Question

If an aldol cleavage of glucose-6-phosphate occurs in glycolysis, it will result in

• A. products of equal carbon chain length
• B. products of unequal carbon chain length
• C. removal of phosphate group
• D. three C$_2$ compounds

Hint:

In carbohydrate metabolism, aldol cleavage of a hexose always produces two triose molecules.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Recall aldol cleavage in glycolysis.
In glycolysis, aldolase cleaves fructose-1,6-bisphosphate into two 3-carbon molecules: DHAP and GAP. The same logic applies when considering cleavage of a 6-carbon molecule like glucose-6-phosphate.
Step 2: Analyze possible products.
A 6-carbon compound split via aldol cleavage forms two 3-carbon fragments → equal chain length.
Step 3: Conclusion.
Thus, aldol cleavage yields products of equal carbon number (C3 + C3).