In the pentose phosphate shunt, glucose 6-phosphate is oxidized to 6-phosphogluconate, which is then decarboxylated to ribulose 5-phosphate. What is the main metabolic role of this pathway?

The pentose phosphate is also known as the phosphogluconate pathway that links the different metabolic reaction with each other and runs in addition or parallel with the glycolysis. This is a type of anabolic reaction occur in the cell.

The main metabolic role of this way is the production of large number of NADPH. The intermediate Erythrose 4-phosphate of this pathway is used for the synthesis of the aromatic acid synthesis. The glycerol 3-phosphate is used for the production of ATP. The Ribose 5-phosphate is used as a precursor for the nucleic acid biosynthesis.

This pathway is essential for other biosynthetic pathways using NADPH

Explanation:

Glucose 6-phosphate can be metabolized by both the pentose phosphate pathway and the glycolytic pathway, however the path chosen depends on the concentration of the NADP + with in the cytoplasm.

There are two phases of this cycle - a) oxidative phase - NADPH is formed

And b) Non oxidative - formation of 5 carbon sugar.

This pathway fulfills the need of NADPH for further usage in reductive biosynthesis. Also the 5 carbon sugar is used in the production of nucleotides. It further converts the excess 5 carbon sugar into intermediate molecules required in the glycolytic pathway