Allosteric, effectors regulation

Answen B. Both PFK-1 and LDH participate in extrahepatic anaerobic glycolysis, but only PFK-1 is regulated by allosteric effectors. 

Finally, the activity of key enzymes can be regulated by ligands (substrates, products, coenzymes, or other effectors), which as allosteric effectors do not bind at the active center itself, but at another site in the enzyme, thereby modulating enzyme activity (6 see p. 116). Key enzymes are often inhibited by immediate reaction products, by end products of the reaction chain concerned feedback inhibition), or by metabolites from completely different metabolic pathways. The precursors for a reaction chain can stimulate their own utilization through enzyme activation. 

Various allosteric effectors influence the equilibrium between the T and R forms and thereby regulate the O2 binding behavior of hemoglobin (yellow arrows). The most important effectors are CO2, and 2,3-bisphospho-glycerate (see p. 282). 

The hormonal regulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis is mediated by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, an allosteric effector for the enzymes PFK-1 and FBPase-1 (Fig. 15-22) ... 

The partitioning of triose phosphates between sucrose synthesis and starch synthesis is regulated by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6BP), an allosteric effector of the enzymes that determine the level of fructose 6-phosphate. F2,6BP concentration varies inversely with the rate of photosynthesis, and F2,6BP inhibits the synthesis of fructose 6-phosphate, the precursor to sucrose. 

The regulation of the reaction velocity of enzymes is essential if an organ ism is to coordinate its numerous metabolic processes. The rates of most enzymes are responsive to changes in substrate concentration, because the intracellular level of many substrates is in the range of the Km. Thus, an increase in substrate concentration prompts an increase in reaction rate, which tends to return the concentration of substrate toward normal. In addition, some enzymes with specialized regulatory functions respond to allosteric effectors or covalent modification, or they show altered rates of enzyme synthesis when physiologic conditions are changed. 

Allosteric enzymes are regulated by molecules called effectors (also modifiers) that bind noncovalently at a site other than the active site. These enzymes are composed of multiple subunits, and the regula tory site that binds the effector may be located on a subunit that is not itself catalytic. The presence of an allosteric effector can alter the affinity of the enzyme for its substrate, or modify the maximal cat alytic activity of the enzyme, or both. Effectors that inhibit enzyme activity are termed negative effectors, whereas those that increase enzyme activity are called positive effectors. Allosteric enzymes usually contain multiple subunits, and frequently catalyze the commit ted step early in a pathway. 

Figure 11-2 Roles of phosphofructose kinase and fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase in the control of the breakdown and storage (—+) of glycogen in muscle. The uptake of glucose from blood and its release from tissues is also illustrated. The allosteric effector fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2) regulates both phosphofructokinase and fructose 2,6-bisphosphatase. These enzymes are also regulated by AMP if it accumulates. The activity of phosphofructokinase-2 (which synthesizes Fru-2,6-P2) is controlled by a cyclic AMP-dependent kinase and by dephosphorylation by a phosphatase.

In bacteria and green plants PEP carboxylase (Eq. 13-53), a highly regulated enzyme, is responsible for synthesizing oxaloacetate. In animal tissues pyruvate carboxylase (Eq. 14-3) plays the same role. The latter enzyme is almost inactive in the absence of the allosteric effector acetyl-CoA. For this reason, it went undetected for many years. In the presence of high concentrations of acetyl-CoA the enzyme is fully activated and provides for synthesis of a high enough concentration of oxaloacetate to permit the cycle to function. Even so, the oxaloacetate concentration in mitochondria is low, only 0.1 to 0.4 x 10-6 M (10-40 molecules per mitochondrion), and is relatively constant.65 79... 

Phosphorylation also can modify an enzyme s sensi-tivity to allosteric effectors. Phosphorylation of glycogen phosphorylase reduces its sensitivity to the allosteric activator adenosine monophosphate (AMP). Thus, a covalent modification triggered by an extracellular signal can override the influence of intracellular allosteric regulators. In other cases, variations in the concentrations of intracellular effectors can modify the response to the covalent modification, depending on the metabolic state of affairs in the cell. 

Allosteric effectors are inhibitors or activators that bind to enzymes at sites distinct from the active sites. Allosteric regulation allows cells to adjust enzyme activities rapidly and reversibly in response to changes in the concentrations of substances that are structurally unrelated to the substrates or products. The initial steps in a biosynthetic pathway commonly are inhibited by the end products of the pathway, and numerous enzymes are regulated by ATP, ADP, or AMP. 

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