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Multiple Choice
In preparing pyruvate to enter the citric acid cycle, which of the following steps occurs?
A
Pyruvate is reduced, and a molecule of carbon dioxide is removed. The electrons removed in this process are used to oxidize NAD+ to NADH.
B
Pyruvate is oxidized, and a molecule of carbon dioxide is removed. The electrons removed in this process are donated to NADH to produce NAD+.
C
Pyruvate is reduced to acetyl-coA, which involves the reduction of pyruvate, the addition of a carbon dioxide from the environment, and its reduction by NADH.
D
Pyruvate is ionized directly to acetyl-coA.
E
Pyruvate is oxidized, and a molecule of carbon dioxide is removed. The electrons removed in this process are used to reduce NAD+ to NADH.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the role of pyruvate in cellular respiration. Pyruvate is a key intermediate that links glycolysis to the citric acid cycle.
Recognize that pyruvate undergoes a transformation before entering the citric acid cycle. This transformation is known as oxidative decarboxylation.
Identify the process of oxidative decarboxylation. Pyruvate is oxidized, meaning it loses electrons, and a molecule of carbon dioxide is removed from it.
Learn about the role of NAD+ in this process. The electrons removed from pyruvate are used to reduce NAD+ to NADH, which is an important electron carrier in cellular respiration.
Understand the outcome of this transformation. The oxidation of pyruvate results in the formation of acetyl-CoA, which then enters the citric acid cycle to continue the process of energy production.