Phosphogluconate pathway

Definition

The phosphogluconate pathway, also known as the pentose phosphate pathway, is a metabolic pathway parallel to glycolysis that generates NADPH and ribose-5-phosphate for anabolic reactions. This pathway is crucial for cellular processes like fatty acid synthesis and nucleotide biosynthesis.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. It operates in the cytoplasm of cells and is divided into an oxidative phase and a non-oxidative phase.
2. The oxidative phase produces NADPH, which is essential for reductive biosynthetic reactions in cells.
3. Ribose-5-phosphate produced in the non-oxidative phase is a precursor for nucleotide synthesis.
4. This pathway does not produce ATP directly but provides intermediates for other metabolic pathways.
5. The key regulatory enzyme in this pathway is glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD).

Related terms

Glycolysis:

A metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, yielding ATP and NADH.

NADPH:

A cofactor used in anabolic reactions, such as lipid and nucleic acid synthesis, generated by the oxidative phase of the phosphogluconate pathway.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD): The rate-limiting enzyme of the oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway that catalyzes the first step.