactivated enzyme (apophosphatase S) can be reactivated by preincubating with Mn2+ or Co2+, but not with Mg2+, Ca2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Cu2+, Ba2+, Hg2+, Pb2+, or Cd2+. The Mn2+ -reactivated enzyme, which is less active than the Co2+ -reactivated enzyme, can be again inactivated by preincubating with ATP. The present findings indicate that phosphatase S contains a tightly bound divalent cation, probably Mn2+, in the active site. ATP and PPi, due to their structural similarity to the phosphoprotein substrate and their ability to chelate metal ions, can readily enter the active site to remove the divalent cation(s) essential for the catalytic function. The present findings also indicate that phosphatase S, a common catalytic subunit of several larger molecular forms of nospecific phosphoprotein phosphatase in cardiac muscle, can exist in two interconvertible forms, a metallized form (active) and a demetallized form (inactive). ATP and metal ions may regulate this class of isozymes by mediating the interconversions.     

Monovalent Cation Activation of Plant Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase

The pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-catalyzed inactivation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex was studied using dialyzed, soluble proteins from mitochondria purified from green leaf tissue of Pisum sativum L. seedlings. At subsaturating ATP concentrations, K+ or NH4+, but not Na+, stimulated the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase by lowering the Km(ATP). Micromolar concentrations of NH4+ were required to produce the same effect as millimolar concentrations of K+. This is apparent from the observations that the activation constant (Kact) for NH4+ was 0.1 mM, whereas the Kact(K+) was 0.7 mM. Maximal pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase velocities attained with NH4+ were higher than those with K+, and, therefore, NH4+ was able to stimulate PDH kinase further in the presence of saturating K+. This result supports our conclusion that photorespiratory NH4+ production in plant mitochondria may be involved in regulating the entry of carbon into the Krebs cycle by way of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.     

The proton transfer reactions catalyzed by yeast pyruvate kinase.

1. The proton-transfer reactions of yeast pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40) were studied. Proton-transfer from C-3 of phosphoenolpyruvate to water occurs only in the presence of the phosphoryl-acceptor ADP. Proton transfer from C-3 of pyruvate to water occurs only in the presence of ATP. However, the proton transfer in the latter case occurs 10-100 times faster than phosphoryl transfer; this supports a mechanism in which proton transfer precedes phosphoryl transfer in the reverse reaction of pyruvate kinase. 2. The characteristics of proton-transfer reactions of yeast pyruvate kinase were compared with those previously reported for rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase (Robinson, JL. and Rose, I.A. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247, 1096-1105). The pH-profiles and the divalent cation dependencies were similar for Fru-1,6-P2-activated yeast pyruvate kinase and the muscle enzyme. Pyruvate enolization by yeast pyruvate kinase has an absolute requirement for ATP in contrast to enolization by the muscle enzyme which proceeds when ATP is replaced by Pi or other dianions. 3. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate was shown to affect the catelytic steps of yeast pyruvate kinase in addition to the binding of substrates. Its role depends on the divalent cation used to activate the enzyme.     

Reaction of pyruvate kinase with the new nucleotide affinity labels 8-[(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)thio]adenosine 5'-diphosphate and 5'-triphosphate

Two new reactive nucleotides have been synthesized and characterized: 8-[(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)thio]adenosine 5'-diphosphate and 5'-triphosphate (8-BDB-TADP and 8-BDB-TATP). ADP or ATP was converted to 8-thio-ADP (-ATP) via 8-bromo-ADP (-ATP), followed by condensation with 1,4-dibromobutanedione. Rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase is inactivated by both reagents in a biphasic manner with an initial rapid loss of 75% activity, followed by a slow total inactivation. The initial fast reaction with both compounds exhibits nonlinear dependence on reagent concentration, indicating formation of a reversible enzyme-reagent complex prior to covalent attachment. The presence of the gamma-phosphoryl group improves the performance of the affinity label: KI values for the fast phase are similar (about 100 microM), whereas kmax for 8-BDB-TATP is about three times greater than that of 8-BDB-TADP (0.286 min-1 vs 0.0835 min-1). After an 80-min incubation with 175 microM of either reagent, about 2 mol/mol of subunit is incorporated with 76% inactivation caused by 8-BDB-TADP and 97% inactivation by 8-BDB-TATP. Loss of activity is prevented by substrates, with the best protection afforded by a combination of ATP, Mn2+, K+, and phosphoenolpyruvate. Reaction of pyruvate kinase with either compound in the presence of protecting ligands leads to incorporation of about 1 mol of reagent/mol of subunit with only about 15% loss of activity. These results suggest that 8-BDB-TADP and 8-BDB-TATP react with two groups on the enzyme, one of which is at or near the active site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of calcium ions on pyruvate carboxylase from pigeon liver.

Pigeon liver pyruvate carboxylase (pyruvate: CO2 ligase (ADP forming), EC 6.4.1.1) shows allosteric properties similar to those of chicken or rat liver enzyme. Kinetic methods have been used to determine the effect of Ca2+ on this enzyme. The Ca2+ activation effect is absolutely dependent on the Mg2+ concentration; in the absence of Mg2+, pyruvate carboxylase has no catalytic activity. Furthermore, Ca2+ cannot replace Mg2+ and also shows a paradoxical effect on the liver enzyme activity. It is an activator at low pyruvate or Mg2+ concentrations; at increased pyruvate concentrations, however, it becomes an inhibitor. At low levels of ATP a pronounced activation of pigeon liver pyruvate carboxylase by Ca2+ has been demonstrated. The results of this communication demonstrate pigeon liver pyruvate carboxylase to be different from pyruvate carboxylase from other sources.     

Histochemical technique for the demonstration of pyruvate kinase activity

We describe an enzyme histochemical multistep technique for the demonstration of pyruvate kinase activity. In this technique, a semipermeable membrane is interposed between the incubation medium and the tissue sections, thus preventing diffusion of the enzyme into the medium during the incubation period. In this histochemical system, phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) donates its phosphate group to ADP in a reaction catalysed by pyruvate kinase. Next, exogenous and endogenous hexokinase catalyses the reaction between ATP and D-glucose to yield D-glucose-6-phosphate and ADP. The D-glucose-6-phosphate is oxidized by exogenous and endogenous D-glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and concomitantly, the generated electrons are transported via NADP+, phenazine methosulphate and menadione to nitro-BT, which is finally precipitated as formazan. Sodium azide and amytal are included to block electron transfer to cytochromes. The method proved to be of value for the qualitative demonstration of pyruvate kinase activity in tissue sections of kidneys, heart muscle and skeletal muscle. For quantitative studies and for investigating the activity of this enzyme in liver sections, the method cannot be recommended.     

Dimethylsulfoxide promotes K+-independent activity of pyruvate kinase and the acquisition of the active catalytic conformation.

Pyruvate kinase requires K+ for maximal activity; the enzyme exhibits 0.02% of maximal activity in its absence [Kayne, F. J. (1971) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 143, 232-239]. However, pyruvate kinase entrapped in reverse micelles exhibits an important K+-independent activity [Ramírez-Silva, L., Tuena de Gómez-Puyou, M., & Gómez-Puyou, A. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 5332-5338]. It is possible that the amount of water, as well as interactions of the protein with the micelles, can account for this behavior. We therefore explored the solvent effects on the catalytic properties of muscle pyruvate kinase. The enzyme exhibited an activity of 19.4 micromol x min(-1) x mg(-1) in 40% dimethylsulfoxide, compared with 280 and 0.023 micromol x min(1) x mg(-1) observed with and without K+ in water, respectively. pH activity profiles and kinetic constants for the substrates of pyruvate kinase in dimethylsulfoxide without K+ were similar to those in 100% water with K+, and differed from those in water without K+. The spectral center of mass of the emission spectrum of pyruvate kinase in 100% water exhibited a blue shift of 3.5 nm in the presence of Mg(2+), phosphenolpyruvate, and K+, ligands that induce the active conformation of the enzyme. The spectral center of mass of the apoenzyme in 30-40% dimethylsulfoxide coincided with that of the enzyme-Mg(2+)-phosphenolpyruvate-K+ complex in 100% water. The water relaxation rate enhancement factor and binding of phosphenolpyruvate to the pyruvate kinase-Mn(2+)-(CH3)4N+ complex in 30-40% dimethylsulfoxide were similar to those of the pyruvate kinase-Mn(2+)-K+ complex in water. The aforementioned results indicate that when muscle pyruvate kinase is without K+, 30-40% dimethylsulfoxide induces its active conformation.     

Reversible phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase in rat skeletal-muscle mitochondria. Effects of starvation and diabetes.

The total activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex in rat hind-limb muscle mitochondria was 76.4 units/g of mitochondrial protein. The proportion of complex in the active form was 34% (as isolated), 8-14% (incubation with respiratory substrates) and greater than 98% (incubation without respiratory substrates). Complex was also inactivated by ATP in the presence of oligomycin B and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. Ca2+ (which activates PDH phosphatase) and pyruvate or dichloroacetate (which inhibit PDH kinase) each increased the concentration of active PDH complex in a concentration-dependent manner in mitochondria oxidizing 2-oxoglutarate/L-malate. Values giving half-maximal activation were 10 nM-Ca2+, 3 mM-pyruvate and 16 microM-dichloroacetate. Activation by Ca2+ was inhibited by Na+ and Mg2+. Mitochondria incubated with [32P]Pi/2-oxoglutarate/L-malate incorporated 32P into three phosphorylation sites in the alpha-chain of PDH; relative rates of phosphorylation were sites 1 greater than 2 greater than 3, and of dephosphorylation, sites 2 greater than 1 greater than 3. Starvation ( 48h ) or induction of alloxan-diabetes had no effect on the total activity of PDH complex in skeletal-muscle mitochondria, but each decreased the concentration of active complex in mitochondria oxidizing 2-oxoglutarate/L-malate and increased the concentrations of Ca2+, pyruvate or dichloracetate required for half-maximal reactivation. In extracts of mitochondria the activity of PDH kinase was increased 2-3-fold by 48 h starvation or alloxan-diabetes, but the activity of PDH phosphatase was unchanged.     

At environmental doses, dietary methylmercury inhibits mitochondrial energy metabolism in skeletal muscles of the zebra fish (Danio rerio)

The neurotoxic compound methylmercury (MeHg) is a commonly encountered pollutant in the environment, and constitutes a hazard for human health through fish eating. To study the impact of MeHg on mitochondrial structure and function, we contaminated the model fish species Danio rerio with food containing 13 microg of MeHg per gram, an environmentally relevant dose. Mitochondria from contaminated zebrafish muscles presented structural abnormalities under electron microscopy observation. In permeabilized muscle fibers, we observed, a strong inhibition of both state 3 mitochondrial respiration and functionally isolated maximal cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity after 49 days of MeHg exposure. However, the state 4 respiratory rate remained essentially unchanged. This suggested a defect at the level of ATP synthesis. Accordingly, we measured a dramatic decrease in the rate of ATP release by skinned muscle fibers using either pyruvate and malate or succinate as respiratory substrates. However, the amount and the assembly of the ATP synthase were identical in both control and contaminated muscle mitochondrial fractions. This suggests that MeHg induced a decoupling of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in the skeletal muscle of zebrafish. Western blot analysis showed a 30% decrease of COX subunit IV levels, a 50% increase of ATP synthase subunit alpha, and a 40% increase of the succinate dehydrogenase Fe/S protein subunit in the contaminated muscles. This was confirmed by the analysis of gene expression levels, using RT-PCR. Our study provides a basis for further analysis of the deleterious effect of MeHg on fish health via mitochondrial impairment.     

2-[(4-Bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)thio]adenosine 5'-monophosphate, a new nucleotide analogue that acts as an affinity label of pyruvate kinase

A new reactive adenine nucleotide has been synthesized: 2-[(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)thio]-adenosine 5'-monophosphate (2-BDB-TAMP). Adenosine 5'-monophosphate 1-oxide was synthesized by reaction of AMP with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. Treatment with NaOH followed by reaction with carbon disulfide yielded 2-thioadenosine 5'-monophosphate (TAMP). The final product was generated by reaction of TAMP with 1,4-dibromobutanedione. The structure of 2-BDB-TAMP was determined by UV, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy as well as by bromide and phosphorus analysis. Rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase is inactivated by 2-BDB-TAMP at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C. The inactivation rate exhibits a nonlinear dependence on the reagent concentration with KI = 0.57 mM. Protection against inactivation is provided by ADP and ATP, in the presence of Mn2+, as well as by phosphoenolpyruvate, in the presence of K+; in addition, partial protection is provided by AMP plus Mn2+. Incubation of pyruvate kinase with 0.075 mM 2-BDB-TAMP for 70 min in the absence of protective ligands leads to incorporation of 1.55 mol of reagent/mol of enzyme subunit when the enzyme is 53% inactive. In the presence of ADP and Mn2+, only 0.96 mol of reagent/mol of subunit is incorporated at 70 min, while the enzyme retains 100% activity. Similar results were obtained in the presence of ATP plus Mn2+. Assuming that the groups modified in the absence of ligands include those modified in the presence of the nucleotides, the 53% inactivation can be attributed to the modification of 0.59 (1.55-0.96) group per enzyme subunit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Impaired oxidative phosphorylation in skeletal muscle of intrauterine growth-retarded rats

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes in later life. We have developed a model of uteroplacental insufficiency, a common cause of intrauterine growth retardation, in the rat. Early in life, the animals are insulin resistant and by 6 mo of age they develop diabetes. Glycogen content and insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake were significantly decreased in muscle from IUGR rats. IUGR muscle mitochondria exhibited significantly decreased rates of state 3 oxygen consumption with pyruvate, glutamate, alpha-ketoglutarate, and succinate. Decreased pyruvate oxidation in IUGR mitochondria was associated with decreased ATP production, decreased pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, and increased expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4. Such a defect in IUGR mitochondria leads to a chronic reduction in the supply of ATP available from oxidative phosphorylation. Impaired ATP synthesis in muscle compromises energy-dependent GLUT4 recruitment to the cell surface, glucose transport, and glycogen synthesis, which contribute to insulin resistance and hyperglycemia of type 2 diabetes.     

A sensitive radioisotopic assay of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in human muscle tissue.

A radioactive assay for the determination of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity in muscle tissue has been developed. The assay measures the rate of acetyl-CoA formation from pyruvate in a reaction mixture containing NAD+ and CoASH. The acetyl-CoA is determined as [14C]citrate after condensation with [14C]-oxaloacetate by citrate synthase. The method is specific and sensitive to the picomole range of acetyl-CoA formed. In eleven normal subjects, the active form of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDCa) in resting human skeletal muscle samples obtained using the needle biopsy technique was 0.44 +/- 0.16 (SD) mumol acetyl-CoA.min-1.g-1 wet wt. Total pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDCt) activity was determined after activation by pretreating the muscle homogenate with Ca2+, Mg2+, dichloroacetate, glucose, and hexokinase. The mean value for PDCt was 1.69 +/- 0.32 mumol acetyl-CoA.min-1.g-1 wet wt, n = 11. The precision of the method was determined by analyzing 4-5 samples of the same muscle piece. The coefficient of variation for PDCa was 8% and for PDCt 5%.     

Electron spin echo envelope modulation studies of pyruvate kinase active-site complexes

Electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopy, with Mn2+ and VO2+ as paramagnetic probes, was used to examine active-site structures at the protein-based divalent cation site of rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase in the presence of substrates, products, and the requisite inorganic cofactors. Two different VO.protein complexes were clearly distinguished, which differed with respect to coordination of the active-site lysine to VO2+. Lysine coordination was sensitive to the presence of pyruvate and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and to the nature of the monovalent cation. In the presence of MgATP and oxalate, a 4-MHz 31P contact interaction was observed, which indicates that the ATP is directly coordinated to Mn2+ at the protein-based site. No 31P contact interactions were observed, however, in the presence of PEP. Pyruvate was determined to be a bidentate ligand of VO2+, on the basis of the observation of 2.2- and 5.4-MHz 13C contact interactions between VO2+ and [1-13C]pyruvate and [2-13C]pyruvate, respectively. Magnetic coupling between VO2+ or Mn2+ and 23Na, 39K, and 133Cs was observed, demonstrating the close proximity of the monovalent cation and the protein-based divalent cation.     

Rat-brain pyruvate kinase: Purification and effects of lithium

Purified pyruvate kinase was prepared from pooled brains obtained from untreated rats. Its properties suggest that it is similar to type 'M' pyruvate kinase. Lithium inhibition was demonstrated at pharmacologically significant lithium concentrations (7%-12% at 2 mmol 1-1 Li) and this was similar in character to that previously seen in rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase, namely noncompetitive with respect to phosphoenol pyruvate, K+, and Mg2+ but competitive with ADP.