Genomic Characterization of Phosphofructokinase Gene Families

The phosphofructokinase (PFK) gene family encodes key rate-limiting enzymes in glycolysis, catalysing the phosphorylation of fructose-6-phosphate to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate. Members divide into ATP-dependent PFKs and pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinases (PFPs), each exhibiting distinct regulatory and kinetic properties. Genomic surveys across plants, fungi and animals have revealed extensive gene duplication, diversification of catalytic subunits and lineage-specific expansions. Phylogenetic analysis clarifies evolutionary relationships, distinguishing ancestral PPi-utilising enzymes from the widely conserved ATP-dependent forms. Advances in structural biology, including cryo-electron microscopy, have resolved allosteric sites and conformational transitions, illuminating mechanisms of regulation by metabolites such as fructose-2,6-bisphosphate and ATP. Integrative approaches combining gene family annotation, transcript profiling under abiotic stresses and protein structural studies are uncovering how PFK variants contribute to metabolic flexibility, stress resilience and developmental programmes. These insights inform strategies for crop improvement, metabolic engineering and the design of small-molecule modulators of human PFK in metabolic disease and infection.

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Genomic Characterization of Phosphofructokinase Gene Families publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in genomic characterization of phosphofructokinase gene families across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Phosphofructokinase (PFK): An enzyme that catalyses the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of fructose-6-phosphate in glycolysis.

Pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase (PFP): A variant enzyme that uses inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) to phosphorylate fructose-6-phosphate, often in stress conditions.

Glycolysis: A central metabolic pathway converting glucose to pyruvate with generation of ATP and NADH.

Allosteric regulation: Modulation of an enzyme’s activity through binding of effectors at sites distinct from the catalytic centre.

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM): A structural biology technique that visualises macromolecular assemblies at near-atomic resolution in a frozen hydrated state.

References

1. The more we learn, the more diverse it gets: structures, functions and evolution in the Phosphofructokinase Superfamily. Biochemical Journal (2025).
2. Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis Elucidates the Potential Role of PFK Gene Family in Drought Stress Tolerance and Sugar Metabolism in Cotton. Frontiers in Genetics (2022).
3. Genome-wide survey of the phosphofructokinase family in cassava and functional characterization in response to oxygen-deficient stress. BMC Plant Biology (2021).
4. Genome-Wide Analysis, Identification, and Characterization of the PFK Gene Family Members of Populus deltoides. Forests (2023).