Master Cellular Respiration with Mnemonics

Two pyruvate molecules are consumed in pyruvate decarboxylation. These two pyruvates came from the breakdown of a single glucose molecule in glycolysis.

Pyruvate decarboxylation is the process of converting pyruvate into acetyl-CoA for the Krebs cycle. Acetyl-CoA is an acetyl group bound to a coenzyme A molecule. Though the process is known as pyruvate decarboxylation, the enzyme complex responsible for this process is pyruvate dehydrogenase.

Two NAD+ molecules (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) are reduced to two NADH in pyruvate decarboxylation and carry high energy electrons to the electron transport chain in oxidative phosphorylation.

Two acetyl-CoA molecules are the products of pyruvate decarboxylation, which then enter the Krebs cycle.

The Krebs cycle (also known as TCA or Citric Acid Cycle) is the primary generator of NADH and FADH2 in aerobic respiration. Each acetyl-CoA turns the Krebs cycle once, so it turns twice per glucose molecule.

Six NAD+ molecules (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) are reduced to six NADH in the Krebs cycle and carry high energy electrons to the electron transport chain in oxidative phosphorylation.

Two FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide) molecules are reduced to FADH2 in the Krebs cycle and carry high energy electrons to the electron transport chain in oxidative phosphorylation.

In the Krebs cycle, 2 GDP are converted to GTP by substrate-level phosphorylation, and those GTP give their phosphate groups to 2 ADP molecules to form 2 ATP. Substrate-level phosphorylation is the formation of ATP by adding a phosphate group to ADP via a phospho-intermediate.