Which type of biological molecules often serve as enzymes that speed up chemical reactions?
1 answer:
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Answer:
Alcohol fermentation
Explanation:
When oxygen availability is low, the cell can't perform aerobic respiration to breakdown glucose. Instead, anaerobic respiration must be performed. This occurs in cells which consume large amounts of energy, such as muscle cells. Anaerobic respiration produces much less energy than aerobic respiration
One type of anaerobic respiration formed by yeast is called alcohol fermentation (also called ethanol fermentation). This begins with glycolysis, where one molecule of glucose is broke down into 2 molecules of pyruvate. The energy from this reaction generates 2 molecules of ATP, and converts NAD+ to NADH.
Then, the two molecules of pyruvate are further broke down into 2 acetaldehydes (releasing two molecules of carbon dioxide as a by-product). These two molecules of acetaldehyde are then converted into tw molecules of ethanol, using the H ions from NADH, converting it back to NAD+. See the attached picture
This process is taken advantage of to brew beer and wine.
