The subunit structure of phosphoglucose isomerase from bakers' yeast

Bakers' yeast phosphoglucose isomerase was studied by both chemical and physical methods to determine its submit structure. Gel filtration in 6 M guanidine HCl as well as acrylamide gel electrophoresis of sodium dodecyl sulfatedentured phosphoglucose isomerase showed two speices corresponding to one-half and one-fourth of the preparative molecular weight of 119,400 determined by equilibrium centrifugation. Further centrifugation studies showed that the enzyme could be completely dissociated to species of 30,000 molecular weight. Peptide maps of tryptic hydrolysates of denatured and chemically modified enzyme showed that the protein is composed of four identical or nearly identical sub-units. The results of amino acid analysis, except half-cystine content, were compatible with identical subunits. The appearent partial specific volume and extinction coefficient were also determined.