Question

5. There are many cases of human disease in which one or another enzyme activity is lacking due to genetic mutation. However, cases in which individuals lack one of the enzymes of the citric acid cycle are extremely rare. Why

Answer 1

The citric acid cycle is fundamental to produce the energy needed for aerobic cell metabolism, thereby mutations in the enzymes involved in this metabolic pathway would be lethal to the individual

Step-by-step explanation:

In aerobic organisms, the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle), is a key metabolic pathway used to remove electrons and uses them in the electron transport chain in order to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell. The citric acid cycle depends on eight enzymes that oxidize acetyl-CoA into two molecules each of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). Thus, the citric acid cycle is a series of chemical reactions that are key to breakdown carbohydrates, fats and proteins into CO2 and H2O in order to produce energy (ATP).