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Think about Adenosine triphosphate
I have read about ATP in a book on bioenergetics. It is an interesting molecule that allows cells to rapidly synthesize energy compounds by catalyzing redox reactions. The release of stored chemical energy, such as the hydrolysis of ADP into AMP and inorganic phosphate, coupled with the concomitant transfer of electrons between organic molecules during oxidative phosphorylation is probably the most efficient way known for converting food into useful biological fuel (ATP).
ATP is a nucleotide composed of adenine, ribose sugar, and three phosphate groups. The breakdown or hydrolysis of ATP into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) plus free phosphate groups can occur by the action of many different enzymes called ATPases which catalyses this reaction. This leads to both the energy-yielding metabolic reactions and also to other processes such as DNA replication involving phosphorylation.
Referred to as the 'molecular unit of currency' by many biochemists, ATP enables energy (e.g., from food) to be stored and transported within cells for later use. It is often referred to as the 'energy currency.'
There are three main ways in which cells produce ATP: the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by ATPases, using light-dependent reactions to convert energy from sunlight into stored chemical energy and reducing equivalents within cells; the catabolism of sugars or polysaccharides like glucose through glycolysis to form pyruvate with concomitant reduction of NAD+ to NADH; and oxidative phosphorylation coupled with redox transformations.
The energy liberated by the oxidation of one mole of glucose to carbon dioxide and water is about 886 kJ, which can be used to synthesize approximately 1.36 kilojoules (kJ) of ATP.
The energy used by all the cells in a human body is equal to about ten watts, which means that it requires at least 100 kilocalories of food per day (of 2,000 cal), or 200 kilograms of food per year.