glükoso6fosfaadiks

Glükoso6fosfaadiks, also known as glucose-6-phosphate, is a crucial intermediate molecule in cellular metabolism. It is the first molecule formed when glucose enters a cell and is phosphorylated by the enzyme hexokinase. This phosphorylation traps glucose within the cell, preventing it from diffusing out, and primes it for further metabolic reactions.

Glucose-6-phosphate plays a central role in several vital biochemical pathways. It is a key substrate in glycolysis, the process of breaking down glucose to produce ATP, the cell's primary energy currency. Additionally, it is a precursor for the synthesis of glycogen, the storage form of glucose in animals and fungi, and starch, the storage form in plants. In the pentose phosphate pathway, glucose-6-phosphate is oxidized to produce NADPH, a reducing agent essential for various biosynthetic processes and for protecting cells against oxidative stress, and ribose-5-phosphate, a precursor for nucleotide and nucleic acid synthesis.

The interconversion between glucose-6-phosphate and glucose is catalyzed by glucose-6-phosphatase, an enzyme primarily found in the liver and kidneys. This enzyme is important for maintaining blood glucose homeostasis, as it can release free glucose into the bloodstream when needed. Defects in glucose-6-phosphate metabolism can lead to various metabolic disorders, such as glycogen storage diseases.