Why Glycolysis is known as universal, ancient pathway?
Cellular
respiration is a catabolic process which involves the intracellular oxidation
of glucose or organic molecules through series of enzymatic reaction producing
energy in the form of ATP with the release of CO2 and H2O
as byproducts.
Glycolysis
(Glyco=Glucose; lysis= splitting) is the oxidation of glucose (C 6) to 2
pyruvate (3 C) with the formation of ATP and NADH.
Glycolysis is a universal anerobic pathway happening in all
organisms: aerobic, anerobic or facultative organisms from bacteria to yeast to
mammals.
As the site of glycolysis is cytosol of the cytoplasm, literally
all organisms including prokaryotes can carry out glycolysis.
As it is a universal pathway, most biologists consider it to be
the most fundamental and primitive pathway for making ATP.
Is
Glycolysis aerobic or anaerobic?
Glycolysis
is a 10-step process that forms ATP where oxygen is not involved, therefore
anaerobic.
Watch 10 steps of glycolysis
Is
Glycolysis a partial oxidation of Glucose?
In Glycolysis,
Glucose undergoes partial oxidation in glycolysis; to form two molecules of
pyruvic acid along with formation of 2 ATP and NADH. Here 6 carbon glucose
splits to form two 3 carbon pyruvate which can be further oxidised via Krebs
cycle and Electron transport chain in aerobic cellular reparation.
Complete
oxidation of glucose to CO2 and H2O in aerobic respiration
yields approximately 36-38 ATP molecules
Why is
Glycolysis also known as EMP pathway?
EMP
stands for Embden, Meyerhof, and Parnas; Who discovered the most common type of
glycolytic pathway occurring in majority of organisms.
Other
pathways, such as the Entner–Doudoroff pathway occurs in some Gram negative
bacteria only.
How
RBC get energy without mitochondria?
In RBC, nucleus, mitochondria or cell organelles are absent. RBC obtain their energy using glycolysis to produce ATP. Even though RBCs carry oxygen, but cannot use oxygen as it lacks mitochondrion for aerobic cellular respiration. In RBC, ATP is produced by means of fermentation, via glycolysis of glucose and by lactic acid production.