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Vol 46(2012) N 1 p. 149-152; S. Ravera1*, E. Adriano2, M. Balestrino2, I. Panfoli1 Creatine ethyl ester: a new substrate for creatine kinase 1Department of Biology, University of Genova, Genova, 16132, Italy2Department of Neurosciences, Ophthalmology and Genetic, University of Genova, Genova, 16132, Italy *silvia.ravera@gmail.com Received - 2011-03-29; Accepted - 2011-05-26 The creatine kinase/phosphocreatine system plays a key role in cell energy buffering and transport, particularly in cells with high or fluctuating energy requirements, like neurons, i.e. it participates in the energetic metabolism of the brain. Creatine depletion causes several nervous system diseases, alleviated by phosphagen supplementation. Often, the supplementation contains both creatine and creatine ethyl ester, known to improve the effect of creatine through an unknown mechanism. In this work we showed that purified creatine kinase is able to phosphorilate the creatine ethyl ester. The Km and Vmax values, as well as temperature and pH optima were determined. Conversion of the creatine ethyl ester into its phosphorylated derivative, sheds light on the role of the creatine ethyl ester as an energy source in supplementation for selected individuals. creatine, creatine ethyl ester, creatine phosphokinase, phosphocreatine, phosphagene |