Question

Write any three significances of pentose phosphate pathway

Answer 1

The pentose phosphate pathway is a metabolic pathway which is carried out in most of the organisms. This pathway occurs parallel to glycolysis. This pathway produces pentoses from Glucose 6-phosphate.The significance of pentose phosphate pathway:

(i) Pentose phosphate pathway provides an alternative route for carbohydrate breakdown.
(ii) It generates NADPH${}_2$molecules which are used as reductant in biosynthetic processes. Production of NADPH${}_2$ is not linked to ATP generation of pentose phosphate pathway.

(iii) It provides ribose sugar for the synthesis of nucleic acids.