The indirect binding of triose-phosphate isomerase to myofibrils to form a glycolytic enzyme mini-complex

Self-organizing glycolytic waves fuel cell migration and cancer progression

Glycolysis has traditionally been thought to take place in the cytosol but we observed the enrichment of glycolytic enzymes in propagating waves of the cell cortex in human epithelial cells. These waves reflect excitable Ras/PI3K signal transduction and F-actin/actomyosin networks that drive cellular protrusions, suggesting that localized glycolysis at the cortex provides ATP for cell morphological events such as migration, phagocytosis, and cytokinesis. Perturbations that altered cortical waves caused corresponding changes in enzyme localization and ATP production whereas synthetic recruitment of glycolytic enzymes to the cell cortex enhanced cell spreading and motility. Interestingly, the cortical waves and ATP levels were positively correlated with the metastatic potential of cancer cells. The coordinated signal transduction, cytoskeletal, and glycolytic waves in cancer cells may explain their increased motility and their greater reliance on glycolysis, often referred to as the Warburg effect.

Paradoxes of Hymenoptera flight muscles, extreme machines

In the Carboniferous, insects evolved flight. Intense selection drove for high performance and approximately 100 million years later, Hymenoptera (bees, wasps and ants) emerged. Some species had proportionately small wings, with apparently impossible aerodynamic challenges including a need for high frequency flight muscles (FMs), powered exclusively off aerobic pathways and resulting in extreme aerobic capacities. Modern insect FMs are the most refined and form large dense blocks that occupy 90% of the thorax. These can beat wings at 200 to 230 Hz, more than double that achieved by standard neuromuscular systems. To do so, rapid repolarisation was circumvented through evolution of asynchronous stimulation, stretch activation, elastic recoil and a paradoxically slow Ca2+ reuptake. While the latter conserves ATP, considerable ATP is demanded at the myofibrils. FMs have diminished sarcoplasmic volumes, and ATP is produced solely by mitochondria, which pack myocytes to maximal limits and have very dense cristae. Gaseous oxygen is supplied directly to mitochondria. While FMs appear to be optimised for function, several unusual paradoxes remain. FMs lack any significant equivalent to the creatine kinase shuttle, and myofibrils are twice as wide as those of within cardiomyocytes. The mitochondrial electron transport systems also release large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and respiratory complexes do not appear to be present at any exceptional level. Given that the loss of the creatine kinase shuttle and elevated ROS impairs heart function, we question how do FM shuttle adenylates at high rates and tolerate oxidative stress conditions that occur in diseased hearts?

Interactome of Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Points to the Existence of Metabolons in Paracoccidioides lutzii

Paracoccidioides is a dimorphic fungus, the causative agent of paracoccidioidomycosis. The disease is endemic within Latin America and prevalent in Brazil. The treatment is based on azoles, sulfonamides and amphotericin B. The seeking for new treatment approaches is a real necessity for neglected infections. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is an essential glycolytic enzyme, well known for its multitude of functions within cells, therefore categorized as a moonlight protein. To our knowledge, this is the first approach performed on the Paracoccidioides genus regarding the description of PPIs having GAPDH as a target. Here, we show an overview of experimental GAPDH interactome in different phases of Paracoccidioides lutzii and an in silico analysis of 18 proteins partners. GAPDH interacted with 207 proteins in P. lutzii. Several proteins bound to GAPDH in mycelium, transition and yeast phases are common to important pathways such as glycolysis and TCA. We performed a co-immunoprecipitation assay to validate the complex formed by GAPDH with triose phosphate isomerase, enolase, isocitrate lyase and 2-methylcitrate synthase. We found GAPDH participating in complexes with proteins of specific pathways, indicating the existence of a glycolytic and a TCA metabolon in P. lutzii. GAPDH interacted with several proteins that undergoes regulation by nitrosylation. In addition, we modeled the GAPDH 3-D structure, performed molecular dynamics and molecular docking in order to identify the interacting interface between GAPDH and the interacting proteins. Despite the large number of interacting proteins, GAPDH has only four main regions of contact with interacting proteins, reflecting its ancestrality and conservation over evolution.

Diffusion coefficients of endogenous cytosolic proteins from rabbit skinned muscle fibers

Efflux time courses of endogenous cytosolic proteins were obtained from rabbit psoas muscle fibers skinned in oil and transferred to physiological salt solution. Proteins were separated by gel electrophoresis and compared to load-matched standards for quantitative analysis. A radial diffusion model incorporating the dissociation and dissipation of supramolecular complexes accounts for an initial lag and subsequent efflux of glycolytic and glycogenolytic enzymes. The model includes terms representing protein crowding, myofilament lattice hindrance, and binding to the cytomatrix. Optimization algorithms returned estimates of the apparent diffusion coefficients, D(r,t), that were very low at the onset of diffusion (∼10(-10) cm(2) s(-1)) but increased with time as cytosolic protein density, which was initially high, decreased. D(r,t) at later times ranged from 2.11 × 10(-7) cm(2) s(-1) (parvalbumin) to 0.20 × 10(-7) cm(2) s(-1) (phosphofructose kinase), values that are 3.6- to 12.3-fold lower than those predicted in bulk water. The low initial values are consistent with the presence of complexes in situ; the higher later values are consistent with molecular sieving and transient binding of dissociated proteins. Channeling of metabolic intermediates via enzyme complexes may enhance production of adenosine triphosphate at rates beyond that possible with randomly and/or sparsely distributed enzymes, thereby matching supply with demand.

The structural and functional coordination of glycolytic enzymes in muscle: evidence of a metabolon?

Metabolism sustains life through enzyme-catalyzed chemical reactions within the cells of all organisms. The coupling of catalytic function to the structural organization of enzymes contributes to the kinetic optimization important to tissue-specific and whole-body function. This coupling is of paramount importance in the role that muscle plays in the success of Animalia. The structure and function of glycolytic enzyme complexes in anaerobic metabolism have long been regarded as a major regulatory element necessary for muscle activity and whole-body homeostasis. While the details of this complex remain to be elucidated through in vivo studies, this review will touch on recent studies that suggest the existence of such a complex and its structure. A potential model for glycolytic complexes and related subcomplexes is introduced.

Spatial reorganization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae enolase to alter carbon metabolism under hypoxia

Hypoxia has critical effects on the physiology of organisms. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, glycolytic enzymes, including enolase (Eno2p), formed cellular foci under hypoxia. Here, we investigated the regulation and biological functions of these foci. Focus formation by Eno2p was inhibited temperature independently by the addition of cycloheximide or rapamycin or by the single substitution of alanine for the Val22 residue. Using mitochondrial inhibitors and an antioxidant, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was shown to participate in focus formation. Focus formation was also inhibited temperature dependently by an SNF1 knockout mutation. Interestingly, the foci were observed in the cell even after reoxygenation. The metabolic turnover analysis revealed that [U-(13)C]glucose conversion to pyruvate and oxaloacetate was accelerated in focus-forming cells. These results suggest that under hypoxia, S. cerevisiae cells sense mitochondrial ROS and, by the involvement of SNF1/AMPK, spatially reorganize metabolic enzymes in the cytosol via de novo protein synthesis, which subsequently increases carbon metabolism. The mechanism may be important for yeast cells under hypoxia, to quickly provide both energy and substrates for the biosynthesis of lipids and proteins independently of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and also to fit changing environments.

Synaptic proteome changes in the superior frontal gyrus and occipital cortex of the alcoholic brain

Cognitive deficits and behavioral changes that result from chronic alcohol abuse are a consequence of neuropathological changes which alter signal transmission through the neural network. To focus on the changes that occur at the point of connection between the neural network cells, synaptosomal preparations from post-mortem human brain of six chronic alcoholics and six non-alcoholic controls were compared using 2D-DIGE. Functionally affected and spared regions (superior frontal gyrus, SFG, and occipital cortex, OC, respectively) were analyzed from both groups to further investigate the specific pathological response that alcoholism has on the brain. Forty-nine proteins were differentially regulated between the SFG of alcoholics and the SFG of controls and 94 proteins were regulated in the OC with an overlap of 23 proteins. Additionally, the SFG was compared to the OC within each group (alcoholics or controls) to identify region specific differences. A selection were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry revealing proteins involved in vesicle transport, metabolism, folding and trafficking, and signal transduction, all of which have the potential to influence synaptic activity. A number of proteins identified in this study have been previously related to alcoholism; however, the focus on synaptic proteins has also uncovered novel alcoholism-affected proteins. Further exploration of these proteins will illuminate the mechanisms altering synaptic plasticity, and thus neuronal signaling and response, in the alcoholic brain.

Changes in cod muscle proteins during frozen storage revealed by proteome analysis and multivariate data analysis

Multivariate data analysis has been combined with proteomics to enhance the recovery of information from 2-DE of cod muscle proteins during different storage conditions. Proteins were extracted according to 11 different storage conditions and samples were resolved by 2-DE. Data generated by 2-DE was subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant partial least squares regression (DPLSR). Applying PCA to 2-DE data revealed the samples to form groups according to frozen storage time, whereas differences due to different storage temperatures or chilled storage in modified atmosphere packing did not lead to distinct changes in protein pattern. Applying DPLSR to the 2-DE data enabled the selection of protein spots critical for differentiation between 3 and 6 months frozen storage with 12 months frozen storage. Some of these protein spots have been identified by MS/MS, revealing myosin light chain 1, 2 and 3, triose-phosphate isomerase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, aldolase A and two alpha-actin fragments, and a nuclease diphosphate kinase B fragment to change in concentration, during frozen storage. Application of proteomics, multivariate data analysis and MS/MS to analyse protein changes in cod muscle proteins during storage has revealed new knowledge on the issue and enables a better understanding of biochemical processes occurring.

Glycolytic enzyme interactions with yeast and skeletal muscle F-actin

Interaction of glycolytic enzymes with F-actin is suggested to be a mechanism for compartmentation of the glycolytic pathway. Earlier work demonstrates that muscle F-actin strongly binds glycolytic enzymes, allowing for the general conclusion that "actin binds enzymes", which may be a generalized phenomenon. By taking actin from a lower form, such as yeast, which is more deviant from muscle actin than other higher animal forms, the generality of glycolytic enzyme interactions with actin and the cytoskeleton can be tested and compared with higher eukaryotes, e.g., rabbit muscle. Cosedimentation of rabbit skeletal muscle and yeast F-actin with muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (aldolase) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) followed by Scatchard analysis revealed a biphasic binding, indicating high- and low-affinity domains. Muscle aldolase and GAPDH showed low-affinity for binding yeast F-actin, presumably because of fewer acidic residues at the N-terminus of yeast actin; this difference in affinity is also seen in Brownian dynamics computer simulations. Yeast GAPDH and aldolase showed low-affinity binding to yeast actin, which suggests that actin-glycolytic enzyme interactions may also occur in yeast although with lower affinity than in higher eukaryotes. The cosedimentation results were supported by viscometry results that revealed significant cross-linking at lower concentrations of rabbit muscle enzymes than yeast enzymes. Brownian dynamics simulations of yeast and muscle aldolase and GAPDH with yeast and muscle actin compared the relative association free energy. Yeast aldolase did not specifically bind to either yeast or muscle actin. Yeast GAPDH did bind to yeast actin although with a much lower affinity than when binding muscle actin. The binding of yeast enzymes to yeast actin was much less site specific and showed much lower affinities than in the case with muscle enzymes and muscle actin.

Enzyme co-localization in pea leaf chloroplasts: glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase, triose-P isomerase, aldolase and sedoheptulose bisphosphatase

Nearest neighbor analysis of immunocytolocalization experiments indicates that the enzymes glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase, triose-P isomerase and aldolase are located close to one another in the pea leaf chloroplast stroma, and that aldolase is located close to sedoheptulose bisphosphatase. Direct transfer of the triose phosphates between glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase and triose-P isomerase, and from glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase and triose-P isomerase to aldolase, is then a possibility, as is direct transfer of sedoheptulose bisphosphate from aldolase to sedoheptulose bisphosphatase. Spatial organization of these enzymes may be important for efficient CO(2) fixation in photosynthetic organisms. In contrast, there is no indication that fructose bisphosphatase is co-localized with aldolase, and direct transfer of fructose bisphosphate from aldolase to fructose bisphosphatase seems unlikely.

Brownian dynamics simulations of glycolytic enzyme subsets with F-actin

Previous Brownian dynamics (BD) simulations identified specific basic residues on fructose-1,6-bisphophate aldolase (aldolase) (I. V. Ouporov et al., Biophysical Journal, 1999, Vol. 76, pp. 17-27) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) (I. V. Ouporov et al., Journal of Molecular Recognition, 2001, Vol. 14, pp. 29-41) involved in binding F-actin, and suggested that the quaternary structure of the enzymes may be important. Herein, BD simulations of F-actin binding by enzyme dimers or peptides matching particular sequences of the enzyme and the intact enzyme triose phosphate isomerase (TIM) are compared. BD confirms the experimental observation that TIM has little affinity for F-actin. For aldolase, the critical residues identified by BD are found in surface grooves, formed by subunits A/D and B/C, where they face like residues of the neighboring subunit enhancing their electrostatic potentials. BD simulations between F-actin and aldolase A/D dimers give results similar to the native tetramer. Aldolase A/B dimers form complexes involving residues that are buried in the native structure and are energetically weaker; these results support the importance of quaternary structure for aldolase. GAPDH, however, placed the critical residues on the corners of the tetramer so there is no enhancement of the electrostatic potential between the subunits. Simulations using GAPDH dimers composed of either S/H or G/H subunits show reduced binding energetics compared to the tetramer, but for both dimers, the sets of residues involved in binding are similar to those found for the native tetramer. BD simulations using either aldolase or GAPDH peptides that bind F-actin experimentally show complex formation. The GAPDH peptide bound to the same F-actin domain as did the intact tetramer; however, unlike the tetramer, the aldolase peptide lacked specificity for binding a single F-actin domain.

Interaction of cofilin with triose-phosphate isomerase contributes glycolytic fuel for Na,K-ATPase via Rho-mediated signaling pathway

We reported previously that cofilin, an actin-binding protein, interacts with Na,K-ATPase and enhances its activity (Lee, K., Jung, J., Kim, M., and Guidotti, G. (2001) Biochem. J. 353, 377-385). To understand the nature of this interaction and the role of cofilin in the regulation of Na,K-ATPase activity, we searched for cofilin-binding proteins in the rat skeletal muscle cDNA library using the yeast two-hybrid system. Several cDNA clones were isolated, some of which coded for triose-phosphate isomerase, a glycolytic enzyme. The interaction of cofilin with triose-phosphate isomerase as well as Na,K-ATPase was confirmed by immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy in HeLa cells. Cofilin was translocated to the plasma membrane along with triose-phosphate isomerase by the Rho activator lysophosphatidic acid but not by the p160 Rho-associated kinase inhibitor Y-27632, suggesting that the phosphorylated form of cofilin bound to TPI interacts with Na,K-ATPase. Ouabain-sensitive (86)Rb(+) uptake showed that Na,K-ATPase activity was increased by the overexpression of cofilin and lysophosphatidic acid treatment, but not by the overexpression of mutant cofilin S3A and Y-27632 treatment. Pretreatment with the glycolytic inhibitor iodoacetic acid caused a remarkable reduction of Na,K-ATPase activity, whereas pretreatment with the oxidative inhibitor carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone caused no detectable changes, suggesting that the phosphorylated cofilin is involved in feeding glycolytic fuel for Na,K-ATPase activity. These findings provide a novel molecular mechanism for the regulation of Na,K-ATPase activity and for the nature of the functional coupling of cellular energy transduction.

Computer simulations of glycolytic enzyme interactions with F-actin

Muscle actin and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (aldolase) were chemically crosslinked to produce an 80 kDa product representing one subunit of aldolase linked to one subunit of actin. Hydroxylamine digestion of the crosslinked product resulted in two 40.5 kDa fragments, one that was aldolase linked to the 12 N-terminal residues of actin. Brownian dynamics simulations of muscle aldolase and GAPDH with F-actin (muscle, yeast, and various mutants) estimated the association free energy. Mutations of residues 1-4 of muscle actin to Ala individually or two in combination of the first four residues reduced the estimated binding free energy. Simulations showed that muscle aldolase binds with the same affinity to the yeast actin as to the double mutated muscle actin; these mutations make the N-terminal of muscle actin identical to yeast, supporting the conclusion that the actin N-terminus participates in binding. Because the depth of free energy wells for yeast and the double mutants is less than for native rabbit actin, the simulations support experimental findings that muscle aldolase and GAPDH have a higher affinity for muscle actin than for yeast actin. Furthermore, Brownian dynamics revealed that the lower affinity of yeast actin for aldolase and GAPDH compared to muscle actin, was directly related to the acidic residues at the N-terminus of actin.

A potential role of the cytoskeleton of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a functional organization of glycolytic enzymes

Numerous individual enzymes participate in a given synthetic or degradative pathway in which the product of one reaction becomes the substrate for the subsequent enzyme. This raises the question of whether the product of one 'soluble' enzyme diffuses freely through the available cell volume, where it accidentally collides with the subsequent 'soluble' enzyme. Alternatively, enzymes acting in a given pathway may be organized in ordered structures, metabolons. Certain glycolytic enzymes have been shown to co-localize with the cytoskeleton in mammalian cells. We deleted genes coding for proteins associated with the cytoskeleton of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: TPM1 coding for tropomyosin, SAC6 for fimbrin and CIN1 for a microtubule-associated protein. Single deletions or deletions of two such genes had no effect on the specific activities of glycolytic enzymes, or on the rates of glucose consumption and ethanol production. However, the concentrations of glycolytic metabolites during a switch from a gluconeogenic mode of metabolism, growth on an ethanol medium, to glycolysis after glucose addition showed transient deviations from the normal change in metabolite concentrations, as observed in wild type cells. However, all metabolites in mutant strains reached wild-type levels within 2-4 h after the shift. Only ATP levels remained low in all but the tmp1-Delta-sac6-Delta double mutant strains. These observations can be interpreted to mean that metabolic reorganization from a gluconeogenic to a glycolytic metabolism is facilitated by an intact cytoskeleton in yeast.

Localization of the fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase at the nuclear periphery

The localization of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (D-Fru-1,6-)2-1-phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.11) in rat kidney and liver was determined immunohistochemically using a polyclonal antibody raised against the enzyme purified from pig kidney. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the bisphosphatase was preferentially localized in hepatocytes of the periportal region of the liver and was absent from the perivenous region. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase was also preferentially localized in the cortex of the kidney proximal tubules and was absent in the glomeruli, loops of Henle, collecting and distal tubules, and in the renal medulla. As indicated by immunocytochemistry using light microscopy and confirmed with the use of reflection confocal microscopy, the enzyme was preferentially localized in a perinuclear position in the liver and the renal cells. Subcellular fractionation studies followed by enzyme activity assays revealed that a majority of the cellular fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activity was associated to subcellular particulate structures. Overall, the data support the concept of metabolic zonation in liver as well as in kidney, and establish the concept that the Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase is a particulate enzyme that can not be considered a soluble enzyme in the classical sense.

Structure within eukaryotic cytoplasm and its relationship to glycolytic metabolism

Taken together, the results reviewed here indicate that both structural proteins and enzymes exist in a relatively mobile, uncomplexed form and in a relatively immobile form, complexed with the matrix. The relative amounts of free and complexed forms of each protein are dependent upon the local concentrations of both small molecules and other macromolecules and hence may vary in time and space throughout the cell. Free and cytomatrix-bound enzymes exchange rapidly, while free and cytomatrix-bound structural proteins exchange more slowly. These two distinct time scales suggest that the slowly exchanging structural proteins form the core of fibrous structural elements--having many stabilizing intermolecular contacts with near neighbours--whereas the more rapidly exchanging enzymes adsorb to the surface of the structural elements and have fewer near neighbour contacts. The hierarchical nature of these associations is depicted schematically in Figure 3. Metabolism is proposed to proceed primarily via transport of small metabolites rather than by transport of enzymes, which may be organized in functional clusters to facilitate, metabolic regulation.

The dynamics of local kinetic parameters of glutamate dehydrogenase in rat liver

Kinetic parameters of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH, EC 1.4.1.2) for glutamate were determined in periportal and pericentral zones of adult male and female rat liver lobules under normal fed conditions and after starvation for 24 h. GDH activity was measured as formazan production over time against a range of glutamate concentrations in serial cryostat sections using image analysis. Captured gray value images were transformed to absorbance images and local initial velocities (Vini) were calculated. A hyperbolic function was used to describe the relationship between substrate concentration and local Vini. Under fed conditions, Vmax values were similar in male and female rats (8 +/- 2 and 16 +/- 2 mumol min-1 cm-3 liver tissue in periportal and pericentral zones, respectively). Starvation increased Vmax, especially in pericentral zones of females (to 27 +/- 1 mumol min-1 cm-3 liver tissue). Under fed conditions, the affinity of GDH for glutamate was similar in male and female rats (2.5 +/- 0.5 mM and 3.5 +/- 0.8 mM in periportal and pericentral zones, respectively). Starvation had no effect on K(m) values in male rats, but in female rats affinity for glutamate decreased significantly in both zones (K(m) values of 4.0 +/- 0.1 mM and 8.6 +/- 0.8 mM, respectively). These local changes in the kinetic parameters of GDH indicate that conversion of glutamate to alpha-oxoglutarate cannot be predicted on the basis of GDH concentrations or zero-order activity in the different zones of liver lobules alone.

Analysis of enzyme reactions in situ

Estimations of metabolic rates in cells and tissues and their regulation on the basis of kinetic properties of enzymes in diluted solutions may not be applicable to intact living cells or tissues. Enzymes often behave differently in living cells because of the high cellular protein content that can lead to homologous and heterologous associations of protein molecules. These associations often change the kinetics of enzymes as part of post-translational regulation mechanisms. An overview is given of these interactions between enzyme molecules or between enzyme molecules and structural elements in the cell, such as the cytoskeleton. Biochemical and histochemical methods are discussed that have been developed for in vivo and in situ analyses of enzyme reactions, particularly for the study of effects of molecular interactions. Quantitative (histochemical) analysis of local enzyme reactions or fluxes of metabolites has become increasingly important. At present, it is possible to calculate local concentrations of substrates in cells or tissue compartments and to express local kinetic parameters in units that are directly comparable with those obtained by biochemical assays of enzymes in suspensions. In situ analysis of the activities of a number of enzymes have revealed variations in their kinetic properties (Km and Vmax) in different tissue compartments. This stresses the importance of in vivo or in situ analyses of cellular metabolism. Finally, histochemical determinations of enzyme activity in parallel with immunohistochemistry for the detection of the total number of enzyme molecules and in situ hybridization of its messenger RNA allow the analysis of regulation mechanisms at all levels between transcription of the gene and post-translational activity modulation.

Control of glucokinase translocation in rat hepatocytes by sorbitol and the cytosolic redox state

In rat hepatocytes cultured in 5 mM glucose, glucokinase activity is present predominantly in a bound state, and during permeabilization of the cells with digitonin in the presence of Mg2+ less than 20% of glucokinase activity is released. However, incubation of hepatocytes with a higher [glucose] [concn. giving half-maximal activation (A50) 15 mM] or with fructose (A50 50 microM) causes translocation of glucokinase from its Mg(2+)-dependent binding site to an alternative site [Agius and Peak (1993) Biochem. J. 296, 785-796]. A comparison of various substrates showed that sorbitol (A50 8 microM) was 6-fold more potent than fructose at causing glucokinase translocation, whereas tagatose was as potent and mannitol was > 10-fold less potent (A50 550 microM). These substrates also stimulate glucose conversion into glycogen with a similar relative potency, suggesting that conversion of glucose into glycogen is dependent on the binding and/or location of glucokinase within the hepatocyte. Ethanol and glycerol inhibited the effects of fructose, sorbitol and glucose on glucokinase translocation, whereas dihydroxy-acetone had a small additive effect at sub-maximal substrate stimulation. The converse effects of glycerol and dihydroxy-acetone suggest a role for the cytosolic NADH/NAD+ redox state in controlling glucokinase translocation. Titrations with three competitive inhibitors of glucokinase did not provide evidence for involvement of glucokinase flux in glucose-induced glucokinase translocation: N-acetylglucosamine inhibited glucose conversion into glycogen, but not glucose-induced glucokinase translocation; glucosamine partially suppressed glucose-induced and fructose-induced glucokinase translocation, at concentrations that caused total inhibition of glucose conversion into glycogen; D-mannoheptulose increased glucokinase release and had an additive effect with glucose. 3,3'-Tetramethylene-glutaric acid (5 mM), an inhibitor of aldose reductase, inhibited glucokinase translocation induced by glucose, but not that by sorbitol or fructose, suggesting that glucose may induce glucokinase translocation by conversion into sorbitol. Sorbitol generated from glucose intrahepatically or extrahepatically in hyperglycaemic conditions may be a physiological regulator of hepatic glucokinase translocation.

Identification of an actin binding region in aldolase

Fragmentation of the actin binding glycolytic enzyme, aldolase, with cyanogen bromide yields an 18K actin binding fragment which corresponds to residues 1-164 of the aldolase sequence. Within this fragment there is a region of sequence (residues 32-52) which is highly homologous to a region of sequence near the C-terminus of actin itself and which is also found in the actin binding domains of a number of other actin binding proteins. A synthetic peptide corresponding to the aldolase sequence 32-52 encompassing this region of homology binds to F-actin and specifically competes with native aldolase for binding to this cytoskeletal protein.

Association of glycolytic enzymes with the cytoskeleton

The diverse physical associations of the glycolytic enzymes with structural components of the cell suggest that the glycolytic enzymes are not entirely soluble in the cell. The relatively low affinities of the associations are likely responsible for the apparently transient interactions. The binding phenomenon is suggested to regulate metabolism through changes in enzymatic activity and facilitates localized enrichment of the enzymes.

A quantitative evaluation of the effect of enzyme complexes on the glycolytic rate in vivo: mathematical modeling of the glycolytic complex

The cellular distribution of free and bound glycolytic enzymes in vivo was estimated by means of a model based on previously determined association constants for individual binding interactions and in vivo protein concentrations. The calculations revealed that a significant proportion of the enzymes would be either associated with F-actin, or bound in binary enzyme-enzyme complexes in vivo. An analysis of the relative concentration, and relative activity, of F-actin-bound enzymes suggested that a complete glycolytic complex, composed of all enzymatic steps from phosphofructokinase (PFK) to lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) does not exist. This was indicated by a very low concentration of F-actin-associated phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) and by a very low activity of F-actin bound aldolase and PGK; this model showed that aldolase and PGK would be absent from any F-actin bound complex. An analysis of soluble enzyme-enzyme associations indicated that formation of binary enzyme complexes may lead to an increased overall flux through glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase and LDH, but would serve to decrease flux through PFK and aldolase. A 1.4-fold activation of PFK, which occurs when the soluble enzyme binds to F-actin, suggested that reversible binding of PFK to F-actin may represent a novel cellular mechanism for controlling glycolytic flux during periods of increased metabolic demand by controlling the key regulatory enzyme of glycolysis.

Glucose metabolism and the channeling of glycolytic intermediates in permeabilized L-929 cells

L-929 cells (mouse fibroblasts) permeabilized with dextran sulfate (DSP cells) carry out vigorous and linear rates of glycolysis when supplied with a suitable incubation medium. Glycolysis in DSP cells is pH dependent, being strongly inhibited at pH 6.5. Compared to their nonpermeabilized counterparts, DSP cells exhibit faster glycolytic rates, but tend to convert a smaller proportion of the glucose utilized to lactate. [14C]Glucose is converted to lactate by DSP cells without dilution from endogenous substrates. When exogenous 12C-labeled glycolytic intermediates (12C-I) are added to glycolyzing DSP cells the [14C]lactate produced from [14C]glucose is diluted to varying extents, depending on the intermediate. However, the extent of that dilution (reduced specific activity) is not that expected from the complete mixing of exogenous 12C-I with their corresponding 14C-labeled intermediates coming from [14C]-glucose. DSP cells also respire and convert glucose to CO2. The amount of 14CO2 produced from [14C]glucose is also reduced by addition of most 12C-I, an interesting exception being pyruvate, which had no measurable effect on 14CO2 production and caused only a modest stimulation of respiration in glycolyzing DSP cells. These results suggest that channeling, or some other form of coupling, takes place between the glycolytic production of pyruvate and its further oxidation. These observations confirm previously published data and add further support to the proposition that channeling of glycolytic intermediates occurs in DSP cells but is of the "leaky" type. Although abundant evidence in the literature indicates that various glycolytic enzymes associate with F-actin, as well as other elements of the cytomatrix, we observed no effect of cytochalasin D on lactate production even at very high concentrations of this compound. Our results are compared with those from other laboratories and discussed in the context of metabolic organization.

Equilibrium partition studies of the myofibrillar interactions of glycolytic enzymes

The interactions of several glycolytic enzymes with muscle myofibrils in imidazole-chloride buffer (pH 6.8, I 0.158) have been investigated by equilibrium partition studies. Results for aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, and phosphofructokinase are interpreted in terms of a myofibrillar capacity of 76 nmol/g protein and a single intrinsic association constant for each tetravalent enzyme with matrix sites. The existence of separate myofibrillar sites for aldolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is established by demonstrating independence of the binding of each enzyme upon the presence of the other. Although this investigation provides further physicochemical support for myofibrillar adsorption of glycolytic enzymes in the cellular environment, its findings are incompatible with the proposition (B. I. Kurganov, N. P. Sugrobova, and L. S. Mil'man (1985) J. Theor. Biol. 116, 509-526) that the phenomenon reflects the formation of a specific multienzyme complex attached to the myofibril.

I-bands of striated muscle contain lateral struts

In electron micrographs of striated muscle, the I-band often shows a distinct cross-striation. The periodicity of this striation is near 40 nm and has been attributed to troponin, which is localized along the thin filament. However, the cross-striation is often so prominent as to be suggestive of physical structures running transversely across the I-band. We examined I-band ultrastructure using three independent methods: thin sections of chemically fixed specimens; freeze-fracture; and freeze-substitution. With all three methods we found transverse structures distributed throughout the I-band, many of which bridged the gap between neighboring filaments. Such structures were observed in each of the several species studied. In fish muscle in particular, which has a highly regular lattice, it was obvious that these structures gave rise to the observed periodicity.

Glycolysis--new concepts in an old pathway

A survey of the existing data on the interactions of glycolytic enzymes with the cellular structure in mammalian tissues has substantiated the occurrence of an extensive degree of such associations in all tissues and during all stages of development. Furthermore, a considerable specificity was evident between the individual multiple forms of the enzymes in relation to these associations. In reviewing these data, a model has been developed which proposes that the glycolytic sequence is best described as consisting of a number of segments in vivo, each segment formed by a cluster of isozymes, many of which can interact with the actin containing filaments of the cytomatrix. The novel features of this segmentation and compartmentation have been described, and evidence has been provided that these phenomena collectively play a key role in meeting the different types of energy requirement in the cytoplasm of divergent cell types, with the wide selection of isozymes in this system offering the potential for increased flexibility and control in this important area of metabolism.