What is the metabolic fate of pyruvate?
Pyruvate and the citric acid cycle. The pyruvate produced from lactate and other organic substrate is then transformed to acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cycle to be further metabolized. During the reactions of the cycle, acetyl-CoA is completely oxidized to carbon dioxide and the energy stored in the 2-carbon acetyl moiety of acetyl-CoA is released and transferred in the form of electrons to the high energy electron carriers NADH and FADH2 (Figure 3). These two compounds then donate the electrons to the carriers in the electron transport system to reduce a variety of electron acceptors. Figure 3. The citric acid cycle. The cycle is also referred to as tricarboxylic acid cycle or the Krebs cycle. In the utilization of organic compound, the citric acid cycle is always used to completely oxide substrate to carbon dioxide and water (Todar, 2008). Back to top Ⅳ Electron transport chain Electron transport chain couples lactate oxidation to reduction of electron acceptors. The
