A Summary Of Regulation of Glycolysis, PDH Complex, and TCA Cycle (with mnemonics)

Hexokinase vs Glucokinase Regulation

Feature Hexokinase Glucokinase Mnemonic
Location Most tissues (muscle, brain) Liver and pancreatic β-cells “H in Human Tissues, G in Glucose Factories”
Affinity for Glucose (Km) Low Km (high affinity) High Km (active only at high glucose) “Hexokinase is Hungry, Glucokinase is Greedy”
Allosteric Inhibition Inhibited by Glucose-6-Phosphate No inhibition by Glucose-6-Phosphate “Hexo Stops Itself, Gluco Keeps Going”
Induction / Repression No significant hormonal regulation Induced by Insulin, repressed by Glucagon “Insulin Induces, Glucagon Grounds”

Regulation of Glycolysis

Enzyme Activators Inhibitors Regulation Mechanism Mnemonic
Phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1) AMP, Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate ATP, Citrate Allosteric Regulation & Induced by Insulin “AMP and F-2,6BP Fire PFK, ATP and Citrate Cease It”
Pyruvate Kinase Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate ATP, Alanine Allosteric & Covalent Modification “F-1,6-BP Fires Pyruvate Kinase, Alanine Arrests It”

Regulation of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex (PDH Complex)

Activator Inhibitor Regulation Mechanism Mnemonic
Ca²⁺, ADP, NAD⁺ ATP, Acetyl-CoA, NADH Allosteric Regulation & Covalent Modification “Ca Activates, ATP Stops”

Regulation of TCA Cycle

Enzyme Activators Inhibitors Regulation Mechanism Mnemonic
Citrate Synthase ATP, NADH Allosteric Inhibition “ATP Neglects Citrate”
Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Ca²⁺, ADP ATP, NADH Allosteric Regulation “Ca Activates, ATP Neglects”
α-Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Ca²⁺ ATP, NADH, Succinyl-CoA Allosteric Regulation & Feedback Inhibition ” Ca Activates, ATP Neglects, Succinyl-CoA Slows the Cycle”

Glycolysis: Role of PFK-2, PFK-1, and Pyruvate Kinase in Regulation

  1. Step 1:
    PFK-2 converts Fructose-6-phosphate to Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate.

    • Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate is a key activator of PFK-1 (enhances glycolysis).
    • PFK-2 activity is stimulated by insulin and inhibited by glucagon, aligning glycolysis with the fed state.
  2. Step 2:
    PFK-1 converts Fructose-6-phosphate to Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate.

    • Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate is critical as it both progresses glycolysis and activates Pyruvate Kinase (feedforward regulation).
  3. Step 3:
    Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate activates Pyruvate Kinase.

    • This is a classic example of feedforward regulation, ensuring that once the pathway has reached a committed step, the process continues efficiently to produce pyruvate.

Hormonal Control Overview

  • Glycolysis:
    • Insulin promotes glycolysis by increasing PFK-1 and pyruvate kinase activity.
    • Glucagon inhibits glycolysis in the liver by phosphorylating pyruvate kinase.
  • PDH Complex:
    • Activated by dephosphorylation in response to insulin and Ca²⁺ during muscle contraction.
    • Inhibited by phosphorylation (when ATP, Acetyl-CoA, and NADH are high).
  • TCA Cycle:
    • Ca²⁺ activates key enzymes (Isocitrate and α-Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase).
    • ATP, NADH, and Succinyl-CoA inhibit the cycle through feedback.

Mnemonic Summary

  1. Hexokinase vs. Glucokinase:
    “Hexo Stops Itself, Gluco Keeps Going”
  2. PFK-1 Regulation:
    “AMP and F-2,6BP Fire PFK, ATP and Citrate Cease It”
  3. PDH Complex Regulation:
    “Ca Activates, ATP Stops”

    • Ca²⁺, NAD⁺, ADP activate PDH.
    • ATP, Acetyl-CoA, NADH inhibit it.
  4. TCA Cycle Regulation:
    “Succinyl-CoA Slows the Cycle”

    • Ca²⁺, ADP activate the cycle.
    • ATP, NADH, Succinyl-CoA inhibit it.
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