A new antibiotic is produced that inhibits the synthesis of acetyl-CoA and the electron transport chain in bacteria that normally require oxygen. For each glucose molecule that is metabolized, how many fewer ATP molecules will be produced?

Question

Shyla Nguyen

Biology

1 November, 09:34

A new antibiotic is produced that inhibits the synthesis of acetyl-CoA and the electron transport chain in bacteria that normally require oxygen. For each glucose molecule that is metabolized, how many fewer ATP molecules will be produced?

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Answers (1)

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Jazlynn Mckenzie · Answer 1

A new antibiotic is produced that inhibits the synthesis of acetyl-CoA and the electron transport chain in bacteria that normally require oxygen. For each glucose molecule that is metabolized, how many fewer ATP molecules will be produced?

38

4

36

34

2

Answer:

36

Explanation:

Glycolysis of cellular respiration produces only two molecules of ATP per glucose molecule. Kreb's cycle also forms 2 ATP molecules per glucose by substrate-level phosphorylation. However, oxidation of NADH and FADH2 by electron transport chain produces as many as 34 ATP molecules (almost 3 ATP per NADH and 2 ATP per FADH2). This obtains a total of 38 ATP molecules per glucose by the complete pathway of aerobic cellular respiration.

In presence of an antibiotic that inhibits Kreb's cycle and ETC of cellular respiration, a cell would produce only 2 ATP molecules (by glycolysis) per glucose. Therefore, it would obtain 38-2 = 36 lesser ATP molecules.