anaerobic respiration

what is the end-product of glycolysis?

• pyruvate

what type of respiration can pyruvate be used in?

• both aerobic and anaerobic

what are the 2 types of anaerobic respiration?

• ethanol fermentation

• lactate fermentation

what is ethanol fermentation?

• conversion of pyruvate to ethanol under anaerobic conditions

• this process only takes place in plants and yeast

  • conversion: pyruvate —> ethanal —> ethanol

further explanation of ethanol fermentation?

• pyruvate is first converted to ethanal by the enzyme pyruvate decarboxylase

  • carbon dioxide as a by-product

• ethanal is then reduced to ethanol

  • this reaction is catalysed by ethanol dehydrogenase

  • NADH is oxidised to NAD

what is lactate fermentation?

• conversion of pyruvate to lactate

• this process takes place in animals and some bacteria

  • overall conversion: pyruvate —> lactate

further explanation of lactate fermentation?

• pyruvate is reduced to lactate

  • this reaction is catalysed by lactate dehydrogenase

  • NADH is oxidised to NAD

why does anaerobic respiration produce far less ATP than aerobic respiration?

• anaerobic respiration relies on substrate-level phosphorylation in the glycolytic pathway to produce a net 2 ATP per glucose

• aerobic respiration produces 2 ATP from substrate-level phosphorylation in glycolysis, 2 ATP from substrate-level phosphorylation in the krebs cycle and around 32 ATP from oxidative phosphorylation