Oligomeric Enzymes in the C4 Pathway of Photosynthesis

F.E. PODESTÁ, A.A. IGLESIAS, C.S.ANDREO

PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH

Año: 1990 vol. 26 p. 161 - 170

0166-8595

Abstract  This review deals with the factors controlling the aggregation-state of several enzymes involved in C4 photosynthesis, namely phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, NAD-and NADP-malic enzyme, NADP-malic dehydrogenase and pyruvate, phosphate dikinase and its regulatory protein. All of these enzymes are oligomeric and have been shown to undergo changes in their quaternary structure in vitro under different conditions. The activity changes linked to variations in aggregation-state are discussed in terms of their putative physiological role in the regulation of C4 metabolism. Key words  NAD-malic enzyme - NADP-malic enzyme - NADP-malic dehydrogenase - pyruvate - phosphate dikinase - regulatory protein - phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase - protein structure - enzyme regulation - C4 metabolism Abbreviations  P-enolpyruvate  phosphoenolpyruvate - NAD-ME  NAD-dependent malic enzyme - NADP-ME  NADP-dependent malic enzyme - NADP-MDH  NADP-dependent malic dehydrogenase - PPDK  pyruvate, phosphate dikinase - PPDK-RP  pyruvate, phosphate dikinase regulatory protein - Vmax   maximal velocity - Km   Michaelis constant - CAM  Crassulacean acid metabolism