
The citric acid cycle begins with the transfer of a two-carbon acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to the four-carbon acceptor compound (oxaloacetate) to form a six-carbon compound (citrate). The citrate then goes through a series of chemical transformations, losing two carboxyl groups as CO2.
What are the steps in the citric acid cycle?
Step 1. In the first step of the citric acid cycle, acetyl joins with a four-carbon molecule, oxaloacetate, releasing the group and forming a six-carbon molecule called citrate. Step 2. In the second step, citrate is converted into its isomer, isocitrate.
What does the citric acid cycle start and end with?
What does the Citric Acid Cycle start with and end with? It begins with acetyl-CoA which is oxidized to 2 molecules of CO2 What are the reduced compounds in the Citric Acid Cycle and what is their importance?
What happens during citric acid cycle?
What happens during the citric acid cycle? The citric acid cycle: In the citric acid cycle, the acetyl group from acetyl CoA is attached to a four-carbon oxaloacetate molecule to form a six-carbon citrate molecule. Through a series of steps, citrate is oxidized, releasing two carbon dioxide molecules for each acetyl group fed into the cycle.
What is the citric acid cycle also called?
The citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs Cycle) is actually a part of the much larger process called cellular respiration, the process where your body harvests energy from the food you eat. Yes, the citric acid cycle has the same citric acid found in oranges and other citrus fruits!

How is citrate formed?
Citrate is produced in the Krebs cycle (also known as the citric acid cycle or TCA cycle) from the aldol condensation of oxaloacetate, the end product of a previous turn of the cycle, and acetyl-CoA (Figure 1) (36).
Does the citric acid cycle produce citrate?
The citric acid cycle begins with the transfer of a two-carbon acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to the four-carbon acceptor compound (oxaloacetate) to form a six-carbon compound (citrate). The citrate then goes through a series of chemical transformations, losing two carboxyl groups as CO2.
How does citrate become citric acid?
The citric acid cycle begins with acetyl-CoA transferring its two-carbon acetyl group to the four-carbon acceptor compound (oxaloacetate) to form a six-carbon compound (citrate) through the enzyme citrate synthase. The resulting citrate is then converted to cis-aconitate and then isocitrate via the enzyme aconitase.
How does pyruvate become citrate?
Acetyl CoA links glycolysis and pyruvate oxidation with the citric acid cycle. In the presence of oxygen, acetyl CoA delivers its acetyl group to a four-carbon molecule, oxaloacetate, to form citrate, a six-carbon molecule with three carboxyl groups.
What activates citrate synthase?
In the citric acid cycle, these remaining carbon atoms are fully oxidized to form carbon dioxide. Citrate synthase starts this process by taking the molecules of acetate and attaching them to oxaloacetate, which acts as a convenient handle as the carbon atoms are passed from enzyme to enzyme in the citric acid cycle.
How is citrate metabolized?
Citrate is metabolized by the Krebs cycle (citric acid cycle), mainly in the liver, but also in muscles and kidneys. Kramer et al. compared the metabolism of citrate in 16 cirrhotic and 16 non-cirrhotic patients [10]. In this study, patients received 0.5 mmol of citrate per kilogram and per hour during 2 h.
How does citrate become isocitrate?
Citrate is converted into isocitrate in a reaction catalyzed by aconitase. Step 3. Isocitrate is converted into α-ketoglutarate in a reaction catalyzed by isocitrate dehydrogenase. An NAD+ molecule is reduced to NADH + H+ in this reaction, and a carbon dioxide molecule is released as a product.
How is citrate converted to bicarbonate?
Once citrate enters the circulation, it is metabolized to carbon dioxide and then bicarbonate on a 1: 3 basis; thus, 1 mmol citrate yields 3 mmol carbon dioxide and then bicarbonate. Under these circumstances, citrate acts as the 'buffer' as well as the anticoagulant.
Is citrate involved in glycolysis?
For example, citrate directly inhibits the main regulators of glycolysis, phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK1) and phosphofructokinase-2 (PFK2) [2,3], while it enhances gluconeogenesis by promoting fructose-1,6-biphosphatase (FBPase) [4]. An example of the key role of citrate in normal cells can be found in hepatocytes.
How does pyruvate become acetyl CoA?
A carboxyl group is removed from pyruvate and released as carbon dioxide. The two-carbon molecule from the first step is oxidized, and NAD+ accepts the electrons to form NADH. The oxidized two-carbon molecule, an acetyl group, is attached to Coenzyme A to form acetyl CoA.
How is pyruvate converted to oxaloacetate?
In order to convert pyruvate to PEP there are several steps and several enzymes required. Pyruvate carboxylase, PEP carboxykinase and malate dehydrogenase are the three enzymes responsible for this conversion. Pyruvate carboxylase is found on the mitochondria and converts pyruvate into oxaloacetate.
What is the role of citrate in fatty acid synthesis?
Citrate acts to activate acetyl-CoA carboxylase under high levels, because high levels indicate that there is enough acetyl-CoA to feed into the Krebs cycle and conserve energy.
Where does the citric acid cycle occur?
The citric acid cycle, however, occurs in the matrix of cell mitochondria. Prior to the beginning of the citric acid cycle, pyruvic acid generated in glycolysis crosses the mitochondrial membrane and is used to form acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl CoA). Acetyl CoA is then used in the first step of the citric acid cycle.
What is the molecule that is oxidized in isocitrate?
Isocitrate loses a molecule of carbon dioxide (CO2) and is oxidized forming the five-carbon alpha ketoglutarate. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is reduced to NADH + H+ in the process.
What is the conversion of alpha ketoglutarate to 4-carbon succinyl?
Alpha ketoglutarate is converted to the 4-carbon succinyl CoA. A molecule of CO2 is removed and NAD+ is reduced to NADH + H+ in the process.
How many ATP molecules are produced in the Krebs cycle?
In eukaryotes, the Krebs cycle uses a molecule of acetyl CoA to generate 1 ATP, 3 NADH, 1 FADH2, 2 CO2, and 3 H+. Two molecules of acetyl CoA are produced in glycolysis so the total number of molecules produced in the citric acid cycle is doubled (2 ATP, 6 NADH, 2 FADH2, 4 CO2, and 6 H+).
What is the name of the compound that is added to the four carbon oxaloacetate to form the?
The two-carbon acetyl group of acetyl CoA is added to the four-carbon oxaloacetate to form the six-carbon citrate . The conjugate acid of citrate is citric acid, hence the name citric acid cycle. Oxaloacetate is regenerated at the end of the cycle so that the cycle may continue.
What is the second stage of cellular respiration?
The citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle or tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, is the second stage of cellular respiration. This cycle is catalyzed by several enzymes and is named in honor of the British scientist Hans Krebs who identified the series of steps involved in the citric acid cycle.
What is the process of releasing energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats?
The usable energy found in the carbohydrates , proteins, and fats we eat is released mainly through the citric acid cycle . Although the citric acid cycle does not use oxygen directly, it works only when oxygen is present.
How many steps are involved in the citric acid cycle?
In eukaryotes, the citric acid or TCA cycle has a total of 10 steps that are mediated by 8 different enzymes. Key to the whole cycle is the availability of acetyl-CoA. One of the primary sources of acetyl-CoA is from the breakdown of glucose (and other sugars) by glycolysis. This process generates pyruvate.
Who discovered the citric acid cycle?
The citric acid cycle was discovered in 1937 by Hans Adolf Krebs while he worked at the University of Sheffield in England (PMID: 16746382). Krebs received the Nobel Prize for his discovery in 1953. Krebs’ extensive work on this pathway is also why the citric acid or TCA cycle is often referred to as the Krebs cycle.
What happens to the starting 6 carbon citrate molecule?
Overall, in the citric acid cycle, the starting six-carbon citrate molecule loses two carboxyl groups as CO2, leading to the production of a four-carbon oxaloacetate. The two-carbon acetyl-CoA that is the “fuel” for the TCA cycle can be generated by several metabolic pathways including glucose metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, ...
What enzyme converts cis-aconitate to isocitrate?
The resulting citrate is then converted to cis-aconitate and then isocitrate via the enzyme aconitase. The resulting isocitrate then combines with NAD+ to form oxalosuccinate and NADH, which is then converted into alpha-ketoglutarate (and CO2) through the action of the enzyme known as isocitrate dehydrogenase.
How many carbons are in citric acid?
The citric acid cycle begins with acetyl-CoA transferring its two-carbon acetyl group to the four-carbon acceptor compound (oxaloacetate) to form a six-carbon compound (citrate) through the enzyme citrate synthase. The resulting citrate is then converted to cis-aconitate and then isocitrate via the enzyme aconitase.
What is the net yield of one turn of the TCA cycle?
The net yield of one “turn” of the TCA cycle in terms of energy-containing compounds is one GTP, one FADH2, and three NADH molecules. The NADH molecules are used in oxidative phosphorylation to generate ATP. In eukaryotes, the citric acid cycle occurs in the mitochondrial matrix. In prokaryotes, the citric acid cycle occurs in the cytoplasm.
What is the tricarboxylic acid cycle?
Metabolic. Date. Modify. 2021-03-09. The citric acid cycle, which is also known as the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) or the Krebs cycle, is a connected series of enzyme-catalyzed chemical reactions of central importance to all aerobic organisms (i.e. organisms that use oxygen for cellular respiration).
How many amino acids are in citrate synthase?
Citrate synthase's 437 amino acid residues are organized into two main subunits, each consisting of 20 alpha-helices. These alpha helices compose approximately 75% of citrate synthase's tertiary structure, while the remaining residues mainly compose irregular extensions of the structure, save a single beta-sheet of 13 residues. Between these two subunits, a single cleft exists containing the active site. Two binding sites can be found therein: one reserved for citrate or oxaloacetate and the other for Coenzyme A. The active site contains three key residues: His274, His320, and Asp375 that are highly selective in their interactions with substrates. The adjacent images display the tertiary structure of citrate synthase in its opened and closed form. The enzyme changes from opened to closed with the addition of one of its substrates (such as oxaloacetate).
What is the active site of citrate synthase?
Citrate synthase has three key amino acids in its active site (known as the catalytic triad) which catalyze the conversion of acetyl-CoA [H 3 CC (=O)−SCoA] and oxaloacetate [ − O 2 CCH 2 C (=O)CO 2−] into citrate [ − O 2 CCH 2 C (OH) (CO 2− )CH 2 CO 2−] and H−SCoA in an aldol condensation reaction. This conversion begins with the negatively charged carboxylate side chain oxygen atom of Asp-375 deprotonating acetyl CoA's alpha carbon atom to form an enolate anion which in turn is neutralized by protonation by His-274 to form an enol intermediate [H 2 C=C (OH)−SCoA]. At this point, the epsilon nitrogen lone pair of electrons on His-274 formed in the last step abstracts the hydroxyl enol proton to reform an enolate anion that initiates a nucleophilic attack on the oxaloacetate's carbonyl carbon [ − O 2 CCH 2 C (=O)CO 2−] which in turn deprotonate the epsilon nitrogen atom of His-320. This nucleophilic addition results in the formation of citroyl−CoA [ − O 2 CCH 2 CH (CO 2− )CH 2 C (=O)−SCoA]. At this point, a water molecule is deprotonated by the epsilon nitrogen atom of His-320 and hydrolysis is initiated. One of the oxygen's lone pairs nucleophilically attacks the carbonyl carbon of citroyl−CoA. This forms a tetrahedral intermediate and results in the ejection of −SCoA as the carbonyl reforms. The −SCoA is protonated to form HSCoA. Finally, the hydroxyl added to the carbonyl in the previous step is deprotonated and citrate [ − O 2 CCH 2 C (OH) (CO 2− )CH 2 CO 2−] is formed.
What is the first substrate to bind to the enzyme?
Oxaloacetate is the first substrate to bind to the enzyme. This induces the enzyme to change its conformation, and creates a binding site for the acetyl-CoA. Only when this citryl-CoA has formed will another conformational change cause thioester hydrolysis and release coenzyme A.
What is the catalyzed reaction of acetyl coenzyme A and ox?
Citrate synthase catalyzes the condensation reaction of the two-carbon acetate residue from acetyl coenzyme A and a molecule of four-carbon oxaloacetate to form the six-carbon citrate: Oxaloacetate is regenerated after the completion of one round of the Krebs cycle. Oxaloacetate is the first substrate to bind to the enzyme.
What is citrate synthase used for?
Citrate synthase is commonly used as a quantitative enzyme marker for the presence of intact mitochondria. Maximal activity of citrate synthase indicates the mitochondrial content of skeletal muscle.
Is citrate a competitive inhibitor?
It is also inhibited by succinyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA, which resembles Acetyl-coA and acts as a competitive inhibitor to acetyl-CoA and a noncompetitive inhibitor to oxaloacetate. Citrate inhibits the reaction and is an example of product inhibition.
