Which enzyme is responsible for making ATP during cellular respiration?

ATP synthase plays a crucial role in the production of ATP during cellular respiration. This enzyme is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane and is responsible for synthesizing ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. The process occurs during oxidative phosphorylation, where the energy stored in the proton gradient across the membrane is utilized to drive the conversion of ADP to ATP.

During cellular respiration, electrons are transferred through a series of proteins in the electron transport chain, leading to the pumping of protons into the intermembrane space, creating a proton motive force. ATP synthase harnesses this energy as protons flow back into the mitochondrial matrix, catalyzing the phosphorylation of ADP to form ATP.

Lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, and hexokinase serve important functions in metabolism, but they are not directly responsible for ATP synthesis during cellular respiration. Lactate dehydrogenase is involved in the conversion of pyruvate to lactate during anaerobic respiration. Citrate synthase catalyzes the first step of the citric acid cycle, facilitating the formation of citrate from acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate. Hexokinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate in the initial steps of glycolysis