ABSTRACT
A lag is observed before the steady state during pyruvate reduction catalysed by lactate dehydrogenase from Streptococcus lactis. The lag is abolished by preincubation of enzyme with the activator fructose 1,6-bisphosphate before mixing with the substrates. The rate constants for the lag phase showed a linear dependence on fructose-1,6-bisphosphate concentration, with a second-order rate constant of 2.0 X 10(4) M-1 s-1, but were independent of enzyme concentration. Binding of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate produces a decrease in the protein fluorescence of the enzyme. The second-order rate constant for the fluorescence change is twice that for the lag in pyruvate reduction. The results suggest that binding of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate induces a conformational change in the enzyme, producing a form with reduced protein fluorescence and increased activity towards pyruvate reduction.
