Fig. 34C: The Transition Reaction
Before the pyruvates from glycolysis
can feed into the Kreb's cycle, they must undergo a transition reaction.
The pyruvate is converted into a 2-carbon acetyl group as the third carbon
is lost as CO2. The acetyl group is attached
to coenzyme A to form acetyl-CoA. The two molecules of pyruvate from glycolysis
(see Fig. 34B)
that enter the transition reaction result in the formation of two molecules
of NADH and two molecules of CO2. The two
molecules of acetyl-CoA then enter the Kreb's cycle (see
Fig. 35). The NADH molecules then carry electrons to the electron
transport system for further production of ATPs by chemiosmotic phosphorylation
(see Fig. 36).
Copyright©
1998 Gary E. Kaiser
All Rights
Reserved
