Description
The activity of glycerol kinase is found widely in nature. In microorganisms GK makes possible the utilization of glycerol as a carbon source. In mammals the enzyme represents a juncture of sugar and fat metabolism; The enzyme is important to the clinical chemist in the determination of glycerol. GK is also useful in the assay of glyceraldehydes and dihydroxyacetone following their quantitative reduction to glycerol with sodium borohydride.
Applications
This enzyme is useful for enzymatic determination of glycerol and triglyceride when coupled with glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase or pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, lipoprotein lipase in clinical analysis.
Appearance
White amorphous powder, lyophilized
Enzyme Commission Number
EC 2.7.1.30
Activity
GradeⅢ 30 U/mg-solid or more
Contaminants
Catalase < 1.0×10⁻¹% NADH oxidase < 1.0×10⁻³% Adenosine triphosphatase < 1.0×10⁻³%
Molecular Weight
approx. 220 kDa (by gel filtration)
pH Stability
pH 5.5-10.0 (25°C, 20hr)
Michaelis Constant
9.4×10⁻⁵M (Glycerol), 1.3×10⁻⁵M (ATP), 2.1×10⁻³M (Dihydroxyacetone)
Structure
Four subunits of approx. 58,000
Thermal stability
below 65°C (pH 7.5, 30min)
Inhibitors
p-Chloromercuribenzoate, Hg⁺⁺, Ag⁺
Synonyms
glycerokinase; GK; ATP: glycerol-3-phosphotransferase; glycerol kinase phosphorylating; glyceric kinase; EC 2.7.1.30
