The regulation of glycolysis in perfused locust flight muscle

How incubation temperature affects hatchling performance in reptiles: an integrative insight based on plasticity in metabolic enzyme

Evaluating the effects of temperature variations on animals plays an important role in understanding the threat of climate warming. The effects of developmental temperature on offspring performance are critical in evaluating the effects of warming temperatures on the fitness of oviparous species, but the physiological and biochemical basis of this developmental plasticity is largely unknown. In this study, we incubated eggs of the turtle Pelodiscus sinensis at low (24 °C), medium (28 °C), and high (32 °C) temperatures, and evaluated the effects of developmental temperature on offspring fitness, and metabolic enzymes in the neck and limb muscles of hatchlings. The hatchlings from eggs incubated at the medium temperature showed better fitness-related performance (righting response and swimming capacity) and higher activities of metabolic enzymes (hexokinase, HK; lactate dehydrogenase, LDH) than hatchlings from the eggs incubated at high or low temperatures. In addition, the swimming speed and righting response were significantly correlated with the HK activities in limb (swimming speed) and neck (righting response) muscles, suggesting that the developmental plasticity of energy metabolic pathway might play a role in determining the way incubation temperature affects offspring phenotypes. Integrating the fitness-related performance and the activities of metabolic enzymes, we predict that the P. sinensis from high latitude would not face the detrimental effects of climate warming until the average nest temperatures reach 32 °C.

Inorganic polyphosphates regulate hexokinase activity and reactive oxygen species generation in mitochondria of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus embryo

The physiological roles of polyphosphates (poly P) recently found in arthropod mitochondria remain obscure. Here, the possible involvement of poly P with reactive oxygen species generation in mitochondria of Rhipicephalus microplus embryos was investigated. Mitochondrial hexokinase and scavenger antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione reductase were assayed during embryogenesis of R. microplus. The influence of poly P₃ and poly P₁₅ were analyzed during the period of higher enzymatic activity during embryogenesis. Both poly Ps inhibited hexokinase activity by up to 90% and, interestingly, the mitochondrial membrane exopolyphosphatase activity was stimulated by the hexokinase reaction product, glucose-6-phosphate. Poly P increased hydrogen peroxide generation in mitochondria in a situation where mitochondrial hexokinase is also active. The superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase activities were higher during embryo cellularization, at the end of embryogenesis and during embryo segmentation, respectively. All of the enzymes were stimulated by poly P₃. However, superoxide dismutase was not affected by poly P₁₅, catalase activity was stimulated only at high concentrations and glutathione reductase was the only enzyme that was stimulated in the same way by both poly Ps. Altogether, our results indicate that inorganic polyphosphate and mitochondrial membrane exopolyphosphatase regulation can be correlated with the generation of reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria of R. microplus embryos.

Glycogen and glucose metabolism are essential for early embryonic development of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum

Control of energy metabolism is an essential process for life. In insects, egg formation (oogenesis) and embryogenesis is dependent on stored molecules deposited by the mother or transcribed later by the zygote. In oviparous insects the egg becomes an isolated system after egg laying with all energy conversion taking place during embryogenesis. Previous studies in a few vector species showed a strong correlation of key morphogenetic events and changes in glucose metabolism. Here, we investigate glycogen and glucose metabolism in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, an insect amenable to functional genomic studies. To examine the role of the key enzymes on glycogen and glucose regulation we cloned and analyzed the function of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) and hexokinase (HexA) genes during T. castaneum embryogenesis. Expression analysis via in situ hybridization shows that both genes are expressed only in the embryonic tissue, suggesting that embryonic and extra-embryonic cells display different metabolic activities. dsRNA adult female injection (parental RNAi) of both genes lead a reduction in egg laying and to embryonic lethality. Morphological analysis via DAPI stainings indicates that early development is impaired in Tc-GSK-3 and Tc-HexA1 RNAi embryos. Importantly, glycogen levels are upregulated after Tc-GSK-3 RNAi and glucose levels are upregulated after Tc-HexA1 RNAi, indicating that both genes control metabolism during embryogenesis and oogenesis, respectively. Altogether our results show that T. castaneum embryogenesis depends on the proper control of glucose and glycogen.

Allosteric regulation of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase activity of fat body and flight muscle from the bloodsucking bug Rhodnius prolixus

6-Phosphofructo-1-kinase (phosphofructokinase; PFK) activity from Rhodnius prolixus, a haematophagous insect which is usually a poor flyer, was measured and compared in two metabolically active tissues - flight muscle and fat body. The activity of this important regulatory glycolytic enzyme was much more pronounced in muscle (15.1 +/- 1.4 U/mg) than in fat body extracts (3.6+/-0.4 U/mg), although the latter presented higher levels of enzyme per protein content, as measured by western-blotting. Muscle extracts are more responsible than fat body to ATP and fructose 6-phosphate, both substrates of PFK. Allosteric regulation exerted by different effectors such as ADP, AMP and fructose 2,6-phosphate presented a singular pattern for each tissue. Optimal pH (8.0-8.5) and sensitivity to pH variation was very similar, and citrate was unable to inhibit PFK activity in both extracts. Our results suggest the existence of a particular PFK activity for each tissue, with regulatory patterns that are consistent with their physiological roles.

Metabolic activity of the Sticker's lymphosarcoma

Some parameters (glycolysis, respiration, levels of glycolytic enzymes) of the lymphoid cells from the Sticker's lymphosarcoma were established in order to better define the biochemical behavior of the venereal tumor of the dog. For comparative purposes lymphocytes from peripheral blood of normal and tumor-bearing dogs were also studied. Lactic acid produced by the tumor cells during aerobic glycolysis is liberated in the reaction medium. Oxygen uptake is enhanced in the presence of succinate, but not with pyruvate, alpha-ketoglutarate, or malate as substrates. Higher levels of some of the enzymes from the glycolytic pathways as well as differences on the physicochemical and kinetic properties of the glycolytic regulatory enzymes are found in Sticker's tumor cells, when compared with the lymphocytes from peripheral blood of normal and tumor-bearing dogs. A fructose-bisphosphate positively modulated pyruvatekinase is found in the tumor cells.

Properties of galactosyltransferase-enriched vesicles of Golgi membranes from lactating-rat mammary gland

Lactose was synthesised within the lumen of purified Golgi membrane vesicles, prepared from lactating rat mammary gland, from externally added glucose and UDP-galactose. An apparent Km of 1.5 mM was shown towards glucose at anomeric equilibrium, but only beta-glucose was utilised. Two apparent Km values, about 17 micro M and 112 micro M, were shown towards UDP-galactose. 5-D-Thioglucose, 6-deoxy-D-glucose and 6-deoxy-6-chloro-D-glucose were alternative substrates, acquiring alpha-lactalbumin dependence when the vesicles were lysed with detergent. Substrates independent of alpha-lactalbumin, or inhibited by it, included a wide range of N-acylated glucosamines as well as phenyl-beta-glucoside. The galactosylation of these by vesicle preparations could be ascribed to a proportion of leaky vesicles. Suitably low concentrations of Triton X-100 activated lactose synthesis by intact vesicles, indicating the membrane as a rate-limiting feature of the system.

The formation of alanine from amino acids in diaphragm muscle of the rat

Alanine production and pyruvate content of the isolated rat hemidiaphragm are increased by isoleucine or glutamate. These results support the hypothesis that amino acids are converted into pyruvate before oxidation and that some pyruvate is transaminated to alanine, which is released from the muscle.