Figure 4.

Schematic representation of the cytosolic oxidative pentose-phosphate pathway, adapted from Hauschild and Von Schaewen (2003). G6P (glucose-6-phosphate) is oxidized by G6PDH to yield 6-phospho-gluconate (6PG) and in the process reduces NADP to NADPH and functions in reducing oxidative damage, eventually leading to the production of ribulose-5-phosphate (R5P) and erythrose-4-phosphate (E4P), which are used for nucleotide synthesis (essential in the synthesis of aromatic amino acids) and defensive chemistry (such as glucosinolates) via the shikimate pathway, respectively.