Question

If an organism used glycolysis (Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway) to break down glucose and produce ATP but was unable to subsequently use fermentation or an electron transport chain (respiration), what problem would develop?

Answer 1

NAD+ would not be able to regenerate and glycolysis would stop.

Step-by-step explanation:

During glycolysis, two NAD+ molecules become reduced to NADH.

• In fermentation, the NADH gives away its electrons to produce ethanol or lactate, regenerating the NAD+.

• In respiration, the NADH gives away its electrons to the electron transport chain, which eventually generates the proton gradient and ATP. This process also regenerates NAD+.

If no fermentation or respiration occurred, NADH would accumulate and NAD+ would exhaust, so glycolysis would stop.