The regulatory kinetic properties of porcine hepatic glucokinase.

Porcine hepatic glucokinase (ATP: D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase EC 2.7.1.1) has been purified by a modification of the procedure for its purification from rats. However, difficulties were encountered with endogenous proteases and the reliability of a source for porcine livers. The molecular weight has been determined to be 60,400 +/- 1,400 by sodium dodecyl sulfate, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme has been characterized kinetically. The parameter values, S0.5 (glucose) and Hill coefficient (nH) are 2.4 mM and 1.9 respectively under sulfhydryl-reducing conditions. The enzyme undergoes the two sulfhydryl-related decays of its activity previously observed in the enzyme isolated from rat (Tippett PS, Neet KE: Arch Biochem Biophys 222:285-298, 1983). The enzyme is inhibited by palmitoyl-CoA, Ki (apparent) = 1.0 microM, nH = 1.8; this concentration of inhibitor is significantly below its critical micelle concentration. Physically and kinetically glucokinase isolated from pig is similar to the enzyme isolated from rat. The porcine system provides a second source for isolation and further characterization of this important and unusual enzyme.