The theoretical total yield of ATP from the complete aerobic oxidation of one molecule of glucose is about

  • A. 2
  • B. 4
  • C. 12
  • D. 38

Explanation

Two ATP come from glycolysis, two from the two turns of the Krebs cycle and the remainder from oxidative phosphorylation of the ten NADH and two FADH2, giving the classical figure of 38, or 36 if the cost of transporting cytoplasmic NADH into the mitochondrion is counted. The contrast with the two ATP of anaerobic respiration is the point: aerobic respiration is roughly nineteen times more efficient.

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