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Glucose Metabolism

GLUCOSE OXIDATION EQUATION Glucose + 6 O2 --> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Energy (ATP + heat)
  • Most energy is generated in mitochondrial matrix
Common Abbreviations:
  • ATP: adenosine triphosphate
  • NADH: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
  • FADH2: flavin adenine dinucleotide
  • CoA: Coenzyme A
KEY PROCESSES IN GLUCOSE OXIDATION
  • Glycolysis
  • Pyruvate decarboxylation
  • Citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs' cycle and the tri-carboxylic acid (TCA) cycle)
  • Oxidative phosphorylation (electron transport chain & chemiosmosis)
GLYCOLYSIS
  • 1 glucose --> 2 pyruvate + 2 ATP + 2 NADH
  • Anaerobic reaction: no O2 required
  • Occurs in cytosol
Substrate level phosphorylation
  • ATP generated from substrates in glycolysis and citric acid cycle
  • NOT from oxidative phosphorylation via NADH or FADH2
PYRUVATE DECARBOXYLATION
  • Pyruvate + CoA + NAD+ --> Acetyl-CoA + CO2 + NADH
  • Occurs in mitochondrial matrix
KEY PROCESSES IN GLUCOSE OXIDATION
  • Glycolysis
  • Pyruvate decarboxylation
  • Citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs' cycle and the tri-carboxylic acid (TCA) cycle)
  • Oxidative phosphorylation (electron transport chain & chemiosmosis)
CITRIC ACID CYCLE
  • 1 glucose molecule requires 2 citric acid cycle turns
  • Input for each turn: 1 Acetyl CoA
  • Output for each turn: 3 NADH + 2 CO2 + 1 ATP + 1 FADH2
  • NADH & FADH2: electron transfer molecules for oxidative phosphorylation
  • Occurs in mitochondrial matrix
Substrate level phosphorylation
  • ATP generated from substrates in glycolysis and citric acid cycle
  • NOT from oxidative phosphorylation via NADH or FADH2
OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION
  • Input: 10 NADH + 2 FADH2 (from glycolysis, pyruvate decarboxylation & CAC)
  • Generates 30-34 molecules of ATP per glucose
  • Main energy-generating process in respiration
  • Comprises electron transport chain and chemiosmosis
  • Occurs on inner mitochondrial membrane
Electron transport chain
  • Series of redox reactions
  • Pumps proton from matrix into intermembrane space
  • Generates electrochemical gradient for ATP synthesis via ATP synthase
  • Contains several protein complexes (I through IV)
  • NADH gives electrons to complex I
  • FADH2 gives electrons to complex II
  • Complex I, III, and IV pump H+ into intermembrane space (Complex II DOES NOT)
  • Complex IV consumes 1 O2 (final e- acceptor) to produce 2 H2O
Chemiosmosis
  • ATP synthase: harnesses energy in electrochemical gradient (generated by ETC) to synthesize ATP from ADP & Pi