Steps of Glycolysis Reactions Explained - Animation - SUPER EASY

Summary

Glycolysis is a crucial cellular process that converts glucose into ATP, the cell's energy currency. Through 10 enzymatic reactions, glucose is transformed into pyruvate, yielding 2 ATPs and 2 NADHs per glucose molecule. This pathway begins with energy-consuming steps, then transitions to an energy-producing phase, culminating in the formation of pyruvate and ATP. Glycolysis can be influenced by other cellular substrates, impacting the net ATP production. It plays a vital role in supplying energy for life-sustaining biochemical processes.

Takeaways

• 🔋 Biological organisms need energy to survive, and glycolysis is one way cells transform glucose into ATP.
• 🧪 Glycolysis occurs in the cytosol and involves 10 enzymatic reactions that convert glucose into pyruvate.
• 🔥 Glycolysis produces ATP and NADH, which can be further used to generate additional ATP.
• 💥 The first step of glycolysis involves a kinase adding a phosphate to glucose, forming glucose-6-phosphate in an irreversible reaction.
• 🔄 Glucose-6-phosphate is isomerized to fructose-6-phosphate, and another kinase reaction forms fructose-1,6-bisphosphate.
• ✂️ A lyase reaction splits fructose-1,6-bisphosphate into two 3-carbon sugars: dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate.
• ⚡ Steps 6-10 of glycolysis are energy-producing, where 2 NADHs and 4 ATPs are generated for each glucose molecule.
• 🔄 Phosphates are transferred in several steps, ultimately leading to the formation of pyruvate and ATP.
• 💧 Water is removed from 2-phosphoglycerate in a lyase reaction to form phosphoenolpyruvate, leading to the final ATP production.
• 🔋 Glycolysis is a key contributor to ATP production, which is vital for many biochemical pathways essential for life.

Q & A

What is the primary function of glycolysis?

Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate while generating ATP, which is a form of biochemical energy required by cells.

How many ATPs are produced during the glycolysis process?

Glycolysis produces a net gain of 2 ATPs per glucose molecule, but it consumes 2 ATPs during the process, so the net production is 2 ATPs after accounting for the consumed ATPs.

What is the role of NADH in glycolysis?

NADH is produced during the oxidation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and can be used later in cellular respiration to generate more ATP.

How many enzymatic reactions are involved in glycolysis?

There are a total of 10 enzymatic reactions involved in glycolysis.

What is the significance of the kinase reaction that adds a phosphate to glucose?

The kinase reaction that adds a phosphate to glucose to form glucose-6-phosphate is significant because it is one of the two energy-consuming steps in glycolysis and is an irreversible reaction.

What happens in the isomerization step of glycolysis?

In the isomerization step, glucose-6-phosphate is rearranged into fructose-6-phosphate by rearranging covalent bonds.

How does the conversion of fructose-6-phosphate to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate occur?

This conversion occurs when a kinase removes a phosphate group from ATP and adds it to fructose-6-phosphate, forming fructose-1,6-bisphosphate.

What is the result of the lyase reaction in glycolysis?

The lyase reaction splits fructose-1,6-bisphosphate into two 3-carbon sugars: dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate.

What is the purpose of the kinase reaction that forms ATP and 3-phosphoglycerate?

This kinase reaction transfers a phosphate from 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate to ADP, forming ATP and 3-phosphoglycerate, which is a part of the energy-producing phase of glycolysis.

How does the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate occur?

The conversion occurs through a lyase reaction that removes a water molecule from 2-phosphoglycerate.

What is the final product of glycolysis and what is its fate in aerobic respiration?

The final product of glycolysis is pyruvate, which can be used in aerobic respiration to produce more energy for the cell.

How can other sugars enter the glycolysis pathway and what is the impact on ATP production?

Other sugars can enter the glycolysis pathway at different points, affecting the net number of ATPs produced. For example, when glucose 6-phosphate is produced from glycogen breakdown, it can enter glycolysis at the second step, requiring one less ATP.