Which of the following reactions in glycolysis produce ATP or NADH?
a. glucose to glucose-6-phosphate

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the glycolysis pathway. Glycolysis is a metabolic process that converts glucose into pyruvate, producing ATP and NADH as energy carriers. It consists of 10 steps, divided into two phases: the energy investment phase and the energy payoff phase.
2. Step 2: Analyze the given reaction: glucose to glucose-6-phosphate. This is the first step of glycolysis, where glucose is phosphorylated by ATP to form glucose-6-phosphate. The enzyme hexokinase catalyzes this reaction.
3. Step 3: Recognize that this reaction is part of the energy investment phase. In this phase, ATP is consumed to phosphorylate glucose, meaning no ATP or NADH is produced in this step.
4. Step 4: Recall that ATP production occurs later in glycolysis during substrate-level phosphorylation, and NADH is produced during the oxidation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the reaction glucose to glucose-6-phosphate does not produce ATP or NADH, as it is an energy-consuming step rather than an energy-producing step.

Key Concepts

Glycolysis

Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, producing energy in the form of ATP and NADH. It occurs in the cytoplasm of cells and consists of ten enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Understanding glycolysis is essential for identifying which steps produce ATP or NADH.

ATP Production

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the primary energy currency of the cell. In glycolysis, ATP is produced during specific steps through substrate-level phosphorylation, where a phosphate group is directly transferred to ADP. Recognizing these steps is crucial for answering questions about energy yield in glycolysis.

NADH Production

NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme that plays a key role in cellular respiration by carrying electrons to the electron transport chain. In glycolysis, NADH is generated during the oxidation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. Identifying the reactions that produce NADH is important for understanding the overall energy balance of glycolysis.