Test Gently on Glycolysis
(To the tune of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”)
copyright 2007 by Tari Tan

In glycolysis, a glucose ring's first turned to G6P
The enzyme hexokinase adds a phosphate – PO₃
The glucose then turns fructose – 6 carbons, called F6P
Phosphoglu-cose i-som-er-ase, you see
Makes F6P
Phosphoglu-cose i-som-er-ase, you see

Fructose-1,6-biphosphate, also known as FBP
By phosphofructokinase has a second PO₃
By aldolase, it's cleaved in 2, one half gives GAP
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate: GAP
It goes on, you see
Through glycolysis, this lucky GAP

The second half, DHAP, can’t carry on this way
You need to change this dihydroxyacetone phosphate
To GAP, so call in "TIM", he’ll make things go his way
Triose phosphate isomerase – the same
TIM is his name
TPI and TIM, they are the same

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate de-hy-dro-ge-nase is next
1,3-biphosphoglycerate is made; it is the best
A reaction of high energy – it says so in my text
GAPs go to 1,3-BPG
Add PO₃
GAPs go to 1,3-BPG

The PO₃'s then lost, 'cuz phosphoglycerate kinase
By using ADP, it makes 3-phosphogly-cer-ate
This turns to 2PG with phosphoglycerate mutase
Losing water when it meets enolase
E-no-lase
Losing water when it meets enolase

Too many steps, I’m kinda lost, so let me get this straight –
A phosphate and an OH group switch places in step eight
Hence "mutase", 'cuz it changed, but what the heck is enolase?
It makes phos-pho-enolpyruvate
Isn’t it great?
It makes phos-pho-enolpyruvate

In the 10^th and final step (Hooray!) we make our pyruvate
Pyruvate kinase is our friend, he takes us all the way
The phosphate and the double bond – please take them both away
Leaving only our precious pyruvate
Py-ru-vate
Glycolysis is done, oh happy day!

Back to the Metabolic Melodies