Pyruvate kinase of Neurospora crassa: purification and some properties

Pyruvate kinase of Neurospora crassa has been purified and some of its properties are reported. The procedure used for purification consists of five steps yielding a 90 to 95% purified protein. Preliminary sedimentation analysis yielded a sedimentation coefficient of 9.5 for this enzyme. Maximal stabilization of the enzyme is achieved in phosphate buffer; Tris buffer induces a conformational change in the enzyme leading to inactivation. Inactivation can be reversed by incubation with substrates, PEP and ADP. Preliminary kinetics studies suggest the formation of a ternary complex rather than a Ping Pong type of a mechanism.

Succinyl-CoA: 3-ketoacid CoA-transferase deficiency. A cause for ketoacidosis in infancy

To explain the cause of a unique form of severe and intermittent ketoacidosis in an infant who expired after 6 months of life, tissue culture fibroblasts and post mortem tissue were examined for enzyme activities that catalyze glucose and ketoacid oxidation. No measurable succinyl-CoA: 3-ketoacid CoA-transferase (CoA-transferase) activity could be detected in homogenates of the post mortem brain, muscle and kidney tissue, or in the cultured skin fibroblasts. Since seven other enzyme activities involving both glycolysis and ketone body oxidation were present in these same tissues, it was reasonable to conclude that the observed absence of CoA-transferase activity was not an artifact of homogenate preparation. It was concluded that the absence of CoA-transferase activity resulted in a loss of intracellular homeostasis leading to ketoacidosis. In addition, the absence of this enzyme appears to be a reasonable explanation for the alteration in glucose metabolism that was previously reported in fibroblasts from this patient.

Glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzyme activities in parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells from mouse liver

1. Parenchymal cells have been prepared from mouse liver by enzymic and mechanical means. 2. The dry weights, protein and DNA contents of these cells have been determined. 3. Mouse liver ;M-' and ;L-type' pyruvate kinases have been prepared free of contamination with each other; their kinetic properties have been examined and a method has been developed for their assay in total liver homogenates. 4. Recoveries of phosphoglycerate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and phosphofructokinase in enzymically prepared cells indicate that little, if any, cytoplasmic protein is lost during preparation. 5. Parenchymal cells exhibit a very substantial increase in the activity ratio of glucokinase to hexokinase over that in total liver homogenate; in three out of eight experiments, hexokinase activity was undetectable. 6. ;L-type' pyruvate kinase alone occurs in the parenchymal cell. Non-parenchymal cells are characterized by the presence of ;M-type' activity only. 7. Parenchymal cells contain both glucose 6-phosphatase and fructose 1,6-diphosphatase. The non-parenchymal fraction appears to contain fructose 1,6-diphosphatase, but is devoid of glucose 6-phosphatase. 8. No aldolase A was detectable in the whole liver. Aldolase B occurs in both parenchymal and non-parenchymal tissue. 9. Parenchymal cells prepared by mechanical disruption of mouse liver with 20% polyvinyl alcohol exhibit a similar enzyme profile to those prepared enzymically. 10. The methodology involved in the preparation of isolated liver cells is discussed. The importance of the measurement of several parameters as criteria for establishing the viability of parenchymal cells is stressed. 11. The metabolic implications of the results in the present study are discussed.

Changes in enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in rat uterus during early pregnancy

The enzymes phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK), isocitric dehydrogenase (ICDH), malic dehydrogenase (MDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6PDH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) have been measured in rat uterus during the first 9 days of pregnancy. It was found that after implantation on day 6, the activities of PFK and PK (the key glycolytic enzymes) increased in terms of dry weight — and in terms of protein in the implantation sites, but decreased in non-implanted tissue. The pentose shunt enzymes changed similarly to those of the glycolytic enzymes. ICDH activity increased in the non-implanted tissue and decreased in the implanted tissue. Changes in malic dehydrogenase were extremely variable and did not show a consistent pattern.

Administration of Actinomycin D on day 6 of pregnancy abolished the increase in PK and PFK in the implantation sites and indeed led to a major decrease in activity. This implies that the increased PK and PFK in the implantation sites, arise from a DNA dependent RNA directed synthesis of new enzyme protein. The results are discussed in relation to the energy requirement of the decidualising tissue and the need for increased pentose for RNA synthesis. It is suggested that the extra NADPH resulting from the pentose shunt is involved in increased lipid synthesis.

Enzyme activities of the livers of mice infected with Salmonella typhimurium

The activities of the mouse liver enzymes tryptophan oxygenase, tyrosine aminotransferase, and pyruvate kinase were measured after infection with three dose levels of Salmonella typhimurium strain SR-11. Infection occurred in all groups as evidenced by an increase in bacterial numbers and by death of the animals. The activities of the enzymes increased in all groups during the course of the infection. The results obtained during infection are compared with those obtained after endotoxin injection.