Islet fructose 6-phosphate, 2-kinase:Fructose 2,6-bisphosphatase: Isozymic form, expression, and characterization

Polymerase chain reaction analysis of the mRNA isolated from rat islets demonstrated that the major isozyme of Fructose 6-P,2-kinase:Fructose 2,6-bisphosphatase was the heart type enzyme, and that the liver type enzyme was not detectable. The islet enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. The islet enzyme showed the highest Fructose 6-P,2-kinase activity (478 milliunits/mg) compared to the other isozymes and Fructose 2,6-Pase activity (39 milliunits/mg). Fructose 6-P,2-kinase showed K_m^F6P = 17 μM, which is within the range of in vivo Fru 6-P concentrations in islets. 6-P-Gluconate was a potent inhibitor of Fructose 2,6-Pase. The data suggest that Fructose 6-P,2-kinase activity of the bifunctional enzyme was high and Fructose 2,6-Pase activity was inhibited under physiological variations of blood glucose concentration.