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16: Sugar Metabolism

Students trace glucose through glycolysis to pyruvate, calculate net ATP and NADH yield, explain how fructose and galactose enter the pathway, describe NAD+ regeneration through fermentation, identify regulatory control points responsive to energy demand and hormonal signals, and contrast gluconeogenesis bypass reactions with irreversible glycolytic steps including reciprocal regulation between the two pathways.

Ordering Glycolysis Intermediates

Click to show Ordering Glycolysis Intermediates example problem

Glycolysis is an important metabolic pathway that breaks down glucose to produce energy. During the process known as glycolysis, molecules undergo transformations in a specific sequence. Understanding the order of these molecular transformations is a fundamental concept in biology.
Please place the following four (4) molecular structures of glycolysis in the correct order. The correct sequence of the molecule names is as follows:

  • 1. Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (F1,6BP)
  • 2. Dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP)
  • 3. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (GAP)
  • 4. 1,3-Bisphosphoglycerate (1,3BPG)
Identify which chemical structure corresponds to each of the four (4) molecule names listed above. This will help you visualize the steps each molecule undergoes during glycolysis.
Here are some tips:
  • Think about what changes occur from one molecule to the next.
  • Consider the number of carbons and phosphates each molecule contains.
  • Molecules that are next to each other in the pathway are often similar.
  • Sometimes, working backwards can be helpful.

PositionYour choice
1 Drop Your Choice Here
2 Drop Your Choice Here
3 Drop Your Choice Here
4 Drop Your Choice Here

Drag each answer into the correct position:

  • 1.


  • 2.


  • 3.


  • 4.