Final answer:
1,3-bisphosphoglycerate is a true intermediate of the glycolytic pathway, playing a significant role in the formation of ATP, an essential energy molecule for cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate (1,3-BPG) is indeed an intermediate of the glycolytic pathway. During the energy-yielding phase of glycolysis, the enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate into 1,3-BPG. This high-energy molecule subsequently has one of its phosphate groups transferred to ADP by the enzyme phosphoglycerate kinase, forming ATP and 3-phosphoglycerate. Thus, 1,3-BPG plays a crucial role in the glycolytic pathway, as it is involved in the generation of ATP, which the cell can use as a direct source of energy.
The transformation from 1,3-BPG to 3-phosphoglycerate is a critical part of the process which yields ATP, a key molecule for cellular energy transfer. Therefore, the formation and utilization of 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate indicate its importance in the central metabolic pathways of the cell.