Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate and other metabolites and enzymes in the process of cold-induced lethargy and starvation in lizard liver

Abstract

1. 1. The levels of the metabolites fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, glycogen, ATP and ADP have been determined in the lizard liver along the process of cold induced lethargy and starvation. 2. 2. The levels of the key glycolytic enzymes glucokinase plus hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, and lactic dehydrogenase have been also measured along the process. With the exception of glucokinase plus hexokinase, all the enzymes behave in the same way in both treatments. On the other hand the enzyme phosphofructokinase is strongly affected by short term exposure to cold. 3. 3. The data reported here show a similar long term response pattern of liver glycolysis to the conditions of cold exposure and starvation. Moreover, the behavior of metabolites and enzymes is very similar to that observed in mammalian starvation, except for glycogen.