LIFE 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Oxaloacetic Acid, Acetyl-Coa, Acetyl Group
Document Summary
The stages of cellular respiration: a preview. Uses both aerobic and anaerobic respiration but is often used to refer to aerobic respiration. Glycolysis: breaks down glucose into two molecules of pyruvate. Occurs in the cytoplasm and has two major phases: The citric acid cycle: completes the breakdown of glucose. Oxidative phosphorylation: accounts for most of the atp synthesis (almost 90%) A smaller amount of atp is formed in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle by substrate-level phosphorylation. The citric acid cycle completes the energy-yielding oxidation of organic molecules. In the presence of o2, pyruvate enters the mitochondrion. Before the citric acid cycle can begin, pyruvate must be converted to acetyl coa, which links the cycle to glycolysis. This step is carried out by a multienzyme complex that catalyzes three reactions. Has eight steps, each catalyzed by a specific enzyme. The acetyl group of acetyl coa joins the cycle combining with oxaloacetate, forming citrate.
