Z mobilis is great at ethanol fermentation partly because it

Z. mobilis is great at ethanol fermentation partly because it blocks other commonly used pathways for glucose metabolism. The absence of what specific enzyme prevents Z. mobilis from undergoing glycolysis. Why is the absence of this specific enzyme a good (evolutionary) choice for blocking glycolysis?

Solution

Answer: The absence of phosphofructokinase enzyme prevents Z.mobilis from undergoing glycolysis.

Because of absence of phosphofructokinase enzyme Z. mobilis uses Entner-Doudoroff pathway to metabolize glucose instead of EMP pathway. Z. mobilis degrades sugars to pyruvate using the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. The pyruvate is then fermented to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide as the only products.Yeast can only convert glucose to ethanol and not the five carbon sugar, xylose (commonly found in biomass) while Z. mobilis utilizes the Entner-Doudoroff pathway to ferment glucose, fructose and sucrose to pyruvate.