Anomeric specificity of mannose phosphorylation by hexokinase

In rat parotid or pancreatic islet homogenates incubated at 7° C, hexokinase displayed a greater affinity for but a lower maximal velocity with the α-anomer, as distinct from β-anomer, of D-mannose. The anomeric specificity of mammalian hexokinase was similar in the case of D-mannose and D-glucose, but represented a mirror image of that of yeast hexokinase.SCOPUS: ar.j