Question

The formation of Acetyl Co-A from pyruvic acid is the result of its

• A. Reduction
• B. Dehydration
• C. Phosphorylation
• D. Oxidative decarboxylation

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

Oxidative decarboxylation

The glycolysis results in formation of two molecules of pyruvic acid from each molecule of glucose. The pyruvic acid is oxidatively decarboxylated to acetyl CoA by a complex enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase. There is release of one molecule of carbon dioxide and production of one molecule of reduced coenzyme $NAD{H}_2$ per molecule of pyruvic acid acted upon by pyruvate dehydrogenase. Thus totally two molecules of acetyl CoA are produced by oxidative decarboxylation of two molecules of pyruvic acid per glucose molecule.