KREBS CYCLE

 Citric Acid Cycle – first molecule that forms in the cycle (citrate)/ citric acid

*TCA – three carboxyl groups are involved in this cycle

Won Noble Peace Prize for the discovery in living organisms of the series of chemical reactions known
as the tricarboxylic acid cycle (also called the citric acid cycle, or Krebs cycle). These reactions involve the
conversion—in the presence of oxygen—of substances that are formed by the breakdown of sugars,
fats, and protein components to carbon dioxide, water, and energy-rich compounds.

-Oxidation means moving/losing of electrons. Meaning, it will change the property of an

element/compound.

-Is a series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through the oxidation
of acetate—derived from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins—into carbon dioxide. 

-Aerobic organism - can survive and grow in an oxygenated environment

-Oxidizes products of glycolysis such as two pyruvate molecules, two ATP, and two NADH.

-Before Krebs Cycle, pyruvate is moved to the mitochondrial matrix to oxidizing it to form two-carbon
acetyl group CO2 is removed and NAD+ is reduced into NADH. Acetate will join with coenzyme A to form
Acetyl CoA
-Acetyl CoA is important in the energy production of Krebs Cycle

Citrate synthase is an enzyme where it is most often responsible for catalyzing the first reaction of
the citric acid cycle.  The condensation of acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate to form citrate.

A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction, but is not consumed by the reaction

isomers are ions or molecules with identical formulas but distinct structures

The citrate is rearranged to form an isomeric form, isocitrate by an enzyme acontinase.

Citrate loses one water molecule and gains another as citrate is converted to isocitrate

3. The enzyme catalyzing this step, isocitrate dehydrogenase, is important in regulating the speed of the
citric acid cycle. NAD+ is reduced to form NADH and releases a molecule of carbon dioxide leaving 5
carbon molecule

Catalyze the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate into alpha-ketoglutarate

Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction that removes a carboxyl group and releases carbon dioxide
(CO2). 
The enzyme catalyzing this step, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, is also important in regulation of the
citric acid cycle.

Just like in the 3rd step, it reduces NAD+ to NADH and release a molecule of carbon dioxide

It catalyzes the conversion of α-ketoglutarate to succinyl-CoA

The coenzyme A is replaced by a phosphate group to transfer to GDP (Guanosine Diphosphate) to form
GTP (guanosine triphosphate). Succinyl-CoA synthetase is the enzyme responsible for the catalyzing it to
succinate.

Succinate is oxidized forming another four-carbon molecule called fumerate. Two hydrogen atoms are
transferred to FAD producing FADH2. Succinate dehydrogenase is connected in the inner membrane of
mitochondrion so that FADH2 can transport electrons in the electron transport chain.

The citric acid cycle is the final common pathway for the oxidation of carbohydrate, lipid, and protein
because glucose, fatty acids, and most amino acids are metabolized to acetyl-CoA or intermediates of
the cycle. The function of the citric acid cycle is harvesting of high energy electrons from carbon fuels.

The main function of the Krebs cycle is to produce electron carriers that can be used in the last step of
cellular respiration.

It finishes the sugar-breaking job started in glycolysis and fuels the production of ATP in the process. It is
also a central hub in biosynthetic reactions, providing intermediates that are used to build amino acids
and other molecules. The citric acid cycle enzymes are found in all cells that use oxygen, and even in
some cells that don't.