Purification and characterization of phosphoglycerate mutase isozymes from pig heart

The three isozymes of phosphoglycerate mutase from pig heart have been purified to homogeneity. The isozymes have a molecular weight of 57000 as determined by gel-filtration chromatography. Discontinuous gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate yields a single band with a molecular weight of 29000, indicating that the isozymes are dimers composed of subunits of similar mass. Hybridization experiments show that the three isozymes result from homodimeric and heterodimeric combinations of two different subunits. The two types of subunit differ in their heat lability and in the presence of -SH groups essential for enzymatic activity. No remarkable differences exist in the kinetic constants of the purified isozymes. The kinetic pattern is consistent with a 'ping-pong' mechanism. The homogeneous preparations of the three isozymes show intrinsic glycerate-2,3-P2 synthase activity and glycerate-2,3-P2 phosphatase activity which can be stimulated by glycolate-2-P.