In the citric acid cycle, after the acetyl-group (2C) from acetyl-CoA is transferred to oxaloacetate (4C) to produce citrate (6C), subsequent reactions eventually result in 4C intermediates that are rearranged to regenerate oxaloacetate. What happens to the other two carbons?

Question

Chemistry

Amelie Alexander

27 April, 10:16

In the citric acid cycle, after the acetyl-group (2C) from acetyl-CoA is transferred to oxaloacetate (4C) to produce citrate (6C), subsequent reactions eventually result in 4C intermediates that are rearranged to regenerate oxaloacetate. What happens to the other two carbons?

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Answers (1)

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Arielle Newman · Answer 1

The carbons of the acetyl group oxidize which generate CO2, and in turn H2O.

Explanation:

The pyruvic acid that is generated during glycolysis enters the mitochondria. Inside this organelle, the acid molecules undergo a process called oxidative decaborxylation in which an enzyme of several cofactors is involved, one of which is coenzyme A. Pyruvic acid is transformed into an acetyl molecule and these are been introduced to the begining of the Krebs Cycle where the acetyl-group (2C) from acetyl-CoA is transferred to oxaloacetate (4C) to produce citrate (6C). As the molecule cycles the two carbons of the acetyl oxidize and are released in the form of CO2. Then the energy of the Krebs cycle becomes sufficient to reduce three NAD +, which means that three NADH molecules are formed. Although a small portion of energy is used to generate ATP, most of it is used to reduce not only the NAD + but also the FAD which, if oxidized, passes to its reduced state, FADH2