Magnesium regulation of the glycolytic pathway and the enzymes involved

Abstract

Past work, including our computer simulation of cardiac energy metabolism, indicates that magnesium is an important coherent controller of glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. Many of the glycolytic enzymes are sensitive to Mg2+. The most important effect is due to MgATP2-being a cofactor for a number of these enzymes while other chelation forms are inactive or inhibitory. The means by which Mg2+ and Mg2+ chelates of adenine nucleotides regulate the most important glycolytic enzymes--hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, aldolase, phosphoglycerate kinase, and pyruvate kinase--are described in detail. Creatine kinase, which is important in energy metabolism and highly sensitive to both metal ions and pH, is also discussed. It is necessary to properly control the composition of assay mixtures (particularly with regard to metal ions) in order to determine what actually regulates the activity of an enzyme.