As longtime fans of both Macklemore and metabolism pathways (weird combo, we know, but whatever), we're pretty damn excited about this "Thrift Shop" parody by Wilson Lam. You should be, too, especially if you're studying bioenergetics.


"One of the awesome things about the [intermediary metabolism] course at [The University of Ottawa] is that a song contest is held where the students are challenged to write a song about the TCA (Kreb's) Cycle," writes Lam, a biochemistry undergrad at uOttawa. "I decided to also add a little glycolysis in here as well, just because I figured that it worked well."

Anyone who's grappled with memorizing the various enzymes, intermediates and transformations of the citric acid cycle will appreciate how useful songs like this can be, especially when they're set to tunes as wickedly infectious as "Thrift Shop." Bravo, Wilson — I wish I'd had this video at my disposal when I was an undergrad.


Here are the lyrics:

[Hook]

I'm gonna pop some carbs

Only got a lil' glucose in my pathway

I - I - I'm lazy, lookin' for some CoA

This is frigging awesome



[Verse 1]

Now I got some glucose; hell yeah, I'm in that prep phase

I'm so pumped; doin' work with hexokinase

Glucose to the glucose with a number six phosphate

PGI to that fructose 6-phosphate (dayum)

ATP, ADP, phosphofructokinase E,

1,6-bis, FBP, adolase, two GAP;

GAPDH with some PGK & PGM,

3-P to the 2-Phosphoglycerate, and then

(Enolaaaaaaaassseeee)

PEP to Pyruvate! (glycolysis)



[Verse 2]

FAD, NAD bout to go and grab some hydroG

Pumpin' out all those substrates for some work yeah that's that energy

shuttlin' through that mito-C like nobody's business

what you know about oxidation? biz-NITCH

I'mma do it TCA, I'mma do it TCA

No for real - movin' on - can I have some A-CoA? (thank-you)

Citrate synthase from that CoA to that citrate

Aconitase, step two; isocitrate

I had some NAD+ (plus), I used some NAD+ (plus)

I made some NADH (Hhhhhhhh), and alpha-ketogluterate (oh snap)

dehydrogenase complex, plus some CoA

CO2, NADH out; succinyl CoA

then I take that GDP, add a P (GTP), hold on wait

CoAs gone, people be like "Aw, he got the succinate"



[Hook x2]



[Verse 3]

What you know about intermediary metabolism? (not much)

What you knowin' about what's goin' on in your skin? (uhhhhh)

I'm diggin, I'm diggin, I'm lookin' for some FAD

Step 6, succinate dehydrogenase, that's the key (zing)

Movin' on, reducin' that FAD up to FADH2

fumarate, fumarase that's the enzyme now go shift your gaze

to malate (okay); step 8, malate dehydrogenase

finish off; NADH, oxaloacetate (ahhhhh)



[Hook x2]



[Bridge x2]

That's how Kreb's cycle goes

If you didn't doze now you know

This is how TCA flows

BCH actually doesn't blow



[Hook]



(alpha-ketogluteraaaaaaaaaate)