Question

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 neither uses nor requires O₂.
b. Glycolysis is found in all eukaryotic cells.
c. The enzymes of glycolysis are found in the cytosol rather than in a membrane-enclosed organelle.
d. Glycolysis is widespread and is found in the domains Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.
e. Ancient prokaryotic cells existed long before oxygen was present in Earth's atmosphere.

Answer 1

The answer is d. Glycolysis is widespread and is found in the domains Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

Step-by-step explanation:

The domain Archaea is one of the most ancient and constant ones. Therefore, the presence of glycolysis processes in them shows how ancient is this metabolic pathway. Furthermore, the presence of it in all three domains exposes a synapomorphy of them all, indicating that the common ancestor presented the glycolysis process.