A calorimetric study of the binding of AMP to liver glycogen phosphorylase b

The energetics of the interaction between liver glycogen phosphorylase b and the adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) have been studied by equilibrium dialysis and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) at 25 degrees C. A concomitant net release of protons with AMP to phosphorylase binding was detected carrying out calorimetric experiments in three buffers having different heats of ionization at 25 degrees C. Four binding sites were found for AMP in the dimeric enzyme, which would correspond to the activator and the inhibitor sites identified in the muscle isozyme. The affinity of AMP for these four sites is similar. Thus, the binding of AMP to the activator sites seems to be non-cooperative and it does not perform the conformational change necessary to activate the enzyme. Moreover, the inhibitor sites are occupied almost in the same extension that the activator sites, which would impair any activation of the enzyme.