Final answer:
Isomerases are enzymes that catalyze the rearrangement of atoms within molecules, such as the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to fructose-6-phosphate. They do not transfer groups between molecules, break down molecules into components, assemble molecules, or engage in oxidation-reduction reactions. Therefore, the answer to the student's question is A) atoms in biomolecules are rearranged.
Step-by-step explanation:
Isomerases are a group of enzymes that catalyze the rearrangement of atoms within a molecule. They play a crucial role in various biochemical pathways by converting one isomer into another; this includes converting cis to trans isomers or D to L stereoisomers. A common example of an isomerization reaction is the phosphohexose isomerase activity that converts glucose-6-phosphate into fructose-6-phosphate in carbohydrate metabolism.
Other categories of enzymes include oxidoreductases that catalyze oxidation-reduction reactions, transferases that transfer functional groups from one molecule to another, hydrolases that catalyze the hydrolysis of various bonds, lyases that break bonds in molecules by means other than hydrolysis and oxidation, and ligases which join two molecules with the input of ATP.
Given the described functions of isomerases, the correct answer to the student's question is A) atoms in biomolecules are rearranged. This enzyme category does not directly participate in transfer of groups between molecules, breakdown of biomolecules into their component parts, assembly of biomolecules from smaller molecules, or oxidation-reduction reactions, which are the functions of other enzyme classes.