Phosphofructokinases A and B from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Display Different Catalytic Properties and Allosteric Regulation.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the major health concerns worldwide. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of TB, can flexibly change its metabolic processes during different life stages. Regulation of key metabolic enzyme activities by intracellular conditions, allosteric inhibition or feedback control can effectively contribute to Mtb survival under different conditions. Phosphofructokinase (Pfk) is one of the key enzymes regulating glycolysis. Mtb encodes two Pfk isoenzymes, Pfk A/Rv3010c and Pfk B/Rv2029c, which are differently expressed upon transition to the hypoxia-induced non-replicating state of the bacteria. While pfkB gene and protein expression are upregulated under hypoxic conditions, Pfk A levels decrease. Here, we present biochemical characterization of both Pfk isoenzymes, revealing that Pfk A and Pfk B display different kinetic properties. Although the glycolytic activity of Pfk A is higher than that of Pfk B, it is markedly inhibited by an excess of both substrates (fructose-6-phosphate and ATP), reaction products (fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and ADP) and common metabolic allosteric regulators. In contrast, synthesis of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase catalyzed by Pfk B is not regulated by higher levels of substrates, and metabolites. Importantly, we found that only Pfk B can catalyze the reverse gluconeogenic reaction. Pfk B thus can support glycolysis under conditions inhibiting Pfk A function.

Inhibition of Recombinant Aldose-6-Phosphate Reductase from Peach Leaves by Hexose-Phosphates, Inorganic Phosphate and Oxidants.

Glucitol, also known as sorbitol, is a major photosynthetic product in plants from the Rosaceae family. This sugar alcohol is synthesized from glucose-6-phosphate by the combined activities of aldose-6-phosphate reductase (Ald6PRase) and glucitol-6-phosphatase. In this work we show the purification and characterization of recombinant Ald6PRase from peach leaves. The recombinant enzyme was inhibited by glucose-1-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and orthophosphate. Oxidizing agents irreversibly inhibited the enzyme and produced protein precipitation. Enzyme thiolation with oxidized glutathione protected the enzyme from insolubilization caused by diamide, while incubation with NADP+ (one of the substrates) completely prevented enzyme precipitation. Our results suggest that Ald6PRase is finely regulated to control carbon partitioning in peach leaves.

Kinetic Basis of Carbohydrate-Mediated Inhibition of Human Glucokinase by the Glucokinase Regulatory Protein.

The glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP) is a competitive inhibitor of glucokinase (GCK), triggering its localization to the hepatocyte nucleus upon glucose deprivation. Here we establish the kinetic mechanism of GKRP action by analyzing its association with a genetically encoded, fluorescent variant of human GCK. Our results demonstrate that binding of GKRP to GCK involves two steps, formation of an initial encounter complex followed by conformational equilibration between two GKRP-GCK states. Fructose 6-phosphate, a known enhancer of GKRP action, promotes formation of the initial encounter complex via a 2.6-fold increase in kon and stabilizes the complex through a 60-fold decrease in koff.

Structural basis for regulation of human glucokinase by glucokinase regulatory protein.

Glucokinase (GCK) is responsible for maintaining glucose homeostasis in the human body. Dysfunction or misregulation of GCK causes hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and type 2 diabetes. In the liver, GCK is regulated by interaction with the glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP), a 68 kDa polypeptide that functions as a competitive inhibitor of glucose binding to GCK. Formation of the mammalian GCK-GKRP complex is stimulated by fructose 6-phosphate and antagonized by fructose 1-phosphate. Here we report the crystal structure of the mammalian GCK-GKRP complex in the presence of fructose 6-phosphate at a resolution of 3.50 Å. The interaction interface, which totals 2060 Å(2) of buried surface area, is characterized by a small number of polar contacts and substantial hydrophobic interactions. The structure of the complex reveals the molecular basis of disease states associated with impaired regulation of GCK by GKRP. It also offers insight into the modulation of complex stability by sugar phosphates. The atomic description of the mammalian GCK-GKRP complex provides a framework for the development of novel diabetes therapeutic agents that disrupt this critical macromolecular regulatory unit.

The P446L variant in GCKR associated with fasting plasma glucose and triglyceride levels exerts its effect through increased glucokinase activity in liver.

Genome-wide association studies have identified a number of signals for both Type 2 Diabetes and related quantitative traits. For the majority of loci, the transition from association signal to mutational mechanism has been difficult to establish. Glucokinase (GCK) regulates glucose storage and disposal in the liver where its activity is regulated by glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP; gene name GCKR). Fructose-6 and fructose-1 phosphate (F6P and F1P) enhance or reduce GKRP-mediated inhibition, respectively. A common GCKR variant (P446L) is reproducibly associated with triglyceride and fasting plasma glucose levels in the general population. The aim of this study was to determine the mutational mechanism responsible for this genetic association. Recombinant human GCK and both human wild-type (WT) and P446L-GKRP proteins were generated. GCK kinetic activity was observed spectrophotometrically using an NADP(+)-coupled assay. WT and P446L-GKRP-mediated inhibition of GCK activity and subsequent regulation by phosphate esters were determined. Assays matched for GKRP activity demonstrated no difference in dose-dependent inhibition of GCK activity or F1P-mediated regulation. However, the response to physiologically relevant F6P levels was significantly attenuated with P446L-GKRP (n = 18; P

Fructose stimulated de novo lipogenesis is promoted by inflammation.

Benign hepatosteatosis, affected by lipid uptake, de novo lipogenesis and fatty acid (FA) oxidation, progresses to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) on stress and inflammation. A key macronutrient proposed to increase hepatosteatosis and NASH risk is fructose. Excessive intake of fructose causes intestinal-barrier deterioration and endotoxaemia. However, how fructose triggers these alterations and their roles in hepatosteatosis and NASH pathogenesis remain unknown. Here we show, using mice, that microbiota-derived Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists promote hepatosteatosis without affecting fructose-1-phosphate (F1P) and cytosolic acetyl-CoA. Activation of mucosal-regenerative gp130 signalling, administration of the YAP-induced matricellular protein CCN1 or expression of the antimicrobial peptide Reg3b (beta) peptide counteract fructose-induced barrier deterioration, which depends on endoplasmic-reticulum stress and subsequent endotoxaemia. Endotoxin engages TLR4 to trigger TNF production by liver macrophages, thereby inducing lipogenic enzymes that convert F1P and acetyl-CoA to FA in both mouse and human hepatocytes.

Identification of fructose 3-phosphate in the lens of diabetic rats.

Fructose 3-phosphate, a novel monosaccharide phosphate, has been identified in the lens of diabetic rats. This compound, which is not present in normal lenses, is a protein glycosylating agent and enzyme inactivator. In addition, because of its structural features, this metabolite is relatively labile and undergoes hydrolysis to yield inorganic phosphate and the potent glycosylating agent, 3-deoxyglucosone. The increase in the concentration of fructose 3-phosphate in the lens of diabetic rats suggests that it and its hydrolysis product, 3-deoxyglucosone, may be responsible in part for the development of some diabetic complications in the lens.

Carnosine protects against the inactivation of esterase induced by glycation and a steroid.

Carnosine, an endogenous histidine-containing dipeptide, protects protein from oxidation and glycation, which may contribute to a potential treatment for some conformational diseases including cataract. Glycation, the non-enzymic reaction of sugars with proteins, promotes cross-linking and further aggregation. Prolonged use of glucocorticoids is a risk factor for cataract, as is diabetes. Esterase activity in the lens is decreased in senile cataract and diabetes. Previously, we reported that glycation and a steroid inactivate esterase. Here we tested the inactivation of esterase with fructose, fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) and ribose as model glycation reactions and prednisolone-21-hemisuccinate (P-21-H) as a model steroid and investigated the ability of carnosine to protect esterase against inactivation. The activity of esterase was measured by a spectrophotometric assay using p-nitrophenyl acetate as the substrate. The modified esterase was examined electrophoretically. The esterase was progressively inactivated by F6P, fructose, ribose and P-21-H. P-21-H was more effective than the sugars. Carnosine significantly inhibited the inactivation of esterase induced by all four compounds. Carnosine decreased the extent of the cross-linking. These results provide further evidence for carnosine's role as an anti-glycation compound. It is also proposed that carnosine may be an anti-steroid agent.

Carnosine inhibits modifications and decreased molecular chaperone activity of lens alpha-crystallin induced by ribose and fructose 6-phosphate.

PURPOSE: Alpha-crystallin, a major structural protein in the lens, prevents heat- and oxidative stress-induced aggregation of proteins and inactivation of enzymes by acting as a molecular chaperone. Modification of alpha-crystallin by some posttranslational modifications results in conformational changes and decreases in chaperone activity, which may contribute to cataractogenesis in vivo. Carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine), an endogenous histidine dipeptide, prevents protein modifications including glycation and oxidation. The purpose of this study was to further explore whether carnosine can protect alpha-crystallin against glycation by a sugar and a sugar phosphate, and in particular to find whether it can protect against its decreased chaperone activity. Additionally, we investigated whether carnosine could directly react with a sugar and a sugar phosphate. METHODS: Bovine lens alphaL-crystallin was separated by size-exclusion chromatography on a Sephacryl S-300 HR column. alphaL-crystallin was incubated with different concentrations of fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) and ribose with or without carnosine for different times. The chaperone activity of alphaL-crystallin was monitored using the prevention of thermal aggregation of betaL-crystallin. The modified alphaL-crystallin was examined by SDS-PAGE and fluorescence measurements. The absorbance spectra of solutions of carnosine and sugars were investigated. RESULTS: Carnosine inhibited the crosslinking of alphaL-crystallin induced by F6P and ribose in a dose- and time-dependent manner. It protected alphaL-crystallin against its decreased chaperone activity induced by 100 mM F6P during four days incubation, but not against ribose-induced change. Control alphaL-crystallin gave 96% protection against aggregation of betaL-crystallin after four days incubation, but only 85% protection was achieved in the presence of F6P, rising to 96% (p=0.0004) in the presence of carnosine. After more extensive modification by sugar and a sugar phosphate, there was no significant protective effect of carnosine on alphaL-crystallin cross-linking or chaperone activity. The tryptophan fluorescence of modified alphaL-crystallin was remarkably decreased in the presence of F6P and ribose. However, the decrease was less when 50 mM carnosine was present during eight days incubation with F6P. Carnosine did not maintain the fluorescence when ribose was used. The nontryptophan fluorescence was increased with a shift to longer wavelengths in a time-dependent manner. Carnosine readily reacted with F6P and ribose thereby inhibiting glycation-mediated protein modification as revealed electrophoretically. The increased absorbance was time-dependent, suggesting adducts may be formed between F6P, ribose, and carnosine. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report showing that carnosine can protect the chaperone activity of alpha-crystallin. This chaperone may protect against cataractous changes. In addition to demonstrating the effects of carnosine on prevention crosslinking, our studies also bring out important evidence that carnosine reacts with F6P and ribose, which suggests carnosine's potential as a possible nontoxic modulator of diabetic complications.

A metabolic intermediate of the fructose-asparagine utilization pathway inhibits growth of a Salmonella fraB mutant.

Insertions in the Salmonella enterica fra locus, which encodes the fructose-asparagine (F-Asn) utilization pathway, are highly attenuated in mouse models of inflammation (>1000-fold competitive index). Here, we report that F-Asn is bacteriostatic to a fraB mutant (IC50 19 µM), but not to the wild-type or a fra island deletion mutant. We hypothesized that the presence of FraD kinase and absence of FraB deglycase causes build-up of a toxic metabolite: 6-phosphofructose-aspartate (6-P-F-Asp). We used biochemical assays to assess FraB and FraD activities, and mass spectrometry to confirm that the fraB mutant accumulates 6-P-F-Asp. These results, together with our finding that mutants lacking fraD or the fra island are not attenuated in mice, suggest that the extreme attenuation of a fraB mutant stems from 6-P-F-Asp toxicity. Salmonella FraB is therefore an excellent drug target, a prospect strengthened by the absence of the fra locus in most of the gut microbiota.

Inhibition by fructose 1,6-bisphosphate of transaldolase from Escherichia coli.

The effect of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (Fru 1,6-P2) on the regulatory enzymes of pentose phosphate pathway of Escherichia coli was examined. Fru 1,6-P2 inhibited E. coli transaldolase (EC 2.2.1.2) competitively against fructose 6-phosphate and uncompetitively against erythrose 4-phosphate, whereas Fru 1,6-P2 did not affect glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.44). Kinetic results can be explained by assuming that transaldolase has two kinds of binding sites for Fru 1,6-P2: a competitive binding site for fructose 6-phosphate and a second binding site on the enzyme-erythrose 4-phosphate complex. Fru 1,6-P2 increased resulting from the stimulation of glycolysis, can inhibit transaldolase and further participates in the elevation of the concentration of ribose 5-phosphate that can be preferentially utilized for anabolic reaction in exponential phase of E. coli.

Interaction of D-fructose and fructose 1-phosphate with yeast phosphofructokinase and its influence on glycolytic oscillations.

Fermentation of D-fructose- and D-glucose induced glycolytic oscillations of different period lengths in Saccharomyces carlsbergensis. Recent studies suggested, that D-fructose or one of its metabolites interacted with phosphofructokinase (ATP:D-fructo-6-phosphate 1-phosphofructokinase, EC 2.7.1.11), the core of the glycolytic 'oscillator'. In order to explore the kinetics of interaction, the influence of D-fructose and fructose 1-phosphate on purified yeast phosphofructokinase was studied. D-fructose concentrations up to 0.3 mM stimulated the enzyme, while a further increase led to competitive inhibition. The Hill coefficient for fructose 6-phosphate decreased from 2.8 to 1.0. Fructose 1-phosphate acted in a similar way, up to 1 mM activation and inhibition competitive to fructose 6-phosphate at higher concentration (2.0--3.5 mM) with the same effect on the Hill coefficient. The inhibition patterns obtained with D-fructose or fructose 1-phosphate suggest a sequential random reaction mechanism of yeast phosphofructokinase with fructose 6-phosphate and MgATP2-. The mode of interaction of phosphofructokinase with D-fructose and fructose 1-phosphate is discussed. The influence of both effectors resulted in altered enzyme kinetics, which may cause the different period lengths of glycolytic oscillations.

Human platelet 6-phosphofructokinase. Relation between inhibition by Mg-ATP2-and cooperativity towards fructose 6-phosphate and investigations on the formation of a ternary complex.

Human platelet 6-phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11) shows cooperativity towards Fru-6-P and is allosterically inhibited by high Mg-ATP2- concentrations. No relation could be demonstrated between the cooperativity towards Fru-6-P and the inhibition by Mg-ATP2-. Increasing the concentrations of Mg-ATP2- only raised the apparent Km values for Fru-6-P, but did not change the Hill constants. A possible formation of a Mg-ATP2--enzyme-Fru-6-P complex during catalysis was investigated. Our calculations suggest that such a ternary complex is indeed formed during the reaction.

Chemical specificity of pyruvate kinase from yeast.

Three analogs of phosphoenolpyruvic acid: (Z)-phosphoenol-3-fluoropyruvate, (Z)-phosphoenol-3-bromopyruvate and (Z)-phosphoenol-alpha-ketobutyrate were found to be substrates for yeast pyruvate kinase (ATP: pyruvate (Z)-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40)with maximal velocities much greater than those found for rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase. The analogs exhibited sigmoidal kinetics, which become hyperbolic upon addition of the allosteric effector, fructose 1,6-diphosphate. Moreover, the reaction of (Z)-phosphoenol-3-bromopyruvate with ADP to produce bromopyruvic acid and ATP irreversibly inhibited the enzyme with a half-life of 32 min.

The effect of monovalent and divalent cations on the activity of Streptococcus lactis C10 pyruvate kinase.

The pyruvate kinase (ATP: pyruvate 2-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) from Streptococcus lactis C10 had an obligatory requirement for both a monovalent cation and divalent cation. NH+4 and K+ activated the enzyme in a sigmoidal manner (nH =1.55) at similar concentrations, whereas Na+ and Li+ could only weakly activate the enzyme. Of eight divalent cations studied, only three (Co2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+) activated the enzyme. The remaining five divalent cations (Cu2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Ni2+ and Ba2+) inhibited the Mg2+ activated enzyme to varying degrees. (Cu2+ completely inhibited activity at 0.1 mM while Ba2+, the least potent inhibitor, caused 50% inhibition at 3.2 mM). In the presence of 1 mM fructose 1,6-diphosphate (Fru-1,6-P2) the enzyme showed a different kinetic response to each of the three activating divalent cations. For Co2+, Mn2+ and Mg2+ the Hill interaction coefficients (nH) were 1.6, 1.7 and 2.3 respectively and the respective divalent cation concentrations required for 50% maximum activity were 0.9, 0.46 and 0.9 mM. Only with Mn2+ as the divalent cation was there significatn activity in the absence of Fru-1,6-P2. When Mn2+ replaced Mg2+, the Fru-1,6-P2 activation changed from sigmoidal (nH = 2.0) to hyperbolic (nH = 1.0) kinetics and the Fru-1,6-P2 concentration required for 50% maximum activity decreased from 0.35 to 0.015 mM. The cooperativity of phosphoenolpyruvate binding increased (nH 1.2 to 1.8) and the value of the phosphoenolpyruvate concentration giving half maximal velocity decreased (0.18 to 0.015 mM phosphoenolyruvate) when Mg2+ was replaced by Mn2+ in the presence of 1 mM Fru-1,6-P2. The kinetic response to ADP was not altered significantly when Mn2+ was substituted for Mg2+. The effects of pH on the binding of phosphoenolpyruvate and Fru-1,6-P2 were different depending on whether Mg2+ or Mn2+ was the divalent cation.

Regulation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in spinach chloroplasts by ribulose 1,5-diphosphate and NADPH/NADP+ ratios.

The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) FROM SPINACH CHLOROPLASTS IS STRONGLY REGULATED BY THE RATIO OF NADPH/NADP+, with the extent of this regulation controlled by the concentration of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate. Other metabolites of the reductive pentose phosphate cycle are far less effective in mediating the regulation of the enzyme activity by NADPH/NADP+ ratio. With a ratio of NADPH/NADP+ of 2, and a concentration of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate of 0.6 mM, the activity of the enzyme is completely inhibited. This level of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate is well within the concentration range which has been reported for unicellular green algae photosynthesizing in vivo. Ratios of NADPH/NADP+ of 2.0 have been measured for isolated spinach chloroplasts in the light and under physiological conditions. Since ribulose 1,5-diphosphate is a metabolite unique to the reductive pentose phosphate cycle and inhibits glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the presence of NADPH/NADP+ ratios found in chloroplasts in the light, it is proposed that regulation of the oxidative pentose phosphate cycle is accomplished in vivo by the levels of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate, NADPH, and NADP+. It already has been shown that several key reactions of the reductive pentose phosphate cycle in chloroplasts are regulated by levels of NADPH/NADP+ or other electron-carrying cofactors, and at least one key-regulated step, the carboxylation reaction is strongly affected by 6-phosphogluconate, the metabolic unique to the oxidative pentose phosphate cycle. Thus there is an interesting inverse regulation system in chloroplasts, in which reduced/oxidized coenzymes provide a general regulatory mechanism. The reductive cycle is activated at high NADPH/NADP+ ratios where the oxidative cycle is inhibited, and ribulose 1,5-diphosphate and 6-phosphogluconate provide further control of the cycles, each regulating the cycle in which it is not a metabolite.

Purification and properties of pyruvate kinase from Streptococcus lactis.

The pyruvate kinase (ATP: pyruvate 2-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) of Streptococcus lactis C10 is activated by fructose 1,6-diphosphate (Fru-1,6-P2), activity being a sigmoidal function of activator concentration. The FDP0.5V (Fru-1,6-P2 concentration giving half-maximal velocity) is markedly increased in the presence of low concentrations of inorganic phosphate; 1 mM phosphate increases the FDP0.5V value 6-fold. Although the intracellular level of Fru-1,6-P2 (12-18 mM) in exponentially growing cells on the medium used is much greater than the FDP0.5V for pyruvate kinase (0.2 mM) as determined in triethanolamine-HCl buffer, a much higher Fru-1,6-P2 concentration may be required to activate the enzyme in vivo to overcome phosphate inhibition. Tris and maleate also inhibit the enzyme. At low concentrations of Fru-1,6-P2 (0.1 mM), reaction rate is a sigmoidal function of both phosphoenolpyruvate and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) concentrations; at near saturating concentrations of activator (1 mM) the response to varying ADP is hyperbolic while the response to varying phosphoenolpyruvate becomes much less sigmoidal. The affinity for both substrates (especially phosphoenolpyruvate) is also increased by increasing the concentration of Fru-1,6-P2. The affinity of the enzyme for guanosine disphosphate (GDP) is 12-13 times that for ADP under the assay conditions used. The Streptococcus lactis pyruvate kinase has a molecular weight of 240000 with a subunit molecular weight of 60000.

Regulation of human erythrocyte hexokinase. The influence of glycolytic intermediates and inorganic phosphate.

Human erythrocyte hexokinase (ATP: D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) was inhibited competitively with respect to MgATP2- by glucose-6-P (Ki - 10.8 muM) and fructose-6-P (Ki = 160 muM). Low concentrations of inorganic phosphate were competitive with respect to glucose-6-P and fructose-6-P, although higher concentrations of Pi were not able to overcome completely the inhibition by the hexose phosphates. The results are consistent with a model in which hexokinase exists in equilibrium either as free or phosphate-associated enzyme, the latter having a reduced but still substantial affinity for hexose phosphate. An alternative explanation could be found in the presence of two different enzymes, one with a high affinity for glucose-6-P being sensitive to regulation by Pi, one with a lower affinity for glucose-6-P being insensitive to Pi. A similar but less pronounced effect of Pi, was found on the inhibition by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (Ki = 4.0 mM). Pi in the absence of inhibitor was also a competitive inhibitor with respect to MgATP2- (Ki = 20 mM). Furthermore a competitive inhibition with respect to MgATP2- was found by fructose 1,6-diphosphate (Ki = 4.3 mM), glycerate-3-P (Ki = 3.8 mM), glycerate-2-P (Ki = 12.5 mM), MgADP- (Ki = 1.0 mM) and MgAMP (Ki = 1.7 mM).

Metabolic control of lactose entry in Escherichia coli.

A general method has been developed for determining the rate of entry of lactose into cells of Escherichia coli that contain beta-galactosidase. Lactose entry is measured by either the glucose or galactose released after lactose hydrolysis. Since lactose is hydrolyzed by beta-galactosidase as soon as it enters the cell, this assay measures the activity of the lactose transport system with respect to the translocation step. Using assays of glucose release, lactose entry was studied in strain GN2, which does not phosphorylate glucose. Lactose entry was stimulated 3-fold when cells were also presented with readily metabolizable substrates. Entry of omicron-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) was only slightly elevated (1.5-fold) under the same conditions. The effects of arsenate treatment and anaerobiosis suggest that lactose entry may be limited by the need for reextrusion of protons which enter during H+/sugar cotransport. Entry of omicron-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside is less dependent on the need for proton reextrusion, probably because the stoichiometry of H+/substrate cotransport is greater for lactose than for ONPG.

Stabilization of glucosaminephosphate synthase from rat liver by hexose 6-phosphates. Properties and interconversion of two molecular forms.

Glucosaminephosphate synthase (glucosaminephosphate isomerase (glutamine-forming), EC 5.3.1.19) prepared from rat liver by extraction in the presence of glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) followed by precipitation with (NH4)2SO4 is susceptible to digestion by trypsin. This enzyme, designated form A, can be converted to tryptic-insusceptible form B upon incubation with Glc-6-P or fructose 6-phosphate (Fru-6-P) at 37 degrees C. The two forms also differ in the degree of activation by dithiothreitol, the degree of inhibition by methyl-glyoxal and the behavior on DEAE-Sephadex and Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. During purification with DEAE-Sephadex followed by hydroxyapatite, form B is converted to form A if Fru-6-P is absent and form A to form B if Fru-6-P is present. The two forms are therefore intercovertible. Under the conditions of purification, form B is more stable than form A, since the purity and yield of the final product are greater with form B than with form A. These findings suggest that the two forms of glucosaminephosphate synthase differ conformationally and that the equilibrium position depends on the concentration of Fru-6-P. Glc-6-P is effective only when it gives rise to Fru-6-P by mediation of glucose-phosphate isomerase.