GLYCOLYSIS SIMPLIFIED
Some of my students struggle with cellular respiration so I decided to write the most simplified explanation for cellular respiration. This particular post covers the 1st part of cellular respiration called, "Glycolysis."
What is Cellular Respiration? process where macromolecules are used to produce ATP in the presence of oxygen
What is ATP? short for Adenosine Triphosphate, which is the primary energy used by cell
So why is cellular respiration necessary? it produces energy for our cells so they can survive
GLYCOLYSIS (Location: cytoplasm)
What is glycolysis? breakdown of glucose that allows transfer of energy into high-energy electron carriers and ATP
1st step
Glucose is converted to two G3P (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate) after 5 reactions (rxn 1-5). 2 ATP are used up.
Glucose --> 2 G3P
2nd step
G3P is converted to 3-PG (3-phosphoglycerate) after 2 reactions (rxn 6-7) and this reaction occurs twice because two G3P molecules were produced from previous step. Each reaction produces 1 ATP + 1 NADH, meaning we have 2 ATP + 2 NADH after two rounds of this reaction.
2 G3P --> 2 3-PG
ATP count so far is "0" because we had -2 ATP from previous step
3rd step
3-PG is converted to pyruvate after 3 reactions (rxn 8-10). Likewise, this reaction occurs twice because we previously had two 3-PG molecules produced. 2 ATP are produced.
2 3-PG --> 2 pyruvate
SUMMARY
Glycolysis produces 2 pyruvate, 2ATP & 2NADH
Steps 1-3 of glycolysis
Glucose --> 2 G3P (-2ATP)
2 G3P --> 2 3-PG (+2ATP, +2NADH)
2 3-PG --> 2 pyruvate (+2ATP)
This is glycolysis summed up in one reaction
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