Name: Glycolysis: Cellular Respiration in Plants
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 9 min 4 s
Description: Glycolysis is the first stage of aerobic and anaerobic respiration, involving glucose breakdown to pyruvate or lactate. This enters into the Krebs cycle for...

Question

It is necessary to calculate and study the respiratory balance sheet occurring during respiration. Why? What are the factors taken into account for this study?

Accepted Answer

The cellular respiration involves the breakdown of complex organic materials into simple compounds and release of energy in the form of ATP molecules. The respiratory balance sheet represents the total number of ATP molecules produced during respiration of one molecule of glucose.

The net gain of ATP is 36 during aerobic respiration as given below.

By glycolysis 2 ATP = 2 ATP

2 NADH₂ = 6 ATP

Link reaction 2 NADH₂ = 6 ATP

By Kreb's cycle 6 NADH₂ = 18 ATP

2 FADH₂ = 4 ATP

2 GTP = 2 ATP

Hence, a total of 38 ATP molecules are formed.

In eukaryotic cells, 2 molecules of ATP are spent for transporting 2 molecules of NADH₂formed in the cytoplasm during glycolysis into mitochondria. Hence, the net gain is 36 ATP molecules. The calculating respiratory sheet is necessary in order to appreciate the beauty and efficiency of the living system in extracting and storing of energy.

The calculation of the net gain of ATP for every glucose molecule oxidised can be made only on certain factors. These are as follows:

All pathways in respiration are in an orderly sequential manner, i.e., glycolysis, Kreb's cycle and ETS pathway, one after another.

The NADH₂ formed in the cytoplasm during glycolysis is transferred into mitochondria for oxidative phosphorylation.

None of the intermediate compounds is used to synthesis other compounds.

Only glucose undergoes respiration, no other substrate enter into the pathway.

But these assumptions are not exactly valid in a living system.

It is necessary to calculate and study the respiratory balance sheet occurring during respiration. Why? What are the factors taken into account for this study?

Important Questions on Respiration in Plants

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