Textbook Question
Identify each step in glycolysis that is an isomerization.
Ch.22 Carbohydrate Metabolism
McMurry8th EditionFundamentals of General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134015187
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 Matter and Measurements27
- Ch.2 Atoms and the Periodic Table20
- Ch.3 Ionic Compounds8
- Ch.4 Molecular Compounds23
- Ch.5 Classification & Balancing of Chemical Reactions12
- Ch.6 Chemical Reactions: Mole and Mass Relationships28
- Ch.7 Chemical Reactions: Energy, Rate and Equilibrium64
- Ch.8 Gases, Liquids and Solids24
- Ch.9 Solutions52
- Ch.10 Acids and Bases25
- Ch.11 Nuclear Chemistry22
- Ch.12 Introduction to Organic Chemistry: Alkanes57
- Ch.13 Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatic Compounds47
- Ch.14 Some Compounds with Oxygen, Sulfur, or a Halogen50
- Ch.15 Aldehydes and Ketones45
- Ch.16 Amines42
- Ch.17 Carboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives57
- Ch.18 Amino Acids and Proteins82
- Ch.19 Enzymes and Vitamins63
- Ch.20 Carbohydrates44
- Ch.21 The Generation of Biochemical Energy65
- Ch.22 Carbohydrate Metabolism45
- Ch.23 Lipids42
- Ch.24 Lipid Metabolism33
- Ch.25 Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism24
- Ch.26 Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis45
McMurry8th EditionFundamentals of General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134015187Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 22, Problem 6a
In Figure 22.3, compare the starting compound (glucose) and the final product (pyruvate).
a. Which is oxidized to a greater extent?
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Identify the chemical structures of glucose and pyruvate. Glucose is a six-carbon molecule with the molecular formula C₆H₁₂O₆, while pyruvate is a three-carbon molecule with the molecular formula C₃H₄O₃.
Understand the concept of oxidation in chemistry. Oxidation involves the loss of electrons, which is often accompanied by an increase in the number of bonds to oxygen or a decrease in the number of bonds to hydrogen.
Compare the oxidation states of carbon atoms in glucose and pyruvate. In glucose, the carbon atoms are less oxidized because they are bonded to more hydrogen atoms and fewer oxygen atoms. In pyruvate, the carbon atoms are more oxidized because they are bonded to more oxygen atoms and fewer hydrogen atoms.
Analyze the metabolic pathway of glycolysis, where glucose is converted into two molecules of pyruvate. During this process, electrons are removed from glucose (oxidation) and transferred to electron carriers like NAD⁺, forming NADH.
Conclude that pyruvate is oxidized to a greater extent than glucose because it has more bonds to oxygen and fewer bonds to hydrogen, indicating a higher oxidation state for its carbon atoms.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Oxidation and Reduction
Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons or an increase in oxidation state by a molecule, atom, or ion. In biochemical processes, it often involves the removal of hydrogen atoms or the addition of oxygen. Understanding oxidation is crucial for comparing compounds like glucose and pyruvate, as it helps determine which compound has undergone a greater degree of oxidation during metabolic pathways.
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Reduction of Monosaccharides Example 1
Glycolysis
Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, producing energy in the form of ATP and NADH. This process occurs in the cytoplasm and consists of ten enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Recognizing the steps of glycolysis is essential for understanding how glucose is transformed into pyruvate and the associated changes in oxidation states.
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Energy Yield and Electron Carriers
During the conversion of glucose to pyruvate, energy is released and captured in the form of ATP and reduced electron carriers like NADH. The extent of oxidation can be assessed by examining the number of electrons transferred to these carriers. This concept is vital for evaluating the energy dynamics of the reaction and understanding the overall efficiency of glucose metabolism.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
In alcoholic fermentation, each mole of pyruvate is converted to one mole of carbon dioxide and one mole of ethanol. In the process, about 50 kcal/mol (209 kJ/mol) of energy is produced. Under the most favorable conditions, more than one-half of this energy is stored as ATP.
a. What happens to the remaining energy produced in alcoholic fermentation?
Textbook Question
Name the following pathways:
c. Pathway for synthesis of glucose from lactate
Textbook Question
Pyruvate has three different fates. What are the three different molecules pyruvate is converted into? What conditions exist for the formation of each product?
Textbook Question
Use curved arrows (like those in Figure 22.3) to write an equation for the conversion of fructose to fructose 6-phosphate by ATP. At what step does fructose 6-phosphate enter glycolysis?