Several hundred new mutations in the gene (HXK2) encoding hexokinase II of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were isolated, and a subset of them was mapped, resulting in a fine-structure genetic map. Among the mutations that were sequenced, 35 were independent missense mutations. The mutations were obtained by mutagenesis of cloned HXK2 DNA carried on a low-copy-number plasmid vector and screened for a number of different phenotypes in yeast strains bearing chromosomal hxk1 and hxk2 null mutations. Some of these mutants were characterized both in vivo and in vitro; they displayed a wide spectrum of residual hexokinase activities, as indicated by three assays: in vitro enzyme activity, ability to grow on glucose and fructose, and ability to repress invertase production when growing on glucose. Of those that failed to support growth on fructose, only a small minority made normal-size, stable, and inactive protein. Analysis of the amino acid changes in these mutants in light of the crystallographically determined three-dimensional structure of hexokinase II suggests important roles in structure or catalysis for six amino acid residues, only two of which are near the active site.

• PMID: 2685571
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Journal Article | Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. | Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Authors

Ma H, Bloom LM, Zhu ZM, Walsh CT, Botstein D

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