Gluconeogenesis
to the tune of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"
Copyright © 2008 by Kevin Ahern

Most of the songs I write are about biochemistry. This is my favorite purely biochemistry song because it completely covers the steps in an important metabolic pathway - the way our body makes glucose. I've been told by students that they memorize this song as a way to remember the 11 steps in the process. It was recorded nicely by Tim Karplus and can be downloaded HERE.

When cells have lots of ATP and NADH too
They strive to store this energy as sugar yes they do
Inside of mitochondria they start with pyruvate
(slow) Carboxylating it to make oxaloacetate

Oh gluconeogenesis is so exhilarating
Memorizing it can really be exasperating
Liver cells require it so there’s no need for debating
Gluconeogenesis is so exhilarating

Oh, glucose, glucose come to be
Glucose, glucose come to be

Oxaloacetate has got to turn to PEP
Employing energy that comes from breaking GTP
From there it goes to make a couple phosphoglycerates
(slow) Exploiting ee-nolase and mutase’ catalytic traits

Oh gluconeogenesis is liver’s specialty
Producing sugar for the body most admirably
Six ATPs per glucose is the needed energy*
Gluconeogenesis is liver’s specialty

Oh glucose, glucose joy to me
Glucose, glucose joy to me

Converting phosphoglycerate to 1,3BPG
Requires a phosphate that includes A-T-P energy
Reduction with electrons gives us all an N-A-D
(slow) And G3P’s isomerized to make D-H-A-P

Oh gluconeogenesis is anabolic bliss
Reversing seven mechanisms of glycolysis
To do well on the final students have to learn all this
Gluconeogenesis is anabolic bliss

Oh, glucose, glucose factory
Glucose, glucose factory

The aldolase reaction puts together pieces so
A fructose molecule is made with two phosphates in tow
And one of these gets cleaved off by a fructose phosphatase
(slow) Unless F2,6BP's acting blocking path-a-ways

Oh gluconeogenesis a pathway to revere
That makes a ton of glucose when it kicks into high gear
The cell's a masterminding metabolic engineer
Gluconeogenesis a pathway to revere

Oh glucose, glucose jubilee
Glucose, glucose jubilee

From F6P to G6P, that is the final phase
The enzyme catalyzing it is an isomerase
Then G6P drops phosphate and a glucose it becomes
(slow) Inside the tiny endoplasmic-al reticulums

Oh gluconeogenesis is not so very hard
I know that on the final we will not be caught off guard
'Cause our professor lets us use a filled out index card
Gluconeogenesis is not so very hard

*Actually, you need two NADHs too, but that wouldn't fit the rhyme :-)

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