Solution-Explain how the glycerol is produced | Homework Helpers

Trypanosoma brucei is the agent that causes African sleeping sickness in humans bitten by the tsetse fly. Glycolysis is unusual in this organism, providing an opportunity to create drugs that poison the parasite without harming humans. In T. brucei, the seven glycolytic enzymes converting glucose to 3-phosphoglycerate are localized in specialized peroxisome-like organelles called glycosome. One molecule of each glycerol and pyruvate are produced per molecule of glucose. The net ATP production is one molecule. Based on this information, compare and contrast the glycolysis pathways in T. brucei and other organisms (like human), and explain how the glycerol is produced and why only one net molecule of ATP is produced. What enzyme(s) do you think we can target to kill trypanosomes with minimum side effects on human. Rationalize your target(s). (Hint: How is glycerol produced and why only one ATP is generated in T. brucei).