Question

Pyruvate is converted to acetyl CoA through the action of

A) pyruvate decarboxylase.
B) pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.
C) aconitase.
D) citrate synthase.
E) pyruvate CoA transferase.

Answer 1

Pyruvate is converted to acetyl CoA by the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, which involves decarboxylation, oxidation to form NADH, and attachment of the acetyl group to Coenzyme A.

Step-by-step explanation:

Pyruvate is converted to acetyl CoA through the action of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. This complex performs a critical reaction within cellular respiration that transitions pyruvate molecules, which are produced during glycolysis, into acetyl CoA for entry into the Krebs cycle.

The conversion includes several steps: first, the removal of a carboxyl group from pyruvate to release carbon dioxide. Secondly, this reaction sequence oxidizes a hydroxyethyl group to an acetyl group with the production of NADH. Finally, the remaining two-carbon molecule is attached to Coenzyme A (CoA), forming acetyl CoA ready for the Krebs cycle.