VARIABLE EFFECTS OF MATURITY-ONSET-DIABETES-OF-YOUTH (MODY)-ASSOCIATED GLUCOKINASE MUTATIONS ON SUBSTRATE INTERACTIONS AND STABILITY OF THE ENZYME

Mutations in the human glucokinase (GK) gene are thought to cause maturity-onset diabetes of youth (MODY) by leading to the production of enzymes with reduced catalytic activities and increased glucose K-m values. However, in some cases the diabetic phenotype is more severe than might be predicted from these apparent kinetic effects alone. To determine whether these mutations might also affect other characteristics of the enzyme, nine MODY-associated mutants were expressed as fusion proteins with Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S-transferase (GST) and compared with three wild-ype human GK isoforms that were also expressed in the same manner. Three GST-GK isoforms (liver 1, liver 2 and islet) were kinetically indistinguishable from each other and from purified rat liver GK. Noteworthy is a glucose-induced fit effect for the interaction of trinitrophenyl (TNP)-ATP with GST-GK, whereby glucose significantly increased the affinity of TNP-ATP binding to GST-GK. without changing the stoichiometry of binding. The nine MODY-associated mutations studied either showed diminished catalytic activity, substrate affinities, allosteric regulation, or stability of the fusion enzyme. We conclude that: (1) Gly(261) and Lys(414) are important for ATP binding; (2) Val(203) may be essential for a glucose-induced fit effect; and (3) the stability of fusion protein may be significantly reduced when Glu(309) is replaced by Lys. These results suggest that, in addition to effects on the K-m and V-max of GK, a decrease in the ATP-binding affinity or stability of the mutated enzyme may also contribute to a reduction of GK activity in individuals with GK-MODY. In the B-cell this would have the effect of blunting glucose-stimulated insulin release, thereby contributing to the diabetic phenotype.