Partial activation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase by the lipoyl domain region of E2 and interchange of the kinase between lipoyl domain regions

Phenylbutyrate therapy for pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency and lactic acidosis

Lactic acidosis is a buildup of lactic acid in the blood and tissues, which can be due to several inborn errors of metabolism as well as nongenetic conditions. Deficiency of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC) is the most common genetic disorder leading to lactic acidosis. Phosphorylation of specific serine residues of the E1α subunit of PDHC by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) inactivates the enzyme, whereas dephosphorylation restores PDHC activity. We found that phenylbutyrate enhances PDHC enzymatic activity in vitro and in vivo by increasing the proportion of unphosphorylated enzyme through inhibition of PDK. Phenylbutyrate given to C57BL/6 wild-type mice results in a significant increase in PDHC enzyme activity and a reduction of phosphorylated E1α in brain, muscle, and liver compared to saline-treated mice. By means of recombinant enzymes, we showed that phenylbutyrate prevents phosphorylation of E1α through binding and inhibition of PDK, providing a molecular explanation for the effect of phenylbutyrate on PDHC activity. Phenylbutyrate increases PDHC activity in fibroblasts from PDHC-deficient patients harboring various molecular defects and corrects the morphological, locomotor, and biochemical abnormalities in the noa(m631) zebrafish model of PDHC deficiency. In mice, phenylbutyrate prevents systemic lactic acidosis induced by partial hepatectomy. Because phenylbutyrate is already approved for human use in other diseases, the findings of this study have the potential to be rapidly translated for treatment of patients with PDHC deficiency and other forms of primary and secondary lactic acidosis.

Comparative homology modeling of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozymes from Xenopus tropicalis reveals structural basis for their subfunctionalization

Structural-functional divergence is responsible for the preservation of highly homologous genes. Protein functions affected by mutagenesis in divergent sequences require investigation on an individual basis. In the present study, comparative homology modeling and predictive bioinformatics analysis were used to reveal for the first time the subfunctionalization of two pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) isozymes in the western clawed frog Xenopus tropicalis. Three-dimensional structures of the two proteins were built by homology modeling based on the crystal structures of mammalian PDKs. A detailed comparison of them revealed important structural differences that modify the accessibility of the nucleotide binding site in the two isozymes. Based on the generated models and bioinformatics data analysis, the differences between the two proteins in terms of kinetic parameters, metabolic regulation, and tissue distribution are predicted. The results obtained are consistent with the idea that one of the xtPDKs is the major isozyme responsible for metabolic control of PDC activity in X. tropicalis, whereas the other one has more specialized functions. Hence, this study provides a rationale for the existence of two closely related PDK isozymes in X. tropicalis, thereby enhancing our understanding of the functional evolution of PDK family genes.

Inhibitor-bound structures of human pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4

The mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. PDC activity is tightly regulated by four members of a family of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoforms (PDK1-4), which phosphorylate and inactivate PDC. Recently, the development of specific inhibitors of PDK4 has become an especially important focus for the pharmaceutical management of diabetes and obesity. In this study, crystal structures of human PDK4 complexed with either AMPPNP, ADP or the inhibitor M77976 were determined. ADP-bound PDK4 has a slightly wider active-site cleft and a more disordered ATP lid compared with AMPPNP-bound PDK4, although both forms of PDK4 assume open conformations with a wider active-site cleft than that in the closed conformation of the previously reported ADP-bound PDK2 structure. M77976 binds to the ATP-binding pocket of PDK4 and causes local conformational changes with complete disordering of the ATP lid. M77976 binding also leads to a large domain rearrangement that further expands the active-site cleft of PDK4 compared with the ADP- and AMPPNP-bound forms. Biochemical analyses revealed that M77976 inhibits PDK4 with increased potency compared with the previously characterized PDK inhibitor radicicol. Thus, the present structures demonstrate for the first time the flexible and dynamic aspects of PDK4 in the open conformation and provide a basis for the development of novel inhibitors targeting the nucleotide-binding pocket of PDK4.

The relationship between human skeletal muscle pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase activity and muscle aerobic capacity

Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) is a mitochondrial enzyme responsible for regulating the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA for use in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. PDH is regulated through phosphorylation and inactivation by PDH kinase (PDK) and dephosphorylation and activation by PDH phosphatase (PDP). The effect of endurance training on PDK in humans has been investigated; however, to date no study has examined the effect of endurance training on PDP in humans. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine differences in PDP activity and PDP1 protein content in human skeletal muscle across a range of muscle aerobic capacities. This association is important as higher PDP activity and protein content will allow for increased activation of PDH, and carbohydrate oxidation. The main findings of this study were that 1) PDP activity ( r2 = 0.399, P = 0.001) and PDP1 protein expression ( r2 = 0.153, P = 0.039) were positively correlated with citrate synthase (CS) activity as a marker for muscle aerobic capacity; 2) E1α ( r2 = 0.310, P = 0.002) and PDK2 protein ( r2 = 0.229, P =0.012) are positively correlated with muscle CS activity; and 3) although it is the most abundant isoform, PDP1 protein content only explained ∼18% of the variance in PDP activity ( r2 = 0.184, P = 0.033). In addition, PDP1 in combination with E1α explained ∼38% of the variance in PDP activity ( r2 = 0.383, P = 0.005), suggesting that there may be alternative regulatory mechanisms of this enzyme other than protein content. These data suggest that with higher muscle aerobic capacity (CS activity) there is a greater capacity for carbohydrate oxidation (E1α), in concert with higher potential for PDH activation (PDP activity).

Ligand-induced effects on pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoform 2

Tryptophan fluorescence was used to analyze binding of ligands to human pyruvate dehydrogenase isoform 2 (PDHK2) and to demonstrate effects of ligand binding on distal structure of PDHK2 that is required for binding to the inner lipoyl domain (L2) of the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase. Ligand-altered binding of PDHK2 to L2 and effects of specific ligands on PDHK2 oligomeric state were characterized by analytical ultracentrifugation. ATP, ADP, and pyruvate markedly quenched the tryptophan fluorescence of PDHK2 and gave maximum quenching/L0.5 estimates: approximately 53%/3 microM for ATP; approximately 49%/15 microM for ADP; and approximately 71%/approximately 590 microM for pyruvate. The conversion of Trp-383 to phenylalanine completely removed ATP- and ADP-induced quenching and > or = 80% of the absolute decrease in fluorescence due to pyruvate. The W383F-PDHK2 mutant retained high catalytic activity. Pyruvate, added after ADP, quenched Trp fluorescence with an L0.5 of 3.4 microM pyruvate, > or = 150-fold lower concentration than needed with pyruvate alone. ADP-enhanced binding of pyruvate was maintained with W383F-PDHK2. Binding of PDHK2 dimer to L2 is enhanced when L2 are housed in oligomeric structures, including the glutathione S-transferase (GST)-L2 dimer, and further strengthened by reduction of the lipoyl groups (GST-L2(red)) (Hiromasa and Roche (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 33681-33693). Binding of PDHK2 to GST-L2(red) was modestly hindered by 200 microM level of ATP or ADP or 5.0 mM pyruvate; a marked change to nearly complete prevention of binding was observed with ATP or ADP plus pyruvate at only 100 microM levels, and these conditions caused PDHK2 dimer to associate to a tetramer. These changes should make major contributions to synergistic inhibition of PDHK2 activity by ADP and pyruvate. Ligand-induced changes that interfere with PDHK2 binding to GST-L2(red) may involve release of an interdomain cross arm between PDHK2 subunits in which Trp-383 plays a critical anchoring role.

Role of protein-protein interactions in the regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activity

The transacetylase component (E2) of PDC (pyruvate dehydrogenase complex) plays a critical role in the regulation of PDHK (pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase) activity. The present study was undertaken to investigate further the molecular mechanism by which E2 modulates the activity of PDHK. In agreement with the earlier results, it was found that the inner L2 (lipoyl-bearing domain 2) of E2 expressed with or without the C-terminal hinge region had little, if any, effect on the kinase activity, indicating a lack of direct allosteric effect of L2 on PDHK. In marked contrast, significant activation of PDHK was observed with the construct consisting of L2 and the E1BD (E1-binding domain) of E2 (L2-E1BD didomain) suggesting that co-localization and/or mutual orientation of PDHK and E1, facilitated by E2 binding, largely account for the activation of PDHK by the transacetylase component. Isothermal titration calorimetry and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays established that binding of adenyl nucleotides to the PDHK molecule facilitated the release of L2 domain. In contrast, binding of the L2 domain caused a significant decrease in the affinity of PDHK for ATP. The cross-talk in binding of adenyl nucleotides and the L2 domain to PDHK may indicate the existence of a highly integrated mechanism whereby the exchange of lipoyl-bearing domains presented to PDHK by E2 is coupled with ADP/ATP exchange.

Facilitated interaction between the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoform 2 and the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase

The dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2) has an enormous impact on pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) phosphorylation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) component by acting as a mobile binding framework and in facilitating and mediating regulation of PDK activity. Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) studies established that the soluble PDK2 isoform is a stable dimer. The interaction of PDK2 with the lipoyl domains of E2 (L1, L2) and the E3-binding protein (L3) were characterized by AUC. PDK2 interacted very weakly with L2 (Kd approximately 175 microM for 2 L2/PDK2) but much tighter with dimeric glutathione S-transferase (GST)-L2 (Kd approximately 3 microM), supporting the importance of bifunctional binding. Reduction of lipoyl groups resulted in approximately 8-fold tighter binding of PDK2 to GST-L2red, which was approximately 300-fold tighter than binding of 2 L2red and also much tighter than binding by GST-L1red and GST-L3red. The E2 60-mer bound approximately 18 PDK2 dimers with a Kd similar to GST-L2. E2.E1 bound more PDK2 (approximately 27.6) than E2 with approximately 2-fold tighter affinity. Lipoate reduction fostered somewhat tighter binding at more sites by E2 and severalfold tighter binding at the majority of sites on E2.E1. ATP and ADP decreased the affinity of PDK2 for E2 by 3-5-fold and adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imino)triphosphate or phosphorylation of E1 similarly reduced PDK2 binding to E2.E1. Reversible bifunctional binding to L2 with the mandatory singly held transition fits the proposed "hand-over-hand" movement of a kinase dimer to access E1 without dissociating from the complex. The gain in binding interactions upon lipoate reduction likely aids reduction-engendered stimulation of PDK2 activity; loosening of binding as a result of adenine nucleotides and phosphorylation may instigate movement of lipoyl domain-held kinase to a new E1 substrate.

Distinct regulatory properties of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase and phosphatase isoforms

The mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) plays central and strategic roles in the control of the use of glucose-linked substrates as sources of oxidative energy or as precursors in the biosynthesis of fatty acids. The activity of this mitochondrial complex is regulated by the continuous operation of competing pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) and pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase (PDP) reactions. The resulting interconversion cycle determines the fraction of active (nonphosphorylated) pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) component. Tissue-specific and metabolic state-specific control is achieved by the selective expression and distinct regulatory properties of at least four PDK isozymes and two PDP isozymes. The PDK isoforms are members of a family of serine kinases that are not structurally related to cytoplasmic Ser/Thr/Tyr kinases. The catalytic subunits of the PDP isoforms are Mg2+-dependent members of the phosphatase 2C family that has binuclear metal-binding sites within the active site. The dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2) and the dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase-binding protein (E3BP) are multidomain proteins that form the oligomeric core of the complex. One or more of their three lipoyl domains (two in E2) selectively bind each PDK and PDP1. These adaptive interactions predominantly influence the catalytic efficiencies and effector control of these regulatory enzymes. When fatty acids are the preferred source of acetyl-CoA and NADH, feedback inactivation of PDC is accomplished by the activity of certain kinase isoforms being stimulated upon preferentially binding a lipoyl domain containing a reductively acetylated lipoyl group. PDC activity is increased in Ca2+-sensitive tissues by elevating PDP1 activity via the Ca2+-dependent binding of PDP1 to a lipoyl domain of E2. During starvation, the irrecoverable loss of glucose carbons is restricted by minimizing PDC activity due to high kinase activity that results from the overexpression of specific kinase isoforms. Overexpression of the same PDK isoforms deleteriously hinders glucose consumption in unregulated diabetes.

Structure of rat BCKD kinase: nucleotide-induced domain communication in a mitochondrial protein kinase

Mitochondrial protein kinases (mPKs) are molecular switches that down-regulate the oxidation of branched-chain alpha-ketoacids and pyruvate. Elevated levels of these metabolites are implicated in disease states such as insulin-resistant Type II diabetes, branched-chain ketoaciduria, and primary lactic acidosis. We report a three-dimensional structure of a member of the mPK family, rat branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BCK). BCK features a characteristic nucleotide-binding domain and a four-helix bundle domain. These two domains are reminiscent of modules found in protein histidine kinases (PHKs), which are involved in two-component signal transduction systems. Unlike PHKs, BCK dimerizes through direct interaction of two opposing nucleotide-binding domains. Nucleotide binding to BCK is uniquely mediated by both potassium and magnesium. Binding of ATP induces disorder-order transitions in a loop region at the nucleotide-binding site. These structural changes lead to the formation of a quadruple aromatic stack in the interface between the nucleotide-binding domain and the four-helix bundle domain, where they induce a movement of the top portion of two helices. Phosphotransfer induces further ordering of the loop region, effectively trapping the reaction product ADP, which explains product inhibition in mPKs. The BCK structure is a prototype for all mPKs and will provide a framework for structure-assisted inhibitor design for this family of kinases.

Marked differences between two isoforms of human pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) isoforms 2 and 3 were produced via co-expression with the chaperonins GroEL and GroES and purified with high specific activities in affinity tag-free forms. By using human components, we have evaluated how binding to the lipoyl domains of the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2) produces the predominant changes in the rates of phosphorylation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) component by PDK2 and PDK3. E2 assembles as a 60-mer via its C-terminal domain and has mobile connections to an E1-binding domain and then two lipoyl domains, L2 and L1 at the N terminus. PDK3 was activated 17-fold by E2; the majority of this activation was facilitated by the free L2 domain (half-maximal activation at 3.3 microm L2). The direct activation of PDK3 by the L2 domain resulted in a 12.8-fold increase in k(cat) along with about a 2-fold decrease in the K(m) of PDK3 for E1. PDK3 was poorly inhibited by pyruvate or dichloroacetate (DCA). PDK3 activity was stimulated upon reductive acetylation of L1 and L2 when full activation of PDK3 by E2 was avoided (e.g. using free lipoyl domains or ADP-inhibited E2-activated PDK3). In marked contrast, PDK2 was not responsive to free lipoyl domains, but the E2-60-mer enhanced PDK2 activity by 10-fold. E2 activation of PDK2 resulted in a greatly enhanced sensitivity to inhibition by pyruvate or DCA; pyruvate was effective at significantly lower levels than DCA. E2-activated PDK2 activity was stimulated >/=3-fold by reductive acetylation of E2; stimulated PDK2 retained high sensitivity to inhibition by ADP and DCA. Thus, PDK3 is directly activated by the L2 domain, and fully activated PDK3 is relatively insensitive to feed-forward (pyruvate) and feed-back (acetylating) effectors. PDK2 was activated only by assembled E2, and this activated state beget high responsiveness to those effectors.

Requirements for the adaptor protein role of dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase in the up-regulated function of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase

The dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2 component) is a 60-mer assembled via its COOH-terminal domain with exterior E1-binding domain and two lipoyl domains (L2 then L1) sequentially connected by mobile linker regions. E2 facilitates markedly enhanced function of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) and pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase (PDP). Human E2 structures were prepared with only one lipoyl domain (L1 or L2) or with alanines substituted at the sites of lipoylation (Lys-46 in L1 or Lys-173 in L2). The L2 domain and its lipoyl group were shown to be essential for markedly enhanced PDP function and were required for greatly up-regulated PDK function. The complete absence of the L1 domain reduced the enhancements of both of these activities but not the maximal effector-stimulated PDK activity through acetylation of L2. With nonlipoylated L2 present, lipoylated L1 supported a lesser enhancement in PDK function with significant stimulation upon acetylation of L1. Prevention of L1 lipoylation in K46AE2 removed this competitive L1 role and enhanced L2-facilitated PDK activity beyond that of native E2 when PDK activity was measured in the absence or in the presence of stimulatory effectors. Thus, the E2-L2 domain has a paramount role in facilitating enhanced PDK and PDP function but inclusion of E2-L1 domain, even in a noninteracting (nonlipoylated) form, contributes to the marked elevation of these activities.

Molecular cloning, functional expression, and characterization of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase from anaerobic muscle of the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) plays a key role in the anaerobic mitochondrial metabolism of the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum. A cDNA coding for an A. suum pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (APDK) has been cloned and sequenced from poly(A)+ RNA isolated from adult A. suum muscle.2 APDK exhibited significant sequence identity to mammalian PDKs. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the APDK cDNA revealed a 22-nucleotide spliced leader, characteristic of many nematode mRNAs, a 5'-UTR of 6 nucleotides, an open reading frame of 1197 nucleotides, and a 3'-UTR of 101 nucleotides that included a putative polyadenylation signal. The open reading frame predicted a protein of 399 amino acids with a molecular weight of 45,402 that included a putative 18-aminoacid leader peptide. Recombinant APDK (rAPDK) was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli with a his tag at its N-terminus and purified to apparent homogeneity on Ni-NTA-agarose. Recombinant APDK was a dimer and was not autophosphorylated and its activity was stimulated in the presence of APDK-deficient adult A. suum muscle PDC presumably by the binding of APDK to the dihydrolipoyl transacetylase (E2) core of the complex. After binding to the core, rAPDK activity was stimulated by elevated NADH/NAD+ and acetyl CoA/CoA ratios within the same ranges as observed for the native APDK. Immunoblotting suggested that native APDK focused as a series of 43-kDa spots (pI 6.1-6.8) on two-dimensional gels of the purified adult A. suum muscle PDC.

Assembly and full functionality of recombinantly expressed dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase component of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

The dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2) component of mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) consists of 60 COOH-terminal domains as an inner assemblage and sequentially via linker regions an exterior pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) binding domain and two lipoyl domains. Mature human E2, expressed in a protease-deficient Escherichia coli strain at 27 degrees , was prepared in a highly purified form. Purified E2 had a high acetyltransferase activity, was well lipoylated based on its acetylation, and bound a large complement of bovine E1. Electron micrographs demonstrated that the inner core was assembled in the expected pentagonal dodecahedron shape with E1 binding around the inner core periphery. With saturating E1 and excess dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (E3) but no E3-binding protein (E3BP), the recombinant E2 supported the overall PDC reaction at 4% of the rate of bovine E2.E3BP subcomplex. The lipoates of assembled human E2 or its free bilipoyl domain region were reduced by E3 at rates proportional to the lipoyl domain concentration, but those of the E2.E3BP were rapidly used in a concentration-independent manner consistent with bound E3 rapidly using a set of lipoyl domains localized nearby. Given this restriction and the need for E3BP for high PDC activity, directed channeling of reducing equivalents to bound E3 must be very efficient in the complex. The recombinant E2 oligomer increased E1 kinase activity by up to 4-fold and, in a Ca2+-dependent process, increased phospho-E1 phosphatase activity more than 15-fold. Thus the E2 assemblage fully provides the molecular intervention whereby a single E2-bound kinase or phosphatase molecule rapidly phosphorylate or dephosphorylate, respectively, many E2-bound E1. Thus, we prepared properly assembled, fully functional human E2 that mediated enhanced regulatory enzyme activities but, lacking E3BP, supported low PDC activity.

Lipoyl domain-based mechanism for the integrated feedback control of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by enhancement of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activity

To conserve carbohydrate reserves, the reaction of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) must be down-regulated when the citric acid cycle is provided sufficient acetyl-CoA. PDC activity is reduced primarily through increased phosphorylation of its pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) component due to E1 kinase activity being markedly enhanced by elevated intramitochondrial NADH:NAD+ and acetyl-CoA:CoA ratios. A mechanism is evaluated in which enhanced kinase activity is facilitated by the build-up of the reduced and acetylated forms of the lipoyl moieties of the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2) component through using NADH and acetyl-CoA in the reverse of the downstream reactions of the complex. Using a peptide substrate, kinase activity was stimulated by these products, ruling out the possibility kinase activity is increased due to changes in the reaction state of its substrate, E1 (thiamin pyrophosphate). Each E2 subunit contains two lipoyl domains, an NH2-terminal (L1) and the inward lipoyl domain (L2), which were individually produced in fully lipoylated forms by recombinant techniques. Although reduction and acetylation of the L1 domain or free lipoamide increased kinase activity, those modifications of the lipoate of the kinase-binding L2 domain gave much greater enhancements of kinase activity. The large stimulation of the kinase generated by acetyl-CoA only occurred upon addition of the transacetylase-catalyzing (lipoyl domain-free) inner core portion of E2 plus a reduced lipoate source, affirming that acetylation of this prosthetic group is an essential mechanistic step for acetyl-CoA enhancing kinase activity. Similarly, the lesser stimulation of kinase activity by just NADH required a lipoate source, supporting the need for lipoate reduction by E3 catalysis. Complete enzymatic delipoylation of PDC, the E2-kinase subcomplex, or recombinant L2 abolished the stimulatory effects of NADH and acetyl-CoA. Retention of a small portion of PDC lipoates lowered kinase activity but allowed stimulation of this residual kinase activity by these products. Reintroduction of lipoyl moieties, using lipoyl protein ligase, restored the capacity of the E2 core to support high kinase activity along with stimulation of that activity up to 3-fold by NADH and acetyl-CoA. As suggested by those results, the enhancement of kinase activity is very responsive to reductive acetylation with a half-maximal stimulation achieved with approximately 20% of free L2 acetylated and, from an analysis of previous results, with acetylation of only 3-6 of the 60 L2 domains in intact PDC. Based on these findings, we suggest that kinase stimulation results from modification of the lipoate of an L2 domain that becomes specifically engaged in binding the kinase. In conclusion, kinase activity is attenuated through a substantial range in response to modest changes in the proportion of oxidized, reduced, and acetylated lipoyl moieties of the L2 domain of E2 produced by fluctuations in the NADH:NAD+ and acetyl-CoA:CoA ratios as translated by the rapid and reversible E3 and E2 reactions.

Binding of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase to recombinant constructs containing the inner lipoyl domain of the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase component

The dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2) component of the mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase complex forms a 60-subunit core in which E2's inner domain forms a dodecahedron shaped structure surrounded by its globular outer domains that are connected to each other and the inner domain by 2-3-kDa mobile hinge regions. Two of the outer domains are approximately 10 kDa lipoyl domains, an NH2-terminal one, E2L1, and, after the first hinge region a second one, E2L2. The pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase binds tightly to the lipoyl domain region of the oligomeric E2 core and phosphorylates and inactivates the pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) component. We wished to determine whether lipoyl domain constructs prepared by recombinant techniques from a cDNA for human E2 could bind the bovine E1 kinase and, that being the case, to pursue which lipoyl domain the kinase binds. We also wished to gain insights into how a molecule of kinase tightly bound to the E2 core can rapidly phosphorylate 20-30 molecules of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) component which are also bound to an outer domain of the E2 core. We prepared recombinant constructs consisting of the entire lipoyl domain region or the individual lipoyl domains with or without the intervening hinge region. Constructs were made and used both as free lipoyl domains and fused to glutathione S-transferase (GST). Using GSH-Sepharose to selectively bind GST constructs, tightly bound kinase was shown to rapidly transfer in a highly preferential way from intact E2 core to GST constructs containing the E2L2 domain rather than to ones containing only the E2L1 domain. GST-E2L2-kinase complexes could be eluted from GSH-Sepharose with glutathione. Delipoylation of E2L2 by treatment with lipoamidase eliminated kinase binding supporting a direct role of the lipoyl prosthetic group in this association. Transfer to and selective binding of the kinase by E2L2 but not E2L1 was also demonstrated with free constructs using a sucrose gradient procedure to separate the large E2 core from the various lipoyl domain constructs. E2L2 but not E2L1 increased the activity of resolved kinase by up to 43%. We conclude that the kinase selectively binds to the inner lipoyl domain of E2 subunits and that this association involves its lipoyl prosthetic group. We further suggest that transfer of tightly bound kinase between E2L2 domains occurs by a direct interchange mechanism without formation of free kinase (model presented).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)