Pentose Phosphate Pathway Flashcards
What is the Pentose Phosphate Pathway?
The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is an interchange of metabolic pathways.
What are the 4 reasons why the PP pathway is important for cells?
a) an important source of NADPH
b) an important source of ribose-5-phosphate for nucleotide synthesis;
c) an interchange; and
d) a way to mix and match sugars according to the needs of cells.
How many oxidations does PPP have? What do they produce?
The cycle only has two oxidations, each of which produces NADPH.
How many isomerizations and carbon rearrangements are in PPP?
It has two isomerizations, and three sets of carbon rearrangements.
Carbon rearrangements are catalyzed by ___ when having 1 carbon swap and ___ when having a 2 carbon swap.
Carbon rearrangements are catalyzed by transaldolase (one carbon swaps) and transketolase (two carbon swaps).
How does the pathway direct itself?
The pathway doesn’t really have a beginning or an end and the direction it moves depends on what is available and what the cell needs.
What purpose do the highest concentration molecules play a role in and what do low concentration molecules play a role in?
Molecules in the highest concentration will serve as input sources for the pathway and molecules in the least abundance will serve as outputs of the pathway.
