Microbiology Demystified

Embden-Meyerhof Pathway

The Embden-Meyerhof pathway (Fig. 5-1) is used by some bacteria to catabo-
lize glucose topyruvic acid. For example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is
the bacteria that infects burn victims, uses the Embden-Meyerhofpathway. The
Embden-Meyerhofpathway yields one molecule of ATP.

CHAPTER 5 The Chemical Metabolism^93

Glucose

Glucose 6-phosphate

Fructose 6-phosphate

Fructose 1, 6- diphosphate

Dihydroxyacetone

(DHAP)

Glyceraldehyde

3-phosphate (G-3P)

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (G-3P)

1,3-diphosphoglyceric acid

3-phosphoglyceric acid

2-phosphoglyceric acid

Phosphoenolpyruvic acid (PEP)

Pyruvic acid

2 ATP

2 NADH

2 ATP

2 H 2 O

ATP ADP

ATP ADP

2 ADP

2 ADP

2 NAD+

Fig. 5-1. Diagram of glycolysis: Embden-Meyerhoff pathway.