Characteristics of mitochondrial creatine kinases from normal human heart and liver tissues

Mitochondrial creatine kinases (CKs, ATP:creatine N-phosphotransferases, EC 2.7.3.2) were isolated from normal human heart and liver, and their characteristics were compared. The electrophoretic patterns of the extracted enzymes exhibited two forms both migrating cathodic to CK-MM. The fast-moving cathodal form is the major form and the slow-moving cathodal form is the minor one. Incubation of the heart mitochondrial CK at 37 degrees C in normal human serum for 7 h and of the liver mitochondrial CK at 26 degrees C for 1 h in 2 mol/l urea, converted the fast-moving form into the slow-moving one, and finally into a third form migrating in the MM position. The relative molecular masses were estimated to be approximately 350,000 for the major form, and 80,000 for the minor and the third forms. The electrophoretic mobility and molecular weight of the third form were identical to those of the CK-MM; however, the third form was distinguished from CK-MM by its different antigenicity. Thus, three forms were ultimately recognized as mitochondrial CKs by electrophoretic mobilities and molecular weights. The liver mitochondrial CK reacted with anti-human heart mitochondrial CK antibody, thus these two isoenzymes could not be discriminated by their antigenicities. The liver mitochondrial CK was more stable to heat and had higher apparent affinity for creatine phosphate than the heart mitochondrial CK.