Pyruvate Oxidation Lesson PDF

Pyruvate Oxidation Objectives: 1.Define Pyruvate Oxidation. 2.Describe the steps in Pyruvate Oxidation. What is Pyruvate Oxidation? also known as pyruvate decarboxylation or link reaction, is a connecting step of cellular respiration, linking glycolysis and the...

Pyruvate Oxidation Objectives: 1.Define Pyruvate Oxidation. 2.Describe the steps in Pyruvate Oxidation. What is Pyruvate Oxidation? also known as pyruvate decarboxylation or link reaction, is a connecting step of cellular respiration, linking glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. What is Pyruvate Oxidation?  Pyruvate gets oxidized to acetyl- CoA under the influence of the enzyme complex pyruvate dehydrogenase. Overview of the process…  At the end of glycolysis, a single glucose molecule splits into two pyruvates (C3H4O3). Due to this, the link reaction occurs twice for each glucose molecule yielding a total of 2 acetyl-CoA molecules. This acetyl CoA then enters the Krebs cycle or citric acid cycle and fuels the reactions. Preparatory process…  After glycolysis, the pyruvate molecules leave the cytoplasm and enter the mitochondrial matrix crossing its inner membrane with the help of a transport protein. It is a type of active transport, as this crossing requires energy. Preparatory process…  In the mitochondrial matrix it undergoes several changes before entering the next step of cellular respiration. This ensures that energy stored in the pyruvate molecules can be harnessed by the cells. Conversion of Pyruvate to Acetyl- CoA has 3 steps: Step 1: Initially, the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase removes the carboxyl group from the 3-carbon molecule, pyruvate, releasing carbon dioxide. As a result, a two-carbon hydroxyethyl group bound to the enzyme is left behind. Conversion of Pyruvate to Acetyl- CoA has 3 steps: Step 2: In the next step, the two-carbon molecule from the previous step gets oxidized. NAD+ picks up the electrons lost in the oxidation to form NADH. Thus, NAD+ gets reduced to NADH, forming acetate. Conversion of Pyruvate to Acetyl- CoA has 3 steps: Step 3: Finally, coenzyme A, a sulfur- containing compound derived from vitamin B5, gets attached to the acetate via its sulfur atom, yielding acetyl coenzyme A, or acetyl CoA. This acetyl CoA acts as a carrier molecule, carrying the acetyl group to the citric acid cycle. Chemical Equation Reactants & Products Thank you for listening.