Differences in the responses of brain cytosolic and mitochondrial hexokinases to three essential divalent metal ions

Rat brain cytosolic and mitochondrial hexokinase activities were undetectable without added divalent cations. Mg2+ activated cytosolic (K0.5 of Mg2+ = 343 +/- 13 microM) and mitochondrial (K0.5 of Mg2+ = 183 +/- 8 microM) hexokinase in a concentration-related manner. The corresponding values for Mn2+ were 702 +/- 99 and 413 +/- 21 microM respectively. Ca2+, however, activated both forms of hexokinase poorly. In the presence of Mg2+, both Mn2+ and Cu2+ were more potent inhibitors of cytosolic hexokinase than mitochondrial hexokinase, whereas the inhibition of Cd2+ and Ca2+ did not show such selectivity. These results demonstrate that brain mitochondrial and cytosolic hexokinases differ significantly in their responses to divalent cations.