The Reaction of Hexokinase with Equilibrated d‐Glucose

In the hexokinase reaction with equilibrated d ‐glucose (36.2%, α‐ d ‐glucopyranose and 63.8%β‐ d ‐glucopyranose) at saturating concentrations of ATP‐Mg, the ratio of phosphorylation of α‐ d ‐glucose and β‐ d ‐glucose was investigated. It is shown that, knowing the Michaelis constants K m,(α) , K m,(β) , and the maximum velocities V (α) , V (β) , of hexokinase with α‐ d ‐glucose and β‐ d ‐glucose respectively, one can calculate the ratio of phosphorylation of α‐ d ‐glucose and β‐ d ‐glucose starting from the equilibrium mixture of d ‐glucose. In addition, the ratio of generation of α‐and β‐ d ‐glucopyranose‐6‐phosphate in the hexokinase reaction was determined from steady‐state analysis of the hexokinase/glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase system with equilibrated d ‐glucose. The experimentally obtained and the calculated values were in agreement.