Final answer:
The enzyme phosphoglucose isomerase catalyzes the conversion of glucose 6-phosphate into fructose 6-phosphate as a part of the glycolytic pathway.
So, the correct answer is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enzyme phosphoglucose isomerase catalyzes the conversion of glucose 6-phosphate into fructose 6-phosphate. This reversible reaction is a critical step in the metabolic pathway known as glycolysis. Phosphoglucose isomerase functions as an isomerase, which is a type of enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of a molecule into one of its isomers, changing its structure without altering its molecular formula.
In glycolysis, this conversion is important because it prepares the sugar molecule for subsequent steps that will ultimately split it into two three-carbon molecules. Unlike the action of phosphofructokinase, which catalyzes the conversion of fructose 6-phosphate into fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, the job of phosphoglucose isomerase is to rearrange the inner structure of the sugar molecule, not to add additional phosphate groups.
So, the correct answer is C.