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Question

Why TCA Cycle Is Called Common Metabolic Pathway?


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Solution

Kreb's cycle:

The Krebs cycle or TCA cycle (tricarboxylic acid cycle) or Citric acid cycle is a sequence of enzyme-catalyzed reactions that occur in the mitochondrial matrix, in which acetyl-CoA is oxidized to form carbon dioxide and coenzymes are reduced, leading to the generation of ATP in the electron transport chain.

The steps involved in the Kreb's cycle are:

Step 1: Condensation of acetyl CoA with 4-carbon compound oxaloacetate leads to the formation of a 6C citrate and coenzyme A is released. The catalyst in the reaction is citrate synthase.

Step 2: Conversion of citrate to its isomer, isocitrate. The catalytic enzyme in this reaction is aconitase.

Step 3: Dehydrogenation and decarboxylation of isocitrate occur, leading to the formation of 5C š°-ketoglutarate. A molecular form of CO2 is also released. Isocitrate dehydrogenase is the catalyst in the reaction. It is an NAD+ dependent enzyme and NAD+ is converted to NADH.

Step 4: Oxidative decarboxylation of š°-ketoglutarate to form succinyl CoA, a 4C compound. Catalyst im the reaction is š°-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. One molecule of CO2 is released and conversion of NAD+ to NADH occurs.

Step 5: Formation of succinate from Succinyl CoA. The catalytic enzyme is succinyl CoA synthetase. This is included with substrate-level phosphorylation of GDP to form GTP. GTP transfers its phosphate to ADP forming ATP.

Step 6: Oxidation of succinate by the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase into fumarate. FAD is converted to FADH2

Step 7: Conversion of fumarate to malate by adding one H2O. The catalyst here is fumarase.

Step 8: Dehydrogenation of malate to form oxaloacetate, which combines with another molecule of acetyl CoA and starts the new cycle. Hydrogen gets removed and transferred to NAD+ leading to the formation of NADH. The catalyst in the reaction is Malate dehydrogenase.

TCA cycle is also termed the common metabolic pathway because:

  1. It is the common pathway for the complete oxidation of carbohydrates, amino acids and fatty acids.
  2. The majority of the biomolecules enter the cycle as acetyl CoA.
  3. Intermediates of the TCA cycle are utilized in a variety of biosynthetic pathways and interconversion of amino acids.

TCA cycle


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