The effect of selected metals on the central metabolic pathways in biology: A review

Abstract

In South Africa, mining and industrial activity may cause toxic substances including metals to pollute surface and ground water resources. Furthermore, there is an increased public awareness regarding pesticides, fertilisers, agricultural products and metals that might endanger our indigenous fish populations and aquatic ecosystems. This is mainly because humans use these natural resources as food and water supplies and are therefore also exposed to products polluting these resources. Of particular concern is the exposure of bio-organisms to metal pollution, as it is known that metals act as mutagenic/geno toxic compounds, interfere with xenobiotic metabolic pathways, and may also affect glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, protein amino acid metabolism as well as carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the two phases of the central metabolic pathways, as well as how metals affect the different enzymes and metabolic processes in these pathways.

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