Table 2.

Comparison of ATP/NADH consumption and carbon yield among different pathways in assimilation of glycolate to produce acetyl-CoA

Per Ac-CoA synthesis from glycolate	NAD(P)H consumption	ATP consumption	The theoretical carbon yield
Native photorespiration pathway41	0	0	50% (1 Ac-CoA/2 glycolate)
The bacterial glycolate assimilation route41	−2	0	50% (1 Ac-CoA/2 glycolate)
The MCG pathway	1	2	100% (1 Ac-CoA/1 glycolate)

The MCG pathway can convert one glycolate to produce one acetyl-CoA without net carbon loss. The bacterial glycolate assimilation route converts two glycolate to only one acetyl-CoA