Several bisphosphonates were examined as inhibitors of yeast GPD (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, EC 1.2.1.12) and PGK (phosphoglycerate kinase, EC 2.7.2.3). The phosphonomethyl analog of 2-deoxy-1,3-bisphosphoglycerate (i.e., 2-oxo-1,5-bisphosphonopentane, 2-oxo-PC5P) is a good inhibitor of PGK (K(i) = 0.2 +/- 0.08 mM at pH 8.5, 27-degrees-C) and a poor inhibitor of GPD (K(i) = 20 +/- 1 mM, pH 8.5). The shorter, butane, analog (2-oxo-PC4P) binds more tightly to PGK (K(i) = 84 +/- 6 muM), and about equally well to GPD, as does 2-oxo-PC5P. The 2-oxo-bisphosphonates bind to PGK more tightly (by approx. 4 kJ/mol) than do the corresponding non-carbonyl analogues (1,4-bisphosphonobutane and 1,5-bisphosphonopentane).