Control of glycolysis by orthophosphate and adenosine triphosphate in soluble extracts of germinating pea seeds.

Control of aerobic glycolysis by adenosine triphosphate and orthophosphate has been studied in cell-free extracts of germinating pea seeds. Orthophosphate accelerates glycolysis under all conditions studied. At high concentrations of magnesium ion ATP accelerates glycolysis, whereas at lower magnesium concentrations ATP severely inhibits glycolysis. The inhibitory effect of ATP is markedly relieved by orthophosphate. Metabolite analyses suggest an important regulatory role of phosphofructokinase and show that low ratios of F-6-P: FDP accompany the appearance of a high rate of glycolysis, and vice versa. Thus, ATP raises the F-6-P: FDP ratio at low magnesium levels, while Pi lowers this ratio. At high Mg(2+) (where ATP accelerates glycolysis), ATP causes a low F-6-P: FDP ratio to appear. At low Mg(2+) concentration, orthophosphate accelerates glycolysis by activation of phosphofructokinase; at high magnesium concentration, the chief effect of orthophosphate is its long-known role in facilitating the oxidation of triose phosphate.