glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in glycolysis, a metabolic pathway that breaks down glucose. Specifically, this enzyme catalyzes the sixth step of glycolysis, where glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate is oxidized. During this process, energy is conserved in the form of a high-energy phosphate compound, 1,3-diphosphoglycerate. The enzyme facilitates the transfer of electrons to the coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), reducing it to NADH + H+. This reaction is essential for the production of ATP and is considered irreversible under physiological conditions.1