Use of enzyme activities as indices of maximum rates of fuel utilization

It can be shown theoretically and experimentally that the maximum activities in vitro of enzymes that catalyse near-equilibrium reactions in vivo must be considerably higher than the maximum flux through that pathway. Consequently, the activities of such enzymes cannot provide quantitative information on the maximum possible flux through a pathway. On the other hand, the maximum activity of an enzyme that catalyses a non-equilibrium reaction in vivo may provide quantitative information. Such possibilities must be tested experimentally. Thus the maximum flux through a given metabolic pathway is measured (or calculated) and compared with the maximum in vitro activities of enzymes that catalyse non-equilibrium reactions in that pathway. Catalytic activities similar to the flux suggest that such enzymes may be useful as flux indicators. For example, phosphorylase or phosphofructokinase activities provide a quantitative indication of maximum flux through glycolysis-from-glycogen (i.e. anaerobic glycolysis); hexokinase activities provide a quantitative indication of maximum flux through glycolysis-from-glucose; 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activities provide a quantitative indication of maximum flux through the citric acid cycle. The advamtages of the use of enzyme activities in this manner include simplicity, general applicability to pathways, tissues and animals, and minimum intervention (particularly in larger animals including the human species). One disadvantage is that the properties of the enzyme must be known in detail before an assay that gives maximum activities can be developed, and the properties of enzymes that catalyse non-equilibrium reactions may be complex. These considerations emphasize the dangers of quantitative interpretation of the maximum flux through pathways from 'near-equilibrium' enzymes or from 'non-equilibrium' enzymes whose properties have been inadequately studied.