214
A. BETZ
oscillator. We know that some further conditions are necessary to make this
oscillator work, but we cannot decide precisely which of these accessory
conditions are really indispensable*.
The glycolytic oscillator is a suitable model for the study of biochemical
oscillators in general. We emphasize, however, that it is not an efficient
chronometric system, since it cannot enable an organism to effect absolute
timing. The frequency of glycolytic oscillations is dependent on temperature and needs a rather high energy of activation (some 14000 cal) [17b].
This pathway producing energy by the synthesis of A TP is involved in
nearly all metabolic activities of the organism. Therefore, it is not independent of other metabolic events. We should consider it as a model for
biochemical oscillators and study it with respect to the principal features
of similar oscillators. However, we should look out for other oscillating
systems, as some of them might be the real timing oscillators of organisms.
References
1. ASCHOFF, J., u. R. WEVER: Naturw. 49, 337 (1962).
2. BUNNING, E.: The Physiological Clock. New York: Springer 1967.
3. CHANCE, B.: In: The Mechanism of Enzyme Action. (W. D. McELROY and
B. GLASS, Eds.) Baltimore 1954.
4. DUYSENS, L. N. M., and J. AMESZ: BBA 24, 19 (1957).
5. MATTHAEI, J. H.: (personal communication).
6. GHOSH, A., and B. CHANCE,: BBRC 16,174 (1964).
7. CHANCE, B., B. HESS and A. BETZ: BBRC 16, 182 (1964).
8. FRENKEL, R.: ABB 115, 112 (1966).
9. PRESSMAN, B. c.: Federation Proceedings 24, 425 (1965).
10. LARDY, H. A.: Federation Proceedings 24, 424 (1965).
11. BETZ, A.: Physiol. Plant. 19, 1049 (1966).
12. HOMMES, F. A.: ABB 109, 168 (1965).
13. MAITRA, P.: BBRC 25, 462 (1966).
14. PYE, K. E.: (personal communication).
15. BOITEUX, A., and B. Hess,: 4. Meeting of the Fed. of Europ. Biochem. Soc.
(FEBS) Oslo 1967.
16. CHANCE, B., B. SCHOENER and S. ELSAESSER: Proc. Ntl. Acad. Sci. 52, 337
(1964).
17a. BETZ, A., and B. CHANCE: ABB 109, 585 (1965).
17b. - - ABB 109,579 (1965).
18. - Europ. J. Biochem. 4, 354 (1968).
19. - - and R. HINRICHS: Europ. J. Biochem. 5, 154 (1968).
* Addition at proof: In the meantime theoretical considerations of SEL'KOV
(Europ. J. Biochem. 4, 79, 1968) suggested to recheck the kinetics of yeast PFK
under conditions simulating those of the cellfree yeast extract. In that case only
F-6-P and most drastically AMP are efficient control chemicals (BETZ, A.: Abstracts, 5th FEBS meeting, 62, Prague 1968). Oscillating glycolysis in yeast extracts
fits well with SEL'KOV'S model (SEL'KOV, E. E., Abstracts, 5th FEBS meeting, 240,
Prague 1968; SEL'KOV, E. E. and BETZ, A., Symposium on short term oscillations,
Prague 1969, in press).
A. BETZ
oscillator. We know that some further conditions are necessary to make this
oscillator work, but we cannot decide precisely which of these accessory
conditions are really indispensable*.
The glycolytic oscillator is a suitable model for the study of biochemical
oscillators in general. We emphasize, however, that it is not an efficient
chronometric system, since it cannot enable an organism to effect absolute
timing. The frequency of glycolytic oscillations is dependent on temperature and needs a rather high energy of activation (some 14000 cal) [17b].
This pathway producing energy by the synthesis of A TP is involved in
nearly all metabolic activities of the organism. Therefore, it is not independent of other metabolic events. We should consider it as a model for
biochemical oscillators and study it with respect to the principal features
of similar oscillators. However, we should look out for other oscillating
systems, as some of them might be the real timing oscillators of organisms.
References
1. ASCHOFF, J., u. R. WEVER: Naturw. 49, 337 (1962).
2. BUNNING, E.: The Physiological Clock. New York: Springer 1967.
3. CHANCE, B.: In: The Mechanism of Enzyme Action. (W. D. McELROY and
B. GLASS, Eds.) Baltimore 1954.
4. DUYSENS, L. N. M., and J. AMESZ: BBA 24, 19 (1957).
5. MATTHAEI, J. H.: (personal communication).
6. GHOSH, A., and B. CHANCE,: BBRC 16,174 (1964).
7. CHANCE, B., B. HESS and A. BETZ: BBRC 16, 182 (1964).
8. FRENKEL, R.: ABB 115, 112 (1966).
9. PRESSMAN, B. c.: Federation Proceedings 24, 425 (1965).
10. LARDY, H. A.: Federation Proceedings 24, 424 (1965).
11. BETZ, A.: Physiol. Plant. 19, 1049 (1966).
12. HOMMES, F. A.: ABB 109, 168 (1965).
13. MAITRA, P.: BBRC 25, 462 (1966).
14. PYE, K. E.: (personal communication).
15. BOITEUX, A., and B. Hess,: 4. Meeting of the Fed. of Europ. Biochem. Soc.
(FEBS) Oslo 1967.
16. CHANCE, B., B. SCHOENER and S. ELSAESSER: Proc. Ntl. Acad. Sci. 52, 337
(1964).
17a. BETZ, A., and B. CHANCE: ABB 109, 585 (1965).
17b. - - ABB 109,579 (1965).
18. - Europ. J. Biochem. 4, 354 (1968).
19. - - and R. HINRICHS: Europ. J. Biochem. 5, 154 (1968).
* Addition at proof: In the meantime theoretical considerations of SEL'KOV
(Europ. J. Biochem. 4, 79, 1968) suggested to recheck the kinetics of yeast PFK
under conditions simulating those of the cellfree yeast extract. In that case only
F-6-P and most drastically AMP are efficient control chemicals (BETZ, A.: Abstracts, 5th FEBS meeting, 62, Prague 1968). Oscillating glycolysis in yeast extracts
fits well with SEL'KOV'S model (SEL'KOV, E. E., Abstracts, 5th FEBS meeting, 240,
Prague 1968; SEL'KOV, E. E. and BETZ, A., Symposium on short term oscillations,
Prague 1969, in press).