The structure of "activation factor" for phosphofructokinase.

The "activation factor" for phosphofructokinase was shown by chemical analysis, by synthesis, and by 13C NMR spectroscopy to be beta-D-fructose-2,6-P2. This compound was prepared from D-fructose-1,2-cyclic 6-P2 by alkaline hydrolysis. D-Fructose-1,2-cyclic 6-P2 is ineffective in activating phosphofructokinase while synthetic D-fructose-2,6-P2 has the same specific activity toward phosphofructokinase as the "activation factor" isolated from rat liver, and it exhibits the same characteristics on paper and ion exchange chromatography. Acid treatment of both the synthetic and the natural product destroys the biological activity and yields 1 mol each of fructose-6-P and Pi; alkaline phosphatase treatment of the compound followed with acid hydrolysis yields fructose. The natural abundance 13C NMR spectra of the synthetically prepared and purified D-fructose-1,2-cyclic 6-P2 and D-fructose-2,6-P2 have been obtained and all resonances have been assigned. The spectra also show that both samples contain predominantly one anomer and the 13C chemical shifts and 31P-13C coupling constants are consistent only with the beta-anomer.