Optimization of energy coupling: what is all the argument about?

Abstract

Although it may be asked how effective glycolysis is in retaining the chemical energy in the bonds of glucose during its breakdown in the formation of ATP, the reasons for the coupled pathway of glycolysis having evolved as it has are probably as much as a consequence of the need to find reactions that can lead to formation of phosphoryl groups able to transfer to ADP as to the overall thermodynamics of the pathway. It is not meaningful to talk of optimization of energy coupling solely in terms of free energy changes.