Genetic and Developmental Control of Multiple Forms of l-Glycerol 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase

Abstract A molecular form of l-glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.8) is found during early stages of mouse development that differs in several respects from the major form found in adult tissues. This early or embryonic form can be separated from the major adult form by ion exchange chromatography, it is more sensitive to thermal denaturation, and has lower Km values for dihydroxyacetone phosphate and lglycerol-3-P. The embryonic form is found in brain up to 9 days of age, in the carcass up to 16 days of gestation, and in mouse teratoma; however, it has not been detected in fetal liver as early as 13 days of gestation nor in fetal kidney. The embryonic form of l-glycerol-3-P dehydrogenase is probably coded for by a genetic locus distinct from the locus for the adult enzyme, for although there is a difference in the rate of thermal denaturation for the enzyme from adult tissues of BALB/cBy and C57BL/6J mice, no strain-dependent differences are observed with the embryonic enzyme.