Question

Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate and is observed in each of the three domains. The hexokinase family of enzymes is required during glycolysis to phosphorylate six-carbon sugars. Researchers designed a general hexokinase inhibitor that is effective in the neurons of rats.
Which of the following best predicts the effect of adding this inhibitor to a culture of plant cells?

Answer 1

Answer:

Plant cells will be unable to perform glycolysis due to the inhibitor and will die.

Explanation:

Glucose is  a  stable compound.To extract the  energy for metabolic activities , it must be broken down. The addition of inorganic Phosphate ions(Pi) to 6-carbon glucose compound in the presence of 2ATP  molecules is called Phosphorylation.And this step is necessary to breakdown glucose molecules  to obtained the energy contained as ATP. This phosphorylation  reaction is catalysed  by  the enzyme Hexokinase.

The 6Carbon-glucose is spitted to  6C-Fructose phosphate, which is later converted  to 6C-fructose biphosphate. The  the fructose biphosphate molecule is converted to 2 -molecules of 3Carbon compounds called triose phosphate.

The  Triphosphate   molecule is converted to Pyruvate, 2 ATPs  were produced per molecule of glucose.

Consequently, if  hexokinase enzyme  is inhibited , the  process of phosphorylation of glucose is blocked. Hence Glycolytic pathways that gives ATPs during   Pyruvate formation  can not occur.

Thus  biochemical reactions in the plant mitochondria  will seize, Gycolytic pathways, and therefore Glycolysis will   be inhibited. Thus  ATPs will not be synthesized.Therefore energy for basic physiological activities in  the plants will not occur, growth will be inhibited, leading to plants death.

Explanation:

Answer 2

Answer:

A hexokinase inhibitor will inhibit hexokinase enzyme in the plant cell. Thus the plant cell will not be able to perform glycolysis and will eventually die.

Explanation:

Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway and the first step of cellular respiration where the breakdown of glucose into pyruvic acid yields ATP as an energy source.Its a series of enzymatic reactions where 6 carbon ring of glucose is cleaved to 3 carbon pyruvate:

• In the first step, hexokinase enzyme phosphorylates glucose using ATP  as an energy source, and producing glucose 6 phosphate.
• Further along in the process, the six-carbon glucose molecule converts into intermediary compounds and is then split into two three-carbon compounds.
• ATP is generated during the latter stages of glycolysis. Overall four ATPs are synthsized, and two molecules are used in the process, thus net gain is two molecules
• Also, two NADH is also generated which is later used in electron transport system

Hexokinase is the enzyme used in the first step of glycolysis. If this enzyme is inhibited, the process of glycolysis will not proceed further.Hence when a hexokinase inhibitor is added, it inhibits the enzyme activity, glycolysis will be inhibited and eventually the plant will die