ABSTRACT
Glucokinase genes, found in the genome databases of Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major, were cloned and sequenced. Their expression in Escherichia coli resulted in the synthesis of soluble and active enzymes, TcGlcK and LmjGlcK, with a molecular mass of 43 kDa and 46 kDa, respectively. The enzymes were purified, and values of their kinetic parameters determined. The K(m) values for glucose were 1.0 mM for TcGlcK and 3.3 mM for LmjGlcK. For ATP, the K(m) values were 0.36 mM (TcGlcK) and 0.35 mM (LmjGlcK). A lower K(m) value for glucose (2.55 mM) was found when the (His)(6)-tag was removed from the recombinant LmjGlcK, whereas the TcGlcK retained the same value. The V(max)'s of the T. cruzi and L. major GlcKs were 36.3 and 30.9 U/mg of protein, respectively. No inhibition was exerted by glucose-6-phosphate. Similarly, no inhibition by inorganic pyrophosphate was found in contrast to previous observations made for the T. cruzi and L. mexicana hexokinases. Both trypanosomatid enzymes were only able to phosphorylate glucose indicating that they are true glucokinases. Gel-filtration chromatography showed that the GlcK of both trypanosomatids may occur as a monomer or dimer, dependent on the protein concentration. Both GlcK sequences have a type-1 peroxisome-targeting signal. Indeed, they were shown to be present inside glycosomes using three different methods. These glucokinases present highest, albeit still a moderate 24% sequence identity with their counterpart from Trichomonas vaginalis, which has been classified into group A of the hexokinase family. This group comprises mainly eubacterial and cyanobacterial glucokinases. Indeed, multiple sequence comparisons, as well as kinetic properties, strongly support the notion that these trypanosomatid enzymes belong to group A of the hexokinases, in which they, according to a phylogenetic analysis, form a separate cluster.
Subject(s)
Glucokinase/genetics , Glucokinase/metabolism , Leishmania major/enzymology , Trypanosoma cruzi/enzymology , Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , Chromatography, Gel , Cloning, Molecular , Dimerization , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Escherichia coli/genetics , Glucokinase/chemistry , Glucokinase/isolation & purification , Glucose/metabolism , Glucose-6-Phosphate/pharmacology , Kinetics , Leishmania major/genetics , Molecular Sequence Data , Molecular Weight , Peroxisomes/chemistry , Phosphates/pharmacology , Phylogeny , Protein Sorting Signals/genetics , Protozoan Proteins/chemistry , Protozoan Proteins/genetics , Protozoan Proteins/isolation & purification , Protozoan Proteins/metabolism , Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis , Recombinant Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Proteins/isolation & purification , Recombinant Proteins/metabolism , Sequence Homology, Amino Acid , Substrate Specificity , Trichomonas vaginalis/genetics , Trypanosoma cruzi/geneticsABSTRACT
Glucokinase from dog liver has been purified to homogeneity by a procedure involving DEAE-cellulose chromatography, ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration chromatography, and affinity chromatography on glucosamine-Sepharose. The purified enzyme was characterized with respect to stability, molecular weight, amino acid composition, SH groups, and physicochemical and kinetic properties. A molecular weight of 49,000 and 47,000 was estimated by sodium dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis and gel filtration in non-denaturing conditions, respectively, indicating a monomeric structure for the enzyme. Glucokinase exhibits a sigmoidal saturation function for glucose with a Hill coefficient of 1.5 and a half-saturation value of 4mM at pH 7.5.