Cellular Respiration: Pyruvate Oxidation

Question 1

What does the 2 pyruvate molecules contain?

Answer 1

They contain 75% of the energy in 1 glucose molecule

Question 2

What is the goal of pyruvate oxidation?

Answer 2

Extracting the free energy from the molecules

Question 3

Where does pyruvate oxidation occur?

Answer 3

The pyruvate diffuses though the inner and outer membranes of the mitochondrion using specific membrane carriers

Question 4

Step 1 of pyruvate oxidation

Answer 4

Decarboxylation: a carboxyl group is removed from the pyruvate (released as CO2 waste)

Question 5

Step 2 of pyruvate oxidation

Answer 5

Dehydrogenation: of remaining 2 carbon molecules (turns into acetyl group) (removal of hydrogen atom)

Question 6

Step 3 of pyruvate oxidation

Answer 6

Transfer: of 2 e- and proton to NAD+ (turns into NADH)

Question 7

Step 4 of pyruvate oxidation

Answer 7

Reaction: acetyl group and sulfur atom on coenzyme A forms acetyl-CoA

Question 8

Net reaction of pyruvate oxidation

Answer 8

2 pyruvate + 2NAD+ + 2 CoA creates 2 acetyl-CoA + 2 NADH + 2 H+ + 2 CO2 (all x2 because 2 pyruvate molecules)