Simple Pharmanotes: ATP: Adenosine tri Phosphate, Explained.

ATP: Adenosine tri Phosphate, Explained.

ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate) is an intracellular molecular currency of energy transfer.
This molecule is used in many biological reactions as a source for energy.
ATP stores energy in the form of "Phosphate Bonds."
When energy is released it looses phosphate group and forms ADP (Adenosine Di Phosphate) and AMP (Adenosine Mono Phosphate).

ATP first discovered in 1929.
ATP was first discovered by the German chemist Karl Lohmann.
Its structure is established some years later.
In 1948 Alexander Todd (UK) synthesizes ATP chemically.
Vladimir Engelhart (Russia) notes in 1935 that muscle contractions require ATP.
Between 1939 and 1941 Fritz Lipmann (USA) shows that ATP is the main bearer of chemical energy in the cell. He coins the phrase "energy-rich phosphate bonds".

From Biochemistry point of view the ATP is classified as "Nucleoside triphosphate".
Means it contains three main structural components.

In metabolic reactions the adenine and ribose remain untouched while the reaction proceeds by altering the phosphate group numbers.
Removal of phosphate groups during reactions forms ADP and AMP.
The phosphate groups are termed as 1) Alpha, 2) Beta and last one 3) Gamma.

ATPs are produced mainly from ADP and AMP by recycling processes during various metabolic pathways like "Glycolysis", "Citric Acid Cycle" etc.
Each body equivalent of ATP is recycled for 500-750 times a day.
In plants the ATPs are produced by a process called "photophosphorylation" in chloroplasts and little amount by "Clavin Cycle".
While above processes are carried out in an aerobic environment (in presence of atmospheric oxygen), the production of ATPs in microbes is conducted under an anaerobic environment (in presence of atmospheric oxygen).
Prokaryotic cells lack the electron transport machinery but they utilize various electron acceptors like nitrites, CO2, sulphate etc.