What is glycolysis?

What is glycolysis?

• A. Fatty acid synthesis
• B. Electron transport chain
• C. Process of converting glucose to pyruvic acid in the cytoplasm
• D. Krebs cycle

Answer: (C)

Glycolysis is the initial step of glucose metabolism that takes place in the cytoplasm. It converts one glucose molecule into two pyruvate molecules through a sequence of ten enzymatic reactions. Along the way, NAD+ is reduced to NADH, and there is a net gain of 2 ATP via substrate-level phosphorylation (you spend 2 ATP early and regain 4 later). Because this process doesn’t require oxygen, it can occur in anaerobic conditions and provides a quick energy source as well as the pyruvate needed for further processing. If oxygen is present, pyruvate can enter the mitochondria to be fully oxidized in the—Krebs cycle and electron transport chain; if oxygen is scarce, pyruvate can be converted to lactate in some cells. In short, glycolysis is the conversion of glucose to pyruvate in the cytoplasm, yielding a small amount of ATP and NADH.

Glycolysis is the initial step of glucose metabolism that takes place in the cytoplasm. It converts one glucose molecule into two pyruvate molecules through a sequence of ten enzymatic reactions. Along the way, NAD+ is reduced to NADH, and there is a net gain of 2 ATP via substrate-level phosphorylation (you spend 2 ATP early and regain 4 later). Because this process doesn’t require oxygen, it can occur in anaerobic conditions and provides a quick energy source as well as the pyruvate needed for further processing. If oxygen is present, pyruvate can enter the mitochondria to be fully oxidized in the—Krebs cycle and electron transport chain; if oxygen is scarce, pyruvate can be converted to lactate in some cells. In short, glycolysis is the conversion of glucose to pyruvate in the cytoplasm, yielding a small amount of ATP and NADH.