Carbohydrate metabolism in Brugia pahangi (Nematoda: Filarioidea)

Carbohydrate metabolism in Brugia pahangi (Nematoda:Filarioidea). International Journal for Parasitology 16: 465–469. Adult B. pahangi have a complete glycolytic sequence and tricarboxylic acid cycle. The activities of the glycolytic enzymes are extremely high, but their relative activities are similar to those found in other glycolytic tissues. A comparison of the mass action ratios of the glycolytic enzymes with their apparent equilibrium constants indicates that phosphorylase, hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase are non-equilibrium regulatory enzymes. There is also some evidence that aldolase may be pseudoregulatory. Adult B. pahangi have measurable amounts of fumarate reductase as well as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and NADP-linked malic enzyme. Apart from lactate. the only other acidic end-product detected was traces of alanine; lactate production was little affected by the presence or absence of oxygen, unless exogenous glucose was present.