Synthesis and targeting of hexokinase to mitochondria in hepatoma cells.

The synthesis and turnover of hexokinase has been measured in Zajdela hepatoma ascites cells labeled for short periods with [35S]methionine. Digitonin fractionation of the labeled cells into a soluble and a membrane fraction showed that only a small part of the newly labeled hexokinase is transferred to mitochondrial binding sites. The soluble enzyme disappears, however, with a half-life of less than 2 h. Glucose had no effect on the stability of the soluble enzyme in intact cells. Our experiments suggest that Zajdela cell hexokinase is synthesized in excess of binding sites and that the excess enzyme is not stable.