A transketolase assembly defect in a Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome patient

Thiamine deficiency, a frequent complication of alcoholism, contributes significantly to the development of damage in various organ systems, including the brain. The molecular mechanisms that underlie the differential vulnerabilities to thiamine deficiency of tissue and cell types and among individuals are not understood. Investigations into these mechanisms have examined potential variations in thiamine utilizing enzymes. Transketolase is a homodimeric enzyme containing two molecules of noncovalently bound thiamine pyrophosphate. In the present study, we examined a his-tagged human transketolase that was produced in and purified from Escherichia coli cells. Previous findings demonstrated that purified his-transketolase had a Km app for cofactor and a thiamine pyrophosphate-dependent lag period for attaining steady-state kinetics that was similar to transketolase purified from human tissues. Interestingly, the time of the lag period, which is normally independent of enzyme concentration, was found herein to be dependent on the concentration of the recombinant protein. This atypical behavior was due to production in E. coli. Generation of the normal, enzyme concentration-independent state required a cytosolic factor(s) derived from human cells. Importantly, the required factor(s) was found to be defective in a Wernicke-Korsakoff patient whose cells in culture show an enhanced sensitivity to thiamine deficiency.