Which of the following statements about the Entner-Doudoroff pathway is false?
a. It is a series of reactions that synthesizes glucose.
b. Its products are sometimes used to determine the presence of Pseudomonas.
c. It is a pathway of chemical reactions that catabolizes glucose.
d. It is an alternative pathway to glycolysis.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathway. It is a metabolic pathway used by some bacteria to break down glucose, producing energy and metabolic intermediates.
2. Step 2: Analyze option (a): 'It is a series of reactions that synthesizes glucose.' The ED pathway is primarily involved in glucose catabolism (breakdown), not synthesis, so this statement is likely false.
3. Step 3: Analyze option (b): 'Its products are sometimes used to determine the presence of Pseudomonas.' Some bacteria like Pseudomonas use the ED pathway, and detecting its products can help identify these bacteria, so this statement is true.
4. Step 4: Analyze option (c): 'It is a pathway of chemical reactions that catabolizes glucose.' This aligns with the known function of the ED pathway, so this statement is true.
5. Step 5: Analyze option (d): 'It is an alternative pathway to glycolysis.' The ED pathway is indeed an alternative to the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (glycolysis) pathway, so this statement is true.

Key Concepts

Entner-Doudoroff Pathway

The Entner-Doudoroff pathway is a metabolic route used by some bacteria to break down glucose into pyruvate and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. It serves as an alternative to the more common glycolysis pathway and is involved in glucose catabolism, not synthesis.

Glucose Catabolism vs. Synthesis

Glucose catabolism refers to the breakdown of glucose molecules to release energy, while glucose synthesis involves creating glucose from smaller molecules. The Entner-Doudoroff pathway is involved in catabolism, meaning it breaks down glucose rather than synthesizing it.

Microbial Identification Using Metabolic Pathways

Certain metabolic pathways and their products can be used as biochemical markers to identify specific bacteria. For example, the presence of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway products can help detect Pseudomonas species, which utilize this pathway distinctively compared to other microbes.