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AAT Bioquest

What happens during ATP hydrolysis?

Posted March 30, 2023


Answer

During ATP hydrolysis, one phosphate group is removed through the breaking of a phosphoanhydride bond through water. As a result, energy is released, and ATP is converted into ADP. Energy is also released when a phosphate group is removed from the ADP molecule to form AMP. 

In the process of ATP hydrolysis, dephosphorylation occurs as ATP loses an orthophosphate. Chemical energy that has been stored in high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds in ATP are released after these bonds become split. ATP hydrolysis is exergonic and thus releases energy. It releases 30.5 kJ per mole of ATP under standard conditions, an equal amount of ATP and water. The equation for ATP hydrolysis is as follows: ATP+ H20→ADP + Pi+ 30.5 5 kJ free energy.

Additional resources

Molecular Mechanism of ATP Hydrolysis in an ABC Transporter

Cellular Processes

PhosphoWorks™ Luminometric ATP Assay Kit *DTT-Free*

Cell Meter™ Live Cell ATP Assay Kit