NANP Board Practice Exam

What are the three metabolic pathways that involve macronutrient catabolism and ATP production?

1. Cori cycle, gluconeogenesis, lipolysis

2. Glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, citric acid cycle

3. Ketogenesis, glycogenolysis, oxidative deamination

4. Purine degradation, protein synthesis, beta-oxidation

The correct answer is: Glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, citric acid cycle

The three metabolic pathways that involve the catabolism of macronutrients and the production of ATP are glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and the citric acid cycle. Glycolysis is the initial pathway that breaks down glucose into pyruvate, producing a small amount of ATP in the process. This pathway is crucial for extracting energy from carbohydrates. The citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle, takes place after glycolysis and further processes the pyruvate into carbon dioxide while generating electron carriers (NADH and FADH2) that will be used in the next stage. Oxidative phosphorylation is the final step in cellular respiration, where the electron carriers produced in both glycolysis and the citric acid cycle are utilized to produce a significant amount of ATP through the electron transport chain. This final step is where the majority of ATP is generated, making these three pathways essential for energy metabolism in cells. The other options focus on different metabolic processes that do not directly relate to the primary pathways of catabolizing macronutrients for ATP production.