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amount of atp produced from one glucose molecule

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i understand that we get
2x FADH2
10x NADH2
4x ATP
but i don't understand how the overall net gain of ATP is 38??

Reply 1

Jasminem97

Original post by Ismail786

i understand that we get
2x FADH2
10x NADH2
4x ATP
but i don't understand how the overall net gain of ATP is 38??

My PE teacher has been saying 4....
Definitely following this thread now :s-smilie:

Reply 2

liquity

Original post by Ismail786

i understand that we get
2x FADH2
10x NADH2
4x ATP
but i don't understand how the overall net gain of ATP is 38??

I don't think you actually need to know why because the textbook doesn't tell you but I imagine it has something to do with the number of cycles of each stage?

Reply 3

Ahmed766

Original post by Jasminem97

My PE teacher has been saying 4....
Definitely following this thread now :s-smilie:

You have two types of respiration, I believe your P.E teacher may be referring to Anaerobic which takes place in the absence of Oxygen. What happens is that ATP is produced by substrate level phosphorylation where the Glucose molecule splits to form two triose phosphates and for each triose phosphate you produce one molecule of ATP. This only involves Glycolysis as the NAD can be oxidised by forming lactic acid with the pyruvate produced from the triose phosphate. The other 34 cannot be obtained from links/krebs/electron transport chain because the Oxygen absence means the NAD cannot be oxidised at the electron transport chain. Not sure why she said 4 because I think it's 2 that is produced by anaerobic.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 4

Ahmed766

To answer OP's question, each coenzyme produces a different number of ATP's at the electron transport chain e.g. one NAD produces 3 ATP as it is associated with 3 proton pumps. One FAD produces 2 ATP. In total 10*3= 30 and 2*2=4. The other 4 ATP's are from substrate level phosphorylation in the krebs and glycolysis.

Reply 5

Jasminem97

Original post by Ahmed766

You have two types of respiration, I believe your P.E teacher may be referring to Anaerobic which takes place in the absence of Oxygen. What happens is that ATP is produced by substrate level phosphorylation where the Glucose molecule splits to form two triose phosphates and for each triose phosphate you produce two molecules of ATP. This only involves Glycolysis as the NAD can be oxidised by forming lactic acid with the pyruvate produced from the triose phosphate. The other 34 cannot be obtained from links/krebs/electron transport chain because the Oxygen absence means the NAD cannot be oxidised at the electron transport chain.

Thank you so much!! Life Saver!

Reply 6

Ahmed766

Original post by Jasminem97

Thank you so much!! Life Saver!

Anytime!

Reply 7

Treblebee

Really good explanations everybody!
Btw, they probably don't say so in the textbook, but 38 is generally the best case scenario - usually it's more like 28 or 30. Just ignore me if that's messed everything up for you. :redface:

Reply 8

KrisTH

I'm currently studying an access to science course, I've noted it down as:

"during oxidative phosphorylation (aka electron transport chain) high energy elections (nadh) move through the inner membrane of the mitochondria and bind to an ADP molecule turning it into ATP)
High energy electrons ---> ATP
-------> High Energy Electrons ---> ATP
----------> High energy electrons ----> ATP

this chain occurs 32-34 times producing ATP at each stage. "

Your 38 ATPs I'm presuming is coming from the:
2 ATP molecules produced during Glycolysis
2 ATP molecules produced during pyruvate being chemically reacted into Acetyl CoA
and 32-34 from the Electron Transport Chain.
2+2+34=38

Hope this helped!

edit : some short videos that explain it in 2 - 4 minutes. well worth a view!
Glycolysis - http://vcell.ndsu.nodak.edu/animations/glycolysis_overview/movie-flash.htm
Electron Transport Chain - http://vcell.ndsu.nodak.edu/animations/etc/first.htm

(edited 8 years ago)