Question

In the pentose phosphate shunt, glucose 6-phosphate is oxidized to 6-phosphogluconate, which is then decarboxylated to ribulose 5-phosphate. What is the main metabolic role of this pathway?

Answer 1

Answer:

This pathway is essential for other biosynthetic pathways using NADPH

Explanation:

Glucose 6-phosphate can be metabolized by both the pentose phosphate pathway and the glycolytic pathway, however the path chosen depends on the concentration of the NADP+ with in the cytoplasm.  

There are two phases of this cycle – a) oxidative phase – NADPH is formed

And b) Non oxidative – formation of 5 carbon sugar.  

This pathway fulfills the need of NADPH  for further usage in reductive biosynthesis. Also the 5 carbon sugar is used in the production of nucleotides. It further converts the excess 5 carbon sugar into intermediate molecules required in the glycolytic pathway

Answer 2

Answer:

The pentose phosphate is also known as the phosphogluconate pathway that links the different metabolic reaction with each other and runs in addition or parallel with the glycolysis. This is a type of anabolic reaction occur in the cell.

The main metabolic role of this way is the production of large number of NADPH. The intermediate Erythrose 4-phosphate of this pathway is used for the synthesis of the aromatic acid synthesis. The glycerol 3-phosphate is used for the production of ATP. The Ribose 5-phosphate is used as a precursor for the nucleic acid biosynthesis.