Rat Brain Hexokinase Research Articles

Isolation and characterization of the discrete N- and C-terminal halves of rat brain hexokinase: Retention of full catalytic activity in the isolated C-terminal half

Selective stabilization of either the N- or C-terminal half (by ligands binding to these regions) of rat brain hexokinase against partial denaturation with guanidine hydrochloride and subsequent digestion with trypsin has provided a means for isolating these regions, referred to as N fragment and C fragment, respectively, in quantities adequate for characterization. The N fragment (mol wt 52 kDa) is devoid of catalytic activity. In contrast, the C fragment (mol wt 51 kDa) has a specific activity of about 110 U/mg, nearly twice that (60 U/mg) of the intact 100-kDa enzyme, indicating that the k cat is virtually identical for both species. Unlike the parent enzyme, the C fragment is quite sensitive to inhibition by P i (competitive vs ATP, noncompetitive vs Glc); sulfate and arsenate, but not acetate, inhibit with effectiveness similar to that seen with P i . The Glc-6-P analog, 1,5-anhydroglucitol-6-P, also inhibits the C fragment (competitive vs ATP, uncompetitive vs Glc). Both N and C fragments bind to Affi-Gel Blue, an affinity matrix bearing a covalently attached analog of ATP, and are eluted by hexose 6-phosphates competitive with nucleotide binding to the parent enzyme. Based on the ability of various hexoses and hexose 6-phosphates (and analogs) to protect against guanidine-induced denaturation and subsequent proteolysis, it is concluded that both fragments contain discrete sites for hexoses and hexose 6-phosphates, with specificities resembling those seen for the binding of these ligands to the parent enzyme. Synergistic interactions between the hexose and hexose-6-P binding sites, previously seen with the parent enzyme, are also observed with the C fragment but not the N fragment. The existence of binding sites for hexoses and hexose 6-phosphates on both halves conflicts with previous binding studies demonstrating a single hexose binding site and a single hexose 6-phosphate binding site on the intact 100-kDa enzyme, leading to the conclusion that one of each pair of sites must be latent in the intact enzyme, becoming manifest only in the isolated discrete halves. Several investigators have previously suggested that the 100-kDa mammalian hexokinases evolved by duplication and fusion of a gene encoding an ancestral 50-kDa Glc-6-P-insensitive hexokinase, similar to the present-day yeast enzyme, with sensitivity to Glc-6-P resulting from evolution of a duplicated catalytic site into a regulatory site. However, the present results suggest an alternative evolutionary relationship between the hexokinases, with sensitivity to Glc-6-P having arisen prior to the gene duplication and fusion event. Thus, the ancestral 50-kDa hexokinase giving rise to the 100-kDa mammalian hexokinases was more similar to the present-day starfish hexokinase than to the yeast enzyme. In fact, a striking similarity is seen in the physical, kinetic, and regulatory properties of starfish hexokinase and the C fragment of the rat brain enzyme.

Rat brain hexokinase: Further studies on the specificity of the hexose and hexose 6-phosphate binding sites

Based on the lack of correlation between the ability of various hexoses to serve as substrate and the ability of the corresponding hexose 6-phosphates to inhibit brain hexokinase (ATP: d-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1), R. K. Crane and A. Sols (1954, J. Biol. Chem. 210, 597–606) proposed that this enzyme possesses two discrete sites capable of binding hexose moieties, one serving as the substrate binding site and a second, regulatory in function, to which inhibitory 6-phosphates bind. Subsequent work has provided further experimental support for this proposal. The pioneering work by Crane and Sols focused primarily on the specificity of these sites with respect to requirements for orientation of hydroxyl substituents at the various positions of the pyranose ring. The present study explores additional aspects of the specificity of these sites, namely, the effect of substitution of a sulfur atom in place of the oxygen in the pyranose ring on ability to serve as substrate or inhibitor, and the effect of modification in charge of the substituent at the 6-position on inhibitory effectiveness. 5-Thioglucose is a linear competitive (versus glucose) inhibitor of rat brain hexokinase, with a K i of about 0.2 m m, and is a linear mixed inhibitor (versus ATP), with K i values in this same range. 5-Thioglucose is not, however, readily phosphorylated by brain hexokinase. Thus, although 5-thioglucose binds with moderate affinity to the glucose binding site, it is not effectively used as a substrate of the enzyme. Inhibition of brain hexokinase by glucose 6-phosphate or its analogs has been found to require a dianionic substituent at the 6-position. The 6-fluorophosphate derivative and glucose 6-sulfate are poor inhibitors of the enzyme, and the K i for inhibition by 1,5-anhydroglucitol 6-phosphate increases markedly at pH values below the p K of the 6-phosphate group, indicating that the monoanionic form is ineffective as an inhibitor. In contrast to the detrimental effect that substitution of the oxygen atom in the pyranose ring with a sulfur has on ability to serve as substrate, 5-thio analogs are considerably more effective as inhibitors, the K i for inhibition by 5-thioglucose 6-phosphate being 10-fold lower than that seen with glucose 6-phosphate. This effect of the heteroatom substitution can partially offset the decreased inhibition resulting from monoanionic character at the 6-position, but the 6-fluorophosphate derivative of 5-thioglucose 6-phosphate still inhibits with a K i about 1000-fold greater than that seen with 5-thioglucose 6-phosphate. The previously observed correlation between the relative ability of various hexose 6-phosphates, or analogs, to inhibit hexokinase and their ability to solubilize the mitochondrial form of the enzyme has been extended with the analogs used in the present study.

The Amino Acid Sequence of Rat Liver Glucokinase Deduced from Cloned cDNA

Rat liver glucokinase (ATP:D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) was purified to homogeneity, cleaved, and subjected to amino acid sequence analysis. Forty-five percent of the protein sequence was obtained, and this information was used to design oligonucleotide probes to screen a rat liver cDNA library. A 1601-base pair cDNA (GK1) contained an open reading frame that encoded the amino acid sequences found in the peptides used to generate the oligonucleotide probes. A second cDNA was subsequently identified (GK.Z2), which is 2346 base pairs long and corresponds to nearly the entire glucokinase mRNA. Blot transfer analysis of hepatic RNA showed that glucokinase mRNA exists as a single species of about 2400 nucleotides. Four hours of insulin treatment of diabetic rats resulted in a 30-fold induction of this mRNA. GK.Z2 has a long open reading frame which, with the known partial peptide sequence, allowed us to deduce the primary structure of glucokinase. The enzyme is composed of 465 amino acids and has a mass of 51,924 daltons. Glucokinase has 53 and 33% amino acid sequence identities with the carboxyl-terminal domains of rat brain hexokinase I and yeast hexokinase, respectively. If conservative amino acid replacements are also considered, glucokinase is similar to these two enzymes at 75 and 63% of positions, respectively. The putative glucose- and ATP-binding domains of glucokinase were identified, and these regions appear to be highly conserved in the hexokinase family of enzymes.

Rat brain hexokinase: The hydrophobie N-terminus of the mitochondrially bound enzyme is inserted in the lipid bilayer

Mitochondrially bound rat brain hexokinase was labeled with the photoactivatable reagent, 3-(trifluoromethyl)-3-( m-[ 125I]iodophenyl)diazirine. This highly hydrophobic reagent is strongly partitioned into the hydrophobic environment of the membrane core, and thus selectively labels segments of a protein that penetrate this region of the membrane. Labeling of hexokinase was shown to be restricted to the N-terminal region of the molecule. Approximately 80% of the radiolabel was removed by treatment of the enzyme with chymotrypsin, which preferentially cleaves a hydrophobic 9-residue sequence at the extreme N-terminus of the enzyme, and it is considered likely that the remaining 20% was associated with two additional hydrophobic residues, immediately adjacent to this segment but not susceptible to cleavage by chymotrypsin. Labeling of the enzyme was shown to be dependent on maintenance of the association with the membrane. These results are consistent with a model in which binding of hexokinase involves insertion of an 11-residue hydrophobic N-terminal “tail,” possibly existing in α-helical secondary structure, into the hydrophobic core of the membrane.

The complete amino acid sequence of the catalytic domain of rat brain hexokinase, deduced from the cloned cDNA.

The complete amino acid sequence of the catalytic domain of rat brain hexokinase (ATP:D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) has been deduced from the nucleotide sequence of cloned cDNA. Extensive similarity in sequence, taken to indicate similarity in secondary and tertiary structure, is seen between the mammalian enzyme and yeast hexokinase isozymes A and B. All residues critical for binding glucose to the yeast enzyme are conserved in brain hexokinase. A location for the substrate ATP binding site is proposed based on relation of structural features in the yeast enzyme to characteristics commonly observed in other nucleotide binding enzymes; sequences in regions proposed to be important for binding of ATP to the yeast enzyme are highly conserved in brain hexokinase.

The interaction of phosphorylated sugars with human hexokinase I

Glucose 6-phosphate as well as several other hexose mono- and diphosphates were found by kinetic studies to be competitive inhibitors of human hexokinase I (ATP:D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) versus MgATP. Limited proteolysis by trypsin does not destroy the hexokinase activity but produces as well-defined peptide map when the digested enzyme is electrophoresed in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. MgATP at subsaturating concentration protects hexokinase from trypsin digestion, while phosphorylated sugars, Mg2+, glucose and inorganic phosphate have no effect. Addition of glucose 6-phosphate to the MgATP-hexokinase complex at a concentration 100-times higher than its Ki was not able to reverse the MgATP-induced conformation of hexokinase, suggesting that the binding of glucose 6-phosphate and MgATP are not mutually exclusive. Similar evidence was also obtained by studies of the induced modifications of ultraviolet spectra of hexokinase by the binding of MgATP, glucose 6-phosphate and both compounds. Among a library of monoclonal antibodies produced against rat brain hexokinase I and that recognize human placenta hexokinase I, one (4A6) was found to be able to modify the Ki of glucose 6-phosphate (from 25 to 140 microM) for human hexokinase I. The same antibody also weakens the inhibition by all the other hexoses phosphate studied without affecting the apparent Km for MgATP (from 0.6 to 0.75 mM) or for glucose. These data support the view for the binding of glucose 6-phosphate at a regulatory site on the enzyme.

Rat brain hexokinase: Location of the allosteric regulatory site in a structural domain at the N-terminus of the enzyme

After denaturation in 0.6 m guanidine hydrochloride, rat brain hexokinase becomes highly susceptible to proteolysis by trypsin. Glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) and its analog, 1,5-anhydroglucitol 6-phosphate, selectively protect the N-terminal half of the molecule from proteolysis. These compounds do not protect the C-terminal half of the molecule, nor do they protect enzyme activity; the Glc analog, N-acetylglucosamine, does protect the C-terminal domain and catalytic activity, but does not prevent proteolysis of the N-terminal half of the molecule. These results are consistent with previous work [ M. Nemat-Gorgani and J. E. Wilson (1986) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 251, 97–103 ; D. M. Schirch and J. E. Wilson (1987) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 254, 385–396 ] demonstrating that binding sites for both hexose and nucleotide substrates, and thus catalytic function, are associated with a 40-kDa domain located at the C-terminus of the enzyme. They further demonstrate that the binding site for the allosteric effector, Glc-6-P, lies in the N-terminal half of the molecule and is distinct from the catalytic site. Using protection against proteolysis as a reflection of binding, it is shown that the Glc-6-P binding site in the N-terminal region has all the characteristics described for the allosteric effector site on this enzyme in terms of affinity for Glc-6-P, specificity, and synergistic interactions with the hexose binding site in the C-terminal region of the molecule. This disposition of catalytic and regulatory functions in discrete halves of the molecule is consistent with suggestions by several investigators that mammalian hexokinases evolved by a process of duplication and fusion of an ancestral gene coding for a hexokinase similar to the present-day yeast enzyme, with the regulatory site of mammalian hexokinases having evolved from what was originally a catalytic site.

Rat brain hexokinase: Amino acid sequence at the substrate hexose binding site is homologous to that of yeast hexokinase

A reactive Glc analog, N-(bromoacetyl)- d-glucosamine (GlcNBrAc), has recently been used (D. M. Schirch and J. E. Wilson (1987) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 254 , 385–396) to label the Glc binding site of rat brain Type I hexokinase. This site has been located in a 40-kDa domain at the C-terminus of the enzyme previously shown to be the location of the substrate ATP binding site (M. Nemat-Gorgani and J. E. Wilson (1986) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 251, 97–103) . In the present study, peptide mapping of hexokinase modified by radiolabeled GlcNBrAc yields three labeled peptides (Peptides I–III). Peptides I and III, as well as catalytic activity, are protected by inclusion of Glc or GlcNAc during reaction with GlcNBrAc. These two peptides show considerable homology to contiguous regions in the sequences of yeast hexokinase isozymes A and B. Peptide III is homologous to a sequence which, based on the X-ray crystallographic work by Steitz and co-workers, is located near the Glc binding site of yeast hexokinase; Peptide I is homologous to an immediately adjacent (toward the C-terminus) region of yeast hexokinase. An essential serine residue implicated in the binding of Glc to the yeast enzyme is also conserved in Peptide III from rat brain hexokinase. These results provide strong support for the view that the “catalytic domain” at the C-terminus of the mammalian Type I hexokinase shares a common ancestry with yeast hexokinase. Peptide II appears to be nonspecifically labeled by GlcNBrAc since labeling is insensitive to the presence of protective ligands such as Glc or GlcNAc; the sequence of Peptide II shows no detectable homology with the yeast isozymes.

Rat brain hexokinase: Location of the substrate hexose binding site in a structural domain at the C-terminus of the enzyme

A glucose analog, N-(bromoacetyl)- d-glucosamine (GlcNBrAc), previously used to label the glucose binding sites of rat muscle Type II and bovine brain Type I hexokinases, also inactivates rat brain hexokinase (ATP: d-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) with pseudo-first-order kinetics. Inactivation occurs predominantly via a “specific” pathway involving formation of a complex between hexokinase and GlcNBrAc, but significant nonspecific (i.e., without prior complex formation) inactivation also occurs, and equations to describe this behavior are derived. Inactivation is dependent on deprotonation of a residue with an alkaline p K a , consistent with the modified residue being a sulfhydryl group as reported to be the case with the hexokinase of bovine brain. The affinity label modifies three residues (per molecule of enzyme) at indistinguishable rates, but only one of these residues appears to be critical for activity. Amino acid analysis of the modified enzyme indicates derivatization of three cysteine residues; there was no indication of modification of other residues potentially reactive with haloacetyl derivatives. Kinetic analysis and effects of protective ligands were consistent with location of the critical sulfhydryl at the glucose binding site. Peptide mapping techniques permitted localization of the critical residue, and thus the glucose binding site, in a 40-kDa domain at the C-terminus of the enzyme. This is the same domain recently shown to include the ATP binding site. Thus, catalytic function is assigned to the C-terminal domain of rat brain hexokinase.

Rat brain hexokinase: Location of the substrate nucleotide binding site in a structural domain at the C-terminus of the enzyme

8-Azido-ATP serves as a substrate for rat brain hexokinase (ATP: d-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1). Irradiation of hexokinase in the presence of this photoactivatable ATP analog results in inactivation of the enzyme. ATP and hexose 6-phosphates (Glc-6-P, 1,5-anhydroglucitol-6-P) previously shown to competitively inhibit nucleotide binding protect the enzyme from photoinactivation; other hexose 6-phosphates do not. Hexoses (Glc, Man) previously shown to enhance nucleotide binding also protect against photoinactivation; other hexoses do not. These effects of hexoses and hexose 6-phosphates can be interpreted in terms of the conformational changes previously shown to result from the binding of these ligands and to influence the characteristics of the nucleotide binding site (M. Baijal and J. E. Wilson (1982) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 218, 513–524) . Limited tryptic cleavage of the enzyme produces three major fragments having molecular weights of about 10K, 40K, and 50K, and thought to represent major structural domains within the enzyme (P. G. Polakis and J. E. Wilson (1984) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 234, 341–352) . Tryptic cleavage of the enzyme, photoinactivated in the presence of 14C-labeled azido-ATP, discloses prominent labeling of the 10K and 40K domains, which are known to originate from the N- and C-terminal regions, respectively. Labeling of the 40K domain is influenced by ligands in a manner that corresponds to the effectiveness of these ligands in protecting against photoinactivation whereas labeling of the 10K domain is not affected by these same ligands. It is concluded that the 40K domain includes the binding site for nucleotide substrates. More refined two-dimensional peptide mapping techniques demonstrate that the predominant site of labeling is a peptide segment, molecular weight approximately 20K, that is located in the central and/or C-terminal region of the 40K domain. Labeling of the 10K domain is attributed to nonspecific interaction of azido-ATP with the hydrophobic sequence shown to be located at the N-terminus of brain hexokinase (P. G. Polakis and J. E. Wilson (1985) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 236, 328–337) .

An examination of the in vivo distribution of brain hexokinase between the cytosol and the outer mitochondrial membrane

These studies addressed the question of the in vivo distribution of rat brain hexokinase (HK), and whether physiologically relevant changes in the glycolytic rate are accompanied by changes in the distribution of HK. Homogenates of fresh tissue showed only 11–15% of the overt (assayable without added detergent) HK to be soluble (found in high-speed centrifugation supernatant fractions) when homogenization was begun within 15–20 s of sacrifice. Freeze-blown rat brain tissue also was used, coupled with a new technique wherein it was homogenized as it thawed in a buffered sucrose solution containing 1 m m EDTA. In tissue sampled 15 min (anesthetized) or 60 min (waking) after ip Nembutal injection (40 mg/kg), 23% of the overt HK and 79% of the total lactate dehydrogenase were soluble. The average phosphocreatine content of these and similar homogenates had decreased only 23% from in vivo levels, while ATP had decreased by 65%, due to the combined effects of a high level of endogenous ATPase, chelation of Mg 2+ by EDTA, and the greater stability of MgATP 2− relative to MgADP 1−. These data indicated that the tissue experienced, at most, the equivalent of 6 s of complete ischemia prior to the completion of homogenization. Synaptosomes derived from rat and chicken cerebra were incubated at 37 °C in a physiological salt solution containing 10 m m glucose. Addition of veratridine has been shown to stimulate glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation two- to threefold (H. T. Kyriazi and R. E. Basford (1986) J. Neurochem., in press) , but did not alter the HK distribution, as 21% was found in the supernatant fractions of both control and veratridine-stimulated synaptosomes treated with digitonin. These results indicate that in brain tissue, large net movements of HK on and off the outer mitochondrial membrane do not occur, and thus play no role in the regulation of glycolysis.

Hexokinase A from mammalian brain: Comparative peptide mapping and immunological studies with monoclonal antibodies

Immunological reactivity of partially purified hexokinase A (ATP: d-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) from brain of several vertebrate species has been compared by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and seven monoclonal antibodies raised against the rat brain enzyme. The epitopes recognized by three of these antibodies have been rather widely conserved among the species examined (rat, mouse, guinea pig, rabbit, cat, dog, sheep, cow, pig, chicken), while this was not the case for the epitopes recognized by the other antibodies, which differed markedly in their distribution among these species. The domain structure of these enzymes has been examined by peptide mapping (after limited tryptic digestion) in conjunction with immunoblotting techniques employing monoclonal antibodies. The results indicate that the overall domain structure of these enzymes is similar to that previously described for rat brain hexokinase A, but that there are significant differences in the size of these domains in enzymes from different species.

In vitro synthesis of rat brain hexokinase

Hexokinase (ATP: D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) has been synthesized in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system directed by poly(A) + mRNA isolated from rat brain. Identification of the in vitro synthesis product as hexokinase was based on its immunoprecipatation with anti-hexokinase serum as well as the generation of identical peptide maps after partial cleavage of the in vitro product and authentic hexokinase with Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase or chymotrypsin. The in vitro product and authentic hexokinase were indistinguishable in molecular weight (SDS-gel electrophoresis); thus, despite the fact that, in situ, much of the hexokinase in brain is found in association with mitochondria, it is not synthesized in the form of a higher molecular weight precursor as is characteristic of other mitochondrial proteins. This is in accord with the view that hexokinase is best considered as a classical ‘soluble’ enzyme which is capable of exhibiting reversible association with mitochondria. The in vitro product cochromatographs (during anion-exchange HPLC) with authentic hexokinase previously shown to have a blocked (presumably acetylated) N-terminus; this procedure is capable of resolving the N-terminally blocked form of the enzyme from a partially proteolyzed form having a free N-terminal amino group. Thus the in vitro product is apparently N-acetylated by an enzyme system previously shown to be present in reticulocyte lysates. A significant fraction of the in vitro synthesized hexokinase attained a conformation characteristic of the native enzyme as judged by the observations that (1) it could be immunoprecipitated by monoclonal antibodies recognizing the native enzyme but not by antibodies recognizing denatured hexokinase, and (2) limited tryptic cleavage of the in vitro product gave fragments identical to those seen with the native enzyme and thought to reflect the organization of structural domains in that enzyme. However, based on these same criteria, the majority of the hexokinase synthesized in vitro appears to exist in a folding state that is not identical to that of either the fully denatured or native enzyme.

Monoclonal antibodies against rat brain hexokinase. Utilization in epitope mapping studies and establishment of structure-function relationships.

The effects of seven monoclonal antibodies on various functions of rat brain hexokinase (ATP:D-hexose-6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) have been assessed. Specifically, effects on catalytic properties (Km values for substrates, glucose and ATP X Mg2+; Ki for inhibition by glucose 6-phosphate), binding to the outer mitochondrial membrane, and glucose 6-phosphate-induced solubilization of mitochondrially bound hexokinase were examined. Epitope mapping studies with the native enzyme provided information about the relative spatial distribution of the epitopes on the surface of the native molecule. Binding of nucleotides (ATP or ATP X Mg2+) was shown to perturb the epitopes recognized by two of these antibodies. Neither nucleotides nor other ligands (glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, Pi) had detectable effect on epitopes recognized by the other five antibodies. Peptide mapping techniques in conjunction with immunoblotting permitted assignment of the epitopes recognized by several of the antibodies to specific segments within the overall primary structure. These results, together with previous work relating to the organization of structural domains within the molecule, permitted development of a three-dimensional model which provides a useful representation of major structural and immunological features of the enzyme, and depicts the association of those features with specific functions.

Allosteric inhibition of brain hexokinase by glucose 6-phosphate in the reverse reaction

A study of the reverse reaction of rat brain hexokinase (ATP: d-hexose 6-phospho-transferase, EC 2.7.1.1) has been performed using a photometric method based on a mutarotase-glucose oxidase-peroxidase-chromogen system to trap and visualize glucose, plus a glycerol kinase-glycerol system to trap ATP. Glucose 6-phosphate or 2-deoxyglucose 6-phosphate were used as phosphoryl donors at different concentrations of ADP. Variation of glucose 6-phosphate concentrations resulted in a biphasic curve from which apparent K m and K i values of ca. 0.2 m m were calculated. In contrast, variation of 2-deoxyglucose 6-phosphate concentrations resulted in Michaelian kinetics with an apparent K m of 2 m m. The K m value for MgADP was 16 m m irrespective of the nature and concentration of the hexose 6-phosphate substrate. These results are fully consistent with an allosteric site for glucose 6-phosphate as an explanation for the inhibition of animal hexokinases by glucose 6-P and further indicate that the maximal rate is the parameter affected. From these observations and previous knowledge, the possible occurrence in animal hexokinases of a regulatory site for ATP to account for the competition between glucose 6-phosphate and ATP in the forward reaction is postulated.

Acidic phospholipids may inhibit rat brain hexokinase by interaction at the nucleotide binding site

Rat brain hexokinase (ATP: d-hexose 6-phosphotransferase; EC 2.7.1.1) is inhibited by acidic phospholipids such as phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, and cardiolipin. Several aspects of this inhibition are atypical when compared to inhibition by established reversible inhibitors of this enzyme such as the product, Glc-6-P. Maximal inhibition is attained rather slowly (~30 min at 22 °C), and is not reversed by simple dilution of the enzyme-lipid mixture. Ligands such as ATP or Glc-6-P can protect the enzyme against inhibition by acidic phospholipids; addition of protective ligands after mixing of enzyme and lipids does not, however, reverse inhibition that occurred prior to ligand addition. Inhibition can be prevented but not reversed by elevated (0.1–0.2 m) [NaCl], indicating a probable role for electrostatic forces in the interaction of lipid with enzyme. Greater inhibition is seen at 22 °C than at 3–4 °C, suggesting that hydrophobic interactions may also be involved. It is suggested that acidic phospholipids inhibit brain hexokinase by binding at the nucleotide-binding site of the enzyme. The effectiveness of ATP (or the ATP analog, Cibacron Blue) in protecting against inhibition by acidic phospholipids is attributed to direct competition between ATP and the phospholipid for a common binding site. The effectiveness of Glc-6-P (or analogs) in preventing the inhibition is attributed to a conformational change, induced by the binding of this ligand, which prevents binding of ATP or acidic phospholipids to the enzyme. The pH dependency of the inhibition has suggested involvement of the protonated form of a dissociable group (p K ~ 7) on the enzyme in the interaction with acidic phospholipids; this may be the histidyl residue implicated by Solheim and Fromm [ Biochemistry 19, 6074–6080 (1984)] in the binding of ATP to brain hexokinase. Structural similarities in the nucleotide-binding sites of several nucleotide-binding enzymes suggest that similar inhibition by acidic phospholipids may be seen with other enzymes of this type; there are already some reports to this effect.

Differential effects of monovalent, divalent and trivalent metal ions on rat brain hexokinase

1. The effects of monovalent (Li + Cs +) divalent (Cu 2+, Ca 2+, Sr 2+, Ba 2+, Zn 2+, Cd 2+, Hg 2+ Pb 2+, Mn 2+, Fe 2+, Co 2+, Ni 2+) and trivalent (Cr 3+, Fe 3+, Al 3+) metals ions on hexokinase activity in rat brain cytosol were compared at 500μM. 2. The rank order of their potency as inhibitors of brain hexokinase was: Cr 3+ ( IC 50 = 1.3 μM) > Hg 2+ = Al 3− > Cu 2+ > Pb 2+ ( IC 50 = 80 μM) > Fe 3+( IC 50 = 250 μM > Cd 2+ ( IC 50 = 250 μM) > Zn 2+ ( IC 50 = 560 μM). However, at 500 μM Co 2+ slightly stimulated brain hexokinase whereas the other metal ions were without effect. 3. That inhibition of brain glucose metabolism may be an important mechanism in the neurotoxicity of metals is suggested.

An intact hydrophobic N-terminal sequence is critical for binding of rat brain hexokinase to mitochondria

The N-terminal sequence of rat brain hexokinase (ATP: d-hexose-6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) has been determined to be ▪ where X is a blocking group on the N-terminal methionine, probably an N-acetyl group. Modification of this hydrophobic N-terminal segment by endogenous proteases in crude brain extracts resulted in loss of the ability to bind to mitochondria, but had no effect on catalytic activity, resulting in the appearance of nonbindable enzyme reported by several previous investigators to be present in purified hexokinase preparations. Similar results can be obtained by deliberate limited digestion with chymotrypsin (cleavage points marked by arrows in sequence above). Both bindable and nonbindable enzyme, the latter generated either by endogenous proteases or with chymotrypsin, have an identical C-terminal dipeptide sequence, Ile-Ala. The great susceptibility of the N-terminus to proteolysis plus the marked effect that its proteolytic modification has on binding of hexokinase to anion exchange or hydrophobic (phenyl-Sepharose) matrices suggest that this N-terminal segment is prominently displayed at the enzyme surface. Epitopes recognized by two monoclonal antibodies which block binding of hexokinase to mitochondria (but have no effect on catalytic activity) have been mapped to a 10K fragment cleaved from the N-terminus by limited tryptic digestion. Thus the binding of hexokinase to mitochondria appears to occur via a “binding domain” constituting the N-terminal region of the molecule, with maintenance of an intact hydrophobic sequence at the extreme N-terminus being critical to this interaction. A resulting specific orientation of the molecule on the mitochondrial surface is considered to be a prerequisite for the observed coupling of hexokinase activity and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.

Proteolytic dissection of rat brain hexokinase: Determination of the cleavage pattern during limited digestion with trypsin

Limited treatment of rat brain hexokinase (ATP: d-hexose-6-phosphotransferase; EC 2.7.1.1) with trypsin causes cleavage of the M r 98K enzyme into three major fragments having molecular weights of 10K, 40K, and 50K, with intermediates of M r 60K and 90K being detected. This information, in conjunction with N- and C-terminal analysis of the intact enzyme and tryptic cleavage products, has established the tryptic cleavage pattern as ▪ where T 1 and T 2 indicate tryptic cleavage sites; cleavage at only T 1 or T 2 gives rise to the 90K or 60K intermediate, respectively. Confirmation of this cleavage pattern has been provided by two-dimensional peptide mapping using Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, and epitope mapping with two monoclonal antibodies directed against rat brain hexokinase. The epitopes recognized by one of the monoclonal antibodies is located within the 40K C-terminal fragment while the epitope for the other monoclonal antibody lies within the 50K fragment. A two-dimensional peptide mapping-immunoblotting technique has permitted a more defined localization of these epitopes to specific regions within these major tryptic cleavage fragments. Complete tryptic cleavage of the enzyme occurs with only modest (~20%) loss of catalytic activity, and the cleaved enzyme retains many of the properties of intact hexokinase. Specifically, there was no effect of cleavage on the K m for Glc or the K i for Glc-6-P, though a slight decrease in K m for ATP was consistently noted to result from cleavage. Furthermore, like the intact enzyme, cleaved hexokinase retained the ability to bind to outer mitochondrial membranes in a Glc-6-P-sensitive manner. Under nondenaturing conditions, the cleaved fragments remain associated by noncovalent forces. Thus, the cleaved enzyme sedimented at a rate comparable to intact enzyme during centrifugation on sucrose density gradients, and migrated only slightly faster when electrophoresed on gradient acrylamide gels under nondenaturing conditions.

A gel electrophoresis method for epitope mapping studies with monoclonal antibodies

The linear polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis method of Lambin and Fine (1979, Anal. Biochem. 98, 160–168) has been adapted for estimation of the molecular weights of antigen-antibody complexes, thereby providing information useful in epitope maping studies with monoclonal antibodies. The method has been applied to mapping of the epitopes recognized by four different monoclonal antibodies raised against rat brain hexokinase (1984, Finney et al., J. Biol. Chem., 259, 8232–8237). The results obtained with the gel electrophoresis method were in agreement with epitope mapping studies conducted by the molecular sieve high-performance liquid chromatographic method of Crawford et al., (1982, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79, 7031–7035). Epitope mapping by the gel electrophoretic method offers several advantages in terms of speed, convenience, and economy when compared with alternative procedures that have been described.