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Control of Glycolytic Oscillations by Temperature

Thomas Mair ^*, Christian Warnke ^*, Kinko Tsuji  and Stefan C. Müller ^*

^* Otto-von-Guericke-Universitaet Magdeburg, Institut für Experimentelle Physik, Abteilung Biophysik, D-39106 Magdeburg, Germany; and Shimadzu Deutschland GmbH, D-47269 Duisburg, Germany

Correspondence: Address reprint requests to Dr. Thomas Mair, Otto-von-Guericke-Universitaet Magdeburg, Institute of Experimental Physics, Group of Biophysics, Universitaetsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany. E-mail: thomas.mair{at}physik.uni-magdeburg.de.

External control of oscillatory glycolysis in yeast extract has been performed by application of either homogeneous temperature oscillations or stationary, spatial temperature gradients. Entrainment of the glycolytic oscillations by the 1/2- and 1/3-harmonic, as well as the fundamental input frequency, could be observed. From the phase response curve to a single temperature pulse, a distinct sensitivity of NADH-oxidizing processes, compared with NAD-reducing processes, is visible. Determination of glycolytic intermediates shows that the feedback-regulated phosphofructokinase as well as the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase are the most temperature-sensitive steps of glycolysis. We also find strong concentration changes in ATP and AMP at varying temperatures and, accordingly, in the energy charge. Construction of a feedback loop for spatial control of temperature by means of a Peltier element allowed us to apply a temperature gradient to the yeast extract. With this setup it is possible to initiate traveling waves and to control the wave velocity.