Partial characterization of a highly conserved aspartyl kinase (AK) in normal human liver
Arenas-Díaz, G.; Marshall, S.H.
Cellular and Molecular Biology 36(4): 383-393
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0145-5680 PMID: 2279261 Document Number: 358179
Subcellular fractions from human liver were assayed for aspartyl kinase (AK) activity measured by standard spectrophometric methods. Along the purification procedure three different fractions displayed the expected enzyme activity. Interestingly, two of these fractions were specifically recognized by antibodies raised against Escherichia coli aspartate kinases, suggesting a high degree of evoluntionary conservation for these ubiquitous enzymes for prokaryotes. Since their known function in bacteria is not strictly required in eukaryotes, these observations imply that the presence and activity of aspartyl kinase (s) in mammals might represent putative regulatory roles for these enzymes in eukaryotic cell metabolism.