Question

How many ATP will be produced during the production of 1 molecule of acetyl CoA from 1 molecule of pyruvic acid?

• A. 3 ATP
• B. 5 ATP
• C. 8 ATP
• D. 38 ATP

Answer 1

The correct option is A 3 ATP

Glycolysis converts one molecule of glucose into two molecules of pyruvic acid in the cell cytoplasm. The pyruvic acid molecules are transported to mitochondria for subsequent oxidation in the aerobic respiration. In mitochondria, each molecule of three carbon atom containing pyruvic acid is metabolised to produce two carbon atom containing acetyl coA. Thus, one molecule of carbon dioxide is released per molecule of pyruvic acid undergoing the reaction which is called as oxidative decarboxylation. The reaction is catalyzed by an enzyme complex pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH). As this reaction is an oxidation reaction, one molecule of coenzyme NADH is simultaneously reduced to give reduced $NAD{H}_2$. When one molecule of reduced coenzyme is oxidised in mitochondrial electron transport chain, three molecules of ATP are produced.