Aerobic Respiration
Aerobic Respiration
Key Stages of Respiration:
- Respiration produces ATP.
Glycolysis:
- The first stage of anaerobic and aerobic respiration.
- Takes place in the cytoplasm.
- Involves the phosphorylation of glucose to glucose phosphate using ATP, production of triose phosphate, and oxidation of triose phosphate to pyruvate.
- Results in a net gain of ATP and reduced NAD.
- In anaerobic respiration, pyruvate can be converted to ethanol or lactate using reduced NAD, with oxidised NAD used in further glycolysis.
Aerobic Respiration:
- Pyruvate from glycolysis enters the mitochondrial matrix by active transport.
- Pyruvate gets oxidised to acetate, producing reduced NAD.
- Acetate combines with coenzyme A in the link reaction to produce acetylcoenzyme A.
- Acetylcoenzyme A reacts with a four-carbon molecule, releases coenzyme A, and produces a six-carbon molecule that enters the Krebs cycle.
- The Krebs cycle generates reduced coenzymes and ATP by substrate-level phosphorylation, and carbon dioxide is lost.
- ATP synthesis by oxidative phosphorylation is associated with the transfer of electrons down the electron transfer chain and passage of protons across inner mitochondrial membranes, catalysed by ATP synthase.
- Other respiratory substrates include breakdown products of lipids and amino acids, which enter the Krebs cycle.
Additional Information:
- Aerobic respiration involves all stages, while anaerobic respiration is just glycolysis.
- A flow chart is recommended to show each reaction and where in the cell it takes place.