Effect of vanadate on the formation and stability of the phosphoenzyme forms of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate-dependent phosphoglycerate mutase and of phosphoglucomutase.

2,3-Bisphosphoglycerate-dependent phosphoglycerate mutase (2,3-bisphospho-D-glycerate:2-phospho-D-glycerate phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.5.3) and phosphoglucomutase (alpha-D-glucose-1,6-bisphosphate:alpha -D-glucose-1-phosphate phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.5.1), which are markedly inhibited by vanadate, possess a ping-pong mechanism involving an intermediate phosphoenzyme. The formation and the stability of these phosphoenzymes have been examined spectrophotometrically in the absence of vanadate. Vanadate does not inhibit the phosphorylation of either mutase by its cofactor. The instability of the phosphoenzyme form of phosphoglycerate mutase increases in the presence of vanadate, but the stability of the phosphorylated phosphoglucomutase is not affected.