The enigmatic presence of all gluconeogenic enzymes in Schistosoma mansoni adults

Parasitology ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. M. Tielens ◽  
P. Van Der Meer ◽  
J. M. Van Den Heuvel ◽  
S. G. Van Den Bergh

SUMMARYThe activities of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), frucrose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and pyruvate carboxylase (PC) were determined in homogenates of adult Schistosoma mansoni worms and compared with the activities in homogenates of rat liver and rat skeletal muscle, tissues with a high and a low gluconeogenic capacity, respectively. All four gluconeogenic enzymes were present in S. mansoni. The enzymes were less active than in rat liver, but the activities of G6Pase, PEPCK and PC were at least an order of magnitude higher than in rat skeletal muscle whereas FBPase was approximately equally active in S. mansoni and in rat muscle. Experiments with 14C-labelled substrates or [14C]NaHCO3 failed to demonstrate the actual occurrence of gluconeogenesis in S. mansoni. Some possible other functions of the gluconeogenic enzymes were investigated. Experiments with inhibitors of PEPCK gave no indications that this enzyme was involved in the degradation of glucose. This was confirmed by 13C-NMR experiments which indicated that lactate was formed from phosphoenolpyruvate via the actions of pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, and that PEPCK did not participate in the formation of lactate. Substrate cycling between fructose-6-phosphate and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate was demonstrated to occur in adult S. mansoni. This shows that FBPase participates in the glucose metabolism of this parasite.

1972 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 710-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans W. Behrisch

Fructose-1,6-diphosphatase (FDPase) from muscle of three cold-water crustaceans was found to be activated by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). PEP appears to reduce Km for FDP at low and high temperatures; however, at low temperature the effect on Km of FDP is amplified. In addition PEP reduces affinity of FDPase for AMP, the allosteric inhibitor of the enzyme. These results suggest a coupling of several of the regulatory steps in the glycolytic and gluconeogenic sequences. In addition, skeletal muscle of the crustaceans used in the present study contains substantial (higher than 500 μmol/h/g tissue) activities of the gluconeogenic enzymes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, pyruvate carboxylase, and glucose-6-phosphatase. On the basis of these results it is proposed that gluconeogenesis is a functioning pathway in crustacean muscle.


1963 ◽  
Vol 204 (4) ◽  
pp. 649-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz X. Hausberger ◽  
Martin M. Widelitz

Distribution of erythrocytes with chromium 51 was used to compare the capillary volume of adipose tissue and resting skeletal muscle of rats. Based on wet weight, the vascular bed of adipose tissue is of the same order of magnitude as that of muscle, whereas the protein content of the muscle is approximately 16 times greater. The size of the vascular bed per gram of adipose and muscle tissues decreased considerably during aging.


1979 ◽  
Vol 177 (3) ◽  
pp. 833-846 ◽  
Author(s):  
M C Scrutton ◽  
I Beis

1. N10-Formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase was purified to homogeneity from rat liver with a specific activity of 0.7–0.8 unit/mg at 25 degrees C. The enzyme is a tetramer (Mw = 413,000) composed of four similar, if not identical, substrate addition and give the Km values as 4.5 micron [(-)-N10-formyltetrahydrofolate] and 0.92 micron (NADP+) at pH 7.0. Tetrahydrofolate acts as a potent product inhibitor [Ki = 7 micron for the (-)-isomer] which is competitive with respect to N10-formyltetrahydrofolate and non-competitive with respect to NADP+. 3. Product inhibition by NADPH could not be demonstrated. This coenzyme activates N10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase when added at concentrations, and in a ratio with NADP+, consistent with those present in rat liver in vivo. No effect of methionine, ethionine or their S-adenosyl derivatives could be demonstrated on the activity of the enzyme. 4. Hydrolysis of N10-formyltetrahydrofolate is catalysed by rat liver N10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase at 21% of the rate of CO2 formation based on comparison of apparent Vmax. values. The Km for (-)-N10-folate is a non-competitive inhibitor of this reaction with respect to N10-formyltetrahydrofolate, with a mean Ki of 21.5 micron for the (-)-isomer. NAD+ increases the maximal rate of N10-formyltetrahydrofolate hydrolysis without affecting the Km for this substrate and decreases inhibition by tetrahydrofolate. The activator constant for NAD+ is obtained as 0.35 mM. 5. Formiminoglutamate, a product of liver histidine metabolism which accumulates in conditions of excess histidine load, is a potent inhibitor of rat liver pyruvate carboxylase, with 50% inhibition being observed at a concentration of 2.8 mM, but has no detectable effect on the activity of rat liver cytosol phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase measured in the direction of oxaloacetate synthesis. We propose that the observed inhibition of pyruvate carboxylase by formiminoglutamate may account in part for the toxic effect of excess histidine.


2004 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Absolom Murondoti ◽  
Ruurd Jorritsma ◽  
Anton C Beynen ◽  
Theo Wensing ◽  
Math JH Geelen

The objective was to measure the activities of all the enzymes essential for hepatic gluconeogenesis in dairy cows with induced fatty liver. We aimed to induce severe fatty liver in ten experimental cows by overfeeding them during the dry period while seven control cows were maintained on a restricted diet. To induce a marked negative energy balance, the experimental cows were deprived of feed for 8 h immediately after parturition. In addition, the experimental cows were given a restricted amount of diet during the first 5 d of lactation. Liver samples were collected 1 week before and 1, 2 and 4 weeks after parturition. Before parturition, liver triacylglycerol concentrations did not differ between the two groups. After parturition, the experimental cows developed marked fatty liver as indicated by a higher level of triacylglycerols in the liver compared with the control cows.Before parturition, all gluconeogenic enzymes in the liver were lower in experimental cows than in control cows. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, pyruvate carboxylase and propionyl-CoA carboxylase were significantly lower and fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase and glucose 6-phosphatase tended to be lower in the experimental cows. The activities of two crucial enzymes for gluconeogenesis in ruminants, i.e., phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and propionyl-CoA carboxylase, remained low throughout the sampling period post partum. Activities of pyruvate carboxylase and glucose 6-phosphatase in the experimental cows post partum were upgraded to values similar to those of the control cows. The results showed that the capacity for hepatic gluconeogenesis before parturition was lower in cows with induced fatty liver than in control cows. After parturition, the low activities of crucial gluconeogenic enzymes indicated insufficient production of glucose. It is suggested that the low gluconeogenic capacity leads successively to low blood glucose concentrations, low insulin levels and high rates of mobilization of fatty acid, causing severe hepatic lipidosis.


1972 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kacew ◽  
R. L. Singhal ◽  
G. M. Ling

Administration of technical DDT or o,p′-DDT produced marked increases in pyruvate carboxylase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, fructose-1,6-diphosphatase, and glueose-6-phospfaatase activities in rat kidney cortex. Significant increases in these key gluconeogenic enzymes occurred at 2–3 days and maximal stimulation was seen 5–7 days after the beginning of o,p′-DDT treatment. This DDT isomer, when given to adrenalectomized rats, produced increases in renal enzymes similar to those observed in intact animals. Furthermore, since administration of triamcinolone to o,p′-DDT-treated rats failed to potentiate the action of this insecticide on various enzymes, evidence indicates that the stimulation of kidney cortex gluconeogenesis by DDT is not mediated through a release of glucocorticoid hormones from the adrenal cortex.


1981 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhanu R. Odedra ◽  
T. Norman Palmer

Evidence is presented in support of a pathway in skeletal muscle of glyconeogenesis (glycogen biosynthesis de novo) from L-glutamate and related amino acids involving the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEP CK). In the rat hemidiaphragm in vitro, not only did L-[U-14C]glutamate exert a glycogen-sparing action, but14C-label was incorporated into glycogen. The incorporation is thought not to be simply via label randomization and was decreased by factors that increased glycolysis or pyruvate oxidation. 3-Mercaptopicolinate and amino-oxyacetate, specific inhibitors of PEP CK and aminotransferase-type enzymes, respectively, decreased14C-incorporation from L-[U-14C]glutamate into glycogen. No quantitative determination of apparent glyconeogenic flux was made, and it remains to be established whether glyconeogenesis via PEP CK and/or via PEP CK coupled with 'malic' enzyme (or pyruvate carboxylase) is functionally important in skeletal muscle.


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