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Glycolysis Summary definitions

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  • Glycolysis
    A metabolic pathway splitting glucose into pyruvate, generating ATP and NADH in two distinct phases.
  • Pyruvate
    The three-carbon end product formed from glucose breakdown, serving as a key intermediate in cellular respiration.
  • ATP
    The primary energy currency produced and consumed during glycolysis, with a net gain of two molecules per glucose.
  • NADH
    An electron carrier generated during glycolysis, crucial for transferring electrons to the electron transport chain.
  • Energy-consuming phase
    The initial glycolytic stage (reactions 1-5) where ATP is invested to modify glucose for subsequent breakdown.
  • Energy-producing phase
    The latter glycolytic stage (reactions 6-10) where ATP and NADH are generated as glucose derivatives are further processed.
  • Phosphorylation
    A reaction type in glycolysis involving the addition of a phosphate group, often consuming ATP.
  • Isomerization
    A rearrangement process in glycolysis converting one sugar isomer to another, facilitating further reactions.
  • Oxidation
    A glycolytic reaction where electrons are removed from a substrate, leading to NADH formation.
  • Irreversible reaction
    A step in glycolysis that proceeds in only one direction, often coupled with ATP consumption or production.
  • Bond cleavage
    A glycolytic event where a carbon-carbon bond is broken, splitting a sugar molecule into two three-carbon units.
  • Dehydration
    A reaction in glycolysis where a water molecule is removed, preparing the substrate for subsequent steps.
  • Phosphate transfer
    A process in glycolysis where a phosphate group is moved from one molecule to another, often generating ATP.
  • Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate
    A three-carbon intermediate formed midway through glycolysis, serving as a substrate for energy extraction.
  • Cellular respiration
    The broader metabolic context in which glycolysis supplies pyruvate and electron carriers for further ATP production.