Question

At which position(s) would you have to label Glucose with 14C so that during anaerobic
ethanol fermentation, the entire radioactivity is released as 14CO2 ? Draw the structure of
glucose and briefly explain the rationale for your choice of the labeling position(s).

Answer 1

Terminal carbon of glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate is released as carbon dioxide.

Glucose is broken down into glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate. Dihydroxyacetone phosphate will get isomerized to glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate. Now we have to molecules of glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate. The Terminal carbon will be released as carbon dioxide. So the glucose should be radiolabeled at first and fourth carbon.

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