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?
bacteroides_63126c0ef2f59.jpg
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 inhibits the function during glycolysis
d
a toxin that prevents the formation of Krebs cycle products
c
a toxin that inhibits the function during glycolysis
The correct answer is c) a toxin that inhibits the function during glycolysis.
Glycolysis is the first step in carbohydrate metabolism, where glucose is broken down to produce energy. If a toxin inhibits the function of glycolysis, it would disrupt the metabolism of carbohydrates in Bacteroides.
To find the correct answer, we need to consider the process of carbohydrate metabolism in Bacteroides. It is mentioned that Bacteroides undergoes fermentation to convert non-digestible carbohydrates into energy.
Option a - a toxin that causes a break-down at the electron transport chain: The electron transport chain is not involved in carbohydrate metabolism through fermentation, so this toxin is unlikely to disrupt it.
Option b - a toxin that inhibits the function of ATP synthase: ATP synthase is responsible for the production of ATP, which is an energy molecule. While ATP synthase is involved in cellular respiration, it is not directly related to carbohydrate metabolism. Therefore, this toxin is also unlikely to disrupt carbohydrate metabolism.
Option c - a toxin that inhibits the function during glycolysis: Glycolysis is the initial step of carbohydrate metabolism, where glucose is converted into pyruvate. Inhibition of glycolysis would indeed disrupt the carbohydrate metabolism process in Bacteroides because it is the crucial step for generating energy through fermentation.
Option d - a toxin that prevents the formation of Krebs cycle products: The Krebs cycle, also known as the citric acid cycle, is not involved in carbohydrate metabolism through fermentation. It is primarily involved in aerobic respiration, which is not the main energy-production pathway for Bacteroides. Therefore, this toxin is unlikely to disrupt carbohydrate metabolism.
Based on the explanation above, option c - a toxin that inhibits the function during glycolysis - would most likely disrupt carbohydrate metabolism in Bacteroides.