Pyruvate kinase from the moderate halophile, Vibrio costicola

Abstract
Pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40)from Vibrio costicola was purified to homogeneity. The tetramer had a molecular weight of 270 000 measured by exclusion chromatography on Sepharose 4B and was dissociated into apparently identical subunits with a molecular weight of 65 000 measured by SDS–polyacrylamide gel.The kinetic parameters Vm, K0.5, and n were measured at variable KCl concentrations. Both affinity and activity were inhibited when potassium chloride concentration was at 0.025 M, a fact which indicates that low potassium concentration is required for activity. Maximal activity and affinity were obtained at 0.125 M KCl. Potassium chloride appeared as an allosteric inhibitor in the range of 0.125 M to 1.025 M. Above 1.025 M KCl, both maximum velocity and affinity were decreased. NaCl had the same effect as KCl. The pH profiles of K0.5 and Vm of the phosphoenolpyruvate dependence revealed two main pK values: at 6.4 which controls affinity, and at 8.6, which controls activity.The activity of the enzyme showed a hysteretic response to salt. The specific activity measured under fixed standard conditions of temperature and salt concentrations showed a reversible variation which depended upon the preincubation conditions of temperature and salt concentration. The maximum activity tested was reached after low (0.1 M) or high (2 M) KCl preincubation at room temperature.

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