To initiate glycolysis
in eukaryotic cells, shown in this figure, a molecule of ATP is hydrolyzed
to transfer a phosphate group to the number 6 carbon of glucose to produce
glucose 6-phosphate. In prokaryotes,
the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to pyruvate provides the energy
to transport glucose across the cytoplasmic membrane and, in the process,
adds a phosphate group to glucose producing glucose 6-phosphate.
