Expression and characterization of recombinant pyruvate phosphate dikinase from Entamoeba histolytica

The PEP-pyruvate-oxaloacetate node: variation at the heart of metabolism

At the junction between the glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle-as well as various other metabolic pathways-lies the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-pyruvate-oxaloacetate node (PPO-node). These three metabolites form the core of a network involving at least eleven different types of enzymes, each with numerous subtypes. Obviously, no single organism maintains each of these eleven enzymes; instead, different organisms possess different subsets in their PPO-node, which results in a remarkable degree of variation, despite connecting such deeply conserved metabolic pathways as the glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The PPO-node enzymes play a crucial role in cellular energetics, with most of them involved in (de)phosphorylation of nucleotide phosphates, while those responsible for malate conversion are important redox enzymes. Variations in PPO-node therefore reflect the different energetic niches that organisms can occupy. In this review, we give an overview of the biochemistry of these eleven PPO-node enzymes. We attempt to highlight the variation that exists, both in PPO-node compositions, as well as in the roles that the enzymes can have within those different settings, through various recent discoveries in both bacteria and archaea that reveal deviations from canonical functions.

Multi-Laboratory Evaluation of a Lateral Flow Rapid Test for Detection of Amebic Liver Abscess

Independent evaluations of XEh Rapid^®, an IgG4-based rapid dipstick test, were performed to assess its diagnostic performance to detect amebic liver abscess (ALA) using 405 samples at seven laboratories in four countries. The test showed high diagnostic specificity (97-100%) when tested with samples from healthy individuals (n = 100) and patients with other diseases (n = 151). The diagnostic sensitivity was tested with a total of 154 samples, and the results were variable. It was high in three laboratories (89-94%), and moderate (72%) and low (38%) in two other laboratories. Challenges and issues faced in the evaluation process are discussed. Nevertheless, XEh Rapid is promising to be developed into a point-of-care test in particular for resource-limited settings, and thus merits further confirmation of its diagnostic sensitivity.

Biochemical and biophysical characterization of the smallest pyruvate kinase from Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica infection is highly prevalent in developing countries across the globe. The ATP synthesis in this pathogen is solely dependent on the glycolysis pathway where pyruvate kinase (Pyk) catalyzes the final reaction. Here, we have cloned, overexpressed and purified the pyruvate kinase (EhPyk) from E. histolytica. EhPyk is the shortest currently known Pyk till date as it contains only two of the three characterized domains when compared to the other homologues and our phylogenetic analysis places it on a distinct branch from the known type I/II Pyks. Our purification results suggested that it exists as a homodimer in solution. The kinetic characterization showed that EhPyk has maximum activity at pH 7.5 where it exhibited Michaelis-Menten's kinetics for phosphoenolpyruvate with a K_m of 0.23 mM, and it lost its activity at both the acidic pH 4.0 and basic pH 10.0. We also determined the key secondary structural elements of EhPyk at different pH values. MD simulation of EhPyk structure at different pH values suggested that it is most stable at pH 7.0, while least stable at pH 10.0 followed by pH 4.0. Together, our computational simulations correlate well with the experimental studies. In summary, this study expands the current understanding of the EhPyk identified earlier in the amoebic genome and provides the first characterization of this bacterially expressed protein.

Control and regulation of the pyrophosphate-dependent glucose metabolism in Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica has neither Krebs cycle nor oxidative phosphorylation activities; therefore, glycolysis is the main pathway for ATP supply and provision of carbon skeleton precursors for the synthesis of macromolecules. Glucose is metabolized through fermentative glycolysis, producing ethanol as its main end-product as well as some acetate. Amoebal glycolysis markedly differs from the typical Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway present in human cells: (i) by the use of inorganic pyrophosphate, instead of ATP, as the high-energy phospho group donor; (ii) with one exception, the pathway enzymes can catalyze reversible reactions under physiological conditions; (iii) there is no allosteric regulation and sigmoidal kinetic behavior of key enzymes; and (iv) the presence of some glycolytic and fermentation enzymes similar to those of anaerobic bacteria. These peculiarities bring about alternative mechanisms of control and regulation of the PPi-dependent fermentative glycolysis in the parasite in comparison to the ATP-dependent and allosterically regulated glycolysis in many other eukaryotic cells. In this review, the current knowledge of the carbohydrate metabolism enzymes in E. histolytica is analyzed. Thermodynamics and stoichiometric analyses indicate 2 to 3.5 ATP yield per glucose metabolized, instead of the often presumed 5 ATP/glucose ratio. PPi derived from anabolism seems insufficient for PPi-glycolysis; hence, alternative ways of PPi supply are also discussed. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of control and regulation of the E. histolytica carbohydrate metabolism, analyzed by applying integral and systemic approaches such as Metabolic Control Analysis and kinetic modeling, contribute to unveiling alternative and promising drug targets.

In Vitro Testing of Potential Entamoeba histolytica Pyruvate Phosphate Dikinase Inhibitors

Adverse effects and resistance to metronidazole have motivated the search for new antiamoebic agents against Entamoeba histolytica. Control of amoeba growth may be achieved by inhibiting the function of the glycolytic enzyme and pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK). In this study, we screened 10 compounds using an in vitro PPDK enzyme assay. These compounds were selected from a virtual screening of compounds in the National Cancer Institute database. The antiamoebic activity of the selected compounds was also evaluated by determining minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and IC₅₀ values using the nitro-blue tetrazolium reduction assay. Seven of the 10 compounds showed inhibitory activities against the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)/inorganic phosphate binding site of the ATP-grasp domain. Two compounds, NSC349156 (pancratistatin) and NSC228137 (7-ethoxy-4-[4-methylphenyl] sulfonyl-3-oxido-2, 1, 3-benzoxadiazol-3-ium), exhibited inhibitory effects on the growth of E. histolytica trophozoites with MIC values of 25 and 50 μM, and IC₅₀ values of 14 and 20.7 μM, respectively.

Glycolysis without pyruvate kinase in Clostridium thermocellum

The metabolism of Clostridium thermocellum is notable in that it assimilates sugar via the EMP pathway but does not possess a pyruvate kinase enzyme. In the wild type organism, there are three proposed pathways for conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to pyruvate, which differ in their cofactor usage. One path uses pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK), another pathway uses the combined activities of PEP carboxykinase (PEPCK) and oxaloacetate decarboxylase (ODC). Yet another pathway, the malate shunt, uses the combined activities of PEPCK, malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme. First we showed that there is no flux through the ODC pathway by enzyme assay. Flux through the remaining two pathways (PPDK and malate shunt) was determined by dynamic ¹³C labeling. In the wild-type strain, the malate shunt accounts for about 33±2% of the flux to pyruvate, with the remainder via the PPDK pathway. Deletion of the ppdk gene resulted in a redirection of all pyruvate flux through the malate shunt. This provides the first direct evidence of the in-vivo function of the malate shunt.

Production of recombinant Entamoeba histolytica pyruvate phosphate dikinase and its application in a lateral flow dipstick test for amoebic liver abscess

BACKGROUND

Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is the most common clinical manifestation of extraintestinal amoebiasis especially in developing countries, causing up to 100 000 fatal cases annually. Accurate and early diagnosis is important to prevent the disease complications, however its diagnosis still poses many challenges due to the limitations of the available detection tools. Pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK), an excretory-secretory protein of E. histolytica, has been reported as a potential diagnostic marker for ALA, hence it may be exploited in the development of a new test for ALA.

METHODS

Recombinant PPDK (rPPDK) was expressed, purified and evaluated by Western blot. In parallel, recombinant galactose-and-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine inhibitable lectin (Gal/GalNAc lectin) was produced and tested similarly. The protein identity was confirmed by analysis using MALDI-TOF/TOF. A lateral flow dipstick (LFD) test using rPPDK was subsequently developed (rPPDK-LFD) and evaluated for serodiagnosis of ALA.

RESULTS

rPPDK was expressed as soluble protein after 4 hours of induction with 1 mM isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) at 30°C. Purification using nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) resin yielded 1.5 mg of rPPDK from 1 L of culture with estimated molecular mass of 98 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Western blots using sera from patients with ALA, healthy individuals and other diseases probed with anti-human IgG4-HRP showed the highest sensitivity (93.3%) and specificity (100%); as compared to blots using IgG and IgG1 as secondary antibodies. Moreover, rPPDK showed better specificity when compared to rGal/GalNAc lectin. In the development of the LFD test, the optimum amount of rPPDK was 0.625 μg per dipstick and the optimum working concentration of colloidal gold conjugated anti-human IgG4 was optical density (OD) 5 (1.7 μg of anti-human IgG4). Evaluation of rPPDK-LFD using ALA patients and controls serum samples showed 87% diagnostic sensitivity and 100% specificity.

CONCLUSION

The developed rPPDK-LFD showed good potential for rapid diagnosis of ALA, and merit further multicentre validation using larger number of serum samples.

Rapid and selective enzymatic assay for L-methionine based on a pyrophosphate detection system

An enzymatic assay for L-methionine was developed by coupling adenosylmethionine synthetase (AdoMetS) to a pyrophosphate (PP(i)) detection system, which was constructed using pyruvate, phosphate dikinase. To expand the use of this assay, the PP(i) detection system was embodied as three different forms, which allowed PP(i) to be measured by UV, visible, and fluorescent light detectors. The assay system was robust and could tolerate the addition of inorganic phosphate and ATP to the assay mixtures. L-Methionine could be accurately determined by coupling the PP(i) detection system and AdoMetS. This AdoMetS coupling assay was highly selective to L-methionine and exhibited no significant activity to other proteinaceous amino acids, ammonia, or urea, unlike conventional enzymatic assays for L-methionine. Spike and recovery tests showed that the AdoMetS assay could accurately and reproducibly determine increases in L-methionine in human plasma samples without any pretreatment to remove proteins and potentially interfering low-molecular-weight molecules. The high selectivity and robustness of the AdoMetS assay provide rapid and high-throughput analysis of L-methionine in various kinds of analytes.

Novel pyrophosphate-forming acetate kinase from the protist Entamoeba histolytica

Acetate kinase (ACK) catalyzes the reversible synthesis of acetyl phosphate by transfer of the γ-phosphate of ATP to acetate. Here we report the first biochemical and kinetic characterization of a eukaryotic ACK, that from the protist Entamoeba histolytica. Our characterization revealed that this protist ACK is the only known member of the ASKHA structural superfamily, which includes acetate kinase, hexokinase, and other sugar kinases, to utilize inorganic pyrophosphate (PP(i))/inorganic phosphate (P(i)) as the sole phosphoryl donor/acceptor. Detection of ACK activity in E. histolytica cell extracts in the direction of acetate/PP(i) formation but not in the direction of acetyl phosphate/P(i) formation suggests that the physiological direction of the reaction is toward acetate/PP(i) production. Kinetic parameters determined for each direction of the reaction are consistent with this observation. The E. histolytica PP(i)-forming ACK follows a sequential mechanism, supporting a direct in-line phosphoryl transfer mechanism as previously reported for the well-characterized Methanosarcina thermophila ATP-dependent ACK. Characterizations of enzyme variants altered in the putative acetate/acetyl phosphate binding pocket suggested that acetyl phosphate binding is not mediated solely through a hydrophobic interaction but also through the phosphoryl group, as for the M. thermophila ACK. However, there are key differences in the roles of certain active site residues between the two enzymes. The absence of known ACK partner enzymes raises the possibility that ACK is part of a novel pathway in Entamoeba.

Analysis of Entamoeba histolytica excretory-secretory antigen and identification of a new potential diagnostic marker

Serodiagnosis of amoebiasis remains the preferred method for diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess (ALA). However, the commercially available kits are problematic in areas of endemicity due to the persistently high background antibody titers. Human serum samples (n = 38) from patients with ALA who live in areas of endemicity were collected from Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia during the period of 2008 to 2010. Western blots using excretory-secretory antigen (ESA) collected from axenically grown Entamoeba histolytica were probed with the above serum samples. Seven antigenic proteins of ESA with various reactivities were identified, i.e., 152 kDa, 131 kDa, 123 kDa, 110 kDa, 100 kDa, 82 kDa, and 76 kDa. However, only the 152-kDa and 110-kDa proteins showed sensitivities above 80% in the Western blot analysis. All the antigenic proteins showed undetectable cross-reactivity when probed with healthy human serum samples (n = 30) and serum samples from other infections (n = 33). From the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-two-stage time of flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) analysis, the proteins were identified as heavy subunits of E. histolytica lectin and E. histolytica pyruvate phosphate dikinase, respectively. Use of the E. histolytica lectin for diagnosis of ALA has been well reported by researchers and is being used in commercialized kits. However, this is the first report on the potential use of pyruvate phosphate dikinase for diagnosis of ALA; thus, this molecule merits further evaluation on its diagnostic value using a larger panel of serum samples.

Acetate and succinate production in amoebae, helminths, diplomonads, trichomonads and trypanosomatids: common and diverse metabolic strategies used by parasitic lower eukaryotes

Parasites that often grow anaerobically in their hosts have adopted a fermentative strategy relying on the production of partially oxidized end products, including lactate, glycerol, ethanol, succinate and acetate. This review focuses on recent progress in understanding acetate production in protist parasites, such as amoebae, diplomonads, trichomonads, trypanosomatids and in the metazoan parasites helminths, as well as the succinate production pathway(s) present in some of them. We also describe the unconventional organisation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle associated with the fermentative strategy adopted by the procyclic trypanosomes, which may resemble the probable structure of the primordial TCA cycle in prokaryotes.

Molecular basis of the unusual catalytic preference for GDP/GTP in Entamoeba histolytica 3-phosphoglycerate kinase

Phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2.7.2.3) catalyzes reversible phosphoryl transfer from 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate to ADP to synthesize 3-phosphoglycerate and ATP during glycolysis. Phosphoglycerate kinases from several sources can use GDP/GTP as alternative substrates to ADP/ATP; however, the maximal velocities (V(m)) reached with the guanine nucleotides are approximately 50% of those displayed with the adenine nucleotides. By contrast, Entamoeba histolytica phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2.7.2.10) is the only reported phosphoglycerate kinase displaying higher activity with GDP/GTP and lower affinities for the adenine nucleotides. To elucidate the molecular basis of the Entamoeba histolytica phosphoglycerate kinase selectivity for GDP/GTP, a conformational analysis was carried out on a homology model based on crystallographic structures of yeast and pig phosphoglycerate kinases. Some amino acid residues involved in the purine ring binding site not previously described were detected. Accordingly, Y239, E309 and V311 were replaced by site-directed mutagenesis in the Entamoeba histolytica phosphoglycerate kinase gene for the corresponding amino acid residues present in the adenine nucleotide-dependent phosphoglycerate kinases and the recombinant proteins were purified. Kinetic analysis of the enzymes showed that the single mutants Y239F, E309Q, E309M and V311L increased their catalytic efficiencies (V(m)/K(m)) with ADP/ATP as a result of both, increased V(m) and decreased K(m) values. Furthermore, a higher catalytic efficiency in the double mutant Y239F/E309M was achieved, which was mainly due to an increased affinity for ADP/ATP with a concomitant diminished affinity for GDP/GTP. The main Entamoeba histolytica phosphoglycerate kinase amino acid residues involved in the selectivity for guanine nucleotides were thus identified.

Experimental validation of metabolic pathway modeling

In the search for new drug targets in the human parasite Entamoeba histolytica, metabolic control analysis was applied to determine, experimentally, flux control distribution of amebal glycolysis. The first (hexokinase, hexose-6-phosphate isomerase, pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase (PP(i)-PFK), aldolase and triose-phosphate isomerase) and final (3-phosphoglycerate mutase, enolase and pyruvate phosphate dikinase) glycolytic segments were reconstituted in vitro with recombinant enzymes under near-physiological conditions of pH, temperature and enzyme proportion. Flux control was determined by titrating flux with each enzyme component. In parallel, both glycolytic segments were also modeled by using the rate equations and kinetic parameters previously determined. Because the flux control distribution predicted by modeling and that determined by reconstitution were not similar, kinetic interactions among all the reconstituted components were experimentally revised to unravel the causes of the discrepancy. For the final segment, it was found that 3-phosphoglycerate was a weakly competitive inhibitor of enolase, whereas PP(i) was a moderate inhibitor of 3-phosphoglycerate mutase and enolase. For the first segment, PP(i) was both a strong inhibitor of aldolase and a nonessential mixed-type activator of amebal hexokinase; in addition, lower V(max) values for hexose-6-phosphate isomerase, PP(i)-PFK and aldolase were induced by PP(i) or ATP inhibition. It should be noted that PP(i) and other metabolites were absent from the 3-phosphoglycerate mutase and enolase or aldolase and hexokinase kinetics experiments, but present in reconstitution experiments. Only by incorporating these modifications in the rate equations, modeling predicted values of flux control distribution, flux rate and metabolite concentrations similar to those experimentally determined. The experimentally validated segment models allowed 'in silico experimentation' to be carried out, which is not easy to achieve in in vivo or in vitro systems. The results predicted a nonsignificant effect on flux rate and flux control distribution by adding parallel routes (pyruvate kinase for the final segment and ATP-dependent PFK for the first segment), because of the much lower activity of these enzymes in the ameba. Furthermore, modeling predicted full flux-control by 3-phosphoglycerate mutase and hexokinase, in the presence of low physiological substrate and product concentrations. It is concluded that the combination of in vitro pathway reconstitution with modeling and enzyme kinetics experimentation permits a more comprehensive understanding of the pathway behavior and control properties.

Kinetic modeling can describe in vivo glycolysis in Entamoeba histolytica

Glycolysis in the human parasite Entamoeba histolytica is characterized by the absence of cooperative modulation and the prevalence of pyrophosphate-dependent (over ATP-dependent) enzymes. To determine the flux-control distribution of glycolysis and understand its underlying control mechanisms, a kinetic model of the pathway was constructed by using the software gepasi. The model was based on the kinetic parameters determined in the purified recombinant enzymes, and the enzyme activities, and steady-state fluxes and metabolite concentrations determined in amoebal trophozoites. The model predicted, with a high degree of accuracy, the flux and metabolite concentrations found in trophozoites, but only when the pyrophosphate concentration was held constant; at variable pyrophosphate, the model was not able to completely account for the ATP production/consumption balance, indicating the importance of the pyrophosphate homeostasis for amoebal glycolysis. Control analysis by the model revealed that hexokinase exerted the highest flux control (73%), as a result of its low cellular activity and strong AMP inhibition. 3-Phosphoglycerate mutase also exhibited significant flux control (65%) whereas the other pathway enzymes showed little or no control. The control of the ATP concentration was also mainly exerted by ATP consuming processes and 3-phosphoglycerate mutase and hexokinase (in the producing block). The model also indicated that, in order to diminish the amoebal glycolytic flux by 50%, it was required to decrease hexokinase or 3-phosphoglycerate mutase by 24% and 55%, respectively, or by 18% for both enzymes. By contrast, to attain the same reduction in flux by inhibiting the pyrophosphate-dependent enzymes pyrophosphate-phosphofructokinase and pyruvate phosphate dikinase, they should be decreased > 70%. On the basis of metabolic control analysis, steps whose inhibition would have stronger negative effects on the energy metabolism of this parasite were identified, thus becoming alternative targets for drug design.

Cloning and expression of maize-leaf pyruvate, Pi dikinase regulatory protein gene

Pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK; E.C. 2.7.9.1) catalyzes the synthesis of the primary inorganic carbon acceptor, phosphoenolpyruvate in the C4 photosynthetic pathway and is reversibly regulated by light. PPDK regulatory protein (RP), a bifunctional serine/threonine kinase-phosphatase, catalyzes both the ADP-dependent inactivation and the Pi-dependent activation of PPDK. Attempts to clone the RP have to date proven unsuccessful. A bioinformatics approach was taken to identify the nucleotide and amino acid sequence of the protein. Based on previously established characteristics including molecular mass, known inter- and intracellular location, functionality, and low level of expression, available databases were interrogated to ultimately identify a single candidate gene. In this paper, we describe the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of this gene and establish its identity as maize PPDK RP by in vitro analysis of its catalytic properties via the cloning and expression of the recombinant protein.

Glycolysis in Entamoeba histolytica. Biochemical characterization of recombinant glycolytic enzymes and flux control analysis

The synthesis of ATP in the human parasite Entamoeba histolytica is carried out solely by the glycolytic pathway. Little kinetic and structural information is available for most of the pathway enzymes. We report here the gene cloning, overexpression and purification of hexokinase, hexose-6-phosphate isomerase, inorganic pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase, fructose-1,6 bisphosphate aldolase (ALDO), triosephosphate isomerase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), phosphoglycerate kinase, phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM), enolase, and pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK) enzymes from E. histolytica. Kinetic characterization of these 10 recombinant enzymes was made, establishing the kinetic constants at optimal and physiological pH values, analyzing the effect of activators and inhibitors, and investigating the storage stability and oligomeric state. Determination of the catalytic efficiencies at the pH optimum and at pH values that resemble those of the amoebal trophozoites was performed for each enzyme to identify possible controlling steps. This analysis suggested that PGAM, ALDO, GAPDH, and PPDK might be flux control steps, as they showed the lowest catalytic efficiencies. An in vitro reconstruction of the final stages of glycolysis was made to determine their flux control coefficients. Our results indicate that PGAM and PPDK exhibit high control coefficient values at physiological pH.

Kinetic mechanism and metabolic role of pyruvate phosphate dikinase from Entamoeba histolytica

The kinetic mechanism and the metabolic role of pyruvate phosphate dikinase from Entamoeba histolytica were investigated. The initial velocity patterns in double reciprocal plots were parallel for the phosphoenolpyruvate/AMP and phosphoenolpyruvate/pyrophosphate substrate pairs and intersecting for the AMP/pyrophosphate pair. This suggests a kinetic mechanism with two independent reactions. The rate of ATP synthesis at saturating and equimolar concentrations of phosphoenolpyruvate, AMP, and pyrophosphate was inhibited by phosphate, which is consistent with an ordered steady-state mechanism. Enzyme phosphorylation by [(32)P(i)]pyrophosphate depends on the formation of a ternary complex between AMP, pyrophosphate, and pyruvate phosphate dikinase. In consequence, the reaction that involves the AMP/pyrophosphate pair follows a sequential steady-state mechanism. The product inhibition patterns of ATP and phosphate versus phosphoenolpyruvate were noncompetitive and uncompetitive, respectively, suggesting that these products were released in an ordered process (phosphate before ATP). The ordered release of phosphate and ATP and the noncompetitive inhibition patterns of pyruvate versus AMP and versus pyrophosphate also supported the sequential kinetic mechanism between AMP and pyrophosphate. Taken together, our data provide evidence for a uni uni bi bi pingpong mechanism for recombinant pyruvate phosphate dikinase from E. histolytica. The Delta G value for the reaction catalyzed by pyruvate phosphate dikinase (+2.7 kcal/mol) determined under near physiological conditions indicates that the synthesis of ATP is not thermodynamically favorable in trophozoites of E. histolytica.

Entamoeba histolytica: kinetic and molecular evidence of a previously unidentified pyruvate kinase

We report the kinetic characterization of a previously unidentified pyruvate kinase (PK) activity in extracts from Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites. This activity was about 74% of the activity of pyruvate phosphate dikinase. EhPK differed from most PKs in that its pH optimum was 5.5-6.5 and was inhibited by high PEP concentrations (1-5mM); these are concentrations at which PK is usually assayed. The optimal temperature was above 40 degrees C with negligible activity below 20 degrees C. EhPK exhibited hyperbolic kinetics with respect to both PEP (K(m) = 0.018 mM) and ADP (K(m) = 1.05 mM). However, it exhibited a sigmoidal behavior with respect to PEP at sub-saturating ADP concentrations. EhPK did not require monovalent cations for activity. Fructose-1,6 bisphosphate was a potent non-essential activator; it increased the affinity for ADP without modification of the V(max) or the affinity for PEP. Phosphate, citrate, malate, and alpha-ketoglutarate significantly inhibited EhPK activity. A putative EhPK gene fragment found in EhDNA was analyzed. The data indicate that E. histolytica trophozoites contain an active PK, which might contribute to the generation of glycolytic ATP for parasite survival.

Pyruvate kinase: current status of regulatory and functional properties

Pyruvate kinase (PK) is a key enzyme for the glycolytic pathway and carbon metabolism in general. On the basis of the relevance and enormous diverse properties of this enzyme, this paper describes the results of a current and extensive review that determines the sites of conservation and/or difference in PK sequences, and the differences in the functional and regulatory properties of the enzymes. An alignment and analysis of 50 PK sequences from different sources and a phylogenetic tree are presented. This analysis was performed with reference to crystallographically characterized PK principally from E. coli, cat and rabbit muscle. A number of attributes of the enzyme that make it of particular interest in biomedicine and industry are also discussed.

Purification and characterization of recombinant pyruvate phosphate dikinase from Giardia

The gene encoding pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK) from Giardia duodenalis was expressed using a baculovirus system. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity and its enzymological and solution structure properties characterized. The catalytic constant for the pyruvate-producing reaction was about twice as high (1560 min(-1) at 30 degrees C) as that for the reverse reaction (700 min(-1)) and the k(cat)/Km for PPi was about two orders of magnitude higher than k(cat)/Km for Pi, indicating that the pyruvate-forming reaction is much more efficient than the reverse, phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-forming process. The endogenous substrate levels found for PEP (0.5 mM) and pyruvate (< 80 microM) support the assumption that, under physiological conditions, the enzyme primarily performs a catabolic function. The molecular mass of the purified recombinant PPDK was analyzed by analytical ultracentrifugation and size exclusion chromatography using different assay conditions that have been reported to affect the quaternary structure of PPDKs in other organisms. Both methods clearly indicated a dimeric structure for giardial PPDK with a molecular mass of about 197 kDa (monomer mass 97.6 kDa). Several compounds, primarily structural analogs of PPi, were tested for their ability to inhibit PPDK activity. Most of the bisphosphonates examined showed either no, or only a moderate, inhibitory effect on the enzyme. Imidodiphosphate was the only competitive inhibitor with respect to PPi (Kic = 0.55 mM), whereas the bisphosphonates produced a mixed type of inhibition. The most active compound in inhibiting PPDK activity was oxalate, with a Kic value of less than 1 microM with respect to PEP.

Pyruvate phosphate dikinase from a thermophilic actinomyces Microbispora rosea subsp. aerata: purification, characterization and molecular cloning of the gene

Various thermophilic bacteria were analyzed by Southern hybridization analysis using oligonucleotide probes coding for the pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK) gene from Clostridium symbiosum, and positive hybridization signals were observed in the chromosomal DNAs from Microbispora rosea subsp. aerata (IFO 14047). PPDK activity was detected in lactose induced cells and the enzyme was purified to homogeneity. The molecular mass of PPDK was estimated to be 230000 by gel filtration chromatography and 91000 by SDS-PAGE, suggesting that PPDK is a dimeric enzyme. This enzyme was specific for adenine nucleotide and the apparent Km values for AMP, PPi, and phosphoenolpyruvate were 5, 38, and 280 microM, respectively. It was stable in the pH range 6 to 11, and retained 80% activity after 60 min heat treatment at 60 degrees C. We cloned the PPDK gene from M. rosea. It consists of 878 amino acids with a molecular mass of 95514. Sequence comparison indicates around 50% similarity with other PPDKs and it has all the highly conserved regions of the related enzymes. We expressed the PPDK gene in Escherichia coli and obtained enzymatically active protein.