In: Biology
In the absence of oxygen what is one way that cells can “restock” glycolysis with oxidised nucleotides?
Glycolysis is an important cellular process. Glycolysis helps in generating energy (ATP) during oxygen presence and absence both.
During glycolysis a key dinucleotide NAD is reduced to NADH which participates in electron transport chain and gets reoxidized to NAD+ by the enzyme NADH dehydrogenase (Complex I). In electron transport chain the role of terminal electron acceptor is played by oxygen, which after accepting electrons gets reduced to water.
In absence of oxygen, the electron transport chain becomes dysfunctional. This poses a distinct challenge to cell because oxidized nucleotide (NAD+) is needed for continuation of glycolysis.
cell goes for lactic acid fermentation in order to reoxidize reduced NADH to NAD+ so that it can again participate in glycolysis..
Lactate dehydrogenase is the key enzyme here. It reduces the pyruvate (end product of glycolysis) to lactate with simultaneous oxidation of NADH to NAD+. The oxidized form of dinucleotide NAD+ can continue to participate in glycolysis. Where Glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase reduces the NAD+ to NADH. Hence, the cycle continues.
So, in absence of oxygen cell takes help of lactic acid fermentation in order to resupply oxidized nucleotides (NAD+) for continuation of glycolysis. This happens in humans during high intensity exercises as well.