Food Chemistry and Fish in Nutrition ( 2+1)

6.3.1.3. Oxidation of Pyruvate to Acetyl CoA

Under aerobic condition pruvate derived from glucose by glycolysis, is dehydrogenated to yield acetyl-CoA and CO₂ by pyruvate dehydrogenase, located in the mitochondria.

The reaction is as follows:

                                  Pyruvate Acetyl CoA

CH₃COCOOH+ NAD⁺ + CoA-SH → CH ₃ S ~ CoA+ NADH + CO₂

Thiamine pyrophosphate, coenzyme A, lipoic acid and NAD+ are coenzymes needed for the reaction. The acetyl CoA is then fed into citric acid cycle and oxidized to CO₂ in citric acid cycle and  energy is producd.