What are DHAP and glyceraldehyde produced from when fructose is cleaved by aldolase B?

The correct answer that explains the production of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and glyceraldehyde involves understanding the metabolic pathway of fructose. In the liver, fructose is metabolized when it is phosphorylated by fructokinase to form fructose-1-phosphate. This step is critical to prepare it for subsequent cleavage.

Aldolase B then acts on fructose-1-phosphate, catalyzing its cleavage into DHAP and glyceraldehyde. This reaction is pivotal because it represents the conversion of a six-carbon sugar into two three-carbon intermediates, which are important for various metabolic pathways, particularly glycolysis.

Knowing this, the production of DHAP and glyceraldehyde specifically stems from the direct cleavage of fructose, emphasizing fructose itself as the starting molecule in this biochemical reaction. Through this metabolic process, fructose is efficiently utilized to generate energy and intermediates necessary for biosynthesis.