Upregulation of pyrophosphate: fructose 6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP) activity in strawberry

Pyrophosphate: fructose 6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP) is a cytosolic enzyme catalyzing the first committed step in glycolysis by reversibly phosphorylating fructose-6-phosphate to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate. The position of PFP in glycolytic and gluconeogenic metabolism, as well as activity patterns in ripening strawberry, suggest that the enzyme may influence carbohydrate allocation to sugars and organic acids. Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate activates and tightly regulates PFP activity in plants and has hampered attempts to increase PFP activity through overexpression. Heterologous expression of a homodimeric isoform from Giardia lamblia, not regulated by fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, was therefore employed to ensure in vivo increases in PFP activity. The coding sequence was placed into a constitutive expression cassette under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and introduced into strawberry by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Heterologous expression of PFP resulted in an up to eightfold increase in total activity in ripe berries collected over two consecutive growing seasons. Total sugar and organic acid content of transgenic berries harvested during the first season were not affected when compared to the wild type, however, fructose content increased at the expense of sucrose. In the second season, total sugar content and composition remained unchanged while the citrate content increased slightly. Considering that PFP catalyses a reversible reaction, PFP activity appears to shift between gluconeogenic and glycolytic metabolism, depending on the metabolic status of the cell.     

Tobacco transformants with strongly decreased expression of pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate expression in the base of their young growing leaves contain much higher levels of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate but no major changes in fluxes

The role of pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP) in developing leaves was studied using wild-type tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) and transformants with decreased expression of PFP. (i) The leaf base, which is the youngest and most actively growing area of the leaf, had 2.5-fold higher PFP activity than the leaf tip. T3 transformants, with a 56-95% decrease in PFP activity in the leaf base and an 87-97% decrease in PFP activity in the leaf tip, were obtained by selfing and re-selfing individuals from two independent transformant lines. (ii) Other enzyme activities also showed a gradient from the leaf base to the leaf tip. There was a decrease in PFK and an increase in fructose-6-phosphate,2-kinase and plastidic fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase, whereas cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activity was constant. None of these gradients was altered in the transformants. (iii) Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (Fru2,6bisP) levels were similar at the base and tip of wild-type leaves in the dark. Illumination lead to a decrease in Fru2,6bisP at the leaf tip and an increase in Fru2,6bisP at the leaf base. Compared to wild-type plants, transformants with decreased expression of PFP had up to 2-fold higher Fru2,6bisP at the leaf tip in the dark, similar levels at the leaf tip in the light, 15-fold higher levels at the leaf base in the dark, and up to 4-fold higher levels at the leaf base in the light. (iv) To investigate metabolic fluxes, leaf discs were supplied with 14CO2 in the light or [14C]glucose in the light or the dark. Discs from the leaf tip had higher rates of photosynthesis than discs from the leaf base, whereas the rate of glucose uptake and metabolism was similar in both tissues. Significantly less label was incorporated into neutral sugars, and more into anionic compounds, cell wall and protein, and amino acids in discs from the leaf base. Metabolism of 14CO2 and [14C]glucose in transformants with low PFP was similar to that in wild-type plants, except that synthesis of neutral sugars from 14CO2 was slightly reduced in discs from the base of the leaf. (v) These results reveal that the role of PFP in the growing cells in the base of the leaf differs from that in mature leaf tissue. The increase in Fru2,6bisP in the light and the high activity of PFP relative to cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase in the base of the leaf implicate PFP in the synthesis of sucrose in the light, as well as in glycolysis. The large increase in Fru2,6bisP at the base of the leaf of transformants implies that PFP plays a more important role in metabolism at the leaf base than in mature leaf tissue. Nevertheless, there were no major changes in carbon fluxes, or leaf or plant growth in transformants with below 10% of the wild-type PFP activity at the leaf base, implying that large changes in expression can be compensated by changes in Fru2,6-bisP, even in growing tissues.     

Fluorescence study of ligand binding to potato tuber pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase: evidence for competitive binding between fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and fructose-2,6-bisphosphate

The intrinsic fluorescence of potato tuber pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP) was used as an indicator of conformational changes due to ligand binding. Binding of the substrates and the allosteric activator fructose-2,6-bisphosphate was quantitatively compared to their respective kinetic effects on enzymatic activity. PFP exhibited a relatively high affinity for its isolated substrates, relative to the enzyme's respective K(m) (substrate) values. There are two distinct types of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate interaction with PFP, corresponding to catalytic and activatory binding. Activatory fructose-1,6-bisphosphate binding shares several characteristics with fructose-2,6-bisphosphate binding, indicating that both ligands compete for the same allosteric activator site. Activation by fructose-1,6-bisphosphate or fructose-2,6-bisphosphate was exerted primarily on the forward (glycolytic) reaction by greatly increasing the enzyme's affinity for fructose-6-phosphate. Binding of substrates and effectors to PFP and PFP kinetic properties were markedly influenced by assay pH. Results indicate an increased glycolytic role for PFP during cytosolic acidification that accompanies anoxia stress.     

Transgenic tobacco plants with strongly decreased expression of pyrophosphate: Fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase do not differ significantly from wild type in photosynthate partitioning,plant growth or their ability to cope with limiting phosphate,limiting nitrogen and suboptimal temperatures

Transformation of tobacco with the potato gene encoding the subunit of pyrophosphate: fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP) in the antisense orientation under the control of the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter, followed by selfing and crossing of the transformants, generated a line of tobacco (5–37) with up to an 85% reduction in PFP activity in the shoot. Transformants containing a sense construct (4-40-91) contained only 1–3% of wild-type PFP, presumably due to co-suppression. Rates of photosynthesis and partitioning between sucrose and starch in source leaves were identical in 4-40-91 transformants and the wild type. In the dark in sink leaves of 4-40-91 transformants, levels of hexose phosphates were up to 50% higher, glycerate-3-phosphate 30% lower and fructose-2,6-bisphosphate threefold higher than in the wild type; inorganic pyrophosphate, pyruvate and the ATP/ADP ratio were unaltered. Low -PFP and wild-type plants did not differ significantly in their rate of growth at 25° C and 200 mol quanta · m^–2 · s^–1 on full nutrient medium. Growth on limiting phosphate and limiting nitrogen was inhibited identically in the wild type and transformants, and transformants adjusted their shoot/root ratio in an identical manner to the wild type. Differences in fructose-2,6-bisphosphate and glycolytic metabolites between the wild type and transformants were no larger in these suboptimal nutrient conditions, than in optimal conditions. Growth of the wild type and 4-40-91 transformants was inhibited identically at 12° C compared to 25° C. Differences in fructose-2,6-bisphosphate were smaller when the genotypes were compared at 12° C than at 25° C. We conclude that PFP does not play an essential role in photosynthate partitioning in source leaves. During respiratory metabolism in sink leaves it catalyzes a net glycolytic flux, as in potato tubers. However, tobacco seedlings are able to compensate for a large decrease in expression of PFP without loss of growth, or the ability to cope with suboptimal phosphate, nitrogen or temperature.Abbreviations F2,6BP fructose-2,6-bisphosphate - F6P fructose-6-phosphate - G6P glucose-6-phosphate - PFK phosphofructokinase - PFP pyrophosphate-dependent fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase - 3-PGA glycerate-3-phosphate - PPi inorganic pyrophosphate - PEP phosphoenolpyruvate This work was supported by the Bundesministerium für Forschung and Technologie (M.S, U.S.) and the Canadian Research Council (S.C., D.D). M.P. was supported by a Royal Society Fellowship.     

Kinetic properties of pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase from germinating castor bean endosperm

Pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase (PFP) was purified over 500-cold from endosperm of germinating castor bean (Ricinus commiunis L. var. Hale). The kinetic properties of the purified enzyme were studied. PFP was specific for pyrophosphate and had a requirement for a divalent metal ion. The pH optimum for activity was 7.3 to 7.7. The enzyme had similar activities in the forward and reverse directions and exhibited hyperbolic kinetics with all substrates. Kinetic constants were determined in the presence of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, which stimulated activity about 20-fold and increased the affinity of the enzyme for fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, and pyrophosphate up to 10-fold. Half-maximum activation of PFP by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate was obtained at 10 nanomolar. The affinity of PFP for this activator was reduced by decreasing the concentration of fructose 6-phosphate or increasing that of phosphate. Phosphate inhibited PFP when the reaction was measured in the reverse direction, i.e. fructose 6-phosphate production. In the presence of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, phosphate was a mixed inhibitor with respect to both fructose 6-phosphate and pyrophosphate when the reaction was measured in the forward direction, i.e. fructose 1,6-bisphosphate production. The possible roles of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, and phosphate in the control of PFP are discussed.     

Fructose-1,6-Bisphosphate Is an Allosteric Activator of Pyrophosphate:Fructose-6-Phosphate 1-Phosphotransferase

The activity of highly purified pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP) from barley (Hordeum vulgare) leaves was studied under conditions where the catalyzed reaction was allowed to approach equilibrium. The activity of PFP was monitored by determining the changes in the levels of fructose-6-phosphate, orthophosphate, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (Fru-1,6-bisP). Under these conditions PFP activity was not dependent on activation by fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-bisP). Inclusion of aldolase in the reaction mixture temporarily restored the dependence of PFP on Fru-2,6-bisP. Alternatively, PFP was activated by Fru-1,6-bisP in the presence of aldolase. It is concluded that Fru-1,6-bisP is an allosteric activator of barley PFP, which can substitute for Fru-2,6-bisP as an activator. A significant activation was observed at a concentration of 5 to 25 [mu]M Fru-1,6-bisP, which demonstrates that the allosteric site of barley PFP has a very high affinity for Fru-1,6-bisP. The high affinity for Fru-1,6-bisP at the allosteric site suggests that the observed activation of PFP by Fru-1,6-bisP constitutes a previously unrecognized in vivo regulation mechanism.     

Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate activates pyrophosphate: fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase and increases triose phosphate to hexose phosphate cycling in heterotrophic cells

The aim of this work was to establish the influence of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P₂) on non-photosynthetic carbohydrate metabolism in plants. Heterotrophic callus lines exhibiting elevated levels of Fru-2,6-P₂ were generated from transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants expressing a modified rat liver 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase. Lines containing increased amounts of Fru-2,6-P₂ had lower levels of hexose phosphates and higher levels of 3-phosphoglycerate than the untransformed control cultures. There was also a greater redistribution of label into the C6 position of sucrose and fructose, following incubation with [1-¹³C]glucose, in the lines possessing the highest amounts of Fru-2,6-P₂, indicating a greater re-synthesis of hexose phosphates from triose phosphates in these lines. Despite these changes, there were no marked differences between lines in the metabolism of ¹⁴C-substrates, the rate of oxygen uptake, carbohydrate accumulation or nucleotide pool sizes. These data provide direct evidence that physiologically relevant changes in the level of Fru-2,6-P₂ can affect pyrophosphate: fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP) activity in vivo, and are consistent with PFP operating in a net glycolytic direction in the heterotrophic culture. However, the results also show that activating PFP has little direct effect on heterotrophic carbohydrate metabolism beyond increasing the rate of cycling between hexose phosphates and triose phosphates. Received: 29 March 2000 / Accepted: 13 June 2000     

Vanadate inhibits fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase and leads to an inhibition of sucrose synthesis in barley leaves

Vanadate (0.1–1 mM) was supplied to leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare var. Roland) via the transpiration stream. It led to a selective inhibition of the rate of photosynthesis at high light without altering the initial slope of the light response curve, produced markedly biphasic photosynthesis induction kinetics, and selectively decreased sucrose synthesis compared to starch synthesis. There was a 3-fold increase of the steady state level of the signal metabolite fructose-2,6-bisphosphate in near saturating light. Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate is a potent inhibitor of cytosolic fruc-tose-l,6-bisphosphatase and, in agreement, the fructose-1,6-bisphosphatc level doubled. The increase of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate could not be accounted for by the known regulation of fructose-6-phosphate,2-kinase and fructose 2,6-bisphosphatase by 3-phosphoglycerate and fiuctose-6-phosphate, because these metabolites remained constant or even changed in the opposite direction to that required to generate an increase of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate. Instead, vanadate strongly inhibited the hydrolysis of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate in extracts, producing a half maximal inhibition at 2 \nM and 50 \iM in assays designed to preferentially measure the high-and low-affinity forms of fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase, respectively. Vanadale had no effect on fructosc-6-phosphate,2-kinase activity at these concentrations. Vanadate also led to a deactivation of sucrose phosphate synthase. The results are discussed in relation to the role of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate in regulating sucrose synthesis, and its interaction with the 'coarse' control of sucrose phosphate synthase.     

Induction of Pyrophosphate-Dependent Phosphofructokinase in Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Cotyledons Coincides with Insufficient Cytosolic D-Fructose-1,6-Bisphosphate 1-Phosphohydrolase to Sustain Gluconeogenesis

During germination of Citrullus lanatus, pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase (PFP) activity is induced. The peak of PFP activity coincides with the maximum gluconeogenic flux and high fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2) concentrations. Determination of cytosolic fructose-1,6 bisphosphatase (FBPase) activity in crude extracts is unreliable because of the high PFP activity. The FBPase activity, after correction for the contaminating PFP, is only one-third of the PFP activity. Purified cytosolic FBPase is inhibited by Fru-2,6-P2. The low cytosolic FBPase activity and high Fru-2,6-P2 most probably result in inadequate in vivo activity to catalyze the observed gluconeogenic flux. The total PFP activity is sufficient to catalyze the required carbon flux.     

Reduced-activity mutants of phosphoglucose isomerase in the cytosol and chloroplast of Clarkia xantiana

(i) We have studied the influence of reduced phosphoglucose-isomerase (PGI) activity on photosynthetic carbon metabolism in mutants of Clarkia xantiana Gray (Onagraceae). The mutants had reduced plastid (75% or 50% of wildtype) or reduced cytosolic (64%, 36% or 18% of wildtype) PGI activity. (ii) Reduced plastid PGI had no significant effect on metabolism in low light. In high light, starch synthesis decreased by 50%. There was no corresponding increase of sucrose synthesis. Instead glycerate-3-phosphate, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate, reduction of Q_A (the acceptor for photosystem II) and energy-dependent chlorophyll-fluorescence quenching increased, and O₂ evolution was inhibited by 25%. (iii) Decreased cytosolic PGI led to lower rates of sucrose synthesis, increased fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, glycerate-3-phosphate and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate, and a stimulation of starch synthesis, but without a significant inhibition of O₂ evolution. Partitioning was most affected in low light, while the metabolite levels changed more at saturating irradiances. (iv) These results provide decisive evidence that fructose-2,6-bisphosphate can mediate a feedback inhibition of sucrose synthesis in response to accumulating hexose phosphates. They also provide evidence that the ensuing stimulation of starch synthesis is due to activation of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase by a rising glycerate-3-phosphate: inorganic phosphate ratio, and that this can occur without any loss of photosynthetic rate. However the effectiveness of these mechanisms varies, depending on the conditions. (v) These results are analysed using the approach of Kacser and Burns (1973, Trends Biochem. Sci. 7, 1149–1161) to provide estimates for the elasticities and flux-control coefficient of the cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and to estimate the gain in the fructose-2,6-bisphosphate regulator cycle during feedback inhibition of sucrose synthesis.Abbreviations and symbols Chl chlorophyll - Fru6P fructose-6-phosphate - Frul,6bisP fructose-1,6-bisphosphate - Fru-1,6Pase fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase - Fru2,6bisP fructose-2,6-bisphosphate - Fru2,6Pase fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase - Glc6P glucose-6-phosphate - PGI phosphoglucose isomerase - Pi inorganic phosphate - Q_A acceptor for photosystem II - Ru1,5bisP ributose-1,5-bisphosphate - SPS sucrose-phosphate synthase     

Carbohydrate metabolism during fruit development in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants

Growth, accumulation of sugars and starch, and the activity of enzymes involved in sucrose mobilization were determined throughout the development of sweet pepper fruits. Fruit development was roughly divided into three phases: (1) an initial phase with high relative growth rate and hexose accumulation, (2) a phase with declining growth rate and accumulation of sucrose and starch, and (3) a ripening phase with no further fresh weight increase and with accumulation of hexoses, while sucrose and starch were degraded. Acid and neutral invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) were closely correlated to relative growth rate until ripening and inversly correlated to the accumulation of sucrose. Acid invertase specifically increased during ripening, concurrently with the accumulation of hexoses. Sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13) showed little correlation to fruit development, and in periods of rapid growth the activity of sucrose synthase was low compared to the invertases. However, during late fruit growth sucose synthase was more active than the invertases. We conclude that invertase activities determine the accumulation of assimilates in the very young fruits, and a reactivation of acid invertase is responsible for the accumulation of hexoses during ripening. During late fruit growth, before ripening, sucrose synthase is transiently responsible for the sucrose breakdown in the fruit tissue. Results also indicate that pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.90) and its activator fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (Fru2,6bisP) are involved in the regulation of the sink metabolism of the fruit tissue.     

Properties of Pyrophosphate:Fructose-6-Phosphate Phosphotransferase from Endosperm of Developing Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Grains

Pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase (PFP, EC 2.7.1.90) from endosperm of developing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grains was purified to apparent homogeneity with about 52% recovery using ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration through Sepharose-CL-6B. The purified enzyme, having a molecular weight of about 170,000, was a dimer with subunit molecular weights of 90,000 and 80,000, respectively. The enzyme exhibited maximum activity at pH 7.5 and was highly specific for pyrophosphate (PPi). None of the nucleoside mono-, di- or triphosphate could replace PPi as a source of energy and inorganic phosphate (Pi). Similarly, the enzyme was highly specific for fructose-6-phosphate. It had a requirement for Mg²⁺ and exhibited hyperbolic kinetics with all substrates including Mg²⁺. K_m values as determined by Lineweaver-Burk plots were 322, 31, 139, and 129 micromolar, respectively, for fructose-6-phosphate, PPi, fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and Pi. Kinetic constants were determined in the presence of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, which stimulated activity about 20-fold and increased the affinity of the enzyme for its substrates. Initial velocity studies indicated kinetic mechanism to be sequential. At saturating concentrations of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (1 micromolar), Pi strongly inhibited PFP; the inhibition being mixed with respect to both fructose-6-phosphate and PPi, with K_i values of 0.78 and 1.2 millimolar, respectively. The inhibition pattern further confirmed the mechanism to be sequential with random binding of the substrates. Probable role of PFP in endosperm of developing wheat grains (sink tissues) is discussed.     

The effect of sulphite on chlorophyll fluorescence and sucrose metabolism in poplar leaves

Sulphite at concentrations from 0.5 to 5.0 mM was supplied to illuminated, detached poplar (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh) leaves via the transpiration stream. Chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, the contents of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (Fru2,6BP) and starch, and extractable specific activity of sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), sucrose synthase (SuSy), acid invertase (AI), neutral invertase (NI), ATP-dependent fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFK) and pyrophosphate-dependent fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP) were measured. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters appeared to be unaffected by sulphite. Application of ≥ 1.0 mM sulphite led to an increase in the content of Fru2,6BP and starch. There was also a decline in the activity of SPS, NI and PFK. On the other hand, the influence of sulphite on the activity of AI and PFP was negligible. Specific activity of SuSy was inhibited by 1.0 and 2.5 mM but activated by 5.0 mM of sulphite. On the basis of the results obtained in the present study, we postulate that sulphite at concentrations ≥ 1.0 mM inhibits primarily sucrose synthesis, favours starch accumulation and has an indirect effect on the sucrolytic activities in poplar leaves.     

The effect of oxygen on fructose-2, 6-bisphosphate concentration and fructose-6-phosphate, 2-kinase activity in yeast cells

Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate concentration and fructose-6-phosphate,2-kinase activity were measured in yeast cells grown aerobically or anaerobically using glucose as a carbon source. A new improved analytical method using HPLC was employed to measure fructose-2,6-P₂ concentration. Anaerobically-grown yeast cells contain approximately 4-fold higher levels of fructose-2,6-P₂ as compared to aerobically-grown cells in the growth phase of culture. Similarly, fructose-6-P,2-kinase activity is approximately 7-fold higher in the anaerobically-grown cells. These results suggest that the presence of oxygen in the growth medium decreases the content of fructose-2,6-P₂ through inactivation of fructose-6-P,2-kinase.     

Transgenic potato plants with strongly decreased expression of pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase show no visible phenotype and only minor changes in metabolic fluxes in their tubers

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants were transformed with antisense constructs to the genes encoding the -and -subunits of pyrophosphate: fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase (PEP), their expression being driven by the constitutive CaMV 35S promotor. (i) In several independent transformant lines, PFP expression was decreased by 70–90% in growing tubers and by 88–99% in stored tubers. (ii) The plants did not show any visual phenotype, reduction of growth or decrease in total tuber yield. However, the tubers contained 20–40% less starch than the wild type. Sucrose levels were slightly increased in growing tubers, but not at other stages. The rates of accumulation of sucrose and free hexoses when tubers were stored at 4° C and the final amount accumulated were the same in antisense and wild-type tubers. (iii) Metabolites were investigated at four different stages in tuber life history; growing (sink) tubers, mature tubers, cold-sweetening tubers and sprouting (source) tubers. At all stages, compared to the wild type, antisense tubers contained slightly more hexose-phosphates, two- to threefold less glycerate-3-phosphate and phosphoenolpyruvate and up to four-to fivefold more fructose-2,6-bisphosphate. (iv) There was no accumulation or depletion of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), or of UDP-glucose relative to the hexose-phosphates. (v) The pyruvate content was unaltered or only marginally decreased, and the ATP/ADP ratio did not change. (vi) Labelling experiments on intact tubers did not reveal any significant decrease in the unidirectional rate of metabolism of [U-¹⁴C]sucrose to starch, organic acids or amino acids. Stored tubers with an extreme (90%) reduction of PFP showed a 25% decrease in the metabolism of [U¹⁴-C] sucrose. (vii) Metabolism (cycling) of [U-¹⁴C]glucose to surcrose increased 15-fold in discs from growing antisense tubers, compared with growing wild-type tubers. Resynthesis of sucrose was increased by 10–20% when discs from antisense and wild-type tubers stored at 4° C (cold sweetening) were compared. The conversion of [U-¹⁴C]glucose to starch was decreased by about 30% and 50%, respectively. (viii) The randomisation of [1-¹³C]glucose in the glucosyl and fructosyl moieties of sucrose was decreased from 13.8 and 15.7% in the wild type to 3.6 and 3.9% in an antisense transformant. Simultaneously, randomisation in glucosyl residues isolated from starch was reduced from 14.4 to 4.1%. (ix) These results provide evidence that PFP catalyses a readily reversible reaction in tubers, which is responsible for the recycling of label from triose-phosphates to hexose-phosphates, but with the net reaction in the glycolytic direction. The results do not support the notion that PFP is involved in regulating the cytosolic PPi concentration. They also demonstrate that PFP does not control the rate of glycolysis, and that tubers contain exessive capacity to phosphorylate fructose-6-phosphate. The decreased concentration of phosphoenolpyruvate and glycerate-3-phosphate compensates for the decrease of PFP protein by stimulating ATP-dependent phosphofructokinase, and by stimulating fructose-6-phosphate,2-kinase to increase the fructose-2,6-bisphosphate concentration and activate the residual PFP. The decreased starch accumulation is explained as an indirect effect, caused by the increased rate of resynthesis (cycling) of sucrose in the antisense tubers.Abbreviations Fru1,6bisP fructose-1,6-bisphosphate - Fru2,6bisP fructose-2,6-bisphosphate - Fru6P fructose-6-phosphate - Glc1P glucose-1-phosphate - Glc6P glucose-6-phosphate - NMR nuclear magnetic resonance - 3PGA glycerate-3-phosphate - PEP phosphoenolpyruvate - PEP pyrophosphate: fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase - PFK phosphofructokinase - UDPGlc UDP glucose - WT wild type This research was supported by the Bundesministerium for Forschung and Technology (M.S., U.S.), the Canadian Research Council (S.C., D.D.), the Agricultural and Food Research Council (R.V.) and Sandoz Agro Ltd. (M.H., M.S.).     

Pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase from pollen: properties and possible roles in sugar metabolism

To evaluate the role of pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase (PFP. EC 2.7.1.90) in the sugar metabolism of pollen. its occurrence and properties were studied in pollen grains of several plants including camellia ( Camellia japonica L.). In all pollen samples, PFP was strongly activated by fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6BP), and the activity of F2,6BP-activated PFP was higher than that of phosphofructokinase (PFK. EC 2.7.1.11). PFP partially purified from camellia pollen required Mg²⁺ for activity with an optimum at 1 m M . and was almost unaflected by a variety of metabolites at 1 m M . Its molecular mass was around 220 kDa, and apparent K_m values for F6P, PP_i. F1, 6BP and P_i were 294, 4, 20 and 580 u M , respectively. The levels of F2.6BP. PP_i and F6P in camellia pollen were sufficent to support the forward reaction by PFP, and PFP, was 20- to 40-fold more active than PFK during pollen growth. These results suggest that pollen PFP plays a role in glycolysis but not gluconeogenesis. and the possible relevance of this to pollen tube growth is discussed.     

Induction of PPi-dependent phosphofructokinase by phosphate starvation in seedlings of Brassica nigra

Activity of PPi-dependent phosphofructokinase (PFP) was monitored in Brassica nigra seedlings grown under nutrient-sufficient or phosphate (Pi)-starved conditions. Roots, stems and leaves of 50 d Pi-deficient seedlings displayed 4.0-, 3.7- and 2.3-fold greater PFP activity, respectively, than did nutrient sufficient controls. This induction was based primarily upon an increased susceptibility of PFP from the Pi-starved tissues to activation by fructose-2,6-bisphosphate. The ratio of PFP to ATP-dependent phosphofructokinase (PFK) was approximately 2:1 and 1:1 in the various organs of 50 d Pi-starved and Pi-fed plants, respectively. Immunoblots probed with anti-(potato PFP) immune serum revealed that the induction of PFP in Pi-starved B. nigra was coincident with an elevation in the amount of PFP α-subunit in the leaves as well as an increase in the α:β subunit ratio in the stems and roots. Induction of PFP in the various tissues was also accompanied by an appreciable decline in intracellular Pi level, decreased soluble protein content, and elevated phosphoenolpyruvate phosphatase activity. Time course studies revealed that these responses to Pi stress were significantly delayed in the leaves as compared to the roots and stems suggesting that Pi may be preferentially sequestered to the leaves during Pi starvation. These data also provide further evidence that B. nigra PFP is an adaptive enzyme that may function during Pi deprivation as: (1) a glycolytic bypass to PFK; and (2) a ‘Pi-recycling system’ that converts esterified-P to Pi that would be rapidly reassimilated into the metabolism of the Pi-deficient cells.     

Cloning of a second gene encoding 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase in yeast, and characterization of mutant strains without fructose-2,6-bisphosphate

We have identified a new gene, PFK27, that encodes a second inducible 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sequencing shows an open reading frame of 397 amino acids and 45.3 kDa. Amino acid sequence comparisons with other bifunctional 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase isoenzymes of various organisms revealed similarities only to the kinase domains. Expression of PFK27 was induced severalfold by glucose and sucrose, but not by galactose or maltose, suggesting that sugar transport might be involved in triggering the induction signal. We have constructed a mutant strain devoid of any fructose-2,6-bisphosphate. The mutant strain grew well on several kinds and concentrations of carbon sources. The levels of hexose phosphates in the cells were increased, but flux rates for glucose utilization and ethanol production were similar to the wild-type strain. However, after the transfer of the mutant cells from respiratory to fermentative growth conditions, growth, glucose consumption and ethanol production were delayed in a transition phase. Our results show that fructose-2,6-bisphosphate is an important effector in vivo of the 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase/fructose-1,6-bisphospha-tase enzyme pair, and is involved in the initiation of glycolysis during the transition to a fermentative mode of metabolism. Nevertheless, it can be effectively replaced by other effectors and regulatory mechanisms during growth on glucose.     

Identification of two forms of PFK and a fructose-2,6-bisphosphate independent form of PFP in a green alga

Cell-free preparations from the green alga, Chlorella pyrenoidosa, contained two forms of phosphofructokinase (PFK), designated PFK I and PFK II. This represents the first evidence for a second form of PFK in green algae. A pyrophosphate D-fructose-6-phosphate, 1-phosphotransferase (PFP) activity, that was unaffected by the regulatory metabolite, fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, co-purified with PFK II through several steps. The data suggest that Chlorella pyrenoidosa resembles higher plants in containing two forms of PFK, but differs in containing an atypical form of PFP.Abbreviations PFK phosphofructokinase - PFP pyrophosphate D-fructose-6-phosphate, 1-phosphotransferase, Fru-2,6-P₂-fructose-2,6-bisphosphate - DEAE diethylaminoethyl-