[kabtq9s]

Our teacher gave us this chart (see link) and told us that he colored 3 of the pathways in Pink for a reason... we just have to figure out that reason. Any ideas?



Thank you

[Babcock_Hall]

It is a forum rule (see red link) that you must provide your thoughts before we can help you.  This question is easy, since you have all of the information you need in front of you.

[kabtq9s]

It is a forum rule (see red link) that you must provide your thoughts before we can help you.  This question is easy, since you have all of the information you need in front of you.

Sorry I didn't realize the red link.

Well at first I thought that both three were catabolic, but Gluconeo is both catabolic and anabolic. Then I thought that all shared the same products or reactants but none of them do.  The regulatory enzymes are also different, and the hormonal effects are also different.  The only thing I can think of is that they all generally end up in providing the body with energy, but again Glycolysis also has the same goal, so I'm not sure why it was not included.

[Arkcon]

Usually, when a student is presented with a bunch of facts, I suggest they build a table.  You already have one, and it didn't help.  Heh.

OK, try this.  Get a picture of the metabolic pathways.  Highlight these pathways you've been given, and try to link them to each other, on the big picture, in terms of products inhibiting each other. And let's see if we can build something of a mini-cycle pathway of just these reactions.  Maybe we can see what it means.

[Babcock_Hall]

I think that the categories of catabolic and anabolic (although useful in some ways) have the capacity to mislead the unwary.  It might be better to group the pathways into two other categories, those that are active when the organism has just eaten and those that are active when the organism has been fasting for a while.  There is often coordinate regulation of multiple pathways under those circumstances.  Arkcon made a good suggestion.

[Babcock_Hall]

@OP, Do glycogenolysis (breakdown of glycogen) and gluconeogenesis tend to converge toward the same or similar products?