Metabolic studies on synchronized yeast cells in continuous culture.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A Boiteux.
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Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate is physiologically one of the most potent activators of yeast 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase. The glycolytic oscillation observed in cell-free cytoplasmic extracts of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae responds to the addition of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in micromolar concentrations by showing a pronounced decrease of both the amplitude and the period. The oscillations can be suppressed completely by 10 microM and above of this activator but recovers almost fully (95%) to the unperturbed state after 3 h. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate shifts the phases of the oscillations by a maximal +/- 60 degrees. Oscillations in concentration of endogenous fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in the extract were also observed. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate alters the dynamic properties of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase which are vital for its role as the 'oscillophore'. However, the minute amount (approximately 0.3 microM) of endogenous fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and the phase relationship of its oscillations compared with other metabolites indicate that this activator is not an essential component of the oscillatory mechanism. Further support for this conclusion is the observation of sustained oscillations in both the extracts and a population of intact cells of a mutant strain (YFA) of S. cerevisiae with no detectable fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (less than 5 nM).
The oscillatory state of glycolysis in yeast extracts has been analysed by methods known from electronic circuit studies. The time course of the reactions are calculated by the method of least squares from experimentally determined sets of the concentrations of most of the metabolites. The dynamics of the glycolytic network of reactions can then be represented in terms of flow versus driving force (current versus voltage in the corresponding electronic circuit). The analysis of the dynamics leads to the conclusion that glycolysis is switched on and off in a pulsed manner during the oscillatory state. The resulting pulsed flow cannot only be measured with glycolytic end products, like carbon dioxide or ethanol, but can also readily be demonstrated by diagrams of reaction rates of single enzymic steps even in the initial stages of the glycolytic sequence. An analytic method widely applied to electronic circuits also proved to be useful in the study of the dynamics of a complex enzymic network.
The influence of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate and Ca2+ on the kinetics of pyruvate kinase from Escherichia coli K12 was studied (at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C) by using the pH-stat method for the measurement of the reaction progress as well as initial-rate analysis. The data were analysed on the basis of a concerted model with three conformational states [Markus, Plesser, Boiteux, Hess & Malcovati (1980) Biochem. J. 189, 421-433] by using a novel procedure for a computer-directed treatment of progress curves [Markus & Plesser (1976) Biochem. Soc. Trans. 4, 361-364]. By addition of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate the sigmoid kinetics with respect to phosphoenolpyruvate and Mg2+ is abolished and the activity of the enzyme is described by classical saturation kinetics. This is explained by exclusive binding of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate at an allosteric site of the conformational state that forms the active complex. We observe that Ca2+ is an activator of the enzyme at low Mg2+ and Ca2+ concentrations; otherwise it is an inhibitor. These effects can be understood by assuming that Ca2+ has the same binding properties as Mg2+, although it does not allow a catalytic turnover.
The design of the glycolytic pathway resulting from the continuous refinement of evolution is discussed with regard to three aspects. 1. Functional and structural properties of individual enzymes. The catalytic constants of the glycolytic enzymes are remarkably optimized; the turnover numbers are within one order of magnitude. The same is true for the molarities of catalytic centres in the cytosol, as is noted for yeast. Functional properties of the enzymes are reflected in their tertiary and quaternary structures. 2. Regulatory mechanisms of single enzymes. A classification of the various types of enzymic control mechanisms operating in the glycolytic pathway is given. In addition to the usual Michaelis-Menten saturation kinetics and the various types of inhibition there is control by positive and negative effectors based on oligomeric structures (fast acting, fine control) as well as regulation by chemical interconversion structures (fast acting, fine control) as well as regulation by chemical based on enzymes cascades (slow acting, very effective). 3. Functional and regulatory mechanisms of the whole glycolytic reaction pathway. A prominent feature is the high enzyme:substrate ratio, which guarantees fast response times. However, a quantitative treatment of the overall kinetics is limited by an incomplete knowledge of the enzymes' dynamic and chemical compartmentation as well as some of their control properties. From an analysis of the oscillatory state, certain control points in the glycolytic chain can be located that coincide with major branching points to other metabolic pathways. These points are controlled by fast-acting cooperative enzymes that operate in a flip-flop mechanism together with the respective antagonistic enzymes, preventing futile cycles. The gating enzymes leading to the glycogen store and the citric acid cycle are of the slow-acting but very effective interconvertible type. The combination of all the complex and intricate features of design yields a glycolytic network that enables the cell to respond to its various metabolic needs quickly, effectively and economically.
Progress curves of the reaction catalysed by pyruvate kinase from Escherichia coli K12, designed to cover the four-dimensional concentration space of phosphoenolpyruvate, ADP, Mg2+ and ATP in the regulatory region, were recorded with the pH-stat method (pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C). Additional initial-rate measurement were performed to assess specific points. Two methods for the evaluation of progress curves were used: fitting the rate law to the rates obtained from the tangents of the progress curves and fitting the integrated rate law directly to the curves. Two models, both extensions of the concerted model given by Monod, Wyman & Changeux [(1965) J. Mol. Biol. 12, 88--118] with four protomers, could be fitted to the data within the experimental error. Model discrimination in favour of one of these models was possible by proper experimental design. In the selected model one conformational state of the enzyme forms the active complex. The active site of a second conformational state forms abortive complexes with Mg2+, causing strong inhibition at high Mg2+ concentrations. In the absence of ligands, most of the enzyme is in a third state that binds ATP at an allosteric site.
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Type and range of entrainment of glycolytic oscillations by a periodic source of substrate are determined experimentally in yeast extracts. Subharmonic entrainment proves the nonlinear nature of the glycolytic oscillator Random variation of the substrate input yields sustained oscillations of irregular waveform and stable period. The results agree with the predictions of an allosteric model for phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11; ATP:D-fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase), which is the enzyme responsible for periodic operation of glycolysis. A comparison between model and experiment in the case of a constant source of substrate further indicates that the oscillatory dynamics of the glycolytic system can satisfactorily be described by the phosphofructokinase model.
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