Fatty acid synthesis in pea root plastids is inhibited by the action of long-chain acyl- coenzyme as on metabolite transporters.

The uptake in vitro of glucose (Glc)-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) into plastids from the roots of 10- to 14-d-old pea (Pisum sativum L. cv Puget) plants was inhibited by oleoyl-coenzyme A (CoA) concentrations in the low micromolar range (1--2 microM). The IC(50) (the concentration of inhibitor that reduces enzyme activity by 50%) for the inhibition of Glc-6-P uptake was approximately 750 nM; inhibition was reversed by recombinant rapeseed (Brassica napus) acyl-CoA binding protein. In the presence of ATP (3 mM) and CoASH (coenzyme A; 0.3 mM), Glc-6-P uptake was inhibited by 60%, due to long-chain acyl-CoA synthesis, presumably from endogenous sources of fatty acids present in the preparations. Addition of oleoyl-CoA (1 microM) decreased carbon flux from Glc-6-P into the synthesis of starch and through the oxidative pentose phosphate (OPP) pathway by up to 73% and 40%, respectively. The incorporation of carbon from Glc-6-P into fatty acids was not detected under any conditions. Oleoyl-CoA inhibited the incorporation of acetate into fatty acids by 67%, a decrease similar to that when ATP was excluded from incubations. The oleoyl-CoA-dependent inhibition of fatty acid synthesis was attributable to a direct inhibition of the adenine nucleotide translocator by oleoyl-CoA, which indirectly reduced fatty acid synthesis by ATP deprivation. The Glc-6-P-dependent stimulation of acetate incorporation into fatty acids was reversed by the addition of oleoyl-CoA.     

Acute inhibition of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase does not affect gluconeogenesis but directs gluconeogenic flux toward glycogen in fasted rats. A pharmacological study with the chlorogenic acid derivative S4048

Effects of acute inhibition of glucose-6-phosphatase activity by the chlorogenic acid derivative S4048 on hepatic carbohydrate fluxes were examined in isolated rat hepatocytes and in vivo in rats. Fluxes were calculated using tracer dilution techniques and mass isotopomer distribution analysis in plasma glucose and urinary paracetamol-glucuronide after infusion of [U-(13)C]glucose, [2-(13)C]glycerol, [1-(2)H]galactose, and paracetamol. In hepatocytes, glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) content, net glycogen synthesis, and lactate production from glucose and dihydroxyacetone increased strongly in the presence of S4048 (10 microm). In livers of S4048-treated rats (0.5 mg kg(-1)min(-)); 8 h) Glc-6-P content increased strongly (+440%), and massive glycogen accumulation (+1260%) was observed in periportal areas. Total glucose production was diminished by 50%. The gluconeogenic flux to Glc-6-P was unaffected (i.e. 33.3 +/- 2.0 versus 33.2 +/- 2.9 micromol kg(-1)min(-1)in control and S4048-treated rats, respectively). Newly synthesized Glc-6-P was redistributed from glucose production (62 +/- 1 versus 38 +/- 1%; p < 0.001) to glycogen synthesis (35 +/- 5% versus 65 +/- 5%; p < 0.005) by S4048. This was associated with a strong inhibition (-82%) of the flux through glucokinase and an increase (+83%) of the flux through glycogen synthase, while the flux through glycogen phosphorylase remained unaffected. In livers from S4048-treated rats, mRNA levels of genes encoding Glc-6-P hydrolase (approximately 9-fold), Glc-6-P translocase (approximately 4-fold), glycogen synthase (approximately 7-fold) and L-type pyruvate kinase (approximately 4-fold) were increased, whereas glucokinase expression was almost abolished. In accordance with unaltered gluconeogenic flux, expression of the gene encoding phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was unaffected in the S4048-treated rats. Thus, acute inhibition of glucose-6-phosphatase activity by S4048 elicited 1) a repartitioning of newly synthesized Glc-6-P from glucose production into glycogen synthesis without affecting the gluconeogenic flux to Glc-6-P and 2) a cellular response aimed at maintaining cellular Glc-6-P homeostasis.     

Complementarity in the regulation of phosphoglucomutase, phosphofructokinase and hexokinase; the role of glucose 1,6-bisphosphate.

ATP and citrate, the well known inhibitors of phosphofructokinase (ATP: D-fructose 6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.11), were found to inhibit the activities of the multiple forms of phosphoglucomutase (alpha-D-glucose 1,6-bisphosphate: alpha-D-glucose 1-phosphate phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.5.1) from rat muscle and adipose tissue. This inhibition could be reversed by an increase in the glucose 1,6-bisphosphate (Glc-1,6-P2) concentration. Other known activators (deinhibitors) of phosphofructokinase, viz. cyclic AMP, AMP, ADP or Pi, had no direct deinhibitory action on the ATP or citrate inhibited multiple phosphoglucomutases. Cyclic AMP and AMP, could however lead indirectly to deinhibition of the phosphoglucomutases, by activating phosphofructokinase which catalyzes the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of glucose 1-phosphate to form Glc-1,6-P2, the la-ter then released the multiple phosphoglucomutases from ATP or citrate inhibition. The Glc-1,6-P2 was also found to exert a selective inhibitory effect on hexokinase (ATP: D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) type II, the predominant form in skeletal muscle. This selective inhibition by Glc-1,6-P2 was demonstrated on the multiple hexokinases which were resolved by cellogel electrophoresis or isolated by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Based on the in vitro studies it is suggested that during periods of highly active epinephrine-induced glycogenolysis in muscle, the Glc-1,6-P2, produced by the cyclic AMP-stimulated reaction of phosphofructokinase with glucose 1-phosphate, will release the phosphoglucomutases from ATP or citrate inhibition, and will depress the activity of muscle type II hexokinase.     

A potential new role for muscle in blood glucose homeostasis

The breakdown of tissue glycogen into glucose is critical for blood glucose homeostasis between meals. In the final steps of glycogenolysis, intracellular glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) is transported into the endoplasmic reticulum where it is hydrolyzed to glucose by glucose-6-phosphatase (Glc-6-Pase). Although the majority of body glycogen is stored in the muscle, the current dogma holds that Glc-6-Pase (now named Glc-6-Pase-alpha) is expressed only in the liver, kidney, and intestine, implying that muscle glycogen cannot contribute to interprandial blood glucose homeostasis. Recently we reported a second Glc-6-P hydrolase, Glc-6-Pase-beta. Glc-6-Pase-beta shares kinetic and structural similarities to Glc-6-Pase-alpha and couples with the Glc-6-P transporter to form an active Glc-6-Pase complex (Shieh, J.-J., Pan, C.-J., Mansfield, B. C., and Chou, J. Y. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 47098-47103). Here we demonstrate that muscle expresses both Glc-6-Pase-beta and Glc-6-P transporter and that they can couple to form an active Glc-6-Pase complex. Our data suggest that muscle may have a previously unrecognized role in interprandial glucose homeostasis.     

Brain contains a functional glucose-6-phosphatase complex capable of endogenous glucose production

Glucose is absolutely essential for the survival and function of the brain. In our current understanding, there is no endogenous glucose production in the brain, and it is totally dependent upon blood glucose. This glucose is generated between meals by the hydrolysis of glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) in the liver and the kidney. Recently, we reported a ubiquitously expressed Glc-6-P hydrolase, glucose-6-phosphatase-beta (Glc-6-Pase-beta), that can couple with the Glc-6-P transporter to hydrolyze Glc-6-P to glucose in the terminal stages of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. Here we show that astrocytes, the main reservoir of brain glycogen, express both the Glc-6-Pase-beta and Glc-6-P transporter activities and that these activities can couple to form an active Glc-6-Pase complex, suggesting that astrocytes may provide an endogenous source of brain glucose.     

Regulation of a plant SNF1-related protein kinase by glucose-6-phosphate

One of the major protein kinases (PK(III)) that phosphorylates serine-158 of spinach sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), which is responsible for light/dark modulation of activity, is known to be a member of the SNF1-related family of protein kinases. In the present study, we have developed a fluorescence-based continuous assay for measurement of PK(III) activity. Using the continuous assay, along with the fixed-time-point (32)P-incorporation assay, we demonstrate that PK(III) activity is inhibited by glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P). Relative inhibition by Glc-6-P was increased by decreasing pH from 8. 5 to 5.5 and by reducing the concentration of Mg(2+) in the assay from 10 to 2 mM. Under likely physiological conditions (pH 7.0 and 2 mM Mg(2+)), 10 mM Glc-6-P inhibited kinase activity approximately 70%. Inhibition by Glc-6-P could not be ascribed to contaminants in the commercial preparations. Other metabolites inhibited PK(III) in the following order: Glc-6-P > mannose-6-P, fructose-1,6P(2) > ribose-5-P, 3-PGA, fructose-6-P. Inorganic phosphate, Glc, and AMP were not inhibitory, and free Glc did not reverse the inhibition by Glc-6-P. Because SNF1-related protein kinases are thought to function broadly in the regulation of enzyme activity and gene expression, Glc-6-P inhibition of PK(III) activity potentially provides a mechanism for metabolic regulation of the reactions catalyzed by these important protein kinases.     

Inhibition of phosphoglucomutase by vanadate

Phosphoglucomutase is inhibited by a complex formed from alpha-D-glucose 1-phosphate (Glc-1-P) and inorganic vanadate (Vi). Both the inhibition at steady state and the rate of approach to steady state are dependent on the concentrations of both Glc-1-P and Vi. Inhibition is competitive versus alpha-D-glucose 1,6-bisphosphate (Glc-P2) and is ascribed to binding of the 6-vanadate ester of Glc-1-P (V-6-Glc-1-P) to the dephospho form of phosphoglucomutase (E). The inhibition constant for V-6-Glc-1-P at pH 7.4 was determined from steady-state kinetic measurements to be 2 x 10(-12) M. The first-order rate constant for approach to steady state increases hyperbolically with inhibitor concentration. The results are consistent with rapid equilibrium binding of V-6-Glc-1-P to E, with dissociation constant 1 x 10(-9) M, followed by rate-limiting conversion of the E.V-6-Glc-1-P complex to another species, E*.V-6-Glc-1-P, with first-order rate constant 4 x 10(-2)s-1. The rate constant determined for the reverse reaction, conversion of E*.V-6-Glc-1-P to E.V-6-Glc-1-P, is 2.5 x 10(-4)s-1. Formation of E*.V-6-Glc-1-P can also occur via binding of glucose 6-vanadate to the phospho form of phosphoglucomutase (E-P) followed by phosphoryl transfer and rearrangement of the enzyme-product complex.     

Structure of inhibited fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase from Escherichia coli: distinct allosteric inhibition sites for AMP and glucose 6-phosphate and the characterization of a gluconeogenic switch

Allosteric activation of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) from Escherichia coli by phosphoenolpyruvate implies rapid feed-forward activation of gluconeogenesis in heterotrophic bacteria. But how do such bacteria rapidly down-regulate an activated FBPase in order to avoid futile cycling? Demonstrated here is the allosteric inhibition of E. coli FBPase by glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P), the first metabolite produced upon glucose transport into the cell. FBPase undergoes a quaternary transition from the canonical R-state to a T-like state in response to Glc-6-P and AMP ligation. By displacing Phe(15), AMP binds to an allosteric site comparable with that of mammalian FBPase. Relative movements in helices H1 and H2 perturb allosteric activator sites for phosphoenolpyruvate. Glc-6-P binds to allosteric sites heretofore not observed in previous structures, perturbing subunits that in pairs form complete active sites of FBPase. Glc-6-P and AMP are synergistic inhibitors of E. coli FBPase, placing AMP/Glc-6-P inhibition in bacteria as a possible evolutionary predecessor to AMP/fructose 2,6-bisphosphate inhibition in mammalian FBPases. With no exceptions, signature residues of allosteric activation appear in bacterial sequences along with key residues of the Glc-6-P site. FBPases in such organisms may be components of metabolic switches that allow rapid changeover between gluconeogenesis and glycolysis in response to nutrient availability.     

Mitochondrial hexokinase from differentiated and undifferentiated HT29 colon cancer cells: effect of some metabolites on the bound/soluble equilibrium

1. Solubilization of mitochondrial bound hexokinase (HK), which represents 75-80% of the total enzyme activity in the cells, was investigated in freshly isolated mitochondria from undifferentiated (Glc+) or differentiated (Glc-) HT29 adenocarcinoma cells. In both models, the bound HK is almost completely released in vitro by 100 microM glucose 6-P (G 6-P). 2. Free ATP (5 mM) or palmitate (800 microM) produce a partial solubilization of bound HK, more markedly in the case of Glc- mitochondria. 3. Glucose or glucose 1-P are found unable to solubilize bound HK. Glucose 1,6-P2, 2-deoxyglucose 6-P or glucosamine 6-P can solubilize the enzyme but are less efficient than G 6-P. 4. Mg2+ and Pi are found to counteract the glucose 6-P induced solubilization of HK in both types of mitochondria. Taking into account the intracellular concentrations of these ions, this could in part explain why, in HT29 cells, HK is predominantly bound to the mitochondria.     

Upregulation of hepatic glucose 6-phosphatase gene expression in rats treated with an inhibitor of glucose-6-phosphate translocase

The multicomponent hepatic glucose 6-phosphatase (Glc-6-Pase) system catalyzes the terminal step of hepatic glucose production and plays a key role in the regulation of blood glucose. We used the chlorogenic acid derivative S 3483, a reversible inhibitor of the glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) translocase component, to demonstrate for the first time upregulation of Glc-6-Pase expression in rat liver in vivo after inhibition of Glc-6-P translocase. In accordance with its mode of action, S 3483-treatment of overnight-fasted rats induced hypoglycemia and increased blood lactate, hepatic Glc-6-P, and glycogen. The metabolic changes were accompanied by rapid and marked increases in Glc-6-Pase mRNA (above 35-fold), protein (about 2-fold), and enzymatic activity (about 2-fold). Maximal mRNA levels were reached after 4 h of treatment. Glycemia, blood lactate, and Glc-6-Pase mRNA levels returned to control values, whereas Glc-6-P and glycogen levels decreased but were still elevated 2 h after S 3483 withdrawal. The capacity for Glc-6-P influx was only marginally increased after 8.5 h of treatment. Prevention of hypoglycemia by euglycemic clamp did not abolish the increase in Glc-6-Pase mRNA induced by S 3483 treatment. A similar pattern of hypoglycemia and possibly of associated counterregulatory responses elicited by treatment with the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase inhibitor 3-mercaptopicolinic acid could account for only a 2-fold induction of Glc-6-Pase mRNA. These findings suggest that the significant upregulation of Glc-6-Pase gene expression observed after treatment of rats in vivo with an inhibitor of Glc-6-P translocase is caused predominantly either by S 3483 per se or by the compound-induced changes of intracellular carbohydrate metabolism.     

Age-dependent changes in glucose 1,6-bisphosphate levels and in the activities of glucose 1,6-bisphosphatase, and particulate hexokinase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in rat skin

The levels of glucose 1,6-bisphosphate (Glc-1,6-P2), the powerful regulator of carbohydrate metabolism, changed in rat skin during growth: Glc-1,6-P2 increased during the first week of age, and thereafter was dramatically reduced during maturation. The activity of glucose 1,6-bisphosphatase, the enzyme that degradates Glc-1,6-P2, changed with age in an invert manner as compared to the changes in Glc-1,6-P2. These findings suggest that the age dependent changes in this enzyme's activity may account for the changes in intracellular Glc-1,6-P2 concentration. The age-related changes in Glc-1,6-P2 were accompanied by concomitant changes in the activities of particulate (mitochondrial) hexokinase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, the two enzymes known to be inhibited by Glc-1,6-P2. The activities of both these enzymes in the soluble fraction were not changed with age. The particulate enzymes were more susceptible to inhibition by Glc-1,6-P2 than the soluble activities, which may explain why only the particulate, but not the soluble activities, correlated with the age-dependent changes in tissue Glc-1,6-P2. These results suggest that the changes in particulate hexokinase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase resulted from changes in intracellular concentration of Glc-1,6-P2. The marked reduction in Glc-1,6-P2 during maturation, accompanied by activation of mitochondrial hexokinase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, may reflect an enhancement in skin metabolism during growth.     

Induction of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes. Requirement for insulin and dexamethasone

To determine the relative contributions of glucose, insulin, dexamethasone, and triiodothyronine to the induction of hepatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, hepatocytes isolated from normal or adrenalectomized rats, either fasted or fed, were examined in culture. Addition of insulin (42 milliunits/ml, 0.9 microM) and dexamethasone (1 microM) to hepatocytes obtained from 3-day-fasted rats and cultured for 48 h in serum-free Dulbecco's medium resulted in a 7- to 11-fold increase in Glc-6-P dehydrogenase specific activity compared with a 2- to 3-fold increase in activity in control cultures incubated without added hormones. The effects of insulin and dexamethasone were independent of DNA synthesis, dose-dependent, and additive; each contributing about one-half of the total response. Medium glucose was neither sufficient nor necessary for the insulin- or dexamethasone-stimulated increase in Glc-6-P dehydrogenase specific activity. Addition of triiodothyronine (10 microM) preferentially blocked the dexamethasone-stimulated increase in Glc-6-P dehydrogenase specific activity. Insulin failed to stimulate the induction of Glc-6-P dehydrogenase in hepatocytes obtained from normal fed rats or from fasted and fed adrenalectomized rats. However, insulin caused a significant increase in the Glc-6-P dehydrogenase specific activity of these cells when dexamethasone was concurrently added to the culture medium.     

Brain hexokinase has no preexisting allosteric site for glucose 6-phosphate

Difference spectroscopic investigations on the interaction of brain hexokinase with glucose and glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) show that the binary complexes E-glucose and E-Glc-6-P give very similar UV difference spectra. However, the spectrum of the ternary E-glucose-Glc-6-P complex differs markedly from the spectra of the binary complexes, but resembles that produced by the E-glucose-Pi complex. Direct binding studies of the interaction of Glc-6-P with brain hexokinase detect only a single high-affinity binding site for Glc-6-P (KD = 2.8 microM). In the ternary E-glucose-Glc-6-P complex, Glc-6-P has a much higher affinity for the enzyme (KD = 0.9 microM) and a single binding site. Ribose 5-phosphate displaces Glc-6-P from E-glucose-Glc-6-P only, but not from E-Glc-6-P complex. It also fails to displace glucose from E-glucose and E-glucose-Glc-6-P complexes. Scatchard plots of the binding of glucose to brain hexokinase reveal only a single binding site but show distinct evidence of positive cooperativity, which is abolished by Glc-6-P and Pi. These ligands, as well as ribose 5-phosphate, substantially increase the binding affinity of glucose for the enzyme. The spectral evidence, as well as the interactive nature of the sites binding glucose and phosphate-bearing ligands, lead us to conclude that an allosteric site for Glc-6-P of physiological relevance occurs on the enzyme only in the presence of glucose, as a common locus where Glc-6-P, Pi, and ribose 5-phosphate bind. In the absence of glucose, Glc-6-P binds to the enzyme at its active site with high affinity. We also discuss the possibility that, in the absence of glucose, Glc-6-P may still bind to the allosteric site, but with very low affinity, as has been observed in studies on the reverse hexokinase reaction.     

Mechanism of phosphoacetylglucosamine mutase.

Kinetic studies of phosphoacetylglucosamine mutase (EC 2.7.5.2) for the following reactions: 1) Glc-1-P in equilibrium Glc-6-P and 2) GlcNAc-1-P in equilibrium GlcNAc-6-P have been conducted in the presence of Glc-1,6-P2 and GlcNAc-1,6-P2, respectively. In the first reaction, the initial velocity studies at various concentrations of one substrate showed a series of parallel lines in the Line-weaver-Burk plot when the concentrations of the other substrate were changed at several fixed levels. For both reactions, the initial velocity studies performed at fixed ratios of both substrates showed linear lines in the double reciprocal plot. The competitive substrate inhibition pattern was observed in the second reaction. A ping-pong mechanism is proposed for phosphoacetyl-glucosamine mutase. In addition, phosphoacetylglucosamine mutase can be phosphorylated by the addition of Glc-1-[32P]P probably via the reaction of Glc-1-[32P]P with the phosphoenzyme followed by the release of glucose-monophosphate leaving the 32P with the phosphoenzyme. The linkage between the phosphoryl residue and enzyme is stable in acid, but labile in alkali, suggesting phosphoserine (or phosphothreonine) as the phosphorylated amino acid. Biphasic heat denaturation curves suggest the existence of heat-stable and heat-labile forms of this enzyme.     

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant unable to convert glucose to glucose-6-phosphate accumulates excessive glucose in the endoplasmic reticulum due to core oligosaccharide trimming

D-Glucose is the preferred carbon and energy source for most eukaryotic cells. Immediately following its uptake, glucose is rapidly phosphorylated to glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P). The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has three enzymes (Hxk1p, Hxk2p, and Glk1p) that convert glucose to Glc-6-P. In the present study, we found that yeast mutants lacking any two of these enzymes retain the ability to efficiently convert glucose to Glc-6-P and thus maintain a low level of cellular glucose. However, a mutant strain lacking all three glucose-phosphorylating enzymes contained up to 225-fold more intracellular glucose than normal. Drugs that inhibit the synthesis or the trimming of the lipid-linked core oligosaccharide Glu(3)Man(9)GlcNac(2) effectively reduced the accumulation of glucose. Similarly, mutations that block the addition of glucose residues to the core oligosaccharide moiety, such as alg5Delta or alg6Delta, also diminished glucose accumulation. These results indicate that the intracellular glucose accumulation observed in the glucose phosphorylation mutant results primarily from the trimming of glucose residues from core oligosaccharide chains within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Consistent with this conclusion, both [(14)C]glucose exchange and subcellular fractionation experiments indicate that much of the accumulated glucose is retained within an intracellular compartment, suggesting that the efficient transport of glucose from the ER to the cytosol in yeast may be coupled to its rephosphorylation to Glc-6-P. The high level of cellular glucose was associated with an increased level of protein glycation and the release of glucose into the culture medium via its transit through the secretory pathway. Finally, we also found that the accumulation of glucose may lead to a subtle alteration in ion homeostasis, particularly Ca(2+) uptake. This suggests that this mutant strain may serve as a useful model to study the consequences of excessive glucose accumulation and protein glycation.     

Stabilization of glucosaminephosphate synthase from rat liver by hexose 6-phosphates. Properties and interconversion of two molecular forms.

Glucosaminephosphate synthase (glucosaminephosphate isomerase (glutamine-forming), EC 5.3.1.19) prepared from rat liver by extraction in the presence of glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) followed by precipitation with (NH4)2SO4 is susceptible to digestion by trypsin. This enzyme, designated form A, can be converted to tryptic-insusceptible form B upon incubation with Glc-6-P or fructose 6-phosphate (Fru-6-P) at 37 degrees C. The two forms also differ in the degree of activation by dithiothreitol, the degree of inhibition by methyl-glyoxal and the behavior on DEAE-Sephadex and Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. During purification with DEAE-Sephadex followed by hydroxyapatite, form B is converted to form A if Fru-6-P is absent and form A to form B if Fru-6-P is present. The two forms are therefore intercovertible. Under the conditions of purification, form B is more stable than form A, since the purity and yield of the final product are greater with form B than with form A. These findings suggest that the two forms of glucosaminephosphate synthase differ conformationally and that the equilibrium position depends on the concentration of Fru-6-P. Glc-6-P is effective only when it gives rise to Fru-6-P by mediation of glucose-phosphate isomerase.     

Loss of the major isoform of phosphoglucomutase results in altered calcium homeostasis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Phosphoglucomutase (PGM) is a key enzyme in glucose metabolism, where it catalyzes the interconversion of glucose 1-phosphate (Glc-1-P) and glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P). In this study, we make the novel observation that PGM is also involved in the regulation of cellular Ca(2+) homeostasis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When a strain lacking the major isoform of PGM (pgm2Delta) was grown on media containing galactose as sole carbon source, its rate of Ca(2+) uptake was 5-fold higher than an isogenic wild-type strain. This increased rate of Ca(2+) uptake resulted in a 9-fold increase in the steady-state total cellular Ca(2+) level. The fraction of cellular Ca(2+) located in the exchangeable pool in the pgm2Delta strain was found to be as large as the exchangeable fraction observed in wild-type cells, suggesting that the depletion of Golgi Ca(2+) stores is not responsible for the increased rate of Ca(2+) uptake. We also found that growth of the pgm2Delta strain on galactose media is inhibited by 10 microM cyclosporin A, suggesting that activation of the calmodulin/calcineurin signaling pathway is required to activate the Ca(2+) transporters that sequester the increased cytosolic Ca(2+) load caused by this high rate of Ca(2+) uptake. We propose that these Ca(2+)-related alterations are attributable to a reduced metabolic flux between Glc-1-P and Glc-6-P due to a limitation of PGM enzymatic activity in the pgm2Delta strain. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that this "metabolic bottleneck" resulted in an 8-fold increase in the Glc-1-P level compared with the wild-type strain, while the Glc-6-P and ATP levels were normal. These results suggest that Glc-1-P (or a related metabolite) may participate in the control of Ca(2+) uptake from the environment.     

Studies on the inhibition of glycogenolysis by D-galactosamine in rat liver hepatocytes.

Effect of galactosamine on glycogenolysis was studied in isolated hepatocytes. It was found that addition of galactosamine strongly inhibited glycogenolysis in normal hepatocytes. Galactosamine-inhibited glycogenolysis was not stimulated by epinephrine or glucagon. This inhibition was specific as no such inhibition was observed with galactose, 2-deoxy-glucose or glucosamine. The glucagon-stimulated cyclic AMP formation in galactosamine-treated hepatocytes was the same as in normal cells; Glc-1-P and Glc-6-P did not accumulate nor was lactate formation enhanced. The glucose production by hepatocytes from regenerating liver was only slightly inhibited by galactosamine and glucagon addition stimulated glycogenolysis in the presence of the amino sugar.     

Stimulation by polyamines of carbamylphosphate:glucose phosphotransferase and glucose-6-phosphate phosphohydrolase activities of multifunctional glucose-6-phosphatase.

The effects of added polyamines on carbamylphosphate (carbamyl-P):glucose phosphotransferase and glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) phosphohydrolase activities of rat hepatic D-Glc-6-P phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.9) of intact and detergent-treated microsomes have been investigated. With the former preparation, in the presence of 1.4 mM phosphate substrate and 90 mM D-glucose (phosphotransferase), 1 mM spermine, spermidine, and putrescine activated Glc-6-P phosphohydrolase 67%, 57%, and 35%, respectively. Carbamyl-P:glucose phosphotransferase, under comparable conditions, was activated 57%, 34%, and 18%. NH+4 (0.25--5.0 mM) produced at best but a minor activation (0--14%), while poly(L-lysine) (Mr = 3400; degree of polymerization 16) equimolar relative to other polyamines with respect to ionized free amino groups activated the hydrolase 358% and the transferase 222%. Treatment of microsomes with the detergent deoxycholate reduced, but did not abolish, polyamine-induced activation. The stimulatory effects of polyamines persisted in the presence of excess catalase, indicating their independence from H2O2 formation; and were eliminated in the presence of Ca2+. Kinetic analysis revealed that all tested polyamines decreased the apparent Michaelis constant values for carbamyl-P and Glc-6-P, but had no effect on the Km for glucose. Poly(L-lysine) increased the V value for both Glc-6-P phosphohydrolase and apparent V values for phosphotransferase extrapolated to infinite concentrations of either carbamyl-P or glucose. The other tested polyamines elevated only this last velocity parameter. It is proposed that a major mechanism by which polyamines activate glucose-6-phosphatase-phosphotransferase is through their electrostatic interactions with phospholipids of the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum of which this enzyme is a part. Conformational alterations thus induced may in turn affect catalytic behavior. It is suggested that polyamines, or similar positively charged peptides, might participate in the cellular regulation of synthetic and hydrolytic activities of glucose-6-phosphatase.