Bacteroides is an anaerobic bacterium in your gut that undergoes fermentation to convert non-digestible carbohydrates into energy.
Which of the following toxins would most likely disrupt carbohydrate metabolism in Bacteroides?
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a
a toxin that causes a break-down at the electron transport chain
b
a toxin that inhibits the function of ATP synthase
c
a toxin that prevents the formation of Krebs cycle products
d
a toxin that inhibits the function during glycolysis
d
a toxin that inhibits the function during glycolysis
The correct answer is d) a toxin that inhibits the function during glycolysis. Glycolysis is the first step in the breakdown of carbohydrates to produce energy, and disrupting this process would disrupt carbohydrate metabolism in Bacteroides.
To determine which toxin would most likely disrupt carbohydrate metabolism in Bacteroides, we need to understand the process of carbohydrate metabolism in Bacteroides and then identify the toxin that could disrupt this process.
Carbohydrate metabolism in Bacteroides involves the fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrates into energy. This fermentation process occurs in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic conditions). Given that Bacteroides is an anaerobic bacterium, we can eliminate option A, which refers to a toxin that causes a breakdown at the electron transport chain. Electron transport chain is a process that occurs in the presence of oxygen (aerobic conditions) and is not directly involved in the carbohydrate fermentation process.
Next, let's examine the remaining options:
b) A toxin that inhibits the function of ATP synthase: ATP synthase is responsible for the production of ATP (energy) during cellular respiration. While ATP synthesis is important for overall energy production, it does not directly disrupt carbohydrate metabolism. Therefore, this option is unlikely to be the correct answer.
c) A toxin that prevents the formation of Krebs cycle products: The Krebs cycle (also known as the citric acid cycle) is involved in the oxidation of cellular fuels to produce energy in the form of ATP. However, this cycle is more closely associated with the metabolism of fats and sugars rather than non-digestible carbohydrates. Therefore, this option is also unlikely to disrupt carbohydrate metabolism in Bacteroides.
d) A toxin that inhibits the function during glycolysis: Glycolysis is the initial step in carbohydrate metabolism, which involves the breakdown of glucose into pyruvate. This step is crucial for the subsequent fermentation process that Bacteroides undergoes to convert non-digestible carbohydrates into energy. Therefore, inhibiting the function of glycolysis would indeed disrupt carbohydrate metabolism in Bacteroides.
Based on this analysis, the correct answer is option d, a toxin that inhibits the function during glycolysis.