Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK. chris.grant@manchester.ac.uk
A new study reveals that, in response to oxidative stress, organisms can redirect their metabolic flux from glycolysis to the pentose phosphate pathway, the pathway that provides the reducing power for the main cellular redox systems. This ability is conserved between yeast and animals, showing its importance in the adaptation to oxidative stress.