Regulation of glycolysis in Trypanosoma brucei: hexokinase and phosphofructokinase activity

The kinetic properties of the glycosomal hexokinase (HG)2 and phosphofructokinase (PFK) from Trypanosoma brucei bloodstream forms were investigated. Hexokinase has a very high affinity for glucose (Km = 17 microM) and exhibits a broad pH optimum with a maximum at pH 7.8. No indications have been found for regulation of HK activity. Phosphofructokinase behaves as an allosteric protein with respect to its substrate, fructose-6-phosphate. 5'-AMP acts as a positive allosteric effector. The apparent Km for 5'-AMP is extremely low (7 microM). The other substrate for PFK is Mg2+-ATP chelate which activates the enzyme in a hyperbolic manner. Excess of ATP over Mg2+ is inhibitory. The enzyme needs Mg2+ for full activity. Compounds known to be positive or negative heterotrophic modifiers of PFK in other organisms are without effect. It is concluded that PFK and HK probably do not play a regulatory role in glycolysis in T. brucei.