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The affinity of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase towards the metabolically related enzymes phosphofructokinase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was tested by using a fluorescence-probe technique with fluorescein isothiocyanate attached covalently to the enzymes. The dissociation constants of the enzyme-enzyme complexes, as well as the rate constants of association and dissociation, were determined. Data were compared with the parameters derived from a mammalian (rabbit muscle) system, known from the literature and determined under the same conditions (pH 7.5 or 8.5 in 0.05 M Tris/HCl buffer at 20 degrees C). The comparison reveals similarities in the supramolecular organization of these cytoplasmic enzymes in phylogenetically distant species. Moreover, the fact that in vitro hybrid complexes are formed of stability comparable to that of non-hybrid complexes indicates that this ancient characteristic is probably conserved during evolution. A possible regulatory mechanism is presented, based on the dynamic competition, with each other, of the enzymes involved in triosephosphate metabolism.

The initial kinetics of yeast phosphofructokinase was studied by stopped-flow measurements over an enzyme concentration range from 0.5 mg/ml to 0.01 mg/ml. Before attaining the steady state the reaction showed a lag phase in the product formation, the duration of which was found to decrease with increasing enzyme concentration. The lag phase disappeared after preincubation of the enzyme for at least five minutes with either fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate or fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. Preincubation of the enzyme with either AMP or ADP resulted in a reduction of this phase, while ATP was without effect. Simultaneous addition of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate to the reaction mixture of the enzyme causes a significant shortening of the transient phase, whereas micromolar concentrations of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate are capable of abolishing the lag phase completely. The occurrence of an initial transient phase suggests that the enzyme after starting the reaction converts from a state of low activity to one of high activity. This conversion mainly depends on the concentration of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate generated in the course of the reaction. In addition an association reaction of the enzyme seems to be involved in the process of conversion of the phosphofructokinase during the initial transient phase.

Human erythrocyte phosphofructokinase has been subjected to active band centrifugation and stability measurements over a broad range of conditions. The enzyme behaves differently in-Tris buffer containing ATP and phosphate buffer containing fructose 6-phosphate. In the first buffer, dissociation is favoured and after prolonged storage of the enzyme tetramers represent the highest state of association. At 4 degrees C the enzyme exhibits the phenomenon of reversible cold-inactivation. This property is attributed to slow dissociation of the active associated states of the enzyme to dimers. The cold-inactivated enzyme can be reactivated by fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. Inorganic phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate have been found to protect the enzyme from cold-inactivation. Under these conditions, the sedimentation coefficient and the specific activity depend on the enzyme concentration only. The specific activity does not change on storage of the diluted enzyme at 4 degrees C. At 20 degrees C, however, a slow activation proceeds during incubation of the diluted enzyme. The correlations between the association state and the enzymic activity are discussed.