Phosphofructokinase (PFK) is a

kinase In biochemistry, a kinase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of phosphate groups from high-energy, phosphate-donating molecules to specific substrates. This process is known as phosphorylation, where the high-energy ATP molecule don ...

enzyme that

phosphorylates In chemistry, phosphorylation is the attachment of a phosphate group to a molecule or an ion. This process and its inverse, dephosphorylation, are common in biology and could be driven by natural selection. Text was copied from this source, whi ...

fructose 6-phosphate Fructose 6-phosphate (sometimes called the Neuberg ester) is a derivative of fructose, which has been phosphorylated at the 6-hydroxy group. It is one of several possible fructosephosphates. The β-D-form of this compound is very common in cells ...

glycolysis Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose () into pyruvate (). The free energy released in this process is used to form the high-energy molecules adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH ...

Function

The enzyme-catalysed transfer of a

phosphoryl group {{unreferenced, date=May 2015 A phosphoryl group is the chemical ion or radical: P+O32−, containing phosphorus and oxygen. (The correct chemical name for this −PO32− group is phosphonato, and phosphono for −PO3H2; as ''phosphoryl'' in ch ...

from ATP is an important reaction in a wide variety of biological processes. Phosphofructokinase catalyses the phosphorylation of fructose-6-phosphate to

fructose-1,6-bisphosphate Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, also known as Harden-Young ester, is fructose sugar phosphorylated on carbons 1 and 6 (i.e., is a fructosephosphate). The β-D-form of this compound is common in cells. Upon entering the cell, most glucose and fructos ...

, a key regulatory step in the

glycolytic pathway Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose () into pyruvic acid, pyruvate (). The Thermodynamic free energy, free energy released in this process is used to form the high-energy molecules adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and NADH, red ...

. It is allosterically inhibited by ATP and allosterically activated by

AMP #REDIRECT Amp {{Redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...

, thus indicating the cell's energetic needs when it undergoes the glycolytic pathway. PFK exists as a

homotetramer A tetrameric protein is a protein with a protein quaternary structure, quaternary structure of four subunits (tetrameric). Homotetramers have four identical Protein subunit, subunits (such as glutathione S-transferase), and heterotetramers are M ...

bacteria Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...

and

mammals Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

(where each

monomer In chemistry, a monomer ( ; ''mono-'', "one" + '' -mer'', "part") is a molecule that can react together with other monomer molecules to form a larger polymer chain or three-dimensional network in a process called polymerization. Classification Mo ...

possesses 2 similar domains) and as an octomer in

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constitut ...

(where there are 4 alpha- (PFK1) and 4 beta-chains (PFK2), the latter, like the mammalian monomers, possessing 2 similar domains). This protein may use the

morpheein Morpheeins are proteins that can form two or more different homo-oligomers (morpheein forms), but must come apart and change shape to convert between forms. The alternate shape may reassemble to a different oligomer. The shape of the subunit ...

model of

allosteric regulation In biochemistry, allosteric regulation (or allosteric control) is the regulation of an enzyme by binding an effector molecule at a site other than the enzyme's active site. The site to which the effector binds is termed the ''allosteric site ...

. PFK is about 300

amino acids Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha am ...

in length, and structural studies of the bacterial enzyme have shown it comprises two similar (alpha/beta) lobes: one involved in ATP binding and the other housing both the substrate-binding site and the

allosteric site In biochemistry, allosteric regulation (or allosteric control) is the regulation of an enzyme by binding an effector molecule at a site other than the enzyme's active site. The site to which the effector binds is termed the ''allosteric sit ...

(a regulatory binding site distinct from the active site, but that affects enzyme activity). The identical

tetramer A tetramer () (''tetra-'', "four" + '' -mer'', "parts") is an oligomer formed from four monomers or subunits. The associated property is called ''tetramery''. An example from inorganic chemistry is titanium methoxide with the empirical formula Ti ...

subunits adopt 2 different conformations: in a 'closed' state, the bound magnesium ion bridges the phosphoryl groups of the enzyme products (ADP and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate); and in an 'open' state, the magnesium ion binds only the ADP, as the 2 products are now further apart. These conformations are thought to be successive stages of a reaction pathway that requires subunit closure to bring the 2 molecules sufficiently close to react. The reverse reaction is

catalyzed Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...

by the enzyme Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase.

Phosphofructokinase family

PFK belongs to the phosphofructokinase B (PfkB) family of sugar kinases. Other members of this family (also known as the Ribokinase family) include

ribokinase In enzymology, a ribokinase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :ATP + -ribose ⇌ ADP + -ribose 5-phosphate Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are ATP and -ribose, whereas its two products are ADP and -ribose 5-phosp ...

(RK),

adenosine kinase Adenosine kinase (AdK; EC 2.7.1.20) is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of gamma-phosphate from Adenosine triphosphate ( ATP) to adenosine (Ado) leading to formation of Adenosine monophosphate (AMP). In addition to its well-studied role in co ...

(AK),

inosine kinase In enzymology, an inosine kinase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :ATP + inosine \rightleftharpoons ADP + IMP Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are ATP and inosine, whereas its two products are ADP and IMP. Inosin ...

, and 1-phosphofructokinase. The members of the PfkB/RK family are identified by the presence of three conserved sequence motifs. The structures of several PfK family of proteins have been determined from a number of organisms and the

enzymatic activity Enzyme assays are laboratory methods for measuring enzymatic activity. They are vital for the study of enzyme kinetics and enzyme inhibition. Enzyme units The quantity or concentration of an enzyme can be expressed in molar amounts, as with any ...

of this family of protein shows a dependence on the presence of pentavalent ions. PFK is found in isoform versions in

skeletal muscle Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as muscles) are organs of the vertebrate muscular system and typically are attached by tendons to bones of a skeleton. The muscle cells of skeletal muscles are much longer than in the other types of muscl ...

(PFKM), in the

liver The liver is a major Organ (anatomy), organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the Protein biosynthesis, synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for ...

(PFKL), and from

platelets Platelets, also called thrombocytes (from Greek θρόμβος, "clot" and κύτος, "cell"), are a component of blood whose function (along with the coagulation factors) is to react to bleeding from blood vessel injury by clumping, thereby ini ...

(PFKP), allowing for tissue-specific

expression Expression may refer to: Linguistics * Expression (linguistics), a word, phrase, or sentence * Fixed expression, a form of words with a specific meaning * Idiom, a type of fixed expression * Metaphorical expression, a particular word, phrase, o ...

and function. It is still speculated that the isoforms may play a role in specific glycolytic rates in the tissue-specific environments they are in. It has been found in humans that some human tumor cell lines had increased glycolytic productivity and correlated with the increased amount of PFKL.

Clinical significance

Deficiency in PFK leads to

glycogenosis type VII Phosphofructokinase deficiency is a rare muscular metabolic disorder, with an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. It may affect humans as well as other mammals (especially dogs). It was named after the Japanese physician Seiichiro Tarui (b ...

(Tarui's disease), an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by severe nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps and myoglobinuria in response to bursts of intense or vigorous exercise. Sufferers are usually able to lead a reasonably ordinary life by learning to adjust activity levels.

Regulation

There are two different phosphofructokinase enzymes in humans:

References

External links