Table 18.4: ATP yield from the complete oxidation of glucose

Reaction sequence

ATP yield per glucose molecule

Glycolysis: Conversion of glucose into pyruvate (in the cytoplasm)

     Phosphorylation of glucose

     Phosphorylation of fructose 6-phosphate

     Dephosphorylation of 2 molecules of 1,3-BPG

     Dephosphorylation of 2 molecules of phosphoenolpyruvate

     2 molecules of NADH are formed in the oxidation

        of 2 molecules of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate

   −1

   −1

   +2

   +2

Conversion of pyruvate into acetyl CoA (inside mitochondria)

     2 molecules of NADH are formed

 

Citric acid cycle (inside mitochondria)

     2 molecules of adenosine triphosphate are formed

        from 2 molecules of succinyl CoA

     6 molecules of NADH are formed in the oxidation of 2 molecules

        each of isocitrate, α-ketoglutarate, and malate

     2 molecules of FADH2 are formed in the oxidation of 2 molecules

        of succinate

   +2

Oxidative phosphorylation (inside mitochondria)

     2 molecules of NADH formed in glycolysis; each

        yields 1.5 molecules of ATP (assuming transport of NADH by

        the glycerol 3-phosphate shuttle)

     2 molecules of NADH formed in the oxidative decarboxylation

        of pyruvate; each yields 2.5 molecules of ATP

     2 molecules of FADH2 formed in the citric acid cycle; each

        yields 1.5 molecules of ATP

     6 molecules of NADH formed in the citric acid cycle; each

        yields 2.5 molecules of ATP

 

 

   +3

 

   +5

 

   +3

 

+15

Net Yield per Molecule of Glucose

+30

Information on the ATP yield of oxidative phosphorylation is from values given in P. C. Hinkle, M. A. Kumar, A. Resetar, and D. L. Harris, Biochemistry 30:3576, 1991.

Note: The current value of 30 molecules of ATP per molecule of glucose supersedes the earlier value of 36 molecules of ATP. The stoichiometries of proton pumping, ATP synthesis, and metabolite transport should be regarded as estimates. About 2 more molecules of ATP are formed per molecule of glucose oxidized when the malate–aspartate shuttle rather than the glycerol 3-phosphate shuttle is used.