Term Name: | glycerol-3-phosphate shuttle |
---|---|
Synonyms: | glycerol phosphate shuttle, glycerophosphate shuttle |
Definition: | The process of transferring reducing equivalents from NADH in the cytosol into the mitochondria via glycerol-3-phosphate. Cytosolic glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase uses NADH to convert dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) to glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) in the cytosol; G3P then diffuses into the mitochondria where mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase uses FAD to convert G3P back to DHAP; the electrons on the reduced FADH2 are then available for use in the electron transport chain, and DHAP returns to the cytosol to complete the cycle. |
Ontology: | GO: Biological Process [GO:0006127] QuickGO AmiGO |