What chemical process that can be defined as "metabolic" is the simplest found in any organism, and are there even simpler theoretical metabolic pathways, that are simpler than any found in known organisms?
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2$\begingroup$ How would one objectively identify a metabolic pathway as "simple"? What are the criteria for simplicity? $\endgroup$– Bryan Krause ♦Sep 15 at 16:35
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$\begingroup$ We don’t do definitions much in biology. Certainly we define our terms in any discussion, but generally in our own terms, rather than by appeal to some authority. “Pathway” is a synthetic human concept — we, not Nature —define the first step and the last step, draw a ring round connected reactions of our choice, and call it a pathway. Please go back and finish reading the Tour to find out what questions are acceptable here, then the Help on asking — particularly the need to provide context. What is the biological problem you are facing. And, as Bryan requested, define your terms. $\endgroup$– DavidSep 15 at 18:32
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1 Answer
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Trivially: the protonation/deprotonation of water.
This is a process that happens spontaneously without any other inputs or outputs or catalysis under physiological conditions.
It feeds into basically every other biochemical process, and cannot be reduced into any of them.
I really agree with the commenters, so this answer goes to show that your definition is more about how you choose to draw the box around your focal point than it is about how biology works.
