Which of the following enzymes is primarily responsible for catalyzing the conversion of glucose into pyruvate during cellular respiration?

Core Concept

The primary reason hexokinase is key in this process is that it catalyzes the first committed step of glycolysis. Hexokinase facilitates the transfer of a phosphate group from ATP to glucose, generating glucose-6-phosphate. This reaction commits the cell to the glycolytic pathway and is essential for the breakdown of glucose.