A frutokinase (EC 2.7.1.4) was obtained from pea (Pisum sadvum L.) seeds. This enzyme, termed frctookinase (fraction IV), was specific for fructose as substrate and had little activity with glucose or mannose. Excess fructose inhbited the enzyme at the optimum pH (8.2) but not at pH 6.6. MgATP was inhibitory at pH 6.6. The apparent MichelisMenten constants at pH 8.2 were 0.057 mM for fructose and 0.10 mM for MgATP. Mg2+ ions were essential for activity; Mn2+ could partally replace Mg2+. Fructokinase (fraction IV) had a requirement for K+ ions which could be substantialy replaced by Rb+ or NH4+ but not by Na+.
MATERIALS AND METHODSPea seeds obtained fro Glucose-6-P Phosphorylation of hexoses by ATP is usually the initial genase, P-gli reaction in the metabolism of these sugars. There are two NADH, ATI native isoenzymes of yeast hexokinase (ATP:i-hexose 6-phos-6-P-gluconat4 photransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) and these differ with respect to enolpyruvate glucose phosphorylation rates and regulatory properties (1, 11). galactose, L-S Mammalian hexokinases have been separated into four fractions tose, and D-n three of which are inhibited by glucose-6-P (1, 11). The other cal Co., or B fraction is a glucokinase (ATP:1-glucose 6-phosphotransferase, Preparatioi EC 2.7.1.2) originally found in liver (3,13,20). Liver glucoki-and defatted nase has a high km (12 mM) for glucose, a very high km (>800 powder and I mM) for fructose, and is not inhibited by glucose-6-P (1). Liver were carried also contains a ketohexokinase (ATP:u-fructose 1-phospho-dialyzed (NH transferase, EC 2.7.1.3) which phosphorylates fructose to yield fructose-phos fructose-i-P (2, 4, 7, 10). Ketohexokinase, sometimes referred DEAE-cellul to as "fructokinase," also acts on u-tagatose and, to a lesser with 0.025 extent, on L-sorbose (12).EDTA (buffi Plant hexokinases have been known for a considerable period in buffer A u but less definitive information is available. Saltman (14) ex-kinases were tracted hexokinase from several plant tissues and studied some 400 ml 0.27' properties of a preparation from wheat germ. This enzyme buffer A. Fr preparation phosphorylated glucose, fructose, mannose, and collected. Th glucosamine. Wheat germ hexokinases have been purified and the fraction I some physicochemical characteristics studied (5, 9). The pres-to approxima ence of a fructokinase (ATP:u-fructose 6-phosphotransferase, (PM-10 mem EC 2.7.1.4) in immature pea seeds was the subject of a brief arations of tl report by Medina and Sols (8 (Pisum sativum L. var. Progress No. 9) were m F. Cooper Ltd., Wellington, New Zealand. dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrolucose isomerase, P-mannose isomerase, NADP, P and other nucleotides, glucose-6-P, fructose-6-P, e, 2-P-glycerate, 3-P-glycerate, 2,3-P2-glycerate, P-tris, MES, D-fructose, D-glucose, D-mannose, Dsorbose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, D-glucosamine, D-taganannoheptulose were obtained from Sigma Chemiloehringer Mannheim GmbH. n of Fructokinase IV. Pea seeds were finely ground with ether (16). Extraction of th...