how adenosine triphosphate is the ‘energy currency’ of cells? Is the molecule structured to trap and transfer energy or create it?

Question

how adenosine triphosphate is the ‘energy currency’ of cells? Is the molecule structured to trap and transfer energy or create it?

In: 23

Answer 1

It isn’t “structured to do anything” (which would imply intent). It is just effective way to transfer energy – it’s a complex organic molecule that ends with three P-O-P-O-P bonds (hence the name). In the presence of water, one or two of those bonds can break releasing a certain quantity of energy that can be then used by the cells to do other things. ATP itself is regenerated constantly through metabolism in a number of processes, through breakdown of glucose, citric acid or fat oxidation.