The effect of poly(ethylene glycol) on the activity and structure of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in solution

The effect of poly(ethylene glycol), PEG, on the enzymatic activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) in the oxidation of glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P), using NADP+ as co-enzyme was investigated. The enzymatic activity was determined by means of spectrophotometry in three different media: pure Tris–HCl buffer, solution of PEG400 (20 wt.%) and of PEG4000 (20 wt.%), both in buffer. Comparing the enzymatic activity values measured in pure buffer with those in the polymer solutions, an increase in the enzymatic activity of 20% was observed in the presence of PEG400 as well as in PEG4000. Calorimetric studies indicated the absence of preferential interactions between G-6-PDH and PEG400 or PEG4000. Nevertheless, the interaction enthalpy, ΔH_int, between NADP+ and PEG400 and PEG4000 amounted to −9.3 and −26.7 kJ/mol, respectively. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements were performed in a higher concentration range. Data analysis performed from SAXS curves by means of the intra-particle distance distribution function p(r) and Guinier plots yielded for G-6-PDH in pure buffer and PEG400 solutions radius of gyration, R_g, of about 70 Å and in PEG4000 solutions, R_g of about 40 Å. The latter has the same dimension as that found in the dimeric crystallographic structure of G-6-PDH, evidencing that G-6-PDH preserves its dimeric configuration in PEG4000 solution. On the contrary, different aggregates of G-6-PDH are formed in the presence of either buffer or PEG400. These findings show that the presence of PEG in solution can exert an effect on the enzyme structure and activity.