Response of the glycolysis of human erythrocytes to the transition from the oxygenated to the deoxygenated state at constant intracellular pH.

The time course of the rate of the glycolysis of human erythrocytes and of some metabolites were determined before and after rapid deoxygenation at constant intracellular pH. For this purpose stripped deoxygenated haemoglobin was used as a rapid oxygen acceptor. Deoxygenation causes an increase of the glycolytic rate by 26%. Glucose 6-phosphate is decreased while the adenine nucleotides and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate remain constant. Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate and the triose phosphates decrease transiently before rising. The data can be explained by increased binding of phosphocompounds to deoxygenated as compared with oxygenated haemoglobin. Thereby the control enzymes hexokinase and phosphofructokinase are influenced. It is concluded that under physiological conditions changes in the oxygenation state of haemoglobin per se alter the glycolytic rate.