Pyruvate decarboxylation

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Pyruvate decarboxylation is the biochemical reaction that uses pyruvate to form acetyl-CoA, releasing reducing equivalents and carbon dioxide. Pyruvate decarboxylation, which links the metabolic pathways glycolysis and the citric acid cycle, is referred to as "the transition reaction," "the link reaction," or "the oxidative decarboxylation reaction." This reaction is usually catalyzed by the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex as part of aerobic respiration.^[1]

The oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate in anaerobic organisms differs from the aerobic process in that the electron acceptor is an iron-sulfur protein, not NAD⁺. The conversion is catalyzed by a thiamine-dependent enzyme that also acylates coenzyme A.^[2] The reducing equivalents are disposed of by the production of H₂ via hydrogenases.

[edit] References

1. ^ Alberts et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell. Garland Science, 2001. ISBN 0-8153-4072-9
2. ^ Eric Chabrière, Xavier Vernède, Bruno Guigliarelli, Marie-Hélène Charon, E. Claude Hatchikian, Juan C. Fontecilla-Camps “Crystal Structure of the Free Radical Intermediate of Pyruvate:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase” Science 2001, Volume 294, page 2559.

[edit] External links

• Notes on Pyruvate decarboxylation
• KEGG Pathway Database

v • d • e Cellular Respiration Aerobic Respiration Glycolysis → Pyruvate Decarboxylation → Citric Acid Cycle → Oxidative Phosphorylation (Electron Transport Chain + ATP synthase) Anaerobic Respiration Glycolysis → Lactic Acid Formation or Ethanol Formation

v • d • e Metabolism map Glucuronate metabolism Pentose interconversion Inositol metabolism Cellulose and sucrose metabolism Starch and glycogen metabolism Other sugar metabolism Pentose phosphate pathway Glycolysis and Gluconeogenesis Amino sugars metabolism Small amino acid synthesis Branched amino acid synthesis Purine biosynthesis Histidine metabolism Aromatic amino acid synthesis Pyruvate decarboxylation Anaerobic respiration Fatty acid metabolism Urea cycle Aspartate amino acid group synthesis Porphyrins and corrinoids metabolism Citric acid cycle Glutamate amino acid group synthesis Pyrimidine biosynthesis  v • d • e  All pathway labels on this image are links, simply click to access the article. A high resolution labeled version of this image is available here.