ATP SYNTHESIS BY

CELLULAR RESPIRATION
CAROLINE SUEPER ATP
AT
P
 CELLULAR RESPIRATION
• During cellular respiration, ATP is
made in the cytosol of the cell and in
the cellular matrix of the mitochondria.
• Involves 3 main steps:
• Glycolysis
• Citric Acid Cycle
• Electron Transport Chain
• Nets on average about 30-36 ATP as
energy for our bodies
 GLYCOLYSIS – OXIDATION OF
GLUCOSE
• Also called the glycolytic pathway and process of splitting sugar
• Glucose catabolized via this reaction:
• C6H12O6 + 6O2  6H2O + 6CO2 +32 ATP + heat
• Anaerobic process
• Nets 2 ATP, 2 molecules of pyruvic acid (C3H4O3), 2 molecules of reduced
NAD+ (from NADH), and 2 H+ ions.
 Steps of Glycolysis

Phase 1: Glucose is phosphorylated twice (added phosphate

group) and converted to fructose-1, 6-biphospate.

Phase 2: Fructose-1, 6-biphospate is split into two 3-carbon

fragments either as G3P (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate) or
dihydroxyacetone phosphate.

Phase 3: Two major events happen here. First, the two 3-

carbon fragments are oxidized by the removal of hydrogen,
which NAD+ picks up. Second, inorganic phosphate groups
are attached to each oxidized fragment by high-energy bonds.
Very quickly nets 2 ATP, 2 molecules of pyruvic acid
(C3H4O3), 2 molecules of reduced NAD+ (from NADH), and 2
H+ ions.

The fate of pyruvic acid for the next steps of cellular

respiration depends heavily on the availability of oxygen.
 CITRIC ACID CYCLE
• Also known as Krebs Cycle
• Aerobic process
• A series of redox reactions to maximize energy intake in cellular respiration
Just before we can begin the citric acid cycle…
Step 1: Decarboxylation
• One of pyruvic acid’s carbons is
removed and released as CO2.

Step 2: Oxidation
• The remaining 2-carbon fragment
is oxidized to acetic acid by
removing hydrogen atoms, which
are picked up by NAD+.

Step 3: Formation of Acetyl-CoA

• Acetic acid is combined with
coenzyme A to produce the
reactive final product acetyl CoA.
Acetyl-CoA can now enter the
citric acid cycle.
8 STEPS OF THE CITRIC ACID CYCLE
• Coenzyme A shuttles the 2-carbon acetic acid to an enzyme
that joins it to a 4-carbon acid called oxaloacetic acid,
which produces 6-carbon citric acid.

• As it moves through the 8 successive steps, the atoms of

citric acid are rearranged to produce different intermediate
molecules called keto acids. The acetic acid is broken apart
carbon by carbon (decarboxylated) and oxidized,
generating NADH + H+ and FADH2. At the end, acetic acid
has been disposed of and oxaloacetic acid, the pickup
molecule, is regenerated.

• For each turn of the cycle, we get:

• 2 CO2 molecules that come from decarboxylation
• 4 molecules of reduced coenzymes (3 NADH + 3 H + and 1 FADH2.
• 1 molecule of ATP (via substrate phosphorylation)
ELECTRON TRANSPORT
CHAIN
• Utilizes oxidative phosphorylation
• Aerobic process
• Uses a chain of 4 complexes involving proteins
that oxidize more and more throughout the chain,
ultimately ending with oxygen as the final
acceptor.
• Electrons are released and passed down the inner
mitochondrial membrane (losing energy with each
transfer), while the protons create a positive
gradient in the watery matrix of the mitochondria.
• The positive gradient feeds an enzyme known as
ATP synthase, which uses the proton gradient to
synthesize ATP.
INFORMATION AND IMAGES CREDIT:

• Marieb, E. N., & Hoehn, K. (2019). In Human Anatomy & Physiology (pp.

937–938). essay, Pearson Education Limited.