What is Glycolysis?
It is an anaerobic process in which one molecule of glucose is converted into two molecules of pyruvic acids, ATP, NADH, and water. It occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell. The glucose undergoes partial oxidation to produce pyruvic acids. Glycolysis is the first step of respiration which is followed by the Krebs cycle (during aerobic respiration). The cell makes some amount of ATP in the absence of oxygen due to fermentation, as glycolysis is followed by fermentation. Glycolysis does not require oxygen. It is a linear sequence.
Difference Between Glycolysis and Krebs Cycle
The main difference between Glycolysis and Krebs Cycle is that: Glycolysis is the first step of respiration in which one molecule of glucose undergoes partial oxidation to produce two molecules of pyruvic acids, ATP, NADH, and water. It is an anaerobic process that occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell. Krebs cycle is the second step of respiration in which the pyruvic acid produced in glycolysis degrades after complete oxidation to produce carbon dioxide and water. It is an aerobic process that occurs in the mitochondria of the cell. Glycolysis is the linear sequence that does not require oxygen whereas the Krebs cycle is a cyclic sequence that requires oxygen.