PLANT PHYSIOLOGY , Vol 104, Issue 2 613-616, Copyright © 1994 by American Society of Plant Biologists
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METABOLISM AND ENZYMOLOGY |
Oligomerization and the Affinity of Maize Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase for Its Substrate
R. T. Wedding, C. E. O'Brien and K. Kline
Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
When two different forms of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) from
maize (Zea mays L.) leaves are present in an assay it is possible to
estimate the ratio of Vmax to Km (V/K) for the two forms separately. This
measure of the binding of the substrate by the enzyme permits evaluation of
the effects of various treatments on the relative substrate-binding
velocity of the enzyme. PEPC diluted 1/20 is present in a mixture of a
tetrameric form with a high affinity for phosphoenolpyruvate and a dimeric
form with a low affinity (M.-X. Wu, C.R. Meyer, K.O. Willeford, R.T.
Wedding [1990] Arch Biochem Biophys 281: 324-329). Malate at 5 mM reduced
(V/K)1,[mdash]the V/K of the probable tetrameric form[mdash]almost to zero,
but reduced (V/K)2[mdash]the V/K of the probable dimer[mdash]by only about
80%. Glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) at 5 mM increased (V/K)1 to 155% of the
control but had no effect on (V/K)2. Glycerol (20%) alone increased both
V/Ks, and its effects are additive to the Glc-6-P effects, implying
different mechanisms for activation by Glc-6-P and glycerol.