Hormonal effects on structure and catalytic properties of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase.

Gluconeogenic conditions, such as administration of triamcinolone or alloxan diabetes, cause the following changes in the molecular structure and properties of rabbit liver fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (D-fructose-1,6-bisphosphate 1-phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.11): (1) the appearance of traces (about 10%) of a lighter subunit; (2) loss of tryptophan from all of the subunits, including those that show no apparent change in molecular weight; (3) increase in requirement for the positive allosteric effector, histidine; (4) increase in amount of enzyme, but not its specific activity. These changes are identical to those induced by cold or fasting, and are related to increased activities of lysosomal proteases. The results suggest that lysosomes may act as mediators of gluconeogenic stimuli.