AbstractEntamoeba histolytica, the protozoan parasite causing amoebiasis, is carried by approximately 10% of the world's population although only a minority of carriers of the organism present active clinical symptoms.Although Entamoeba are classified as eukaryotes, the biochemistry of these organisms has a number of unusual facets which are reminiscent of prokaryotes. It has indeed been suggested that these cells represent early evolutionary forms that have been successful in surviving unchanged in the protected environment in which they reproduce (the intestine).Glycolysis in Entamoeba lacks several of the typical eukaryotic glycolytic enzymes. The pentose phosphate shunt enzymes are missing completely. Another unusual feature of the glycolytic path is the utilization of PPi instead of ATP in a number of enzyme reactions e.g. phosphofructokinase. Entamoeba is the only eukaryote in which one of these PPi utilizing enzymes, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxytransferase, has been found.The respiratory pathway is also an unusual one. Entamoeba are classified as anaerobes but the cells do have an affinity for oxygen. The oxygen is reduced to water at the end of a respiratory chain which is n
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