Study reveals phosphofructokinase condensation is regulated by metabolic and redox signals in yeast
Researchers found that phosphofructokinase, a key glycolysis enzyme, forms granules in yeast cells through a process regulated by metabolic state and reactive oxygen species signaling. The condensation occurs independently of stress or cell division and is linked to whether cells use fermentation or respiration for energy. This discovery suggests cells actively control enzyme organization in response to their metabolic needs.
A new study published on bioRxiv demonstrates that phosphofructokinase (PFK), the rate-limiting enzyme of glycolysis, assembles into granules in yeast through mechanisms previously not well understood. The research shows that both PFK subunits (Pfk1 and Pfk2) can form these granules even without external stress, and that granule formation is independent of cell division or replicative aging. Notably, the researchers found that PFK granules are largely absent in cells performing respiration but form abundantly during metabolic transitions from fermentation to respiration, indicating tight coupling between enzyme condensation and cellular metabolic strategy. Additionally, reactive oxygen species signaling through the enzyme superoxide dismutase 1 (Sod1) modulates granule formation, with Sod1-deficient cells showing impaired assembly. These findings suggest that cells dynamically regulate enzyme organization through both metabolic and redox signals.
Limitations & open questions
The study's own limitations and open questions are not detailed in the abstract provided, such as whether findings in yeast model systems translate to other organisms, the functional consequences of PFK granule formation for glycolytic flux, or the molecular mechanisms by which metabolic state and redox signals trigger condensation.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
Dynamics of phosphofructokinase condensation are regulated by metabolic and redox cues
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