The pentose phosphate pathway is a crucial metabolic route that serves multiple functions in the cell. It not only produces ribose for nucleotide synthesis but also contributes to glucose formation and generates NADPH, which is essential for biosynthetic reactions and antioxidant defense. This pathway operates in two major phases: the oxidative phase, responsible for producing NADPH, and the non-oxidative phase, which focuses on the synthesis of ribose and other sugars.
Oxidative Phase: (Glucose 6-P→ Ribose-5-P)
Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase:-
First enzymatic step in the oxidative phase, converting NADP+ to NADPH.
Glucose 6-phosphate → 6-phosphogluconate + H2O
Lactonase:-
Glucose 6-phosphate substrate is in the pyranose (hemiacetal) ring form with the carbon-5 oxygen linked to carbon-1, the initial product is an internal ester, 6-phosphoglucono δ-lactone, that is then cleaved by lactonase to yield 6-phosphogluconate.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase:-
This enzyme helps protect red blood cells from damage and premature destruction.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is responsible for the first step in the pentose phosphate pathway, a series of chemical reactions that convert glucose (a type of sugar found in most carbohydrates) to another sugar, ribose-5-phosphate.
Non-Oxidative Phase
Converts ribulose 5-phosphate to glucose 6-phosphate.Involves multiple enzyme-catalyzed steps.
Regulation of Pentose Phosphate Pathway
NADPH which is generated in the oxidative branch pathway to feed back and inhibit the pathway Glucose 6-phosphate can still be utilized by glycolysis.
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