Final answer:
Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate is oxidized by glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, resulting in the reduction of 2 NAD+ to 2 NADH and the formation of 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate in the glycolytic pathway.
Step-by-step explanation:
The oxidation of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate is a crucial step in glycolysis. During this process, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate is oxidized to form 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate. This involves the enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Subsequently, 2 NAD+ is reduced to 2 NADH, capturing high-energy electrons in the process. An inorganic phosphate is added to each C1 atom of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate to complete the formation of 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate. This transformation is part of the energy-yielding phase of glycolysis, where the stored energy within glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate is harnessed partially through the production of NADH, which can later contribute to the production of ATP in the mitochondria through oxidative phosphorylation.