GLYCOLYSIS

● 1st step in the breakdown of glucose to extract energy for cellular metabolism
● extract energy from glucose by splitting it into two three-carbon molecules called
pyruvates
● takes place in the cytosol of a cell
● First stage in cellular respiration
● 2 main phases:
○ the energy-requiring phase, above the dotted line in the image below
○ energy-releasing phase, below the dotted line

DETAILED STEPS OF GLYCOLYSIS (10 STEPS):

Stage 1: Glucose Breakdown
1. Hexokinase phosporylates (an enzyme) adds a phosphate group in d cell’s
cytoplasm thus
a. Phosphorylation:process of adding a phosphate group to a molecule derived
from ATP.
b. result of this phosphorylation is a molecule called glucose-6-phosphate (G6P),
thusly called because the 6' carbon of the glucose acquires the phosphate group.
c. Glucose (C6H12O6) + hexokinase + ATP → ADP + Glucose 6-phosphate (C6H13O9P)
2. Enzyme phosphogluco isomerase converts glucose 6-phosphate into its
isomerfructose 6-phosphate
a. rearrangement of the carbon-oxygen bond to transform the six-membered ring
into a five-membered ring
b. Isomers have the same molecular formula, but the atoms of each molecule are
arranged differently.
c. Glucose 6-phosphate (C6H13O9P) + Phosphoglucoisomerase → Fructose 6-phosphate
(C6H13O9P)
3. The enzyme phosphofructokinase uses another ATP molecule to transfer a
phosphate group to fructose 6-phosphate to form fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate.
a. Fructose 6-phosphate (C6H13O9P) + phosphofructokinase + ATP → ADP + Fructose
1, 6-bisphosphate (C6H14O12P2)
4. The enzyme aldolase splits fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate into two sugars that are
isomers of each other. These two sugars are dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP)
and glyceraldehyde phosphate (GAP).
a. final step of the first stage of glycolysis
b. catalyzes the cleavage of FBP to yield two 3-carbon molecules (not yet fully
converted glucose into pyruvate.)
c. all of the DHAP molecules produced are further acted on by the enzyme
triphoshpate isomerase (TIM), which reorganizes the DHAP into GAP so it can
continue in glycolysis
d. Fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate (C6H14O12P2) + aldolase → Dihydroxyacetone phosphate
(C3H7O6P) + Glyceraldehyde phosphate (C3H7O6P)
Stage 2: Conversion to Pyruvate
5. The enzyme triose phosphate isomerase rapidly inter-converts the molecules
dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. Glyceraldehyde 3-
phosphate is removed as soon as it is formed to be used in the next step of
glycolysis.
a. two main events take place:
i. glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate is oxidized by the coenzyme nicotinamide
adenine dinucleotide (NAD);
ii. the molecule is phosphorylated by the addition of a free phosphate group.
The enzyme that catalyzes this reaction is glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
dehydrogenase (GAPDH).
b. Dihydroxyacetone phosphate (C3H7O6P) → Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (C3H7O6P)
6. The enzyme trios phosphate dehydrogenase serves two functions in dis steps.
a. The enzyme transfers a hydrogen from glyceraldehyde phosphate to the
oxidizing agent. Triose phosphate dehydrogenase + 2 H- + 2 NAD+ →
2 NADH + 2 H+
b. trios phosphate dehydrogenase adds ATP to the oxidized glyceraldehyde
phosphate to form 1, 3-bisphosphoglycerate. Triose phosphate
dehydrogenase + 2 P + 2 glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (C 3H7O6P) → 2
molecules of 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate (C3H8O10P2)
c. loss of a phosphate group from the starting material, synthesize two molecules of
ATP at this step, With this synthesis of ATP, we have cancelled the first two
molecules of ATP that we used, leaving us with a net of 0 ATP molecules up to
this stage of glycolysis.
7. The enzyme phosphoglycerokinase transfers a P from 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate to
a molecule of ADP to form ATP. This happens for each molecule of 1,3-
bisphosphoglycerate. The process yields two 3-phosphoglycerate molecules and
two ATP molecules.
a. involves a simple rearrangement of the position of the phosphate group on the 3
phosphoglycerate molecule, making it 2 phosphoglycerate
8. Enzyme phosphoglyceromutase transfers the P from 3-
phosphoglycerate to form 2-phosphoglycerate: 2 molecules of 3-
Phosphoglycerate (C3H7O7P) + phosphoglyceromutase → 2 molecules of 2-
Phosphoglycerate (C3H7O7P)
9. Enzyme enolase removes a molecule of water from 2-
phosphoglycerate to form phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). This
happens for each molecule of 2-phosphoglycerate.
2 molecules of 2-Phosphoglycerate (C3H7O7P) + enolase → 2 molecules
of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) (C3H5O6P)
 10. The enzyme pyruvate kinase transfers a P from PEP to ADP to
form pyruvate and ATP.
Happens for each molecule of phosphoenolpyruvate. This reaction yields 2
molecules of pyruvate and 2 ATP molecules.
2 molecules of phosphoenolpyruvate (C3H5O6P) + pyruvate kinase + 2
ADP → 2 molecules of pyruvate (C3H3O3-) + 2 ATP

ONE CYCLE PRODUCES:

2 MOLECULES OF PYRUVATE
2 MOLECULES OF ATP
2 MOLECULES OF NADH
2 MOLECULES OF WATER