Glycolytic Pathway

Edwin T Harper, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Robert A Harris, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Published online: May 2005

DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0003883

All cells use the glycolytic pathway to obtain energy in the form of ATP. The oxidative splitting of glucose is an evolutionarily ancient means of generating high-energy phosphate compounds.

Keywords: glycolysis; fermentation; glucose; ATP; oxidation

Figure 1. glucose is a major fuel of cellular metabolism. ADP, adenosine diphosphate; ATP, adenosine triphosphate; CAC, citric acid cycle; CoA, coenzyme A; GLUT, glucose transporter; NADH, reduced nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide.
Figure 2. Glycolysis in the absence of oxygen: net production of 2ATP per glucose. ADP, adenosine diphosphate; ATP, adenosine triphosphate; NADH, reduced nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide.
Figure 3. Formation of lactic acid.
Figure 4. Flow of reducing equivalents via malate–aspartate shuttle system. -KG, -ketoglutarate; BPG, bisphosphoglycerate; FMN, flavin mononucleotide; G3P, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate; NADH, reduced nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide; OAA, oxaloacetic acid. Since glucose has six carbons and pyruvate three carbons, it takes 1/2 of a mole of glucose to make a mole of pyruvate.
close
 Further Reading
    book Berg JM, Tymoczko JL and Stryer L (2002) "Glycolysis amd gluconeogenesis". In: Biochemistry, 5th edn, pp. 425–443. New York: WH Freeman.
    book Garrett RH and Grisham CM (1999) "Glycolysis". In: Biochemistry, 2nd edn, pp. 609–638. Fort Worth, TX: Saunders College Publishing.
    book Harris RA (2002) "Carbohydrate metabolism I. Major metabolic pathways and their control". In: Devlin TM (ed.) Textbook of Biochemistry with Clinical Corrections, 5th edn., pp. 598–664. New York: Wiley-Liss.
    book Harris RA and Crabb DW (2002) "Metabolic interrelationships". In: Devlin TM (ed.) Textbook of Biochemistry with Clinical Corrections, 5th edn, pp. 862–902. New York: Wiley-Liss
    book Nelson DL and Cox MM (2000) "Glycolysis and the catabolism of hexoses". In: Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, 3rd edn, pp. 527–541. New York: Worth.
    book Voet D and Voet JG (1995) "Glycolysis". In: Biochemistry, 2nd edn, pp. 443–483. New York: John Wiley.

Related Sub-Topics:

Cell Energetics | Bioenergetics
Contact Editor close
Submit a note to the editor about this article by filling in the form below.

* Required Field

Article Title: Glycolytic Pathway
 
How to Cite close
Harper, Edwin T, and Harris, Robert A(May 2005) Glycolytic Pathway. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0003883]