Direct evidence of conformational heterogeneity in human pancreatic glucokinase from high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance

Biochemistry. 2010 Sep 21;49(37):7969-71. doi: 10.1021/bi101098f.

Abstract

High-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance is used to investigate the conformational dynamics of human glucokinase, a 52 kDa monomeric enzyme that displays kinetic cooperativity. (1)H-(15)N transverse relaxation optimized spectra of uniformly labeled glucokinase, recorded in the absence and presence of glucose, reveal significant cross-peak overlap and heterogeneous peak intensities that persist over a range of temperatures. (15)N-specific labeling of isoleucines and tryptophans, reporting on backbone and side chain dynamics, respectively, demonstrates that both unliganded and glucose-bound enzymes sample multiple conformations, although glucose stabilizes certain conformations. These results provide the first direct evidence of glucokinase conformational heterogeneity and hence shed light on the molecular basis of cooperativity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Glucokinase / chemistry*
  • Glucokinase / metabolism*
  • Glucose / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Pancreas / metabolism

Substances

  • Glucokinase
  • Glucose