Question

Why is the citric acid cycle oxygen dependent?

Answer 1

Citric acid cycle:

1. Tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) or Krebs cycle or is a series of reactions in which enzyme are catalyzed in the mitochondria, during the process acetyl-CoA is oxidized to produce carbon dioxide and coenzymes gets reduced to generate ATP in the electron transport chain.
2. Krebs cycle is also referred to as the citric acid cycle because it is the first product formed in the cycle.
3. In the absence of oxygen the electron transport chain gets stuffed with electrons.
4. Due to this NAD+ and FAD cannot be generated which causes glycolysis to produce lactic acid instead of pyruvate, which is an important component of the Krebs cycle.
5. So, due to this citric acid cycle is oxygen dependent.