The enzymatic properties of purified preparations of chicken liver and chicken skeletal muscle fructose bisphosphatases (D-fructose-1,6-bisphosphate 1-phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.11) were compared. Both enzymes have an absolute requirement for Mg2+ or Mn2+. The apparent Km for MgCl2 at pH 7.5 was 0.5 mM for the muscle enzyme and 5 mM for the liver enzyme. Fructose bisphosphate inhibited both enzymes. At pH 7.5, the inhibitor constants (Ki) were 0.18 and 1.3 mM for muscle and liver fructose bisphosphatases, respectively. The muscle enzyme was considerably more sensitive to AMP inhibition than the liver enzyme. At pH 7.5 and in the presence of 1 mM MgCl2, 50% inhibition of muscle and liver fructose bisphosphatases occurred at AMP concentrations of 7 X 10(-9) and 1 X 10(-6) M, respectively. EDTA activated both enzymes. The degree of activation was time and concentration dependent. The degree of EDTA activation of both enzymes decreased with increasing MgCl2 concentration. Ca2+ was a potent inhibitor of both liver (Ki, 1 X 10(-4) M) and muscle (Ki, 1 X 10(-5) M) fructose bisphosphatase. This inhibition was reversed by the presence of EDTA. Ca2+ appears to be a competitive inhibitor with regard to Mg2+. There is, however, a positive homeotropic interaction among Mg2+ sites of both enzymes in the presence of Ca2+.