Association of glycolytic enzymes with particulate fractions from nerve endings

Several glycolytic enzymes were observed to have between 40-90% of their activities associated with the particulate fractions of lysed nerve endings. The enzymes showing high particulate activity in lysed nerve endings were hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1), aldolase (EC 4.1.2.13), glucosephosphate isomerase (EC 5.3.1.9), phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11), glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.12), pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40) and lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.27). With the exception of phosphofructokinase, 80% or more of the particle associated activity of each enzyme was solubilized by salt treatment indicating the association with particles was ionic. Sub-fractionation of lysed nerve endings showed hexokinase and fumarase (EC 4.2.1.2) had the highest specific activity in the same fractions which is consistent with observations indicating that hexokinase is associated with mitochondria. The other glycolytic zymes having high particulate activity, aldolase, glucosephosphate isomerase, phosphofructokinase, glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, showed enrichment in fractions containing synaptosomal membranes, i.e. the fractions having highest specific activity of acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3).