GDP-D-mannose-4,6-dehydratase (GMD) is the key enzyme in the 'de novo' path
way of GDP-L-fucose biosynthesis. Th; reported cDNA sequences for human GMD
predict three forms of different length, whose 'in vivo' occurrence and mo
lecular properties are completely undefined, Here, we report the expression
in Escherichia coli and the properties of each native recombinant GMD form
. Only the 42 kDa long GMD (L-GMD) and the 40.2 kDa (M-GMD) forms were reco
vered as soluble functional proteins, while the 38.7 kDa form, short GMD (S
-GMD), lacking an N-terminal domain critical for dinucleotide binding, was
inactive and formed a precipitate. Both L-GMD and M-GMD are homodimers and
contain 1 mol of tightly bound NADP(+). Their kinetic properties (K-m, K-ca
t) are apparently identical and both forms are non-competitively feedback-i
nhibited by GDP-L-fucose to a similar extent, M-GMD is the predominant enzy
me form expressed in several human cell lines. These data seem to suggest t
hat modulation of the 'de novo' pathway of GDP-L-fucose biosynthesis involv
es mechanisms other than differential 'in vivo' expression of GMD forms. (C
) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.