scholarly journals Carbohydrate Metabolism in the Toxoplasma gondii Apicoplast: Localization of Three Glycolytic Isoenzymes, the Single Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex, and a Plastid Phosphate Translocator

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 984-996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Fleige ◽  
Karsten Fischer ◽  
David J. P. Ferguson ◽  
Uwe Gross ◽  
Wolfgang Bohne
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Carbohydrate Metabolism ◽  
Pyruvate Kinase ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Fusion Proteins ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex ◽  
Phosphoglycerate Kinase ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Phosphate Translocator ◽  
Dehydrogenase Complex

ABSTRACT Many apicomplexan parasites, such as Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium species, possess a nonphotosynthetic plastid, referred to as the apicoplast, which is essential for the parasites’ viability and displays characteristics similar to those of nongreen plastids in plants. In this study, we localized several key enzymes of the carbohydrate metabolism of T. gondii to either the apicoplast or the cytosol by engineering parasites which express epitope-tagged fusion proteins. The cytosol contains a complete set of enzymes for glycolysis, which should enable the parasite to metabolize imported glucose into pyruvate. All the glycolytic enzymes, from phosphofructokinase up to pyruvate kinase, are present in the T. gondii genome, as duplicates and isoforms of triose phosphate isomerase, phosphoglycerate kinase, and pyruvate kinase were found to localize to the apicoplast. The mRNA expression levels of all genes with glycolytic products were compared between tachyzoites and bradyzoites; however, a strict bradyzoite-specific expression pattern was observed only for enolase I. The T. gondii genome encodes a single pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, which was located in the apicoplast and absent in the mitochondrion, as shown by targeting of epitope-tagged fusion proteins and by immunolocalization of the native pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. The exchange of metabolites between the cytosol and the apicoplast is likely to be mediated by a phosphate translocator which was localized to the apicoplast. Based on these localization studies, a model is proposed that explains the supply of the apicoplast with ATP and the reduction power, as well as the exchange of metabolites between the cytosol and the apicoplast.

Ontogeny of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and key enzymes involved in glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle in rabbit fetal lung, heart, and liver

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 1210-1217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhagu R. Bhavnani ◽  
Duncan G. Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Pyruvate Kinase ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Fetal Liver ◽  
Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Tricarboxylic Acid ◽  
Acid Cycle ◽  
Key Enzymes ◽  
Dehydrogenase Complex

The metabolic pathways by which the glycogen is utilized by fetal tissues is not well established. In the present study the ontogeny of seven key enzymes involved in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle has been established for rabbit fetal lung, heart, and liver. In the fetal lung the activities of phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactic dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, and malate dehydrogenase increase from day 21 to 25. Thereafter the levels either drop to day 19 levels or do not change. The isocitrate dehydrogenase activity continues to increase from day 19 of gestation to maximum level on day 31 of gestation. In fetal heart the pattern of activity is similar, but in fetal liver most of the enzymes reach maximum levels earlier and, with the exception of pyruvate kinase, do not show a significant fall in activity near term. The pattern of development of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is different; maximum activity is observed on day 27 in fetal lung and heart and on day 21 in fetal liver. These results indicate that all three fetal tissues can oxidize glucose. Also, the accumulation of glycogen, particularly in fetal lung, appears to ensure that at specific times during gestation adequate quantities of energy (ATP) and substrates, required for surfactant phospholipid synthesis, are available independent of maternal supply of glucose or during brief episodes of hypoxia.Key words: glycogen, glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, pyruvate dehydrogenase, surfactant.

scholarly journals Hepatic carbon flux after re-feeding. Hyperthyroidism blocks glycogen synthesis and the suppression of glucose output observed in response to carbohydrate re-feeding

1987 ◽  
Vol 247 (3) ◽  
pp. 627-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
M J Holness ◽  
M C Sugden
Keyword(s):  
Pyruvate Kinase ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex ◽  
Glycogen Synthesis ◽  
Hepatic Glycogen ◽  
Intragastric Administration ◽  
Indirect Pathway ◽  
Glucose Flux ◽  
Glucose Output ◽  
Dehydrogenase Complex

1. The work investigated hepatic glycogen synthesis and glucose output after the intragastric administration of glucose or glycerol or the provision of chow ad libitum to 48 h-starved euthyroid or hyperthyroid rats. 2. After glucose administration, glycogen synthesis via the indirect pathway [Newgard, Hirsch, Foster & McGarry (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 8046-8052] occurred concomitantly with reversal of glucose flux across the liver and re-activation of pyruvate kinase in the euthyroid controls. Glycogen synthesis was decreased and net glucose output continued in the hyperthyroid rats, but normal re-activation of pyruvate kinase was observed. 3. Use of 3-mercaptopicolinate indicated that the glucose released from liver of hyperthyroid rats was synthesized from substrates metabolized via the gluconeogenic pathway. 4. Hepatic glycogen synthesis was also impaired in hyperthyroid rats after administration of glycerol or chow. Measurement of portal-minus-hepatovenous concentration differences and arterial glucose concentrations after the administration of glycerol in combination with 3-mercaptopicolinate indicated that flux from triose phosphate to glucose 6-phosphate was not decreased. 5. Inhibited glycogen synthesis after chow re-feeding was associated with accelerated re-activation of hepatic pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in the hyperthyroid rats. 6. The results indicate three distinct and independent actions of hyperthyroidism after re-feeding: (i) it inhibits the reversal of glucose flux across the liver normally observed in response to carbohydrate; (ii) it affects glycogen deposition at a site distal to glucose 6-phosphate; (iii) it allows more rapid re-activation of liver pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in response to a mixed diet.

The Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex as a Target for Gene Therapy

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Stacpoole ◽  
Renius Owen ◽  
Terence Flotte
Keyword(s):  
Gene Therapy ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex ◽  
Dehydrogenase Complex

scholarly journals Evidence for existence of tissue-specific regulation of the mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

1998 ◽  
Vol 329 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa M. BOWKER-KINLEY ◽  
I. Wilhelmina DAVIS ◽  
Pengfei WU ◽  
A. Robert HARRIS ◽  
M. Kirill POPOV
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Distribution ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase ◽  
Synthetic Analogue ◽  
Complex Activity ◽  
Acetyl Coa ◽  
Tissue Specific ◽  
Specific Regulation ◽  
Dehydrogenase Complex

Tissue distribution and kinetic parameters for the four isoenzymes of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK1, PDK2, PDK3 and PDK4) identified thus far in mammals were analysed. It appeared that expression of these isoenzymes occurs in a tissue-specific manner. The mRNA for isoenzyme PDK1 was found almost exclusively in rat heart. The mRNA for PDK3 was most abundantly expressed in rat testis. The message for PDK2 was present in all tissues tested but the level was low in spleen and lung. The mRNA for PDK4 was predominantly expressed in skeletal muscle and heart. The specific activities of the isoenzymes varied 25-fold, from 50 nmol/min per mg for PDK2 to 1250 nmol/min per mg for PDK3. Apparent Ki values of the isoenzymes for the synthetic analogue of pyruvate, dichloroacetate, varied 40-fold, from 0.2 mM for PDK2 to 8 mM for PDK3. The isoenzymes were also different with respect to their ability to respond to NADH and NADH plus acetyl-CoA. NADH alone stimulated the activities of PDK1 and PDK2 by 20 and 30% respectively. NADH plus acetyl-CoA activated these isoenzymes nearly 200 and 300%. Under comparable conditions, isoenzyme PDK3 was almost completely unresponsive to NADH, and NADH plus acetyl-CoA caused inhibition rather than activation. Isoenzyme PDK4 was activated almost 2-fold by NADH, but NADH plus acetyl-CoA did not activate above the level seen with NADH alone. These results provide the first evidence that the unique tissue distribution and kinetic characteristics of the isoenzymes of PDK are among the major factors responsible for tissue-specific regulation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity.

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