ATP is utilised at two steps: first in the conversion of glucose into glucose 6-phosphate and second in the conversion of fructose 6-phosphate to fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate. The fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate is split into dihydroxyacetone phosphate and 3-phosphoglyceraldehyde (PGAL). We find that there is one step where NADH + H+ is formed from NAD+; this is when 3-phosphoglyceraldehyde (PGAL) is converted to 1, 3-bisphosphoglycerate (BPGA). Two redox-equivalents are removed (in the form of two hydrogen atoms) from PGAL and transferred to a molecule of NAD+. PGAL is oxidised and with inorganic phosphate to get converted into BPGA. The conversion of BPGA to 3-phosphoglyceric acid (PGA), is also an energy yielding process; this energy is trapped by the formation of ATP. Another ATP is synthesised during the conversion of PEP to pyruvic acid.
NTA focuses on identifying which steps of glycolysis produce ATP and require ATP. Students must know that ATP is consumed in two steps (glucose to G6P, F6P to F1,6BP) and produced in two steps (BPGA to PGA, and PEP to pyruvate). A common mistake is confusing energy-requiring steps with energy-yielding steps, or forgetting that NADH formation occurs during PGAL oxidation to BPGA. Remember: only two ATPs are synthesized in glycolysis, not three. The BPGA to PGA conversion is crucial because it couples oxidation with ATP synthesis through substrate-level phosphorylation.
This paragraph was tested 2 times in NEET.
In glycolysis, the conversion of 1,3-bisphosphoglyceric acid to 3-phosphoglyceric acid is: NEET 2024
What is the role of NAD⁺ in cellular respiration? NEET 2018
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