The kinetic properties of liver glucokinase and its function in glucose physiology as a model for the comprehensive study of enzymes' kinetic parameters and reversible inhibitors

Abstract

Glucokinase is a key enzyme in carbohydrate metabolism in mammals. Particularly relevant is the involvement of the liver enzyme for the maintenance of blood glucose concentrations. In playing this key role, the occurrence of normal kinetic parameters of liver glucokinase is critical. Modification of Km and/or Vmax results in pathological situations occurring with hypo- or hyperglycemia. Based on this, an exercise is proposed in which different mice cell lines with abnormalities in glucose utilization are analyzed to determine the metabolic alteration at a molecular level. The student must determine the cause of abnormality by processing the kinetic data. Also, the characterization of different compounds that are reversible inhibitors of the enzyme from kinetic data is required to identify a drug that can correct the pathology in each case. One major objective of the problem is to learn about the meaning of kinetic parameters of enzymes, as well as the action of different types of reversible inhibitors. Copyright © 2001 IUBMB.