Pyruvate kinase isoenzyme regulation

The multienzymic nature of pyruvate kinase has been investigated in detail in M. expansa (98), H. diminuta (117) and S. erinacei (240). These worms possess FBP-sensitive and FBP-insensitive pyruvate kinase isoenzymes. In H. diminuta, as many as five pyruvate kinase isoenzymes (for definition and usefulness, see Chapter 6) occur during development (Fig. 5.3) and it seems likely that differential expression of these different forms of the enzyme may help to control the specific composition of excreted end-products by the various life cycle stages. The nature and regulation of the end-products secreted in H. diminuta are discussed further below. 

All of the regulatory enzymes of glycolysis exist as tissue-specific isoenzymes, which alter the regulation of the pathway to match variations in conditions and needs in different tissues. For example, in the liver, an isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase introduces an additional regulatory site in glycolysis that contributes to the inhibition of glycolysis when the reverse pathway, gluconeogenesis, is activated. 

Fig. 22.12. Major sites of regulation in the glycolytic pathway. Hexokinase and phos-phofructokinase-1 are the major regulatory enzymes in skeletal muscle. The activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase in the mitochondrion determines whether pyruvate is converted to lactate or to acetyl Co A. The regulation shown for pyruvate kinase only occurs for the liver (L) isoenzyme.

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