title: Enzymes of inorganic polyphosphate metabolism.
abstract: Inorganic polyphosphate (PolyP) is a linear polymer containing a few to several hundred orthophosphate residues linked by energy-rich phosphoanhydride bonds. Investigation of PolyP-metabolizing enzymes is important for medicine, because PolyPs perform numerous functions in the cells. In human organism, PolyPs are involved in the regulation of Ca(2+) uptake in mitochondria, bone tissue development, and blood coagulation. The essentiality of polyphosphate kinases in the virulence of pathogenic bacteria is a basis for the discovery of new antibiotics. The properties of the major enzymes of PolyP metabolism, first of all polyphosphate kinases and exopolyphosphatases, are described in the review. The main differences between the enzymes of PolyP biosynthesis and utilization of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, as well as the multiple functions of some enzymes of PolyP metabolism, are considered.
authors.affiliation: Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia, alla@ibpm.pushchino.ru.
authors.forename: Tatyana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kulakovskaya
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kulaev
mesh_terms: D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology; D010732:Phosphofructokinase-1 / Q000737:chemistry; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000737:chemistry*; D017856:Phosphotransferases (Phosphate Group Acceptor) / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011755:Pyrophosphatases / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D011122:Polyphosphates; D010770:Phosphotransferases; D010732:Phosphofructokinase-1; C024812:polyphosphate-glucose phosphotransferase; D017856:Phosphotransferases (Phosphate Group Acceptor); C022424:polyphosphate kinase; D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases; D011755:Pyrophosphatases; C020137:exopolyphosphatase; C023082:dolichyldiphosphatase