Acetyl Co-A
In glycolysis, a 6 carbon sugar (glucose) is oxidized to produce 2 three carbon intermediates (pyruvate).
In aerobic respiration, 2-carbon molecules are oxidized to carbon dioxide during the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle). Acetyl-CoA, derived from pyruvate, enters this cycle and combines with a 4-carbon molecule to form citric acid. Throughout the cycle, the 2-carbon units are progressively oxidized, releasing carbon dioxide as a byproduct and generating energy-rich molecules such as NADH and FADH2.
During aerobic respiration, each glucose molecule is converted to two molecules of pyruvate, with a total of 6 carbons. These two pyruvate molecules are then converted to acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cycle and is eventually fully oxidized into carbon dioxide, releasing a total of 6 molecules of CO2.
Each pyruvate molecule has a total of 3 carbon atoms, 4 hydrogen atoms, and 2 oxygen atoms, resulting in a total of 6 carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds, 2 carbon-oxygen (C-O) bonds, and 1 oxygen-hydrogen (O-H) bond. Therefore, a single pyruvate molecule contains 9 bonds. Consequently, 2 pyruvate molecules would have a total of 18 bonds.
When glucose is metabolized, it is first broken down through glycolysis, producing pyruvate. During pyruvate processing, each molecule of pyruvate is converted into acetyl-CoA, releasing one molecule of carbon dioxide. Since each glucose molecule generates two pyruvate molecules, this results in the production of two molecules of carbon dioxide from pyruvate processing. Therefore, if glucose is the sole energy source, the fraction of carbon dioxide exhaled that is generated by pyruvate processing is 2 out of the total carbon dioxide produced during cellular respiration, which includes additional carbon dioxide from the citric acid cycle. This fraction is approximately 1/3 of the total CO2 exhaled.
In glycolysis, a 6 carbon sugar (glucose) is oxidized to produce 2 three carbon intermediates (pyruvate).
One molecule of glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate during glycolysis. Each pyruvate molecule then enters the Krebs cycle and is fully oxidized to produce three molecules of carbon dioxide. Therefore, in total, six molecules of carbon dioxide are produced when the Krebs cycle operates once.
Two molecules of ATP are consumed in the energy investment phase, while four molecules of ATP and two molecules of NADH are produced in the energy payoff phase. This results in a net gain of two molecules of ATP per molecule of glucose oxidized to pyruvate.
During the oxidation of pyruvate, a total of 2 carbon atoms are lost in the form of carbon dioxide. Pyruvate, a 3-carbon molecule, is converted into acetyl-CoA, which is a 2-carbon molecule, leading to the release of 2 carbon atoms as CO2.
Glucose contains six carbon atoms, whereas pyruvate only contains three, so it is possible to derive two pyruvate molecules (3+3 carbon atoms) from one glucose molecule (=6 carbon atoms). During the early stages of glycolysis, the glucose is converted into Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate. This molecule also has six carbon atoms, and is split by an enzyme called 'fructose biphosphate aldolase' into two separate molecules containing three carbon atoms: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate. It is the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate that is later converted into pyruvate, accounting for the first pyruvate molecules from glucose. However, the other 3-carbon molecule, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, is kept in equilibium with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate by an enzyme known as 'triose phosphate isomerase', so that this is eventually converted into pyruvate as well. The result being two pyruvate molecules per glucose molecule.
2 NADH, 2 H+, 2 pyruvate, 2 ATP, and 2 H2O
During aerobic respiration, each glucose molecule is converted to two molecules of pyruvate, with a total of 6 carbons. These two pyruvate molecules are then converted to acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cycle and is eventually fully oxidized into carbon dioxide, releasing a total of 6 molecules of CO2.
2 x 3 carbon pyruvate molecules. 4 ATP molecules are also produced, via substrate level phosphorylation.
In the decarboxylation of Pyruvate to form Acetyl CoA, one Carbon atom is lost as co2. Acetyl CoA can then be used in the citric acid cycle in which another two co2 molecules are produced. It is important to note however, that neither Pyruvate nor Acetyl CoA will necessarily follow this pathway, since they are also required for various other processes.
The product of glycolysis is pyruvic acid.
Each pyruvate molecule has a total of 3 carbon atoms, 4 hydrogen atoms, and 2 oxygen atoms, resulting in a total of 6 carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds, 2 carbon-oxygen (C-O) bonds, and 1 oxygen-hydrogen (O-H) bond. Therefore, a single pyruvate molecule contains 9 bonds. Consequently, 2 pyruvate molecules would have a total of 18 bonds.
When glucose is metabolized, it is first broken down through glycolysis, producing pyruvate. During pyruvate processing, each molecule of pyruvate is converted into acetyl-CoA, releasing one molecule of carbon dioxide. Since each glucose molecule generates two pyruvate molecules, this results in the production of two molecules of carbon dioxide from pyruvate processing. Therefore, if glucose is the sole energy source, the fraction of carbon dioxide exhaled that is generated by pyruvate processing is 2 out of the total carbon dioxide produced during cellular respiration, which includes additional carbon dioxide from the citric acid cycle. This fraction is approximately 1/3 of the total CO2 exhaled.