Molecular cloning of phosphofructokinase 1 gene from a thermophilic bacterium, Thermus thermophilus

Phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK1) from Thermus thermophilus differs from other bacterial PFKs in that it is regulated by effector-induced reversible tetramer-dimer conversion rather than conformational change alone. We have cloned its gene and the deduced amino acid sequence was compared with that of other PFKs. While almost all amino acid residues involved in substrate binding sites, which are assigned from crystal structures of other PFKs, are well conserved, some possibly important changes are found at subunit interfaces.