SUMMARY
The Krebs cycle, also known as the citric acid cycle, produces a total yield of 30 to 32 ATP per glucose molecule when accounting for oxidative phosphorylation. Specifically, 6 NADH contribute to 18 ATP, 2 FADH2 contribute to 4 ATP, and 2 ATP are generated through substrate-level phosphorylation. Therefore, the total ATP yield from one glucose molecule is not 2 ATP, but rather 30 to 32 ATP when considering all components of cellular respiration.
PREREQUISITES
- Understanding of cellular respiration processes
- Knowledge of oxidative phosphorylation mechanisms
- Familiarity with ATP production in glycolysis
- Basic biochemistry concepts related to the Krebs cycle
NEXT STEPS
- Research the specifics of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria
- Learn about the role of NADH and FADH2 in ATP synthesis
- Explore the differences between substrate-level phosphorylation and oxidative phosphorylation
- Study the overall process of cellular respiration and its stages
USEFUL FOR
Students studying biochemistry, educators teaching cellular respiration, and anyone interested in understanding ATP production in metabolic pathways.