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Catabolism of Carbohydrates: Glycolysis definitions

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  • Glycolysis
    A ten-step metabolic pathway converting glucose to pyruvate, generating ATP and NADH, and involving sequential enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
  • Pyruvate
    The three-carbon end product of glycolysis, formed after a series of transformations from glucose, and a key metabolite for further energy production.
  • ATP
    A high-energy molecule produced during glycolysis, serving as the main energy currency for cellular processes.
  • NADH
    A reduced coenzyme generated in glycolysis, crucial for transferring electrons to the electron transport chain.
  • Phosphorylation
    The addition of a phosphate group to a substrate, often using ATP, to activate or modify molecules during glycolysis.
  • Isomerization
    A rearrangement of atoms within a molecule, converting one isomer to another, as seen in several glycolytic steps.
  • Glyceraldehyde 3 Phosphate
    A three-carbon intermediate produced from glucose cleavage, central to the energy-yielding phase of glycolysis.
  • Dihydroxyacetone Phosphate
    A three-carbon glycolytic intermediate that is isomerized to G3P, ensuring both products of glucose cleavage enter energy extraction steps.
  • Enediol Intermediate
    A transient structure with a double bond between two carbons, each bearing a hydroxyl group, facilitating isomerization in glycolysis.
  • Thioester
    A high-energy intermediate formed during oxidation steps, linking a carbonyl group to a sulfur atom, enabling phosphate transfer.
  • Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution
    A reaction mechanism where a nucleophile replaces a leaving group on a carbonyl carbon, crucial for phosphate transfers in glycolysis.
  • Tautomerization
    A chemical process involving the shift of a hydrogen and a double bond, interconverting keto and enol forms during glycolysis.
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate
    A high-energy glycolytic intermediate with a phosphate group and an enol structure, serving as a phosphate donor to ADP.
  • Retro Aldol Reaction
    A bond cleavage mechanism splitting a six-carbon sugar into two three-carbon fragments during glycolysis.
  • Mutorotation
    The interconversion between alpha and beta anomers of a sugar, enabling proper substrate configuration for phosphorylation.