Question

What happens after pyruvate oxidation? (What happens to the molecules)

Answer 1

After pyruvate oxidation, the molecule undergoes several changes. Here are the steps that occur after pyruvate oxidation:

1. Pyruvate is oxidized by the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase to form acetyl-CoA, a two-carbon molecule attached to coenzyme A.
2. Acetyl-CoA then enters the Krebs cycle, also known as the citric acid cycle, where it undergoes a series of chemical reactions that produce energy-rich molecules such as ATP, NADH, and FADH2.
3. During the Krebs cycle, carbon atoms are released as CO2, reducing the size of the molecule.
4. At the end of the Krebs cycle, the final product is oxaloacetate, which can react with another molecule of acetyl-CoA to start the cycle over again. The energy-rich molecules produced during the cycle are then used by the electron transport chain to produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.

In summary, after pyruvate oxidation, the molecule is transformed into acetyl-CoA, which then goes through the Krebs cycle to produce energy-rich molecules and ultimately ATP.