Interaction of enzymes involved in triosephosphate metabolism

Abstract

The affinity of baker''s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase towards the metabolically related enzymes phosphofructokinase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was tested by using a fluorescence-probe technique with fluorescein isothiocyanate attached covalently to the enzymes. The dissociation constants of the enzyme-enzyme complexes, as well as the rate constants of association and dissociation, were determined. Data were compared with the parameters derived from a mammalian (rabbit muscle) system, known from the literature and determined under the same conditions (pH 7.5 or 8.5 in 0.05 M Tris/HCl buffer at 20.degree. C). The comparison reveals similarities in the supramolecular organization of these cytoplasmic enzymes in phylogenetically distant species. Moreover, the fact that in vitro hybrid complexes are formed of stability comparable to that of non-hybrid complexes indicates that this ancient characteristic is probably conserved during evolution. A possible regulatory mechanism is presented, based on the dynamic competition, with each other, of the enzymes involved in triosephosphate metabolism.