Question

Which of the following mineral is used in metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins and synthesis of nucleic acid ?

• A. Zinc
• B. Cobalt
• C. Sodium
• D. Magnesium

Hint:

Whenever a question mentions "ATP-utilizing enzymes," "ribosome stability," or "nucleic acid synthesis polymerases," think of Magnesium (\(\text{Mg}^{2+}\)) as the primary essential cofactor.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Essential minerals serve as vital structural components, osmotic regulators, and enzymatic cofactors in diverse physiological and biochemical pathways within living organisms.
Among these, certain divalent cations are universally required for stabilizing nucleic acids and facilitating ATP-dependent enzymatic reactions.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Magnesium (\(\text{Mg}^{2+}\)) is an extremely vital intracellular divalent cation that serves as a cofactor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions.
It is highly essential for:
1. Carbohydrate Metabolism: Magnesium acts as an obligatory cofactor for all enzymes utilizing or synthesizing ATP, such as hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, and pyruvate kinase in glycolysis, as well as various enzymes in the Krebs cycle.
2. Protein Metabolism: It is essential for the structural stability of ribosomes and is required for amino acid activation and polypeptide chain elongation during translation.
3. Nucleic Acid Synthesis: Magnesium is required to stabilize the double-stranded structure of DNA and RNA. Furthermore, DNA and RNA polymerases, which synthesize nucleic acids, are magnesium-dependent enzymes that require \(\text{Mg}^{2+}\) to coordinate the incoming nucleoside triphosphates.
Let us review the other options:
- Zinc: While also a cofactor for many enzymes (like RNA polymerase), Magnesium is more universally recognized as the core cofactor for all ATP-utilizing metabolic kinases and ribosomal assembly.
- Cobalt: Specifically required as a constituent of Vitamin B12 (cobalamin).
- Sodium: Primarily involved in maintaining extracellular fluid volume, osmotic balance, and membrane potential.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Therefore, Magnesium is the mineral used in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and the synthesis of nucleic acids.