Deoxyglucose6phosphate

Deoxyglucose-6-phosphate, often abbreviated as 2-DG-6-P or dGlc-6-P, is a modified form of glucose. It is structurally similar to glucose-6-phosphate, a key intermediate in glycolysis, but with a hydrogen atom replacing the hydroxyl group at the 2-position of the glucose molecule. This seemingly small alteration has significant functional consequences.

Enzymes involved in glucose metabolism, such as hexokinase, can phosphorylate deoxyglucose to form deoxyglucose-6-phosphate. However, once formed, 2-DG-6-P cannot be further metabolized by subsequent enzymes in the glycolytic pathway, particularly phosphoglucose isomerase, which converts glucose-6-phosphate to fructose-6-phosphate. This inability to proceed through glycolysis is due to the absence of the hydroxyl group at the 2-position, which is crucial for the isomerase reaction.

Consequently, 2-DG-6-P acts as an inhibitor of glycolysis by competing with glucose-6-phosphate for the active sites of enzymes. This competitive inhibition can lead to a buildup of phosphorylated sugars and a depletion of free glucose within the cell. This property has led to the investigation of deoxyglucose and its phosphorylated form in various biological contexts, including cancer research, where cells often exhibit increased glycolytic rates.