Estefania Garcia
September 24, 2019
Molecular Biology 211
Glucose Oxidation and the Mitochondrion
1. Glycolysis: The reactions of glycolysis generates pyruvates and NADH in the
cytosol.
2. Pyruvate: Pyruvate will react differently according to the presence or absence of
O2.
3. In the absence of O2, the pyruvate is reduced by NADH to lactate.
a. In the presence of O2, the pyruvate moves into the matrix by a membrane
transporter where it’s decarboxylated. When it’s decarboxylated, its linked
to CoA and generates NADH.
4. The NADH produced in glycolysis then donates its electrons to a compound that
crosses the inner mitochondrial membrane to molecular oxygen. The CoA passes
through the TCA cycle (generates NADH & FADH2).
5. The electrons from the TCA cycle are passed along the electron-transport chain.
The energy released during electron transport in the formation of ATP. If all the
energy is utilized in ATP, 36 ATPs generate from a single molecule of glucose.