Biochemistry : Carbohydrate Metabolism

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Biochemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Glycolysis Enzymes

The enzyme enolase catalyzes the ninth reaction of glycolysis. What is the product of this reaction?

Possible Answers:

Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)

glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P)

Dihydroxyacetone phosphate

Pyruvate

Correct answer:

Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)

Explanation:

The ninth reaction involves the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate into phosphoenolpyruvate. The enzyme enolase, which produces a double bond by removing the hydroxyl group on 2-phosphoglycerate catalyzes this reaction. Note that the resulting molecule is an enol (double bond -ene, and alcohol - ol).

Example Question #2 : Glycolysis Enzymes

Which of the following best describes the action of an isomerase?

Possible Answers:

Rearranges a molecule without changing the molecular formula

Reduces high energy molecules such as 

Creates a double bond in the molecule

Changes the molecular formula of a molecule

Correct answer:

Rearranges a molecule without changing the molecular formula

Explanation:

Isomerases catalyze the isomerization, or rearrangement of atoms within a molecule, of its substrate. Isomerases are seen in glycolysis inn the second step where glucose-6-phosphate is converted into fructose-6-phosphate by phosphoglucose isomerase. Glucose-6-phosphate is rearranged into fructose-6-phosphate such that the molecular formula is unchanged. Another isomerase is triose phosphate isomerase. It catalyzes the isomerization of dihydroxyacetone phosphate to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. 

Example Question #3 : Glycolysis Enzymes

Which of the ten glucose reactions uses the enzyme GAPDH?

Possible Answers:

Seventh

Third

Sixth

First

Correct answer:

Sixth

Explanation:

Glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is used in the sixth reaction, where G3P is converted to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate (1,3-BPG). A hydrogen is removed from G3P and added to , yielding NADH. Also, G3P has one phosphate group, while 1,3-BPG has two. The energy released as G3P is oxidized (causing subsequent reduction of ) is highly exergonic. This energy, sometimes referred to as the energy of oxidation, drives the addition of inorganic phosphate onto G3P, yielding the doubly-phosphorylated 1,3-BPG. 

Example Question #1 : Glycolysis Enzymes

Which enzyme in glycolysis is responsible for the conversion of glucose to glucose 6-phosphate?

Possible Answers:

Phosphofructokinase

Triose phosphate isomerase

Phosphoglucose isomerase

Aldolase

Hexokinase

Correct answer:

Hexokinase

Explanation:

Hexokinase is the first enzyme in the glycolytic pathway and it is responsible for the phosphorylation of glucose to glucose 6-phosphate. The other enzymes catalyze subsequent reactions in glycolysis.

Example Question #1 : Glycolysis Enzymes

Which of the following enzymes catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glycolysis?

Possible Answers:

Lactate dehydrogenase

Pyruvate kinase

Phosphofructokinase

Hexokinase

Correct answer:

Phosphofructokinase

Explanation:

The rate-limiting step of glycolysis is the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to fructose-6-phosphate. This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme phosphofructokinase. Hexokinase catalyzes the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate, pyruvate kinase converts Phosphoenolpyruvate to pyruvate, and lactate dehydrogenase converts pyruvate into lactose.

Example Question #3 : Glycolysis Enzymes

Which of the following enzymes carries out a redox reaction in glycolysis?

Possible Answers:

Aldolase

Pyruvate kinase

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Phosphoglucose isomerase

Correct answer:

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Explanation:

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase is the only enzyme in glycolysis that carries out a redox reaction. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate is oxidized to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate while  is reduced to

Example Question #6 : Glycolysis

Which of the following choices is responsible for the decarboxylation in the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex?

Possible Answers:

Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP)

Lipoamide

FAD

CoA

Correct answer:

Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP)

Explanation:

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex essentially carries out a two part reaction: a decarboxylation and an oxidation. All these choices play important roles in the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) is the only choice, however, that is responsible for the decarboxylation step. Lipoamide acts as transporter, transferring the substrate to a distant active site. FAD then reoxidizes lipoamide for the next substrate. CoA is important in producing the substrate.

Example Question #11 : Glycolysis

Which of the following enzymes is found in glycolysis?

Possible Answers:

Aconitase

None of these enzymes are found in glycolysis

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase

Thiolase

Aldolase

Correct answer:

Aldolase

Explanation:

To see which of the enzymes in these answer choices may by in glycolysis, let's go through each one and look at their function.

Aldolase - This enzyme is indeed involved in glycolysis. It is responsible for the cleavage of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate into two products, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate.

Thiolase - This enzyme catalyzes the the reversible association of two acetyl-CoA molecules into acetoacetyl-CoA. This is an important part of the mevalonate pathway as well as beta oxidation and ketone body synthesis/degradation.

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase - This enzyme is important in gluconeogenesis, a metabolic pathway that runs counter to glycolysis. Although many of the enzymes found in glycolysis are also used in gluconeogenesis, this enzyme is one example of an exception because it bypasses one of the irreversible reactions from glycolysis.

Aconitase - This enzyme is found in the citric acid cycle. Its function is to convert citrate into its isomer, isocitrate.

Example Question #11 : Glycolysis Enzymes

The enzyme hexokinase catalyzes the first step of glycolysis, and is crucial to initiating the process and preventing the initial substrate from easily traveling out of the cell (as its pre-reaction structure is membrane permeable). Specifically in the context of glycolysis, what are the names of hexokinase's substrate and product, respectively?

Possible Answers:

Glucose, glucose-6-phosphate

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, glucose-6-phosphate

Glycogen, glycogen-6-phosphate

Glucose, fructose-6-phosphate

Glucose, ATP

Correct answer:

Glucose, glucose-6-phosphate

Explanation:

Hexokinase initiates the first step of glycolysis, which we know is the series of reactions by which glucose is processed to enter the citric acid cycle, and generate energy for the cell. So, in the case of glycolysis, glucose is the substrate of hexokinase. Based upon the name of the enzyme, we can infer that it phosphorylates a six-carbon molecule (which glucose is). By knowing the substrate is glucose, the correct product is glucose-6-phosphate, since its name indicates phosphorylation (addition of a phosphate group) to one of its carbons. Glycogen, fructose, and ATP are not involved in this first step of glycolysis. 

Example Question #12 : Carbohydrate Metabolism

Which enzyme catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glycolysis?

Possible Answers:

Phosphofructokinase (PFK)

Hexokinase 

Citrate synthase 

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 

Pyruvate kinase

Correct answer:

Phosphofructokinase (PFK)

Explanation:

Hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and PFK are regulatory enzymes in glycolysis, but PFK catalyzes the rate-limiting step (the phosphorylation of fructose-6-phosphate). Citrate synthase and isocitrate dehydrogenase are involved in the Krebs cycle, not glycolysis.

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