L-type pyruvate kinase from human liver: Purification by double affinity elution, electrofocusing and immunological studies

Abstract

L-type pyruvate kinase (ATP:pyruvate 2-O- phosphotransferase , EC 2.7.1.40) was highly purified from adult human liver. This purification included ammonium sulphate fractionation, DEAE-Sephadex batchwise absorption and two CM-Sephadex chromatographies with selective elution by ligands; in the former chromatography pyruvate kinase was eluted by ATP, in the latter one by phospho enolpyruvate and fructose 1,6-diphosphate. The last step of the purification procedure involved a hydroxyapatite column chromatography. This purification procedure allowed us to obtain 3.6 mg of protein with a specific activity 190 I.U./mg, i.e. a 1200-fold purification with an overall yield of about 8%. This preparation was homogeneous as judged by immunodiffusion, acrylamide and sodium dodecyl sulphate acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Anti L-type pyruvate kinase antibodies were obtained from rabbits and the antigenic properties of L-type pyruvate kinase were studied. The enzyme appeared to be a tetramer (molecular weight 220 000—240 000) with subunits of similar molecular weight about 60 000). Two interconvertible major forms were found by isoelectrofocusing in a sucrose gradient and in an acrylamide slab gel: one had an isoelectric point of 5.85 ± 0.09 and was the major enzymatic form after incubation with fructose 1,6-diphosphate or high concentrations or SH reagents. The other form (isoelectric point 6.28 ± 0.03) was the major form of L-type pyruvate kinase in liver crude extract, and after incubation of purified enzyme with a proteic fraction isolated from liver extract by ammonium sulphate precipitation.