Total ATP Yield from Aerobic Oxidation of Glucose

Hard Biochemistry Bioenergetics

In mammals, the conversion of glucose to pyruvate through glycolysis yields a net production of two ATP molecules per molecule of glucose. However, under aerobic conditions, the generated pyruvate undergoes further oxidative processes in the mitochondria. Understanding the energetics of these metabolic pathways is crucial to grasping cellular respiration's efficiency.

During the Krebs cycle, the pyruvate is transformed into acetyl-CoA, followed by its entry into the cycle, where it is further oxidized. Which of the following statements most accurately reflects the total yield of ATP following the complete aerobic oxidation of one molecule of glucose, including glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation?

2 ATP from glycolysis and 2 ATP from the Krebs cycle, totaling 4 ATP.

2 ATP from glycolysis, 2 ATP from the Krebs cycle, and approximately 28 ATP from oxidative phosphorylation, totaling about 32 ATP.

2 NADH from glycolysis, 2 GTP from the Krebs cycle, and around 34 ATP from oxidative phosphorylation, totaling 38 ATP.

4 ATP from glycolysis and 2 ATP from the Krebs cycle, totaling 6 ATP.

Hint

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