Hexokinases phosphorylate glucose to produce glucose-6-phosphate, thus committing glucose to the glycolytic pathway. Alternative splicing of Glucokinase results in three tissue-specific forms of glucokinase, one found in pancreatic islet beta cells and two found in liver. The protein localizes to the outer membrane of mitochondria. In contrast to other forms of hexokinase, HK4 is not inhibited by its product glucose-6-phosphate but remains active while glucose is abundant. Mutations in this gene have been associated with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), maturity onset diabetes of the young, type 2 (MODY2) and persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy (PHHI).
Glucokinase Human Recombinant produced in E.Coli is a single, non-glycosylated, polypeptide chain fused to His tag at the N-terminal encoding the sequence of 485 amino acids and having a molecular mass of 54.3 kDa.
HK4 is purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques.