Waltz

 Around  the  Krebs  Cycle  

(To  the  tune  of  Waltzing  Matilda)  
 
 
Once  a  jolly  pyruvate  enters  the  matrix    
Of  a  mitochondrion,  so  they  say,  
A  decarboxylating,  complex  dehydrogenase    
Turns  it  into  acetyl  co-­‐enzyme  A.  
 
Waltz  round  the  cycle    
Waltz  round  the  cycle  
Waltz  round  the  TCA  cycle  today.  
A  decarboxylating,  complex  dehydrogenase    
Turns  pyruvate  to  acetyl  CoA.  
 
Oxaloacelate  looking  for  a  partner    
Thinks  "active  acetate"  looks  OK;    
Condensing  enzyme  arranging  a  merger    
Makes  a  new  citrate,  and  kicks  out  CoA.  
 
Waltz  round  the  cycle  
Waltz  round  the  cycle  
Waltz  round  the  TCA  cycle  today.    
Condensing  enzyme  arranging  a  merger    
Makes  a  new  citrate,  and  kicks  out  CoA.  
 
Along  comes  aconitase,  a  hydro-­‐dehydratase,    
Gives  isocitrate  reversibly.  
Then  its  dehydrogenase  gives  NADH,    
Carbon  dioxide  and  alpha  KG.  
 
Waltz  round  the  cycle    
Waltz  round  the  cycle  
Waltz  round  the  TCA  cycle  with  me.  
Then  its  dehydrogenase  gives  NADH.    
Carbon  dioxide  and  alpha  KG.  
  
Off  with  the  CO2,  another  oxidation    
Just  like  the  PDC  previously.  
Succinyl  CoA  with  a  thiokinase    
Yields  succinate  and  GTP.  
 
Waltz  round  the  cycle    
Waltz  round  the  cycle  
Waltz  rotund  the  TCA  cycle  with  me.  
Succinyl  CoA  with  a  thiokinase  
Yields  succinate  and  GTP.  
 
Succinate's  oxidised  by  its  dehydrogenase    
Reducing  FAD,  giving  fumarate  
Fumarase  makes  malate;    
another  dehydrogenase    
Generates  oxaloacetate.  
Waltz  round  the  cycle    
Waltz  round  the  cycle  
Waltz  round  the  TCA  cycle,  mate.  
Fumarase  makes  malate,  another  dehydrogenase    
Generates  oxaloacetate.  
 
 
 
Abbreviations:    
 
TCA  tricarboxylic  acid  
Alpha  KG  –  alpha  ketoglutarate  
PDC  pyruvate  dehydrogenase  complex  
 
Succinyl  CoA  thiokinase  is  also  known  as  Succinyl  CoA  synthetase!!