Chapter 13: Krebs Cycle Flashcards
what is the energy produced in the krebs cycle conserved as?
conserved as reducing power when NAD+ and ubiquinone are reduced to NADH and QH2
why is the krebs cycle not exclusively a catabolic pathway for the oxidation of acetyl CoA?
- oxaloacetate, citrate, alpha ketoglutarate and succinyl CoA all lead to biosynthetic pathways
- the pool of intermediates can be replenished by the catabolism of amino acids or fatty acids
why is the krebs cycle considered a multi-step catalyst reaction?
- only small amounts of each intermediate are needed to convert large quantities of acetyl CoA to products
- the rate at which the krebs cycle metabolizes acetyl CoA is very sensitive in changes in the concentration of intermediates
where is the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex located?
mitochondria
how is pyruvate transported from the cytoplasm into the mitochondria so it can be converted to acetyl CoA?
pyruvate translocase transports pyruvate in symport with H+ across the inner membrane
why can molecules cross the outer membrane of the mitochondria?
presence of porins
How is oxaloacetate, which can be a substrate for gluconeogenesis, transported to the cytoplasm from the mitochondria?
oxaloacetate is converted to phosphoenolpyruvate (catalyzed by PEPCK) and a PEP transporter relocates it across the membrane
how is acetyl CoA transported from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm for fatty acid synthesis?
- tricarboxylic acid transporter that exports citrate
- in the cytoplasm, citrate is converted to oxaloacetate and acetyl CoA
how do species that lack mitochondrial PEPCK export oxaloacetate?
- malate-aspartate shuttle
- oxaloaceate is converted to malate by malate dehydrogenase
a large complex of enzymes and cofactors that catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA, so it can enter the krebs cycle
pyruvate dehydrogenase complex
is the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA an oxidation or reduction?
- oxidation
- NAD+ is concomitantly reduced
what are the 3 enzymes complexes of pyruvate dehydrogenase?
- pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1)
- Dihydrolipoyl transacetylase (E2)
- Dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (E3)
what is the prosthetic group of E1?
TPP
what is the prosthetic group of E2?
lipoamide
what is the prosthetic group of E3?
FAD
what are the cosubstrates of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex?
- HS-CoA
- NAD+
What is the role of TPP?
binds pyruvate in E1, catalyzing decarboxylation to form hydroxyethyl-TPP
what is the role of lipoamide?
- E2 swinging arm
- hydroxyethyl is transferred to lipoamide
- transfer of acetyl group to HS-CoA leaves lipoamide in reduced dithiol form