Enzyme Protomer Research Articles

Polymorphic Self-Assembly with Procedural Flexibility for Monodisperse Quaternary Protein Structures of DegQ Enzymes.

As large molecular tertiary structures, some proteins can act as small robots that find, bind, and chaperone target protein clients, showing the potential to serve as smart building blocks in self-assembly fields. Instead of using such intrinsic functions, most self-assembly methodologies for proteins aim for de novo-designed structures with accurate geometric assemblies, which can limit procedural flexibility. Here, a strategy enabling polymorphic clustering of quaternary proteins, exhibiting simplicity and flexibility of self-assembling paths for proteins in forming monodisperse quaternary cage particles is presented. It is proposed that the enzyme protomer DegQ, previously solved at low resolution, may potentially be usable as a threefold symmetric building block, which can form polyhedral cages incorporated by the chaperone action of DegQ in the presence of protein clients. To obtain highly monodisperse cage particles, soft, and hence, less resistive client proteins, which can program the inherent chaperone activity of DegQ to efficient formations of polymorphic cages, depending on the size of clients are utilized. By reconstructing the atomic resolution cryogenic electron microscopy DegQ structures using obtained 12- and 24-meric clusters, the polymorphic clustering of DegQ enzymes is validated in terms of soft and rigid domains, which will provide effective routes for protein self-assemblies with procedural flexibility.

Na/K-ATPase under oxidative stress: molecular mechanisms of injury.

1. The authors compare oxidative injury to brain and kidney Na/K-ATPase using in vitro and in vivo approaches. The substrate dependence of dog kidney Na/K-ATPase was examined both before and after partial hydrogen peroxide modification. A computer simulation model was used for calculating kinetic parameters. 2. The substrate dependence curve for the unmodified endogenous enzyme displayed a typical curve with an intermediate plateau, adequately described by the sum of hyperbolic and sigmoidal components. 3. The modified enzyme demonstrated a dependent curve that closely approximates normal hyperbola. The estimated ATP K(m) value for the endogenous enzyme was about 85 microM; the Kh was equal to 800 microM. The maximal number of protomers interacting was 8. Following oxidative modification, the enzyme substrate dependence curve did not show a significant change in the maximal protomer rate Vm, while the K(m) was increased slightly and interprotomer interaction was abolished. 4. Na/K-ATPase from an ischemic gerbil brain showed a 22% decrease in specific activity. The maximal rate of ATP hydrolysis by an enzyme protomer changed slightly. but the sigmoidal component, characterizing the enzyme's ability to form oligomers was abolished completely. The K(m) value was almost unchanged, but the Hill coefficient fell to 1. These data show that Na/K-ATPase molecules isolated from the ischemic brain have lost the ability to interact with one another. 5. We suggest that the most important consequence of oxidative modification is Na/K-ATPase oligomeric structure formation and subsequent hydrolysis rate suppression.

Characterization of the flavins and the iron-sulfur centers of glutamate synthase from Azospirillum brasilense by absorption, circular dichroism, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies.

Azospirillum brasilense glutamate synthase has been studied by absorption, electron paramagnetic resonance, and circular dichroism spectroscopies in order to determine the type and number of iron-sulfur centers present in the enzyme alpha beta protomer and to gain information on the role of the flavin and iron-sulfur centers in the catalytic mechanism. The FMN and FAD prosthetic groups are demonstrated to be non-equivalent with respect to their reactivities with sulfite. Sulfite reacts with only one of the two flavins forming an N(5)-sulfite adduct with a Kd of approximately 1 mM. The enzyme-sulfite complex is reduced by NADPH, and the complexed sulfite is competitively displaced by 2-oxoglutarate, which suggests the reactive flavin to be at the imine-reducing site. These data are in agreement with the two-site model of the enzyme active center proposed on the basis of kinetic studies [Vanoni, M.A., Nuzzi, L., Rescigno, M., Zanetti, G., & Curti, B. (1991) Eur. J. Biochem. 202, 181-189]. Each enzyme protomer was found, by chemical analysis, to contain 12.1 +/- 0.5 mol of non-heme iron. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic studies on the oxidized and reduced forms of glutamate synthase demonstrated the presence of three distinct iron-sulfur centers per enzyme protomer. The oxidized enzyme exhibits an axial spectrum with g values at 2.03 and 1.97, which is highly temperature-dependent and integrates to 1.1 +/- 0.2 spin/protomer. This signal is assigned to a [3Fe-4S]1+ cluster (Fe-S)I. Reduction of the enzyme with an NADPH-regenerating system results in reduction of the [3Fe-4S]1+ center to a species with a g approximately 12 signal characteristic of the S = 2 spin state of a [3Fe-4S]0 cluster. The NADPH-reduced enzyme also exhibits an [Fe-S] signal at g values of 1.98, 1.95, and 1.88, which integrates to 0.9 spin/protomer and is due to a second cluster (Fe-S)II. Reduction of the enzyme with the light/deazaflavin method results in a signal characteristic of [Fe-S] clusters with g values of 2.03, 1.92, and 1.86 and an integrated intensity of 1.9 spin/protomer. This signal arises from reduction of the (Fe-S)II center and from that of the third, lower potential iron-sulfur center (Fe-S)III. Circular dichroism spectral data on the oxidized and reduced forms of the enzyme are more consistent with the assignment of (Fe-S)II and (Fe-S)III as [4Fe-4S] clusters rather than [2Fe-2S] centers.

Modification of maize phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase by tetranitromethane

Maize leaf phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase was completely and irreversibly inactivated by treatment with micromolar concentrations of tetranitromethane. The inactivation did not follow any of the known kinetic mechanisms. The inactivation resulted from the specific modification of one tyrosine residue per enzyme protomer, although sulphydryl groups were also modified by the reagent. This conclusion is based on the pH dependence of the inactivation and also on studies done after protecting the free -SH groups of the enzyme with p-hydroxy-mercuribenzoate. The substrate PEP and Mg 2+ offered almost complete protection against tetranitromethane inactivation. Many other effectors of the enzyme also gave substantial protection, indicating the modification at or near the active site.

Changes in the properties of honeybee haemolymph α-glucosidases following dithiothreitol dissociation of native complexes

1. 1. The higher relative molecular mass ( M r ) forms of larval honeybee haemolymph α-glucosidases are dissociated by dithiothreitol (DTT) into lower M r electrophoretic forms, without any important loss of activity. 2. 2. The maximum velocity remains unchanged and the apparent dissociation constant is slightly increased, with K i ≅ 247 mM and I 50 ≅ 730 mM. 3. 3. By contrast, the major changes affect the Hill coefficient which decreases from 1.0 in controls to 0.7 in presence of 600 mM DTT. 4. 4. In the absence of both DTT and substrate, the major native enzyme form, isolated by gel filtration, spontaneously rearranges to give three additional minor forms, one of lower M r and two of higher M r . 5. 5. These data are consistent with the hypothesis of substrate-directed aggregation of enzyme protomers into functional complexes.

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase fromBacillus stearothermophilus: structural and functional identities with theEscherichia colienzyme

The metS gene encoding homodimeric methionyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus has been cloned and a 2880 base pair sequence solved. Comparison of the deduced enzyme protomer sequence (Mr 74,355) with that of the E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase protomer (Mr 76,124) revealed a relatively low level (32%) of identities, although both enzymes have very similar biochemical properties (Kalogerakos, T., Dessen, P., Fayat, G. and Blanquet, S. (1980) Biochemistry 19, 3712-3723). However, all the sequence patterns whose functional significance have been probed in the case of the E. coli enzyme are found in the thermostable enzyme sequence. In particular, a stretch of 16 amino acids corresponding to the CAU anticodon binding site in the E. coli synthetase structure is highly conserved in the metS sequence. The metS product could be expressed in E. coli and purified. It showed structure-function relationships identical to those of the enzyme extracted from B. stearothermophilus cells. In particular, the patterns of mild proteolysis were the same. Subtilisin converted the native dimer into a fully active monomeric species (62 kDa), while trypsin digestion yielded an inactive form because of an additional cleavage of the 62 kDa polypeptide into two subfragments capable however of remaining firmly associated. The subtilisin cleavage site was mapped on the enzyme polypeptide, and a gene encoding the active monomer was constructed and expressed in E. coli. Finally, trypsin attack was demonstrated to cleave a peptidic bond within the KMSKS sequence common to E. coli and B. stearothermophilus methionyl-tRNA synthetases. This sequence has been shown, in the case of the E. coli enzyme, to have an essential role for the catalysis of methionyl-adenylate formation.

Effect of Sucrose Feeding on the Induction of Honeybee Haemolymph α-Glucosidase (E.G. 3.2.1.20)

SummaryThe kinetic properties (i.e maximum velocity V m, dissociation constant K h, and Hill coefficient h) of the α-glucosidase complex of honeybee haemolymph have been studied in adult workers, from emergence to day 16, under continuous feeding with 2-M sucrose, alone or with the addition of 1·6-mM chloramphenicol as an inhibitor of protein synthesis (IPS). In the absence of IPS, V m gradually increases to reach 40 times the initial value by day 16, with a trough of 8–12 times the initial value at days 9–12. In the presence of IPS, V m values are consistently depressed by a factor increasing from 1·2 at day 2 to 3·6 at day 16. The constant K h is essentially unaffected both by time and by IPS treatment, while the Hill coefficient remains close to 1 or slightly lower with minor exceptions. These data suggest a true induction mechanism via the synthesis of new enzyme molecules, together with the possibility of modifications in the mode of aggregation of enzyme protomers.

Active site directed inactivation of rat mammary gland fatty acid synthase by 3-chloropropionyl coenzyme A.

3-Chloropropionyl coenzyme A (CoA) irreversibly inhibits rat mammary gland fatty acid synthase. Enzyme inactivation proceeds with first-order kinetics. NADPH (150 microM) as well as acetyl-CoA (500 microM) affords protection against inactivation, suggesting that the inhibitor is active site directed. In contrast, malonyl-CoA (500 microM) offers little protection. With chloro [1-14C]propionyl-CoA, stoichiometries of modification that approach one per enzyme protomer (240 kilodaltons) have been measured. When chloropropionyl-[3'-32P]CoA is used for inactivation, modification stoichiometries are less than 10% of the value observed in the 14C labeling experiments, suggesting that acylation of the enzyme occurs. Radioactivity remains associated with the 14C-labeled protein after performic acid oxidation, indicating that another linkage, in addition to the thio ester adduct, is formed during inactivation. Recovery of [( 14C]carboxyethyl)cysteine from digests of the inactivated enzyme indicates that alkylation of an active site cysteine occurs. The cysteamine sulfhydryl of the acyl carrier peptide is clearly not the site of modification. Loss of overall enzyme activity is tightly linked to decreases in the ketoacyl synthase partial reaction. This observation, coupled with the differential protection measured with acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA, suggests that the reagent modifies a residue at the active site involved in condensation. While inactivated enzyme shows good ketoacyl reductase activity when S-(acetoacetyl)-N-acetylcysteamine is used as a substrate, only poor activity for this partial reaction is measured when acetoacetyl-CoA is the substrate. This implies that the function of the acyl carrier peptide (ACP) is impaired during the inactivation process.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Complex formation and intermolecular electron transfer between flavocytochrome b2 in the crystal and cytochrome c.

The present study addresses the question whether tetrameric flavocytochrome b2 in the crystal is catalytically competent and, if so, whether it is possible to prepare a functional complex of the crystalline enzyme with its physiological electron acceptor cytochrome c. By single crystal microspectrophotometry we show that the native reduced enzyme can be oxidized by oxygen or ferricyanide and that the oxidized enzyme can be reduced by the electron donor L-lactate. Reduced cytochrome c appears to diffuse through the liquid channels of flavocytochrome b2 crystals and, at low ionic strength, to accumulate in amounts stoichiometrically equivalent to the enzyme protomers. Both cytochromes can be oxidized by ferricyanide. In the presence of L-lactate, both cytochromes become reduced. Since reduction of cytochrome c by L-lactate requires the catalytic action of flavocytochrome b2, it is concluded that the structure of the crystalline enzyme not only allows for electron transfer from L-lactate to flavin and intramolecular electron transfer from flavin to heme, but also for the formation of a productive complex with cytochrome c.

Protein liganding to the activator cation of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase.

Spinach leaf ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase forms a quaternary complex with CO2, carboxyarabinitol bisphosphate, and Cr2+ or Co2+. Oxidation of the cation in these complexes produces a protein--cation adduct which is sufficiently stable to be chromatographically isolated after enzyme denaturation. While stoichiometric levels of slowly exchanging cation can be specifically trapped after addition of protein denaturants as well as a vast molar excess of Mg2+, neither CO2 nor carboxyarabinitol bisphosphate remains bound to denatured protein under the conditions employed in these experiments. These observations demonstrate direct innersphere liganding of protein to the exchange-inert cation, which appears to bind at the site normally occupied by the physiologically active cation. Dimeric ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase from Rhodospirillum rubrum also forms a quaternary complex containing stoichiometric amounts of enzyme protomer, CO2, Co2+, and carboxyarabinitol bisphosphate. Lack of a small subunit in the R. rubrum enzyme does not impair binding of the components of the quaternary complex in a nonexchangeable mode. Substantial amounts of protein--cation adduct are recovered upon oxidation and denaturation of the R. rubrum complex, supporting the prediction that the large subunits of the octameric plant enzyme should be the sites of cation binding. The first direct proof for such a hypothesis has been generated by separation of protein subunits derived from a spinach quaternary complex and by the demonstration that the bound cation is associated with the large subunit.

Phosphate content of muscle phosphofructokinase in the genetically diabetic mouse (C57BL/KsJ)

The amount of phosphofructokinase based on total soluble protein in extracts of skeletal muscle from genetically diabetic mice C57BL/KsJ (db/db) was about 30% lower than that of normal controls (db/m). Organic phosphate content of five control animals varied between 0.11 and 0.19 mol/mol protomer. On the other hand, the phosphate content of diabetic mice had a much broader range (0.11 to 0.39) with a mean content for five animals of 0.24 mol/mol enzyme protomer. Partial resolution of high- and low-phosphate forms can be achieved by ion-exchange chromatography. The more highly phosphorylated enzyme is slightly more sensitive to ATP inhibition than the low-phosphate enzyme.

Mechanism of inactivation of glutamine amidotransferases by the antitumor drug L-(alpha S, 5S)-alpha-amino-3-chloro-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazoleacetic acid (AT-125).

L-(alphaS, 5S)-alpha-Amino-3-chloro-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazoleacetic acid (AT-125), an antitumor drug isolated from Streptomyces sviceus, is an active site-directed affinity analog of glutamine. It selectively inactivates the glutamine-dependent activities of two bacterial glutamine amidotransferases, anthranilate synthase and glutamate synthase. A reversible noncovalent complex is formed prior to irreversible enzyme modification. Inactivation of anthranilate synthase results from incorporation of approximately 1 eq of AT-125/enzyme protomer. Active site cysteine-83 in Serratia marcescens anthranilate synthase Component II is the residue alkylated by AT-125. Anthranilate synthase is rapidly inactivated by AT-125 IN S. marcescens cells. In vivo inactivation is by the same mechanism as in vitro.

Chloramphenicol binding site of an fi − R-factor-specified variant of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase

Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.28) specified by the fi − R-factor (type II) is highly sensitive to sulfhydryl reagents. When this variant was treated with stoichiometric amounts of 2, 2′dithiobispyridine, 90% of the enzymatic activity was lost with concomitant introduction of 0.9to 1.0 thiopyridine groups per mole of enzyme protomer. In the presence of stoichiometric amounts of the substrate, chloramphenicol, the enzyme was neither inactivated nor modified by the sulfhydryl reagents. Acetyl-coenzyme A exerted no protective effects when present in the reaction mixture. The enzyme was also inactivated by cyanylation with a stoichiometric amount of 2-nitro-5-thiocyanobenzoic acid. Labeling native type II enzyme with iodo[ 14C]acetamide and subsequently subjecting it to peptic digestion yielded one radioactive peptide. This cysteine-containing peptide had the same sequence as that found near the cysteine close to the chloramphenicol binding site of the commonly occurring type 1 enzyme. In conclusion, this cysteine residue is essential for the catalytic activity of both types of enzyme and is located in or near the chloramphenicol binding site. It also seems that the cysteine in type II is more sensitive to sulfhydryl reagents than the homologous cysteine in type I, probably because it is more available for modification.

Purification and properties of RNA-dependent DNA polymerase from cytoplasmic A-type particles of murine mammary tumor virus.

1. The RNA-dependent DNA polymerase associated with cytoplasmic A-type particles of murine mammary tumor virus was isolated to near homogeneity by a procedure which includes dissociation of proteins from RNA by centrifugation in a step gradient of cesium chloride, followed by an affinity chromatography on poly(rC)-agarose column. Two species of DNA polymerase were separated by the chromatography: enzyme I in 0.55 M NaCl and enzyme II in 0.80 M NaCl eluate, respectively. 2. The purified DNA polymerases consist of two major polypeptides, with molecular weights of 94,000 and 42,000, as the intrinsic subunits. Both enzyme protomers with a sedimentation coefficient of 6.3--6.4 S and a molecular weight of 115,000--120,000 associate to form active oligomers in low-ionic-strength buffer. 3. Both enzymes catalyzed the hydrolysis of RNA in RNA . DNA hybrids as well as the RNA-dependent synthesis of DNA; these are the intrinsic activities of the reverse transcriptase from B-type particles of murine mammary tumor virus as well as from avian and mammalian C-type oncornaviruses. The general catalytic properties are similar to those of the enzyme from B-type particles. Compared with DNA polymerases I, DNA polymerase II exhibited a high affinity for all the template-primers tested and, in addition, a high preference for (rC)N . (dG)12--18.

Affinity labelling with a deaminatively generated carbonium ion. Kinetics and stoicheiometry of the alkylation of methionine-500 of the lacZ beta-galactosidase of Escherichia coli by beta-D-galactopyranosylmethyl-p-nitrophenyltriazene.

1. beta-D-Galactopyranosylmethyl-p-nitrophenyltriazene is an active-site-directed irreversible inhibitor of Mg2+-bound and Mg2+-free lacZ beta-galactosidase from Escherichia coli. 2. The Mg2+-enzyme binds the inhibitor more tightly but the complex then decomposes less rapidly than is the case with Mg2+-free enzyme. 3. Loss of enzyme activity is a linear function of the fraction of enzyme protomers to which are attached beta-D-galactopranosyl[14C]methyl residues: complete inactivation of fully active enzyme results in incorporation of 0.91 equivalent of carbohydrate label per enzyme protomer. 4. When the beta-galactopyranosylmethyl cation is generated in the active site of Mg2+-enzyme, it is captured essentially completely by the protein, but in the active site of Mg2+-free enzyme it is only captured with an efficiency of 25%. 5. Labelled enzyme was carboxymethylated and digested with trypsin; acidic hydrolysis of the isolated tryptic peptide, and field-desorption mass spectrometry of the isolated radioactive derivative, showed it to be 2,5-dioxo-3[2-(beta-D-galactopyranosylmethylthio)ethyl]-1,6-trimethylenepiperazine. 6. This is considered to have arisen from labelling of the sulphur atom of a methionine residue adjacent to a proline residue. 7. The complete amino acid sequence of the molecule [Fowler & Zabin (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 1507-1510] enables the labelled methionine residue to be identified as either Met-421 or Met-500. 8. Sequence data [Fowler, Zabin, Sinnott & Smith (1978) J. Biol. Chem. in the press] show the site of attack to be Met-500.

Coenzyme‐Dependent Conformational Properties of Rat Liver Ornithine Aminotransferase

Two apoenzymes of crystalline ornithine aminotransferase from rat liver were separated by gel filtration. They could also be separated by ultracentrifugation and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. These enzymes have different molecular weights, specific activities and absorption spectra. Their molecular weights are 177 100 ± 7700 (form I) and 105000 ± 6300 (form II) and their specific activities are 11.7 and 23.3 U/mg respectively. The native ornithine aminotransferase and the reconstituted holo‐form I and holo‐form II have similar Km values for l‐ornithine (0.9 to 1.1 mM), Km values for 2‐oxo glutarate (1.4 to 1.8 mM) and Ki; values for l‐valine (4.0 to 6.5 mM). In the absence of coenzyme both enzymes are inert, but form I has an absorption shoulder at 330 nm, like the pyridoxamine 5′‐phosphate form of enzyme. Apo‐form II associates forming a molecule with the same molecular weight as native enzyme of 177000, on addition of the coenzyme, pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate. The molecular weights of each enzyme protomer of the native ornithine aminotransferase and of the two apo‐forms were all found to be 45000 ± 2000 by dodecylsulfate acrylamide gel disc electrophoresis. The amino acids compositions of form I and form II are very similar, and the total number of SH groups/monomer of the native enzyme, apo‐form I and apo‐form II were all 5.

Chemical modifications of histidine residues in cytoplasmic asparate aminotransferase from beef kidney.

Holo and apoenzyme of aspartate aminotransferase from beef kidney are 80% inactivated by photoxidation in the presence of 2 X 10(-6) M tetraiodofluroescein with the modification of two histidine residues per enzyme protomer. At a higher concentration (1 X 10(-5) M) a tyrosine residue is also modified. The keto substrates, ketoglutarate and oxalacetate, protect the enzyme from photoxidation. Diethylpyrocarbonate modifies three histidine residues per enzyme protomer and reduces the activity only 10%. These results suggest that the two histidine residues photoxidized through the sensitizer, are located in the active site of the enzyme, at least one of these appears to be involved in ketosubstrate binding. The other three histidines modified by diethylpyrocarbonate are likely located on the enzyme surface and are not involved in the catalytic activity of the enzyme.

Role of tyrosine residues in cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferase from beef kidney.

Cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferase from beef kidney loses 25% of its activity on nitration with tetranitromethane while the apoenzyme about 95%. In the holoenzyme 0.5 tyrosine residue and 1.0 tyrosine residue in the apoenzyme are nitrated per enzyme protomer. In addition 1 cysteine residue per protomer is oxidized in both. The presence of substrates, alpha-ketoglutarate and glutamate, both at ten times their Km values, does not change these results. Mercaptoethanol does not affect the residual activity of either the nitrated holo or apoenzyme. Dithionite abolishes the activity of the nitrated holoenzyme by reducing tha coenzyme moiety. It has no effect on the native holoenzyme or on either the native or nitroapoenzyme.

Interaction of inhibitors with muscle phosphofructokinase.

The interaction of several inhibitors with muscle phosphofructokinase has been studied by both equilibrium binding measurements and kinetic analysis. At low concentrations of citrate a maximum of 1 mol is bound per mol of enzyme protomer. Tight binding requires MgATP and very weak binding is observed in the absence of either magnesium ion or ATP. ITP at low concentrations cannot replace ATP. In the presence of MgATP and at pH 7.0, the dissociation constant for the enzyme-citrate complex is 20 muM. At 50 muM citrate and excess magnesium ion, the concentration of ATP required to give half-maximal binding of citrate is approximately 3 muM . Both P-enolpyruvate and 3-P-glycerate compete for the binding of citrate and the estimated Ki values are 480 and 52 muM, respectively. Creatine-P, another inhibitor of muscle phosphofructokinase, does not compete with the binding of citrate. Measurement of the equilibrium binding of ATP shows that citrate, 3-P-glycerate, P-enolpyruvate, and creatine-P all increase the affinity of enzyme for MgATP with the concentration required to give an effect increasing in the order given. In kinetic studies, citrate, 3-P-glycerate and P-enolpyruvate each act synergistically with ATP to inhibit the phosphofructokinase reaction. This is indicated by the observation that the three metabolites do not inhibit the enzyme with ITP as the phosphoryl donor and that they inhibit at ATP concentrations that are not themselves inhibitory. Furthermore, the sensitivity to the inhibitors increases with increasing ATP concentrations. Striking differences in the extent of inhibition can be seen by varying the order of addition of assay components. Preincubation of the enzyme with ATP and citrate, 3-P-glycerate, or P-enolpyruvate results in greater inhibition than when the inhibitor is added after the reaction is started with fructose-6-P. Furthermore, the inhibition is reversed partially 10 to 15 min after the addition of fructose-6-P. This phenomenon is particularly striking with creatine-P as the inhibitor. Very high concentrations of this inhibitor are required to show any effect if the inhibitor is added after fructose-6-P. These effects are interpreted as reflecting slow conformational changes between an active form with high affinity for fructose-6-P and an inactive, or less active, conformation that binds the inhibitors. Citrate, 3-P-glycerate, P-enolpyruvate, and creatine-P increase the rate of the phosphofructokinase at subsaturating concentrations of MgITP. The results indicate a common binding site on the enzyme for citrate, 3-P-glycerate, and P-enolpyruvate that is distinct from the ATP inhibitory site. An additional site (or sites) for creatine-P is indicated. All four inhibitors act synergistically with ATP by increasing the affinity of the enzyme for MgATP at an inhibitory site. The inhibitors appear also to increase the affinity of the catalytic nucleoside triphosphate site for substrate.

Introduction of an intramolecular crosslink at the active site of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Reaction of rabbit muscle apo-glyceraldehyde 3 -phosphate dehydrogenase with one mole of 1, 5-difluoro, 2, 4-dinitrobenzene per mole of enzyme protomer brings about total loss of enzymatic activity and concomitant introduction of covalent intramolecular crosslinks at the active site of the enzyme. Following peptic digestion, a crosslinked couple of peptides was purified and found to have the structure: ▪ The crosslinked cysteine and lysine residues, though some 32 amino acid residues apart in the primary sequence, may approach each other to a distance of 5–6 Å in the three dimensional structure of the enzyme.