Question

State whether the following statements are true or false.
The most efficient pathway for ATP production in animal cells is by glycolysis.

• A. True
• B. False

Answer 1

The correct option is B False

• Glycolysis is the pathway were one molecule of glucose is broken down to 2 molecules of pyruvate by the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation reactions.
• 2 molecules of ATP are used in phosphorylation reaction of glycolysis. First while conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate and the second one during conversion of fructose to fructose1,6-biphosphate.
• While 4 ATP molecules are produced in the dephosphorylation reaction. 2 ATP are produced while conversion of 1,3 bisphosphoglyceric acid to 3-phosphoglyceric acid and another 2 ATP during conversion of phosphophenolepyruvate to pyruvic acid.
• So the net gain of ATP at the end of one glycolysis reaction is 2. SO glycolysis is not a efficient pathway for the production of ATP in animal cells, in turn it is a part of the chain of reaction which take place before aerobic or anaerobic respiration in animal cells.
• Glycolysis provided the reaction of aerobic and anaerobic respiration with the substrates to carry the reaction further and produce ATPs in mitochondria where the prominent reactions for production of energy in animal cell takes place.
• Glycolysis takes place in the cytoplasm of the cell and the product of the glycolysis is transported to the mitochondria.
• Therefore Glycolysis is not the most efficient pathway for ATP production. So the sentence above is FALSE and therefore the option 'False' is correct.