Question

one of the products of the pentose phosphate pathway is ribose, the sugar in the backbone of dna. this pathway is an example of ____________ because it builds macromolecules.

Explanation:

Anabolism is the set of metabolic pathways that construct molecules from smaller units, building macromolecules. Since the pentose - phosphate pathway builds ribose (a part of DNA backbone, a macromolecule), it is an anabolic process. Catabolism breaks down molecules.

Answer:

anabolism