Initial rate and equilibrium isotope exchange studies on the ATP-dependent activity of polyphosphate Glucokinase from Propionibacterium shermanii.

Polyphosphate glucokinase [EC 2.7.1.63] catalyzes the phosphorylation of glucose using either inorganic polyphosphate [poly(P)] or ATP as the phosphoryl donor. Both activities purified from Propionibacterium shermanii are the functional properties of a single enzyme with separate binding sites for the two phosphoryl donor substrates. The enzyme was found to utilize poly(P) much more efficiently than it does ATP, with a kcat/Kpoly(P) to kcat/KATP ratio of 2800. The catalytic constant for poly(P) is about 2-fold higher than for ATP. Other nucleotides like GTP and dATP also served as substrates with good efficiencies. The ATP-dependent reaction was analyzed using steady-state kinetics and isotopic exchange kinetics at chemical equilibrium. Intersecting initial velocity patterns for both glucose and ATP indicate sequential addition of substrates. Product inhibition studies resulted in two competitive and two noncompetitive patterns, which is characteristic of a Theorell-Chance mechanism or a random mechanism with two dead-end complexes. Results of isotope exchange experiments, however, rule out a Theorell-Chance mechanism, as well as a truly random mechanism. They are not consistent with a partially random mechanism (although a kinetically compulsory order of substrate binding is not excluded), where glucose is preferentially bound to free enzyme before ATP, and ADP is preferentially released as the first product, followed by glucose 6-phosphate. Dead-end inhibition analysis confirms this order of substrate binding. Competitive inhibition of ADP vs ATP is explained as resulting primarily from binding as a dead-end inhibitor (E.Glc.ADP) and not as a product. Another weaker abortive complex, E.ATP.G6P, is also formed. The chemical transformation or the release of ADP is the rate-limiting step in ATP utilization.