A chemist has discovered a drug that blocks phosphoglucoisomerase, an enzyme that catalyzes the second reaction in glycolysis. He wants to use the drug to kill bacteria in people with infections. However, he cannot do this because __________.

• A. bacteria are prokaryotes; they usually do not need to perform glycolysis
• B. glycolysis produces so little ATP that the drug will have little effect
• C. this step in the pathway of glycolysis can be skipped in bacteria but not in humans
• D. glycolysis can occur without the action of enzymes
• E. human cells must also perform glycolysis; the drug might also poison them

Answer: (E)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the role of glycolysis: Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, generating ATP and NADH in the process. It is a crucial energy-producing pathway in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
2. Identify the enzyme's role: Phosphoglucoisomerase is the enzyme responsible for catalyzing the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to fructose-6-phosphate, which is the second step in glycolysis. Blocking this enzyme would halt the glycolytic pathway.
3. Consider the universality of glycolysis: Glycolysis is a fundamental process that occurs in almost all living cells, including both bacteria (prokaryotes) and human cells (eukaryotes). It is essential for energy production in cells that rely on glucose.
4. Evaluate the impact of blocking glycolysis: If the drug blocks phosphoglucoisomerase, it would inhibit glycolysis in both bacterial and human cells. This could lead to a lack of ATP production, affecting cell survival and function.
5. Conclude the potential risk: Since human cells also rely on glycolysis for energy, using a drug that inhibits this pathway could harm human cells as well as bacterial cells, making it unsafe for treating infections in humans.