Question

Aerobic glucose metabolism: This process also produces ___(#) molecules of ______ which is/are needed for the second process of metabolism called ________. The symporter, ________ is required because the molecule(s) (your answer) has/have this specific chemical property: __________ and requires the use of ________ transport.

Answer 1

Aerobic glucose metabolism produces 2 molecules of pyruvate needed for the Krebs cycle, requiring active transport via the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier due to pyruvate's charged nature at physiological pH.

Step-by-step explanation:

Aerobic glucose metabolism produces 2 molecules of pyruvate which are needed for the second process of metabolism called the Krebs cycle (Citric Acid Cycle). The symporter, mitochondrial pyruvate carrier, is required because the molecule(s) pyruvate has this specific chemical property: charged at physiological pH, and requires the use of active transport. During glycolysis, a glucose molecule is broken down into two pyruvate molecules. Eventually, these pyruvate molecules are transported into the mitochondria where they enter the Krebs cycle.

In the mitochondria, for each glucose molecule, pyruvate undergoes a decarboxylation reaction to become acetyl CoA, entering the Krebs cycle. Each turn of the cycle generates several high-energy compounds, including 3 NADH and 1 FADH2, which will be used in the last pathway of aerobic respiration, the electron transport chain, to produce ATP.