BRAINCAKEHydrogen Acceptors
Many steps in respiration are oxidation reactions in which hydrogen atoms are removed from a substrate. These reactions are catalysed by dehydrogenase enzymes. The hydrogen is not simply released; it is picked up by a hydrogen acceptor, a coenzyme that is reduced as the substrate is oxidised.
Remember: oxidation is the loss of hydrogen (or electrons, or the gain of oxygen); reduction is the gain of hydrogen (or electrons).
The two hydrogen acceptors in respiration are:
• NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), used in glycolysis, the link reaction and the Krebs cycle. When it accepts hydrogen it becomes reduced NAD.
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More in Cellular Respiration
- ATP
- Aerobic Respiration
- Respiration in the Cytoplasm
- Mitochondria
- Investigating the Rate of Respiration
- Investigating the Site of ATP Synthesis
- Glycolysis
- Anaerobic Respiration in Mammals
All 20 lessons in Cellular Respiration · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics