title: Pyruvate kinase from the thermophilic eubacterium Bacillus acidocaldarius as probe to monitor the sodium concentrations in the blood.
abstract: We describe the isolation and characterization of a pyruvate kinase from the thermophilic eubacterium Bacillus acidocaldarius. This protein appears to be a tetramer composed of four 55-kDa subunits. The intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of this protein is quenched by approximately 20% upon binding sodium, which occurs with a dissociation constant near 15 mM. Importantly, the intrinsic fluorescence of this pyruvate kinase does not appear to be affected by potassium, magnesium, and calcium at the concentrations found in whole blood. It appears that this pyruvate kinase can provide the basis for a selective protein sensor for sodium with minimal interference from other cations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Center for Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Baltimore 21201, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Auria
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lakowicz
mesh_terms: D000645:Ammonium Sulfate; D016880:Anisotropy; D001407:Bacillus / Q000737:chemistry*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011188:Potassium / Q000737:chemistry; D011770:Pyruvate Kinase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D011770:Pyruvate Kinase; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate