Which statement best supports the hypothesis that glycolysis is an ancient metabolic pathway that originated before the last universal common ancestor of life on Earth?
A) Glycolysis is widespread and is found in the domains Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.
B) Glycolysis neither uses nor requires O₂.
C) Glycolysis is found in all eukaryotic cells.
D) The enzymes of glycolysis are found in the cytosol rather than in a membrane-enclosed organelle.
E) Ancient prokaryotic cells existed long before oxygen was present in Earth's atmosphere.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that glycolysis is found in all three domains of life (Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya) suggests that it evolved before the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) of life on Earth. LUCA is hypothesized to have been a simple prokaryotic organism, and the widespread occurrence of glycolysis across all three domains of life suggests that it could have been present in LUCA and possibly evolved even earlier. Additionally, the conserved nature of many of the enzymes involved in glycolysis also supports the idea that it is an ancient metabolic pathway.

Which Statement Best Supports the Hypothesis That Glycolysis Is an Ancient