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Pyruvic acid

Definition

noun

A colorless, water-soluble, organic liquid produced by the breakdown of carbohydrates and sugars during glycolysis, and with a chemical formula of: CH3COCO2H.


Supplement

If oxygen is available, pyruvic acid is converted to acetyl coenzyme A that enters the energy-producing pathway, the Krebs cycle. If oxygen is lacking, pyruvic acid is converted to lactic acid.

This compound is also used in the body to synthesize alanine.


Word origin: PYR(O)– + Latin ūva, grape (from its being produced by the dry distillation of racemic acid, originally derived from grapes) + –IC.

Synonym: acetylformic acid, pyroracemic acid.
See also: pyruvate, glycolysis, cellular respiration.


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cellular respiration???

... is a six carbon sugar. It is converted to two molecules of pyruvate (Pyruvic acid) in the first step, with the formation of two molecules of ATP and two molecules of NADH+H. ...

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by freshbiology
Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:39 pm
 
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: cellular respiration???
Replies: 1
Views: 99

Photosynthesis Trivia

... energy converted from sunlight energy is found in (A.) glucose (B.) pyruvic acid (C.) oxaloacetate (D.) carbon dioxide (E.) none of these 13. The fixation of carbon dioxide ...

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by vstexas09
Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:46 am
 
Forum: Cell Biology
Topic: Photosynthesis Trivia
Replies: 5
Views: 5333

Re: Function of Nadh

... of glucose (a six-carbon monosaccharide) generates 2 molecules of pyruvic acid (three-carbon fragments: the glucose molecule is essentially cut into two parts) with ...

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by blcr11
Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:03 pm
 
Forum: Molecular Biology
Topic: Function of Nadh
Replies: 1
Views: 1224

Function of Nadh

... many molecules of Nad+ are reduced to form Nadh for each molecule of pyruvic acid, which i do not compeltely understand. My teacher gave us an assignment to discuss the ...

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by TheNinthAmbition
Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:15 am
 
Forum: Molecular Biology
Topic: Function of Nadh
Replies: 1
Views: 1224

help! my biology teacher is trying to kill me!

... questions that I can not find answers too. 1. At the end of the citric acid cycle, most energy remaining from the original glucose is in a) NADH b) pyruvic acid c) CO2 d) ATP 2. What is the final electron acceptor in the electron transport ...

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by marnita
Sat May 31, 2008 10:44 pm
 
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: help! my biology teacher is trying to kill me!
Replies: 2
Views: 2107
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