Insights into the Substrate Specificity of Archaeal Entner-Doudoroff Aldolases: The Structures of Picrophilus torridus 2-Keto-3-deoxygluconate Aldolase and Sulfolobus solfataricus 2-Keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate Aldolase in Complex with 2-Keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate.

The thermoacidophilic archaea Picrophilus torridus and Sulfolobus solfataricus catabolize glucose via a nonphosphorylative Entner-Doudoroff pathway and a branched Entner-Doudoroff pathway, respectively. Key enzymes for these Entner-Doudoroff pathways are the aldolases, 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate aldolase (KDG-aldolase) and 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase [KD(P)G-aldolase]. KDG-aldolase from P.

The nonphosphorylative Entner-Doudoroff pathway in the thermoacidophilic euryarchaeon Picrophilus torridus involves a novel 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate- specific aldolase.

The pathway of glucose degradation in the thermoacidophilic euryarchaeon Picrophilus torridus has been studied by in vivo labeling experiments and enzyme analyses. After growth of P. torridus in the presence of [1-(13)C]- and [3-(13)C]glucose, the label was found only in the C-1 and C-3 positions, respectively, of the proteinogenic amino acid alanine, indicating the exclusive operation of an Entner-Doudoroff (ED)-type pathway in vivo.

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate ferredoxin oxidoreductase (GAPOR) and nonphosphorylating glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPN), key enzymes of the respective modified Embden-Meyerhof pathways in the hyperthermophilic crenarchaeota Pyrobaculum aerophilum and Aeropyrum pernix.

The growth of Pyrobaculum aerophilum on yeast extract and nitrate was stimulated by the addition of maltose. Extracts of maltose/yeast extract/nitrate-grown cells contained all enzyme activities of a modified Embden-Meyerhof (EM) pathway, including ATP-dependent glucokinase, phosphoglucose isomerase, ATP-dependent 6-phosphofructokinase, fructose-1,6-phosphate aldolase, triose-phosphate isomerase, GAPOR, phosphoglycerate mutase, enolase and pyruvate kinase. The activity of GAPOR was stimulated about fourfold by maltose, indicating a role in sugar degradation.

Characterization of glycerate kinase (2-phosphoglycerate forming), a key enzyme of the nonphosphorylative Entner-Doudoroff pathway, from the thermoacidophilic euryarchaeon Picrophilus torridus.

Picrophilus torridus has been shown to degrade glucose via a nonphosphorylative Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathway. Here we report the characterization of a key enzyme of this pathway, glycerate kinase (2-phosphoglycerate forming). The enzyme was purified 5,100-fold to homogeneity.

Glyceraldehyde dehydrogenases from the thermoacidophilic euryarchaeota Picrophilus torridus and Thermoplasma acidophilum, key enzymes of the non-phosphorylative Entner-Doudoroff pathway, constitute a novel enzyme family within the aldehyde dehydrogenase superfamily.

Cells of Picrophilus torridus, grown on glucose, contained all enzyme activities of a non-phosphorylative Entner-Doudoroff pathway, including glucose dehydrogenase, gluconate dehydratase, 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate aldolase, glyceraldehyde dehydrogenase (GADH), glycerate kinase (2-phosphoglycerate forming), enolase and pyruvate kinase. GADH was purified to homogeneity. The 115-kDa homodimeric protein catalyzed the oxidation of glyceraldehyde with NADP+ at highest catalytic efficiency.