Question:
The respiratory pathway is believed to be a catabolic pathway. However, the nature of the TCA cycle is amphibolic. Explain.
Solution:
The respiratory pathway is believed to be a catabolic pathway because it breakdown the substrate. In the TCA cycle, the pyruvate is further broken down to Acetyl CoA,
and this Acetyl CoA can also be synthesized to fatty acid whenever it is required for fatty acid metabolism or synthesis. In this cycle both breakdown and synthesis take
place.