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What occurs during the link reaction in cellular respiration?

User Gal Talmor
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1 Answer

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27 votes

Answer:

Produce an acetyl group.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Link Reaction happens in Mitochondria. Mitochondria in cells take up the pyruvate which is formed from glycolysis in the cytoplasm. Once the pyruvate is in the mitochondrion, enzymes within the matrix of the mitochondrion remove hydrogen and carbon dioxide from the pyruvate. This is called oxidation (removal of hydrogen or addition of oxygen) and decarboxylation (removal of carbon dioxide). Therefore, the process is called oxidative decarboxylation. The hydrogen removed is accepted by NAD+. The link reaction results in the formation of an acetyl group. This acetyl group is then accepted by CoA and forms acetyl CoA.

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What occurs during the link reaction in cellular respiration?-example-1
User Krzysztof Wende
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