D-Xylulose 5-phosphate (D-xylulose-5-P) is an intermediate in the pentose phosphate pathway. It is a ketose sugar formed from ribulose-5-phosphate by ribulose-5-phosphate epimerase. In the non-oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway, xylulose-5-phosphate acts as a donor of two-carbon ketone groups in transketolase reactions.[1]
Xylulose-5-phosphate also plays a crucial role in the regulation of glycolysis through its interaction with the bifunctional enzyme PFK2/FBPase2. Specifically, it activates protein phosphatase, which then dephosphorylates PFK2/FBPase2. This inactivates the FBPase2 activity of the bifunctional enzyme and activates its PFK2 activity.[2] As a result, the production of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate increases, ultimately leading to an upregulation of glycolysis.[3]
Although previously thought of mainly as an intermediary in the pentose phosphate pathway, recent research reported that the sugar also has a role in gene expression, mainly by promoting the ChREBPtranscription factor in the well-fed state.[4][5] However, more recent study showed that D-glucose-6-phosphate, rather than D-xylulose-5-phosphate, is essential for the activation of ChREBP in response to glucose.[6]
^Nelson, David L.; Cox, Michael M.; Nelson, David L. (2013). Lehninger, Albert L. (ed.). Lehninger principles of biochemistry (6th ed.). Basingstoke: Macmillan Higher Education. p. 606. ISBN978-1-4292-3414-6.
^Dentin R, Tomas-Cobos L, Foufelle F, Leopold J, Girard J, Postic C, Ferré P (January 2012). "Glucose 6-phosphate, rather than xylulose 5-phosphate, is required for the activation of ChREBP in response to glucose in the liver". Journal of Hepatology. 56 (1): 199–209. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2011.07.019. PMID21835137.