During which process is glucose-6-phosphate oxidized?

Glucose-6-phosphate is oxidized during glycolysis, which is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate with the production of ATP and NADH as energy carriers. In glycolysis, glucose-6-phosphate is first converted to glucose-6-phosphate by the enzyme hexokinase. Subsequently, it undergoes further transformations, leading to the eventual production of pyruvate and the release of energy.

During the glycolytic pathway, there is an important step where glucose-6-phosphate is oxidized, specifically during the conversion of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate. This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, which facilitates the transfer of electrons and protons to NAD+, forming NADH in the process. Hence, this oxidation process is a crucial source of reducing equivalents that cellular respiration utilizes later on.

Understanding the role of glucose-6-phosphate in glycolysis is crucial as it highlights the pathway's importance not only in energy production but also in the broader context of metabolic processes, setting the stage for subsequent reactions in cellular respiration.