Glycogen Flashcards
What are glycogen granules?
- Each glycogen granule = several glycogen molecules + proteins
- Contain all the enzymes required for glycogen synthesis and breakdown
- 1 Glycogen granule ~ 50,000 glucose units
Why is glycogen stored?
- Glycogen catabolism is faster than FAs
- Can be used under anaerobic contitions in skeletal muscles
- Doesn’t disturb osmotic pressure → same osmotic pressure for 1 glucose monomer than for 1 glycogen
- Breakdown of glycogen in muscle provides G1P, faster than glucose can be taken up from the blood
*EFFICIENCY
What is the difference between Glycogen in Muscles vs in the Liver?
Muscle:
- Available for local energy production for muscle contration (Selfish)
- Absence of G6P phosphatase → can’t release glucse to blood
~2% of glycogen by weight
Liver:
- Used to maintain blood glucose levels
- Expression of G6P phosphatase ONLY in liver
~10% glycogen by weight
Other tissues:
- Have small glycogen stores for their own use
- Energy suring fasting or anaerobic glycolysis (brief hypoxia)
Where is Glucose-6-phosphatase located in the cell? Why?
G-6-Phosphatase is in the ER membrane (TM) with active site inside the ER lumen
Important for COMPARTMENTALIZATION of metabolic reactions. If it was in cytosol, would change all G6P → glucose and glycolysis would not be possible. Now, Glycolysis can occur in the cytosol and Glycose formation from G6P can occur in the ER lumen an be transported outside the cell to the blood stream
What is the structure of Glycogen?
Polymer of glucose residues:
- 1 Reducing end (start point of synthesis)
- Multiple non-reducing ends due to branching (allows for multiple sites of synthesis/degradation) → lack C1-OH group
- a(1→4) linkage between glucose
- a(1→6) linkage at branch points (every 8-14 residues)
What are the main steps of glycogen synthesis?
Synthesis: G1P → {UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase + inorganic pyrophosphatase} → UDP-glucose → {glycogen synthase makes UDP + branching enzyme} → Glycogen
- Synthesis of UDP-glucose
- Elongation of a pre-existing glycogen chain using UDP-glucose
- Creation of new 1,6-glucosyl branch points
Explain the 1st step of glycogen synthesis.
Synthesis of UDP-glucose from G1P and UTP = phosphoanhydride exchange
G1P + UTP → {UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase} → PPi + UDP-glucose
*∆G˚ ~ 0kJ/mol
Then, PPi → {inorganic pyrophosphate} → 2Pi
*∆G˚= -19.2kJ/mol → drives the whole reaction by getting rid of PPi very quickly → overall irreversible
*PPi is from UTP → UMP and binds to G1P to form UDP-Glucuose
Explain the 2nd step of glycogen synthesis.
Glycogen Synthase elongation of the pre-existin glycogen chain
UDP-glucose + Glycogen’s nonreducing end (n) → {Glycogen synthase} → Glycogen(n+1) + UDP
∆G˚= -13.4kJ/mol
UDP + ATP ⭤ {nucleoside diphosphate kinase} ⭤ UTP + ADP
What is the role of glycogenin?
It is responsible for making the glycogen primer (8-12 glucoses) → Glycosyltransferase
UDP-Glucose → Glycogenin-Tyr194-Glucose + UDP
1) Glycogenin attaches glucose residue to -OH on its Tyr194
2) Glycogenin extends the glucose chain up to 7 more residues (primer)
3) Glycogen synthase takes over for the rest
What is the structure of glycogen synthase and of glycogenin?
Glycogenin acts as a homodimer bound to the reducing ends of 2 glycogen molecules (1 each). Glycogen synthase is bound to 1 glycogenin and and synthesizes the rest of that molecule
What are the rules for glycogen branching?
- Transfers ~ 7 glucosyl residues at the time to the C6-OH position
- Each transferred segment must come from a chain of 11 residues (have 4 residues left on the old branch)
- The new branch point must be at least 4 residues away from the other branch points
*Branching enzyme takes part of an existing branch and transfers it to another spot making a new branching point
What is the complete name of the branching enzyme?
amylo-(1,4→1,6)-transglycosylase
What is the general equation for glycogen synthesis (balance sheet)?
What is the cost of glycogen synthesis?
Glucose + 2ATP + (Glycogen, n) + H2O → (Glycogen, n+1) + 2ADP + 2Pi
- 1 ATP from hexokinase/glucokinase
- 1 ATP for UTP regenration
- H2O for PPi hydrolysis → 2Pi
→ Synthesis of glycogen from glucose costs 2 ATP/residue
What are the 3 main steps of glycogen breakdown?
1) Generation of glucose-1-phosphate
2) Debranching
3) Conversion of glucose-1-phosphate to glucose-6-phosphate
Glycogen → {debranching enzyme} → + Pi → {glycogen phosphorylase} → G1P
What are the 2 possible ways to cleave a glycosidic bond?
- By Hydrolysis
Glycosidic bond (HC-O-CH) + H2O → HC-OH + OH-CH
*The H2O is used, 1H on the one that leaves with the O and the OH on the other - By phosphorolysis
Glycosidic bond + Phosphate → Glucose-O-P + Glucose-OH
No need to invest any ATP to trap the glucose inside the cell with phosphorolysis, get G1P directly from Glycogen (no UDP)
Explain the phosphorolysis of glycogen to produce G1P (step 1).
What is ∆G˚?
Glycogen + Pi → {glycogen phosphorylase} → Glucose-1-P + glycogen(n-1)
∆G˚ = +3.1kJ/mol → high intracellular Pi/G1P ratio (~100) makes the reaction exergonic in vivo
→ Non-reducing end only
→ Glycogen Phosphorylase stops cleaving at 4 glucose from a branch point (doesn’t fit in site anymore)
What is the full name of the debranching enzyme? What does it mean?
*For breakdown of glycogen
a(1→4) glucosyltransferase and a(1→6) glucosidase
a(1→4) glucosyltransferase:
- Transfers a(1→4) linked trisaccharide (3 glucose) to the nonreducing end of another branch (new a(→4) linkage)
- 3 units are then available to be cleaved from the branch by phosphorylase
*Because glycogen phosphorylase stops when 4 units away form branch point
a(1→6) glucosidase:
- Remaining glucosyl (1 glucose branch) residue is hydrolyzed (not phosphorylated) to yield glucose and debranched glycogen
→ ~92% of glycogen’s glucose converted to G1P and ~8% direclty converted to glucose
By what reaction is G1P converted to G6P to be metabolized after glycogen breakdown?
G1P → {phosphoglucomutase} → G6P
Phosphoglucomutase-Ser-P phosphorylates G1P → G1,6P
Phosphoglucomutase-Ser-OH takes P from C1 → G6P
*Enzyme starts and end phosphorylated on Ser residue
Muscles: G6P → glycolysis → ATP
Liver: G6P → glucose → circulation
What is the balance sheet of full glucose metabolism, when it is first stored as glycogen and then broken down?
- Glycogen synthesis consumes 2 ATP/glucose
- Glycogen breakdown generate 33 ATP/glucose
*Becuase glycogen breakdown generates G6P already trapped into cell - Balance = 31ATP/glucose → 97% efficiency for storage of glucose as glycogen
Give an example of a non-covalent modification of enzymatic activity.
Allosteric regulation → through protein-protein interactions
Give an example of reversible and irriversible covalent modification of a protein which modulates its activity.
Reversible: phosphorylation/dephosphorylation
Irreversible: Pro-insulin (inactive) → {protease} Insulin (active, only keep both ends connected by disulfide bonds)
What is the difference between monocyclic enzyme cascades and bicyclic enzyme cascades?
Monocyclic → covalent modification of the target enzyme E
Bicyclic enzyme cascade → covalent modification of one of the modifying enzyme F in addition to the target enzyme E
*Signal transduction signal amplifies signal in a cell
*Often phosphorylation cycles/cascades
Which 2 general regulatory mechanisms are responsible for regulation of the glycogen metabolism?
- Allosteric control of glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen synthase
- Covalent modification by cascade phosphorylation (interconversion of 2 forms of the enzymes with different properties)
What enzymes are involved in regulation of the glycogen metabolism?
Glycogen breakdown:
1. Glycogen phosphorylase (Gycogen(n) → Glycogen(n-1) + G1P)
2. Phosphorylase kinase
3. PKA
Glycogen synthesis:
4. Glycogen synthase
5. Phosphoprotein phosphatase (PP1)